2012 Emmy Nominations in Comedy

The Emmy nominations are out and the list is far from perfect, highlighting some great programs while ignoring others.  Yes, the annual battle of "What about my show?" continues.  And I think I will throw in a few words as well.

First, let's discuss Outstanding Comedy Series.  The winners in this category include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls, 30Rock, Veep, Modern Family, and The Big Bang Theory.  The only fresh nominees in the list are Girls and Veep, neither of which compare with the others.  More importantly, if you are looking for a political comedy can you really do better than Parks and Recreation?  Not likely.  And where is Louie?  Sometimes I am not sure if the show is a comedy or drama myself, but you are often witnessing an brilliant slice of life when you switch on an episode.  Fortunately, both shows were part of other nominations, but they still represent a large gap in the comedy category.

Next,  under Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, I was very happy to see Edie Falco for her work on Nurse Jackie and Amy Poehler for her work on Parks and Recreation.  You can find the rest of the nominees at the link above, but I wanted to single out my two favorite blondes with very different techniques yet similar results - great comedy.  Again, I would put Nurse Jackie in a drama/comedy category, but when it attempts humor it is always right on the mark.

Under Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, I tip my hat to both Louis C.K. and Alec Baldwin, as different as Edie and Amy in their work, but always a pleasure to watch.  If I watch 30Rock at all these days, it is only to see the latest antics Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy. 

Finally, in terms of supporting actors and actresses, I was very surprised yet happy to see the four main actors from Modern Family on the actors list (Ed O'Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell, and Eric Stonestreet) and the two main actresses from the same show on the actresses list (Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara).  However, are we really saying that one comedy can capture 50 percent of the available nominee slots?  This seems to be more a case of not wanting to offend anyone rather than picking the best of the best.  Yes, I will say it again, but where are the supporting actors from Parks and Recreation?  I would put the dry performances of Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson, or Aubrey Plaza, who plays April Ludgate, above some of these other performers.

Award nominations are far from perfect and will never satisfy everyone.  I just had to put in my plug for some worthy shows and performers that deserve the attention.  I hope to say more about the other categories later.

Update:  While Modern Family has been quite successful with Emmy nominations, it has gone through a rough patch trying to start season four.  It seems the success of these actors and actresses has not translated into high enough salaries.  This is not the type of publicity you want right now when the story should be the nominations.

Strong Women: Patty and Elaine

The fifth and last season of Damages started July 11th on DirectTV, with Glenn Close's Patty Hewes facing more brutal courtroom battles.  And this season she is joined by Ryan Phillipe, a Julian Assange-like character who, as with prior main characters, will offer more catnip to Patty.  In fact, you can visit the Phillipe character's website in question at McClarenTruth.org, which is a fun way to get the season started.  

Ms. Close has been a very "committed" attorney, if that is the appropriate word, whereas "slightly mad" works for me as well.  Damages is a fascinating take on the legal profession, though similar to watching Captain America to learn about the U.S. Military.  That is not to say warped people do not exist in the real legal world, as the collapse of Wall Street and ensuing investigations demonstrated, but seldom can you get such a rich catalog of characters in your living room every night.  I would take this over the other television law shows any day.  Go here for a season five trailer.

And now we have a new committed Secretary of State coming to television, with Sigourney Weaver coming to the USA Networks tonight (July 15th) on Political Animals.  Said to somewhat model Hillary Clinton, Weaver's character Elaine Barrish Hammond has plenty to keep her busy both on the home front and the Homeland Security front.  Here is how she is described in the series promotions:

Smart, politically savvy, and devoted to both family and country, onetime first lady and unsuccessful presidential candidate Elaine Barrish Hammond has found new purpose and popularity since divorcing her philandering husband and taking on the job of Secretary of State. Now out from under the shadow of her husband, Elaine proves herself to be a gifted politician with a fierce desire to right the wrongs of the world, whether in international diplomatic chambers or in her own living room. But brilliant as she is, balancing her political aspirations with the demands of her personal life will prove a continued challenge for Elaine, and the higher she climbs, the more her principles, her skill, and her family will be put to the test. 

I  look forward to seeing Signourney Weaver on television taking on such a role.  And while the USA Nework is calling this a "limited series event," maybe a strong start will lead to more.  Who knows?  Damages was dead before DirectTV came to the rescue.  We shall see if Secretary Hammond can  carry the day.  Go here for an extended trailer.

Tim Goodman in The Hollywood Reporter has already given his view on the, which makes me somewhat uneasy (given my take on Dallas): "...what Animals is trying to do is take The West Wing and turn it into Dallas. And if you don’t like Dallas, that can be a real letdown."

Chuck Barney of the Contra Costa Times was a little nicer: "Fortunately, as the saga unfolds, it delves into fresher territory, and Political Animals becomes an intriguing, even occasionally humorous, family soap opera about the snake pit of national politics, the expectations of women in power and the corrosive effects of personal ambition."

Netfix's Lilyhammer

I finally found some time to sit down and watch a few episodes of Nexflix-financed Lilyhammer, and I am glad I did.  This odd, little jewel of a show tells the story of a New Jersey mob boss who needs to quickly exit the United States after providing key evidence in an FBI case.  And where does he want to go to get away from it all?  Why, Lillehammer, Norway, of course. 

Steven Van Zandt, who already had a lot of credits in other areas such as music (Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) as well as television (The Sopranos), brilliantly plays the part of Giovanni Hendriksen, a stereotypical mobster trying to establish his own version of Las Vegas in the Norwegian mountains.  He is definitely a fish out of water in his location, or so it seems for the first 5 minutes.  And then, oddly enough, he finds ways to blackmail, intimidate, and enrich himself with his new neighbors.  If anything, the shows seems to indicate that we are all the same across the globe and subject to the same incentives.  But even this dark side to the show is generally fun and well-balanced with other lighter moments as he pursues a romantic relationship. 

 Dan Schneider in Open Salon stated it well when he noted the following:

The acting is all first rate, and while there are minor dramatic elements, the fact that all the Norwegian characters are played and written as boobs means this show is a comedy, not a dramady. The writing on the show is surprisingly good...Yes, there are stereotypes- of both American gangsters and Nordic cultures, but, as a comedy, it mixes these in unique and genuinely humorous ways. It’s not belly laugh funny, but it makes you often smirk when you feel you should not- say, at a moment of would be pathos for the characters.

From everything I have read, the show has been very popular with Norwegians.  Now we have to see how popular it is state-side, though Netflix has already ordered a second season, which is encouraging.  To enjoy the show you will have to forgive the subtitles.  For some odd reason, Giovanni is always speaking English while the Norwegians speak in their own tongue, creating an interesting viewing experience on both sides of the Atlantic.  It is somewhat strange that Giovanni can pick up the Norwegian language so quickly, yet this is the least quirky part of this new show.  You cannot over-think the program.  Just  enjoy it.

By the way, if you are looking for a place to visit, consider Lillehammer.  Check out events on the city's website.  You may not find Giovanni's nightclub, but you can participate in the 20th annual Birkebeinerrittet on August 20th:

 Birkebeinerrittet is the world's largest cross country bicycle race with 18.000 participants. The course is 94,6 km long. Starting at Rena, and finishing by Haakons Hall, Lillehammer. Starting at Rena, a small town in Østerdalen, and finishing in the city of Lillehammer, you will experience both the beautiful mountains of the area, be cheered on by onlookers and enjoy music and song performed in close proximity to the food stations.

Our Friend Wilfred Returns

You did not need to do too much deep thinking (unlike Newsroom) to enjoy Thursday's (June 28) return of Wilfred on FX.  Ryan (Elijah Wood) and his delinquent dog Wilfred (Jason Gann) are back for another series of adventures.  While the show can be juvenile and simply gross at various points, it also has plenty of moments where it digs a little deeper into the human psyche (and still finds something juvenile and gross, of course). 

For a sitcom, it can be pretty dark as it starts with Ryan's attempted suicide and his later delusions concerning Wilfred, but the constant pot smoking, awkward sexual moments (okay, some are with stuffed animals), and off-color humor bring it to a level not reached by other sitcoms.  Wilfred is basically the bad angel sitting on Ryan's shoulder, though he has a number of endearing qualities and useful insights that can set Ryan right.  And for some odd reason, mixing the talented Elijah "Frodo" Wood with the equally talented yet zany Australian Jason Gann really works (could it be Elijah's time down in New Zealand helped him work better with actors from that part of the world?). 

I was not sure if Wilfred would return for another season since the rating for season one were so so, but that is the advantage of starting on FX where there are fewer shows to cancel.  ABC would have probably pulled it after the first three episodes.  Luckily, the network cowardice has not bled through to the smaller players. 

You should watch the June 21st between season episode to catch up on the show.  You will get to see Robin Williams playing Ryan's doctor as Ryan tries to come to grips with his life and the role of Wilfred. 

The Return of Jericho?

I was a fan of CBS' Jericho when it first broadcast back in 2006 and, like other fans, hoped it would last for more than two seasons.  Set in Jericho, Kansas, the story followed a small town in the midst of multiple unexplained nuclear explosions in various U.S. cities leading to the collapse of the country as we know it.  Starring Skeet Ulrich as Jake Green and Gerald McRaney has his dad, Johnston Green, it told the story primarily from the Green family's point of view while also expanding into many other tales.  As with TNT's Falling Skies, it was a solid drama about an American family trying to save a ruined country by rallying civilians and recalling the best days of the former selves. 

Well, I have been reading for awhile that Netflix has considered restarting this series and I, of course, want to add my two cents.  I think its a great idea in theory, but you will need to get the same cast back if it is to work.  And doing this four years later may not be all that easy, though I cannot recall any of the former cast going onto greatness that would prevent such a reunion.  And since the second season dug much deeper into the new country rising from the ruins (the Allied States of America - see the flag below, the Republic of Texas, and the Eastern United States, at a minimum), the writers may need to move the story even deeper into the future to account for aging actors, as well as the possibilities of a few missing actors.  Another approach would be a prequel to set up the country's fall, but this would only be filler for most fans since we already know enough about the fall and want to learn more about the recovery. 

Netflix has already resurrected Arrested Development, as well as creating its own programs (House of Cards and Lilyhammer), so it has the ability to make it happen.  The question now is whether it has the continuing fan base. Things did not work out so well for Terra Nova and Netflix, though I saw less merit in bringing back the time-traveling dinosaur series.

A third season of Jericho was published in book and comic book form.  Whether or not they become the basis for a new series is unclear, but you can get your Jericho fix satisfied for the moment while you await more news of the series.  And for more on the past Jericho episodes, visit TV.com.  You can also see past episodes on Netflix.

Note:  Here is a teaser from Wikipedia on the first comic book for the third season:

The story begins at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, ten months after The Bombs. 

Hawkins attends a meeting of Texan leaders at the base, and learns that the bomb got the Governor's attention, with the intended result: Texas will help Columbus with fuel, weapons and manpower. 

Hawkins remarks that Cheyenne is likely to storm the Mississippi as soon as the United Nations buffer force withdraws. Clark, representing Columbus, admits that because of the Hudson River Virus the USA is not ready for that; even with Texan support they cannot match Cheyenne for numbers or organization. If it comes to war, Cheyenne's opponents will need some "kind of X-factor" that Cheyenne won't see coming, and Clark doesn't know what that is.

Hawkins receives a call for help from the terrorist "John Smith", who is now imprisoned by Cheyenne.

Lackland is then attacked by an air-raid from Cheyenne. Clark and other leaders are killed; and Hawkins and Green narrowly escape.

President Tomarchio, Thomas Valente and other heads of the ASA receive a report on the air raid. Lackland Air Force Base and the East Texas Oil Fields are immobilized. Strategic sites within San Antonio were also destroyed. Civilian casualty rates will be high, but acceptable. Their fighters saw no resistance. By all accounts, the ASA's attack took Texas completely off-guard. President Tomarchio will contact Columbus shortly with an offer of surrender; with any luck, the USA will accept, in which case the ASA saved lives today. The meeting ends.

Major Edward Beck was also watching this from the Sheriff's Office in Jericho. The ASA military are still based in Jericho, and (for unknown reasons) Beck and his troops are once again wearing the A.S. Army insignia, and Beck himself appears to still be in command. Beck now receives word that Green and Hawkins are alive in Texas, which he secretly relays to the Jericho underground resistance.

Hawkins and Green now head for New Mexico – ASA territory – to begin a campaign to free "Smith", who helped build the ASA's information infrastructure and thus knows its weaknesses.

Take Time for Louis C.K.

Tonight (June 28) on FX the third season of Louie begins.  I have been eagerly awaiting the return of the series since Louis C.K. puts everything in perspective.  Yes, a very weird perspective, but perspective nonetheless.  I am glad he has been very busy on the comedy circuit, and I too downloaded one of his road shows from his personal website (to hell with Ticketmaster and the other middlemen), but what I really looked forward to was his 30 minutes of situational comedy with his two girls. 

Maureen Ryan gets it right in the Huffington Post when she states Louie is "One man's quest to hang on to his optimism and his curiosity and even his joy, whatever indignities life throws at him." 

John Powers on NPR also captures the essence of Louie's uniqueness with the following:

...Louie is ultimately in pursuit of big game — the flow of life in its dizzying elusiveness. More than any TV comedy ever, it's all about capturing moments of truth and freshness, be it the pleasures of bantering with your kids, a misinterpreted gesture of friendship toward someone you meet on the road, or the sudden recognition of the deep sadness burning within someone you've been finding utterly delightful.

I like the unpredictable nature of the show where one moment you have a huge belly laugh and the next you are uncomfortable in your own skin.  The whipsawing keeps you interested and curious for more.  And Louis C.K. does not come across as a polished anything.  He is truly a regular guy still fascinated with the workings of the world.  

Here is Louis C.K. writing on his website last December after successfully selling a comedy download via his website:

So it's been about 12 days since the thing started and yesterday we hit the crazy number. One million dollars. That's a lot of money. Really too much money. I've never had a million dollars all of a sudden. and since we're all sharing this experience and since it's really your money, I wanted to let you know what I'm doing with it. People are paying attention to what's going on with this thing. So I guess I want to set an example of what you can do if you all of a sudden have a million dollars that people just gave to you directly because you told jokes.

So I'm breaking the million into four pieces.

The first 250k is going to pay back what the special cost to produce and the website to build.

The second 250k is going back to my staff and the people who work for me on the special and on my show. I'm giving them a big fat bonus.

The third 280k is going to a few different charities. They are listed below in case you'd like to donate to them also. Some of these i learned about through friends, some were recommended through twitter.

• The Fistula Foundation
• The Pablove Foundation
• charity: water
• Kiva
• Green Chimneys

That leaves me with 220k for myself. Some of that will pay my rent and will care for my children. The rest I will do terrible, horrible things with and none of that is any of your business. In any case, to me, 220k is enough out of a million.

I never viewed money as being "my money" I always saw it as "The money" It's a resource. if it pools up around me then it needs to be flushed back out into the system.

After giving most of it away, he is using the rest to pay the rent and take care of the kids.  Not to buy a huge house in California.  He is the real deal, while also being very, very funny.  

Update:  After watching the first two episodes it is clear Louie will encompass more of the weird and unusual.  His blind date "sexual encounter" in the second episode left me shocked and confused.  So far we are not seeing a combative Louis C.K. facing the women in his life.  Instead, he is being blown around and taking cover until it (or she) passes.  The only two women in his life right now offering any stability are his daughters.  If this season continues like this, he will certainly need their sanity and humor to make it through.  

TV Moments: Sixteenth Chapel

Poor Justin. He had no idea what he was getting into when appearing on David Letterman.  The clip speaks for itself.  I am not sure if American high schools would have served him any better.  So much for unscripted programs.