My Emmy Nominations

The real Emmy nominations come out on Thursday morning, but these are mine for the not-so-small cross-section of television that I watch.  Several shows ended this year – Mad Men, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Boardwalk Empire, Parks and Rec, Nurse Jackie, Glee, Cougar Town, The Killing, True Blood (which I downright loathed) and it really was time for them to go.  What will waste my time now?  Let’s adhere to the laws of alphabetics and start with Comedy:

Comedy Show

I’m really not digging a lot of comedy shows this year.  I laugh more at the last 2 minutes of The Goldbergs when they show the real family’s video footage than most entire episodes.  I don’t watch Silicon Valley and I loathe almost everything on CBS.  Plus, Big Bang, Louie, Girls, Modern Family all seem tired, but are guaranteed nominations.  It’s ridiculous that Bob’s Burgers is not eligible because it’s animated. 

• Community – I miss Troy, but it was a good season.  Steve Guttenberg Alert!
• Happyish – Miserable people making fun of hipster douchebags. 
• Jane the Virgin – Cute enough, kind of like Ugly Betty.
• The Last Man on Earth – They don’t have to hire extras.
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Thanks for being you, Tina Fey.
• Veep – Still solid.

Best Actress – Comedy

• Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Think Brendan Fraser in Blast from the Past.  I realize no one has ever written that as a compliment before, but I stand by it.
• Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback – Such a horrifying train wreck but hard to look away.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep – Incompetent yet angry.
• Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation – It’s her last chance, people!
• Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin – I’ll hate it next year when they baby comes.
• Kristin Schaal, The Last Man on Earth – So annoying, but she is Louise Belcher.

Best Actor – Comedy

• Steve Coogan, Happyish – It was supposed to be Philip Seymour Hoffman.
• Billy Crystal, The Comedians – Why not?
• Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth - He’s got a Larry David vibe because nothing goes right and then he gets blamed.
• Matt LeBlanc, Episodes – He playing a douchier version of himself.  Brave, right?
• Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Kind of smarmy but likable.
• Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent – The show is not funny, but it’s here anyway.

This was one of the hardest categories to choose.  I know Louie and Parsons will be here but whatever.  I still hold out hope for Neil Flynn on The Middle - always underappreciated.

Best Supporting Actress – Comedy

• Alison Bree, Community – I doubt being on Yahoo raised viewership.
• Kathryn Hahn, Happyish – She’s a cool Mom that hates everyone.
• Carol Kane, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Dirty old lady alert.
• Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation – Dirty young lady alert.
• Stephnie Weir, The Comedians – So awkward and uncomfortable.
• Merrit Wever, Nurse Jackie – So nice and sweet and impossible to be.

A special shout-out to Melora Hardin on Transparent for giving Big Boo on OITNB a run for her butch money.

Best Supporting Actor – Comedy

• Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Black, gay and old.
• Kevin Dunn, Veep – Best lines in the show.
• Josh Gad, The Comedians – Also playing a douchier version of himself (hopefully)
• Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation – Ron Swanson doesn’t want your validation.
• Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation – He never has to do TV again.
• Jim Rash, Community – Either he’s gotten more to do or everyone else is doing less.

I couldn’t find Jamie Camil who plays Rogelio on Jane the Virgin on the list.  Bummer!

Guest Actress – Comedy

• Tina Fey, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – I have a feeling it won’t get one real nom.
• Laurie Metcalf, The Big Bang Theory – It’s fun to rip on overbearing, religious people.
• Megan Mullally, Parks and Recreation – I’ll miss you most of all, Tammy 2.
• Rhea Perlman, The Mindy Project – Nick and Carla Tortelli reunited.
• Michaela Watkins, Transparent – I like her in everything or the 3 things I’ve seen.

Guest Actor – Comedy

• Jim Florentine, Louie – He was a jaggy comic Louie had to stay with in the condo.
• Jon Hamm, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – He better get at least one this year!
• Jason Mantzoukas, The League – How Rafi became Rafi.
• Tim Blake Nelson, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – You can’t not like him.
• Seth Rogen, The League – Dirty Randy returns.
• Bradley Whitford, Transparent – Always fun to watch – even in a dress.

Drama Show

• The Affair – Shot from 2 points of view and you never know the truth.
• Game of Thrones – The last 3 episodes made up for a boring beginning.
• House of Cards – Where will you go from here?
• Mad Men – It ended well.
• Orange is the New Black – It had a much better chance in the comedy category.
• The Walking Dead – It won’t be nominated but it’s the only show I watch live and then watch people talk about it. 

Best Actress – Drama

• Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder – Several murders is more accurate.
• Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Back – She’s 6 distinct characters – wake up, people!
• Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men – Badass Peggy Olson.
• Kerry Washington, Scandal – Viola may take off her makeup and wig, but Kerry lets her fro go.
• Ruth Wilson, The Affair – I can’t figure out her face.
• Robin Wright, House of Cards – The brown hair was off-putting.

I really liked Agent Carter, unfortunately, Hayley Atwell is too much of a longshot.

Best Actor – Drama

• Jon Hamm, Mad Men – It’s Don’s Draper’s last hurrah.  Make it happen!
• Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul – He’s always good – the show is a little slow.
• Timothy Olyphant, Justified – It wrapped up a little too cleanly.
• Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan – A stoic anti-hero, like Louie but tough and attractive.
• Kevin Spacey, House of Cards – Do not steal this from Jon Hamm – you’ve got another season to win yours.
• Dominic West, The Affair – Just because Jimmy McNulty never got one.

Supporting Actress – Drama

• Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black – Time for a Crazy Eyes spin-off.
• Lena Headey, Game of Thrones – I have a feeling she will get her revenge.
• Christina Hendricks, Mad Men – She don’t need a man, she’s got work to do!
• Kate Mulgrew, Orange is the New Black – I couldn’t decide between her or Vee.
• Lorraine Toussaint, Orange is the New Black – Slocked and loaded.
• Bellamy Young, Scandal – She certainly doesn’t suffer in silence.

I love Maura Tierney in The Affair, but that won’t help her here.

Supporting Actor – Drama

• Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul – More Mike episodes, please!
• Jere Burns, Justified – He’s been in everything, but Wynn Duffy was awesome.
• Walton Goggins, Justified – How does a racist cracker speak so fluently?
• Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men – They made him fat and bald, so give Sweaty-faced Pete a chance!
• Mandy Patinkin, Homeland – Gotta love the Tink.
• John Slattery, Mad Men – I can’t believe he survived the series.

Guest Actress – Drama

• Marcia Gay Harden, How to Get Away with Murder – I needed a 5^th actress.
• Julia Ormond, Mad Men – Mean and French, redundant much?
• Carrie Preston, The Good Wife – Elsbeth Tascioni should guest star on every show.
• Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones – Badass old lady Alert!
• Kiernan Shipka, Mad Men – Her character’s life won’t be easy.

Guest Actor – Drama

• Ed Asner, The Good Wife – Lou Grant turned into even more of a sexist jag.
• Walton Goggins, Sons of Anarchy – Give Venus Van Dam an Emmy!
• Oliver Platt, The Good Wife – He’s always fun to watch, even as a Republican.
• Pablo Schreiber, Orange is the New Black – The return of Porn-stache.
• Aaron Staton, Mad Men – He lost an eye for them, but he got his.