2014 Emmy Awards on NBC on Aug. 25th: Predictions from the Peanut Gallery
As a dedicated television viewer (or, in this case, viewers) who once was assigned to write synopses of various network shows, I am offering up these predictions for the Seth Meyers hosted Emmy Awards that will be taking place on Monday, August 25th on NBC.
Without further ado, here are our thoughts on the nominees, with our pick(s) boldfaced:
• Drama Series: Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Mad Men, True Detective. Both my spouse and I believe that the Emmies will honor Breaking Bad, because it is now off the air and was one of the best series ever on the air. The only other comment we have on this category is that we think it was a mistake to put “True Detective” in as a drama series, rather than a mini-series, if that was a possibility.
8/25: Nailed it.
• Actor in a Drama: Bryan Cranston in “Breaking Bad;” Jeff Daniels in “The Newsroom;” Jon Hamm in “Mad Men;” Woody Harrelson in “True Detective;” Matthew McConaughey in “True Detective;” Kevin Spacey in “House of Cards.” It is undeniable that McConaughey and Harrelson were wonderful in “True Detective,” but this is “it” for “Breaking Bad,” which is now off the air, and there is the Hollywood factor that sometimes denies deserving Hollywood actors who appear on Broadway at the Tony Awards. For those reasons, we picked Bryan Cranston. There was a fairly heated discussion about Jon Hamm’s worthiness, since he has never won. My spouse gave the Cubs argument for Hamm: “Next year is his year.”
8/25: Nailed it.
• Actress in a Drama: Lizzy Caplan in “Masters of Sex;” Claire Danes in “Homeland;” Michelle Dockery in “Downton Abbey;” Julianna Margulies in “The Good Wife;” Kerry Washington in “Scandal;” Robin Wright in “House of Cards.” We had a very divided ballot on this one. And, no, we did not discuss our choices before making them. I think Lizzy Caplan deserves this and, as a close runner-up, I would vote for Julianna Margulies. My husband voted for Robin Wright in “House of Cards.” For my tastes, Robin Wright (formerly Penn) doesn’t have a big enough part in most episodes of “House of Cards,” which influenced my vote for Ms. Caplan and/or Margulies.
8/25: I give myself a point, as I knew Julianna Margulies had a great chance, but my heart went with the newer show “Masters of Sex.” So, I’m taking credit.
• Supporting Actor, Drama: Aaron Paul in “Breaking Bad;” Jim Carter in “Downton Abbey;’ Peter Dinklage in “Game of Thrones;” Josh Charles in “The Good Wife;” Mandy Patinkin in “Homeland;” Jon Voight in “Ray Donovan.” We had a split vote in this category, also. I selected Josh Charles because he was written out of “The Good Wife” in dramatic fashion, so we will not have the opportunity to honor him for this role in the future. I also was influenced with footage of a very young Josh in “Dead Poet’s Society” standing on the desk for Robin Williams (RIP). [My husband voted for Aaron Paul in “Breaking Bad” for the same reason we selected Bryan Cranston and agreed on “Breaking Bad” for Best Drama.]
8/25: Taking a point for my husband’s prescience in selecting Aaron Paul in “Breaking Bad.” Reminding myself that it was the “smart” vote. Taking a point here.
• Supporting Actress, Drama: Anna Gunn in “Breaking Bad;” Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey;” Lena Headey in “Game of Thrones;” Christine Baranski in “The Good Wife;” Christina Hendricks in “Mad Men;” Joanne Froggatt in “Downtown Abbey.” My husband voted for Anna Gunn in “Breaking Bad” and has the distinction of winning the Traveling Trophy for Oscar predicting both of the last 2 years—just to alert you to his proficiency at this. I realize that the Oscars are not the Emmys or the Tonys, but I selected Christine Baranski because the necklaces she wears on the show deserve an award. Check them out some time. As a woman of a certain age, those clunky, chunky necklaces draw attention to her face, and I wonder where she gets them? May I also say that I’d rather have root canal than have to watch ALL of “Downton Abbey” again, which I did do. Loved the clothes. Period.
8/25: I have to give credit to my husband for his prescience, again, voting for Anna Gunn. We, as a team, will take the point. This is why he owns the Oscar Trophy. Smart voting!
• Comedy Series: “The Big Bang Theory;” “Louie;” “Modern Family;” “Orange Is the New Black;” “Silicon Valley;” “Veep.” First of all, “Silicon Valley” has no shot. All the buzz is with “Orange is the New Black.” We agreed that we both enjoy “Modern Family” enough to vote for it—again. I have to admit that I enjoy “Veep” a great deal and am watching an episode (streamed) right now. (The writing is great!) I also have no beef with either “The Big Bang Theory” or “Louie” but we agreed on “Modern Family.”
8/25: Nailed it.
• Actor in a Comedy: Jim Parsons in “The Big Bang Theory;” Ricky Gervais in “Derek;” Matt LeBlanc in “Episodes;” Don Cheadle in “House of Lies;” Louis C.K. in “Louie;” William H. Macy in “Shameless.” Jim Parsons is wonderful in “The Big Bang Theory,” so much so that I based a character on him in one of the volumes of “Ghostly Tales of Route 66,” but he has won. Ricky Gervais, Matt LeBlanc and Don Cheadle have virtually no shot. We love William H. Macy in “Shameless” (or anything else he does) and we agreed on this without any prior consultation.
8/25: Jim Parsons won. My husband and I voted with our hearts and not our heads for William H. Macy. No points.
• Actress in a Comedy: Lena Dunham in “Girls;” Edie Falco in “Nurse Jackie;” Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “Veep;” Melissa McCarthy in “Mike & Molly;” Amy Poehler in “Parks and Recreation;” Taylor Schilling in “Orange is the New Black.” We agreed on this without any consultation, although we both agreed that both “Orange is the New Black,” Melissa McCarthy and Lena Dunham have had a certain amount of buzz. Nevertheless, we pick Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who is the beneficiary of wonderful writing.
8/25: Nailed it.
• Supporting Actor, Comedy: Andre Braugher in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine;”Adam Driver in “Girls;” Jesse Tyler Ferguson in “Modern Family;” Ty Burrell in “Modern Family;” Fred Armisen in “Portlandia;” Tony Hale in “Veep.” We agree on Ty Burrell. Yes, we (also) like Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and yes we like Tony Hale in “Veep,” but Ty Burrell is great in “Modern Family.” Fred Armisen in “Portlandia”? Please. And, while I’m on the subject, could Seth Meyer get a GOOD band, like The Roots. The band and theme song he has now is embarrassing.
8/25: Nailed it.
• Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayim Bialik in “The Big Bang Theory;” Julie Bowen in “Modern Family;” Allison Janney in “Mom;” Kate Mulgrew in “Orange is the New Black;” Kate McKinnon in “Saturday Night Live;” Anna Chlumsky in “Veep.”
8/25: Did not figure Allison Janney in “Mom.” I don’t think we have ever seen “Mom.” I did enjoy Allison Janney on her guest spot in the James Brown bio-pic “Get On Up.”
• Miniseries: “American Horror Story: Coven;” “Bonnie & Clyde;” “Fargo;” “Luther;” “Treme;” “The White Queen.” This isn’t even a contest. “Fargo” is brilliant.
8/25: Nailed it.
• Movie: “Killing Kennedy;” “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight;” “Sherlock: His Last Vow;” “The Normal Heart;” “The Trip to Bountiful.” “The Normal Heart,” of course.
8/25: Nailed it.
• Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Chiwetel Ejiofor in “Dancing on the Edge;” Martin Freeman in “Fargo;” Billy Bob Thornton in “Fargo;” Idris Elba in “Luther.” No contest: Billy Bob Thornton. (with props to Martin Freeman in the same series.)
8/25: I’m taking a point here for my “props” to Martin Freeman-–although I will, perhaps, be told that it was really for “Sherlock”, not “Fargo.”
• Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange in “American Horror Story: Coven;” Sarah Paulson in “American Horror Story: Coven;” Helena Bonham Carter in “Burton and Taylor;” Minnie Driver in “Return to Zero;” Kristen Wiig in “The Spoils of Babylon;” Cicely Tyson in “The Trip to Bountiful.”
8/25: Nailed it.
• Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Colin Hanks in “Fargo;” Jim Parsons in “The Normal Heart;” Joe Mantello in ‘The Normal Heart;” Alfred Molina in “The Normal Heart;” Matt Bomer in “The Normal Heart;” Martin Freeman in “Sherlock: His Last Vow.” It is entirely possible that Jim Parsons will win for this category, rather than “The Big Bang Theory,” but I’m voting for Hanks. I also like that I appear to be his Mom in the picture taken at the premiere of his film “The Great Buck Howard.” (I seem to have been the only one in the room who had ever seen Kreskin’s act AND had dinner with him, so he wanted to speak to me, as he had never met the man nor seen his act.)
8/25: Okay. THIS was the one where Martin Freeman triumphed. He is truly talented and, if you haven’t seen him in “Fargo,” check it out.
• Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Frances Conroy in ‘American Horror Story: Coven;” Kathy Bates in “American Horror Story: Coven;” Angela Bassett in “American Horror Story: Coven;” Allison Tolman in “Fargo;” Ellen Burstyn in “Flowers in the Attic;” Julia Roberts in “The Normal Heart.” We have a split decision here, with the other front-runner being Julia Roberts in “The Normal Heart.”
8/25: This one was a surprise: Kathy Bates in “American Horror Story: Coven.” Did not see that coming. No points. I voted for Allison Tolman because she had to show a range of emotion(s) in her groundbreaking debut and, also, because she isn’t model-pretty as most female leads on TV are. Looking forward to watching Allison next season on “Fargo.”
• Reality Competition Program: “The Amazing Race;” “So You Think You Can Dance;” “Dancing with the Stars;” “Top Chef;” “Project Runway;” “The Voice.” I’m sick of “The Amazing Race.” Adam Whatever Your Name was (3 name guy who writes and I almost said Adam Clayton Powell): this series blows most of the time. So there. “Dancing with the Stars” is so cheesy that I can’t even believe that a good friend watches it religiously. I actually can barely stand any reality TV, but, of these nominees, the least icky is “The Voice.”
8/25. No points. No score. Note my last line (“I can barely stand any reality TV”). I’m sick of “The Amazing Race” but I don’t really like watching any of these shows, so I don’t feel bad about our lack of perception in the category.
• Variety Series: “The Colbert Report;” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;” “Jimmy Kimmel Live;” “Real Time with Bill Maher;” “Saturday Night Live;” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
8/25: Interesting that Jimmy Fallon, our (incorrect) choice went onstage and did the accepting for “The Colbert Report.” I like “The Colbert Report” a lot and it is going off the air after 9 seasons, so no harm, no foul.
I should mention that there were other categories mentioned on the awards show that did not show up on our ballot that was printed in “Entertainment Weekly.” Of those above, we got +12 right. There are 18 categories listed above (there were more on the actual program. That means we got 2/3 (or 66 and 2/3%) right in our first joint outing as predictors of television wins at the Emmys.