Emmy Watch 2009 Part 3

Outstanding Supporting Actress in A Drama Series

24 • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Cherry Jones, as President Allison Taylor

Damages • FX Networks • FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television Rose Byrne, as Ellen Parsons

Grey's Anatomy • ABC • ABC Studios Sandra Oh, as Dr. Cristina Yang

Grey's Anatomy • ABC • ABC Studios Chandra Wilson, as Dr. Miranda Bailey

In Treatment • HBO • Leverage, Closest To The Hole Productions and Sheleg in association with HBO Entertainment Dianne Wiest, as Gina

In Treatment • HBO • Leverage, Closest To The Hole Productions and Sheleg in association with HBO Entertainment Hope Davis, as Mia

I thought maybe I'd been spending too much time focusing on comedy, so for today's Emmy Watch I decided to highlight the Supporting Actress in a Drama. I'll make it quick: Chandra Wilson or Sandra Oh deserve it. They've been on the ball this season of Grey's Anatomy, even though the writing and plot lines have been all over the place. These two kept the show grounded. If I had to pick between the two, I'd say Sandra Oh deserves it more if only because Chandra Wilson cried a bit too much this season (I feel bad for you, Bailey, but you're supposed to be the strong one. Buck up a little). This season, Oh's Cristina Yang showed such promising signs of development: she was able to stick out a relationship without being cynical about every little thing, she showed true emotion and concern for her fellow doctors, primarily towards Dr. Owen Hunt. Below, find one of the couple's crowning scenes together, in which Hunt, suffering from severe post traumatic stress disorder (he is recently back from Iraq) hurts Cristina in her sleep. The scene is harrowing but a true test of Oh's ability as an actress.



Hope Davis was excellent this season too, so I wouldn't be surprised if she or Dianne Wiest take the award.

Emmy Watch 2009

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

30 Rock • Gavin Volure • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios Steve Martin, as Gavin Volure

30 Rock • The Bubble • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios Jon Hamm, as Dr. Drew Baird

30 Rock • Mamma Mia • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios Alan Alda, as Milton Greene

Desperate Housewives • The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened • ABC • ABC Studios Beau Bridges, as Eli Scruggs

Saturday Night Live • Host: Justin Timberlake • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video Justin Timberlake, as Various Characters

I'll be completely honest from the start: I didn't see Beau Bridges' performance in Desperate Housewives because, well, I don't watch it! So it could be the greatest comedic performance of all time and I wouldn't know it. Sorry. Moving on...

As I've told friends, I thought Steve Martin was just ANNOYING as Gavin Volure. Yes, we get it, you're playing an eccentric "billionaire" who lusts for Tina Fey's Liz Lemon. Could you tone it down, just a bit, or maybe bring something original to the performance? Don't think I don't love Steve Martin; I saw him host Saturday Night Live this year and it was a relatively hilarious show. Love his book too. But this just wasn't my cup of tea (probably the only episode of 30 Rock I didn't love this year).

Jon Hamm was perfection as Dr. Baird and I'm so glad he submitted "The Bubble" as his episode (his arc lasted three episodes). While I do find Mad Men overrated, I thoroughly enjoy Hamm's performance on the show. By playing Dr. Baird, he was able to mess with television audiences by playing two very different characters on two very different shows. The revelation that his character gets everything handed to him on a plate because of his looks; as Liz Lemon says, "You can't put Gatorade on salmon."

Alan Alda, very funny in Mamma Mia. Tina Fey stole the episode though with her bright eyed look at the prospects of there being a real Mamma Mia.

Justin Timberlake is a consistently solid Saturday Night Live host, but this years' appearance was nothing different from the ones in the past. Very, very funny, but a little stale.

Win goes to Jon Hamm.

61st Primetime Emmy Awards

What with the Emmy Awards rapidly approaching, I thought I'd take this opportunity to offer my predictions for the major categories. Each day, I'll post about a new category.

Outstanding Comedy Series

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios

Entourage • HBO • Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Family Guy • FOX • Fox Television Animation

Flight Of The Conchords • HBO • Dakota Pictures and Comedy Arts in association with HBO Entertainment

How I Met Your Mother • CBS • Bays & Thomas Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television

The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

Weeds • Showtime • Showtime Presents in association with Lionsgate Television and Tilted Productions, Inc.

This year, the Best Comedy award absolutely deserves to go to 30 Rock. This season was tighter, crisper, and smarter than the previous two. Tina Fey learned from her (few) mistakes and made the show the cool/best show to watch on television. With an outstanding supporting cast (Tracy Morgan basically playing himself, Jack McBrayer as the lovable and naive Kenneth the Page), the show has brought the funny back to NBC (although The Office certainly holds its own in the time slot before Rock).
The fact that Entourage was nominated at all is SUCH a joke; that show hasn't been funny in years. It's basically a bunch of douches rejoicing their own douchebaggery. Family Guy had a good year, but it wasn't good enough to trump the likes of Flight of the Conchords, How I Met Your Mother, and The Office. And as for Weeds? Meh. Just, meh.