If you’re like us here at TUiW, you’ve probably been dying the last few days waiting for a little entertainment related news. Well we finally have a little something to break up our Summer TV Club! The Television Critics Association announced the nominees for their awards today, and while they aren’t the most prestigious of awards, they are the first of the season to hand down nods. Here are the nominations, along with a little TUiW analysis:
Individual achievement in drama:
Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad,” AMC)
John Lithgow (“Dexter,” Showtime)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife,” CBS)
Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad,” AMC)
Katey Sagal (“Sons of Anarchy,” FX)
A bit of a wide open category. Lithgow and Cranston are the defending champs in the Emmy Best Dramatic Actor category, and I’d think that Cranston has a slight edge given the adoration over this season of Breaking Bad. Julianna Marguiles is probably the dark horse here, given that her show is on a network and too has been loved by critics. Smart money’s on Cranston though.
Individual achievement in comedy:
Ty Burrell (“Modern Family,” ABC)
Jane Lynch (“Glee,” Fox)
Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation,” NBC)
Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory,” CBS)
Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family,” ABC)
Another wide open race in a great category. I’m not the biggest Glee fan, but Jane Lynch has lifetime support from me, and Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet are equally deserving. If I had to pick, I’d pick Ron Fucking Swanson, to win, but that has a lot to do with my undying love of Parks and Rec more than anything else. Jim Parsons’ character on The Big Bang Theory is the most annoying of them to me, but critics seem to love that show, so don’t count him out at all.
Outstanding achievement in news & information:
“30 for 30” (ESPN)
“America: The Story of Us” (History Channel)
“Life” (Discovery Channel)
“The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
“The Rachel Maddow Show” (MSNBC)
While it’s hard to root against the Daily Show, the ESPN 30 for 30 series has been consistently great each time. Maddow gets the sole news entry here. Suck it Glen Beck!
Outstanding achievement in youth programming:
“Dinosaur Train” (PBS)
“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (Cartoon Network)
“Word Girl” (PBS)
“Yo Gabba Gabba” (Nick Jr.)
I’m rooting for the show called Dinosaur Train because that sounds AWESOME.
Outstanding new program:
“Glee” (Fox)
“Justified” (FX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Parenthood” (NBC)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
I think this is really a showdown between the two hottest new shows in the land, Modern Family and Glee, but I wouldn’t discount The Good Wife, which got higher critical acclaim than I would have expected. Really for the last year however, it’s been all about Glee and Modern Family, and I’d be surprised if one of the two didn’t win (Ed. Note: Hopefully Modern Family. I understand the appeal of Glee, but it doesn’t really do it for me).
Outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries and specials:
“Life” (Discovery Channel)
“Temple Grandin” (HBO)
“The Pacific” (HBO)
“Torchwood: Children of Earth” (BBC America)
“You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)
HBO seems primed to take home an award for…something. All three of their nominees here are about on the same plane, and since HBO never loses in this category, I think it will be one of those three.
Outstanding achievement in drama:
“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“Sons of Anarchy” (FX)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
An interesting set of shows for sure. Lost is probably out of the running because its end infuriated so many, and Sons of Anarchy doesn’t seem like it would take the cake. The Good Wife has an outsider’s chance, but my money is on Breaking Bad. While Mad Men too has a really great shot, Breaking Bad has reached a point where nearly every new review calls it the best episode the show has ever done. If they’re going to overtake they’re slightly older sibling, this is the year.
Outstanding achievement in comedy:
“Glee” (Fox)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
“Party Down” (Starz)
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
First and foremost, I’m thrilled to see Party Down get nominated, and included in such a strong group. That being said, I think this is the category where the loser of the Best New Show category gets their win. The Big Bang Theory is hugely popular, but from the TV Critics Association stand point, they’d be fairly hypocritical not to give it to one of their two most adored shows. I’d vote for Parks and Rec, and I have a feeling its in play, but I think this really again boils down to Glee and Modern Family.
Career achievement:
James Garner
Bill Moyers
Sherwood Schwartz
William Shatner
Dick Wolf
It’s a career achievement award for a reason. Anyone’s game.
Heritage award:
“24”
“M*A*S*H”
“Law & Order”
“Lost”
“Twin Peaks”
I’m surprised to see both Lost and 24 mixed in with M*A*S*H and Law & Order (either of which will win), but Twin Peaks stands out too as the odd duck here.
Program of the year:
“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Friday Night Lights” (DirecTV/NBC)
“Glee” (Fox)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
No Mad Men?! Sacrilege! But in all seriousness, I see Breaking Bad or Modern Family as front runners, with Breaking Bad having the edge. Glee has a shot, but I think the other two had a bit more substance to them as far as overall program of the year. Lost will again encounter the problem of having so many people angry at their finale, but it has a shot if more voters loved it than hated it. Friday Night Lights was tremendous this season, but the fact that this is its sole nomination says to me that the voters are concentrated on the other shows in the category. I think the folks at Breaking Bad will be going home happy.
Let us know your thoughts! Who should win?
awarshauer
Michael
ulyssesworkman
