Friday, July 1, 2016

Emmy Predictions, Part 8: Best Actress, Comedy

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
There will be even more gaps in this category with long time nominees Amy Poehler and Edie Falco gone from this category, and Lisa Kudrow out of the running. There are definitely more than a few new faces to fill the gap, so let's take a look (and hope that somebody can stop Julia Louis-Dreyfus.)

Rachel Bloom, 'My Crazy Ex-Girl-Friend'
I'm advocating for a series on the CW that earned survival by the skin of its teeth, which means its got two strikes against it already. But come on. This hyphenate managed to do everything possible to humiliate herself on screen, mostly in songs she wrote herself, and has already won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice. The Emmys would have to be crazy to not nominate her.

Ellie Kemper, 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'
For some reason, everybody connected to this Netflix gem managed to earn an Emmy nomination last year except her. Considering how dark the material for this series can be, it's a tribute to Kemper how blissfully funny she manages to make this title character seem. Her role has already inspired a lot of new buzzwords, I think she deserves a nomination as well.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 'Veep'
All right, I may harangue her for her constant domination of this category (isn't four in  a row enough?) but I'd be lying if I didn't say that watching this very incompetent President try every conceivable way to win election to the White House isn't a lot more entertaining than it looks. And considering the way, we've seen her play dirty at times, and than show great emotion at the worse possible times. I'd be lying if I said she didn't deserve a place at the all-time greats. Comediennes, not presidents.

Gina Rodriguez, 'Jane The Virgin'
Two candidates from CW shows? I'm clearly deluded. But come on, watching this mother duel with herself between the two men in her life? Try to deal with gaining her career path with everything getting in her way? Finally walking down the aisle, and possibly enduring more heartbreak? How the hell does she not rank consideration? For the love of God, if this series were on any other network, she'd have won last year. Please don't make the same mistake.

Tracee Ellis Ross, 'black-ish'
She's always made us laugh as this quirky and yet still saner person than her husband on this series, and yet she always had some far more resonating moments as she dealt with some problems more than some mother should have to deal with. Her work in the episode involving a police involved shooting alone was enough to rank a nomination, but her body of work is far bigger than that.

Amy Schumer, 'Inside Amy Schumer'
Last year, for those of you who didn't notice, Amy became an A-List celebrity. That did absolutely nothing soften the sharper edges of her shocking comedy as she deals with some of the problems with fame, the difficulties of being a woman, some serious, interviewed a sociopath, and continued to point her daggers at profundities in the world, including her own. Her series won't be around much longer. Don't miss the opportunity to honor her.

WILD CARD
Anna Faris, 'Mom'

It is likely, knowing the Emmys, that they will fall back to old habits, and fill the category with a previous, albeit inferior, nominee such as Melissa McCarthy or Lena Dunham.  However, I would prefer a middle ground, and try for another comedy veteran who doesn't quite get her do. Anna Faris' constantly gets shunted aside for praise over the brilliance of Allison Janney. But this season, as her character went through more progress than she has in awhile, finally managing to move her career and life in a positive direction, that she managed to show this season. 'Mom' deserves more recognition, and I hope she gets it.

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