Netflix and Amazon Have Been Lying to You

In past articles, I have admitted my issues with streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon and all their subsidiaries. I don’t have much of a problem with the quality of much of the programming – I’ve had a lot of fun with Fleabag and Russian Doll and have been taken to new worlds with Stranger Things and Homecoming. But there’s always seemed to be something flawed with their business models that has never added up from the beginning.

For much of the decade, we keep hearing things about how shows like Orange is the New Black or Glow or Grace & Frankie have been huge hits for Netflix. What has never been quantified by Netflix is how they are classified as huge hits. As flawed as I have found the Nielsen rating system to be for broadcast and cable television, at least it succeeded at its main job of telling us just how many people were watching a show. It been more than eight years since Netflix started airing original programming, and we have yet to get a clear idea as to how many people are watching, say, The Crown or Peaky Blinders.  A few days ago, I read somewhere how Netflix is doing – and I was appalled.

For years, they’ve been releasing absurd numbers saying that sixty million people watched House of Cards or forty-eight million watched Dead Like Me. I’ve often wonder how they got these numbers that not even Super Bowls have managed. Then I learned that basically it means that’s how many people have watched the first two minutes of the first episode. Um, WTF? If this is accurate, it may mean that more critics have watched entire seasons of Master of None or AfterLife than have ever watched the show.

How the hell does something like this happen? I have had my issues with how opening box office success seems to determine what makes a hit movie for the last thirty years. It’s always struck me as a faulty business model -  10 million see it week one, and maybe 2 million see in it week two, but who cares because the studios have already declared victory. (This model may explain better than anything how Transformers and Twilight were ever considered successful franchises). But it’s a firmly established plan compared to how Netflix seems to be willing to do business all this time.  At least those people actually saw the movie the first week. Here, it’s the equivalent of watching the opening credits and then walking back to your car.

And as shallow a method as this is, it at least goes through the motion of having an audience. Amazon and Hulu have been showing original programming for more than five years, and we still don’t know how many people are actually watching Transparent or The Handmaid’s Tale.

This is shocking on a lot of level, but perhaps the most appalling is that it’s a terrible business model. For years, I’ve been trying to figure out how these streaming services can be making any money off these shows. Even if each of these services had 20 million subscribers apiece (which wouldn’t nearly account for the viewers for some series, but let’s let that go for now), it couldn’t possibly cover the revenue stream needed to cover the budgets of some of these series. How can you possibly spend billions of dollars a year on programming and expect to make a profit?

I found the answer to that in a different article – they’re not. Netflix has been spending billions of dollars on dozens if not hundreds of series over just the past decade, and as a result now find themselves in a massive debt. How long they can continue to operate at this speed is questionable, especially considering how new streaming services like Apple and HBO Max can only cut into their stream. Amazon understandably has deep pockets, so they might be able to last for awhile. God knows how other streaming services will survive.

Streaming surfaces have made television viewing much harder the last few years, from completely wrecking how the average viewers watches television to their being to many television shows to watch to cause so many other cable networks to either shut down original program or consolidate with other networks. Now, it seems that they have been little more than a Ponzi scheme when it came to actually making a working business model. The broadcast networks have already paid for this, first at the Emmys, then as having an audience at all. Cable networks are beginning to fold up at this because it’s too expensive. When Netflix reaches saturation point? At this point, they might need every viewer on Earth just to break even.

What does any of this mean for television viewers? I’m really not sure yet. I don’t regret that I followed the Netflix model – they created some truly wondrous and brilliant television over the years, and I’ll admit it would be a real loss for anyone who likes quality TV if they were to start going into collapse mode. It does, however, make me wonder about so many series on the surface that are announcing the end of their runs after just three or four seasons. That’s been a model that Netflix didn’t create, but I’m now wondering whether Russian Doll or Dead to Me have limited runs because of their creator or their Medici’s.

I’m going to keep watching Netflix, and I’m not going to urge anybody to stop. That said a couple of words of caution. First, don’t assume that ‘everybody’s’ watching a Netflix show just because you hear it somewhere. And those massive contracts that Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy have signed? Don’t be shocked if they don’t start having ‘creative problems’. We may be reaching the time where Netflix has bitten off more than it can chew.

My Reactions To This Year's Emmy Nominations: Conclusion Limited Series

I expected Watchmen to do well with the Emmys: given not only the level of technical work that went into, but the superiority of the writing and performance, it was outstanding. Did I expect it to be the most nominated show, period? Not this much. I guess this officially breaks the comic book curse. Let’s go over the rest.

OUTSTANDING LLIMITED SERIES

Watchmen, Little Fires Everywhere, Unbelievable, and Mrs. America I predicted would be here.  The fifth series was a bit of a shocker. I Know This Much is True was a bit of a long shot, but honestly I thought that The Plot Against America or even Hollywood would have a far better chance than Unorthodox. Well, at least Black Mirror won’t overshadow everything.

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE/LIMITED SERIES.

There’s something not right here. I expected Jeremy Irons, Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Jackman to be here. But have the Emmys decided that Breaking Bad has gotten enough Emmys? Where’s Aaron Paul? For that matter, are the Emmys really that far left wing that they didn’t nominated The Loudest Voice at all? Russell Crowe was good enough for a Golden Globe? He didn’t even get nominated for an Emmy.

I may have doubts about the Emmys constantly nominating five Limited series when there are at least six or seven good ones, but they’ve had room for six actors. So why are there only five? And why are Jeremy Pope and Paul Mescal nominated when their series didn’t get a Best Limited Series nod? Something is amiss here.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV MOVIE/LIMITED SERIES

It gets even harder to fathom in this category. Cate Blanchet, Regina King, and Kerry Washington more than deserve to be here. But what did Reese Witherspoon do to get robbed three times by the Emmys? And how can you nominate Unbelievable and leave out Kaitlyn Dever and Merritt Weyer? Is there some kind of bias against the police procedural that I’m not aware of.

I know there was praise for Octavia Spencer for Self-Made and Shira Haas for Unorthodox, but it’s more than obvious the Emmys nominated the wrong actresses from Netflix. Again, I ask why are their only five nominees when there lots of great performances? What’s going on?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE/LIMITED SERIES

It gets even freakier here. Now I expect Yahiya Abdul-Mateen II to get nominated for Watchmen, but if you’re going to go as far as to nominate three actors from the series, how can you ignore Tim Blake Nelson? Don’t get me wrong, Louis Gossett Jr. more than deserves his nomination. But Jovan Adepo was only in two episodes of the series. It would’ve made more sense (and I could’ve lived with it) if Don Johnson had been nominated instead.

Now Jim Parsons and Dylan McDermott were highly thought of for Hollywood so I’ll let that go. But seriously, nominating Tituss Burgess over John Turturro. Don’t get be wrong; I’m all for nominating a comedy in this category, but they were far better choices from TV series. Jessie Plemmons or any of the group fro El Camino for one.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

This is the closest to a logical group that I saw. Toni Collette and Jean Smart are the heavy favorites in this category. I expected Mrs. America to dominate this category, but it was going to be really hard to pick which brilliant actresses were going to be nominated. I was right about Uzo Aduba for her work as Shirley Chisholm, I nearly picked Tracey Ullman over Rose Byrne, and I’m always glad to see Margo Martindale nominated for anything.

That said, did the Emmys just get tired of nominating Allison Janney? I realize they may have thought seven was adequate for now, but I find it hard to fathom that Holland Taylor deserved to be nominated over here. (Or any of the actresses in Little Fires Everywhere or Hong Chau for Watchmen, or… let’s just leave it at that.)

Well, I’ve got a lot of TV to catch up on. I’ll keep you appraised as we get closer to Emmy night. (Though what it’s going to actually look like is beyond me.)

My Reactions To This Year's Emmys: My Drama With the Dramas

Well, I’ve taken a day to try and get my head around the nominations in the Drama Series, and it still doesn’t compute. You expected the Emmys to share the wealth now that the behemoth of Game of Thrones is gone forever, but there just seems to be so little real logic to it, particularly in the acting nominations.

In my opinion, the biggest victim is Better Call Saul. For years, they’ve been nominated in the acting categories and ignoring it in writing and directing. This year, they went the other way. How can you nominate the series without nominating Bob Odenkirk –it’s like nominating breaking Bad and ignoring Bryan Cranston. And everyone was certain this would be the year that Jonathan Banks would finally win – and he isn’t even nominated. Seriously, eight nominees in each of the supporting categories and you can’t find room for either Banks or Rhea Seehorn.

And I’ll be honest. I expected Ozark to get nominated – it is a good show. But eighteen nominations? Couldn’t they give some of the writing nominations to This is Us  or Big Little Lies? Indeed, there seems to be an overcorrection toward the technical rather than the others.

Now I’ll go into detail.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Better Call Saul, The Crown, Succession and Stranger Things all deserve to be here. I can see the logic for Ozark and Killing Eve. But what is with the obsession with The Handmaid’s Tale, which even it’s most devoted fans thought had faltered badly in Season 3?

And where the hell do the Emmys get off nominated The Mandalorian? I didn’t even bother to watch it (I’ll watch some episodes to try and catch up) but are the Emmys really just trying to get Star Wars viewers here. There were no acting nods and no writing nods. If you’re going to nominate a sci-fi show, you could at least nominate Westworld.  The Emmys are supposed to be nominating great dramas, like This is Us or Pose or Big Little Lies. This seems like a plea of some kind that I don’t get… at least not yet.

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Brian Cox, Sterling Brown and Billy Porter more than deserve to be here. I can more than see the logic for Jeremy Strong. And Jason Bateman’s work in Ozark is so different from every other character he plays that he deserves to be here.

But Steve Carell for The Morning Show? Leaving aside that it’s hard to justify that role as a lead, I can think of at least three other deserving nominees BEFORE we get to Bob Odenkirk. Nothing for Milo Ventimiglia or Tobias Menzies? Nothing for Paul Giamatti or Damien Lewis? This is one of the Best Actors in a Drama. There’s no logic here. None at all.

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Olivia Colman, Jennifer Anniston and Laura Linney more than deserve to be here, and I can see the logic of re-nominating Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh from Killing Eve.

But Zendaya for Euphoria? A series that was barely watchable, much less viewable? Forget Nicole Kidman or Reese Witherspoon; Mandy Moore or Viola Davis would’ve been far better choices. Claire Danes has more depths. Evan Rachel Wood and Elisabeth Moss would make more sense No one can honestly consider Zendaya a viable actress, much less a character in this show. I’d say the Emmys have gone rock bottom, but...

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Now I’ll admit I wasn’t thinking rationally when I didn’t include any nominees in this category for Succession. Kieran Culkin and Matthew MacFayden are extremely good in their work (I was going to include Culkin initially). I’m not as sure about Nicholas Braun (hell, I’m not even sure who he is). And I had no problem with Giancarlo Esposito and Billy Crudup being picked.

But why on earth would you give another nomination to The Morning Show? Now I love Mark Duplass as a writer, director and actor, but if you’re going to nominate a Supporting Actor from this show, why not put Steve Carell here? And as big a fan as I am of Bradley Whitford and Jeffrey Wright, they paled not only in comparison to Jonathan Banks, but to David Harbour in Stranger Things and Mandy Patinkin in Homeland. There is just a general laziness here. Whitford’s gotten enough love from the Emmys, and Wright seems lower on the list of performers on his own series. If you’re nominate someone in Supporting, why not Ed Harris? (Hell, Wright was nominated as Best Actor last time out, so the logic makes no sense here either). Eight nominations and they still couldn’t get it right.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Julia Garner and Sarah Snook. So far so good. I’m willing to give a little leeway for Thandie Newton for Westworld because she is by far the best thing about this often confused show.

But again, there's so much of a mess with the final two. I didn’t see the logic is nominating Fiona Shaw for Killing Eve last year, and it still doesn’t make any sense. And I don’t care how good the actresses in The Handmaid’s Tale are; they don’t hold a candle to either Rhea Seehorn in Better Call Saul or Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things. Hell, I could’ve lived with Susan Kalechi Watson, shorted again for her fine work on This is Us. Eight should’ve been enough. You done messed it up again.

As for Guest Actors, I’m glad to see Andrew Scott nominated, and I hope he wins to make up for being ignored for Fleabag. Ron Cephas Jones and James Cromwell more than deserve to be here, as does Jason Bateman (Outsider is a limited series, but let’s let that go. They couldn’t have found room for Dean Norris?

Guest Actress: Laverne Cox and Cicely Tyson have earned their place here? I’m glad Cherry Jones was nominated for Succession and not The Handmaid’s Tale. I hope Phylicia Rashad wins this year, and I’m glad to see Alexis Bledel back.

Tomorrow, I deal with Watchmen, and all the other, ahem, contenders for Best Limited Series.

It Happens Every Summer: My Reactions To This Year's Emmy Nominations Part 1: The Comedies

I should really know better by now. Year after year, I keep hoping the Emmys will finally see logic and nominate the series I like. And with Game of Thrones finally gone from dominating every major category in Drama, I actually thought: it’ll happen this year. Your list will look close to theirs. Oh, naïve critic.

It’s not just that so many of my series were not nominated. It’s that’s so many obvious choice with the acting nominees were ignore for inexplicable reasons. There was very little correspondence between the acting nominees and the nominees for Best Drama. Two series had no acting nominations (or for that matter, directing or writing) while so many other series dominated the acting categories but had no nominations for Best Drama.  And perhaps the biggest obstacle for Better Call Saul, where Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks (who’ve been nominated four straight years were somehow ignored in favor of nominees from The Morning Show, which despite expectations was not nominated for Best Drama. The institutional memory that dominates the Emmys seemed to go back a couple of years in the acting categories, but not in Best Drama. How does The Handmaid’s Tale get nominated for two years ago, but somehow Pose and This Is Us from last year don’t?

I’m actually so frustrated with how the Drama category came out this year, that I’m going to break an old happy and discuss the Comedy nominations instead. In a rarity for me, I’m actually far more satisfied with the Comedy nominations than I am for the Dramas, and even rarer, there was more synchronicity than usual. So, let’s see what made us laugh.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was dominant yet again, leading the pack with 18 nominations. Schitt’s Creek went big in it’s final year, getting (mostly) a deserved 15. The Good Place had a good exit with seven nominations; the same number for Insecure. Hurrah! The Kominsky Method deserved the nominations it got, and I’ve recently gotten onboard with Dead to Me so I’m glad it was nominated.

As for Curb Your Enthusiasm, I’m not surprised it got the Best Comedy nod, but given the lack of other nominations, they probably should’ve nominated Ramy instead. And I am shocked that FX’s nominee for Best Comedy was the vampire satire What We Do In the Shadows rather than the sublime Better Things. I may be in the minority on this (the series did get three writing nominations, which seems to mean people loved it) but completely shutting out Pamela Adlon? Not nice.

OUTSTANDIGN LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Ted Danson, Eugene Levy, Anthony Anderson, Ramy Youseff and  Michael Douglas were all on my list, and all more than deserved to get nominated. I’m still a little surprise at the love the Emmys seem to show Don Cheadle. Black Monday isn’t a good show, despite Cheadle’s best efforts. I’m not surprised Jim Carrey was ignored, but considering the love for Larry David, I’m a little surprised he wasn’t included. Oh well.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Rachel Brosnahan, Issa Rae, and Catherine O’Hara more than deserve to be here. I’ve come to be more and more impressed by the work of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini on Dead To Me, so I’m glad that both actresses were nominated. I’m always glad to see Tracee Ellis Ross hear as her work on black-ish is sublime.

I guess I’m just disappointed they couldn’t find room for Pamela Adlon. Kirsten Bell is probably used to being ignored by the Emmys by now. Still, a good group.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

They finally nominated William Jackson Harper. I guess the Emmys finally got off their asses and made a choice for a great actor. I’m also glad to see Mahershala Ali and Alan Arkin here as well, and its inevitable that Tony Shalhoub would be back.

I’m always glad to see Sterling Brown nominated, even though I’m not sure his work on Maisel was big enough for Supporting. It’s great to see Andre Braugher back in the mix. Keenan Thompson deserves to be here too. And I don’t really have a problem with Dan Levy being here (it’s a family affair after all). Maybe eight actually was enough.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

They found room for D’Arcy Carden too! I guess Janet did know what the Emmy would think. And they recognized Yvonne Orji!

I’m always glad to see Marin Hinkle and Alex Borstein included in the Emmy mix. Kate McKinnon has won my respect over the last few years on SNL and I’m glad to see Cecily Strong around, even though she isn’t my favorite SNL cast member. Betty Gilpin more than deserved to be here too. I don’t really object to Emily Hampshire being here, but couldn’t they have found room for Regina Hall? Still, good group.

As for Guest Actor, as you’d expect SNL dominated. I have no problem with Eddie Murphy, but Brad Pitt for playing Anthony Fauci? Little overdoing it. I was glad to see Fred Willard given a posthumous nod for his work on Modern Family and another nod for Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce. I was glad to see Phoebe Waller-Bridge nominated for SNL, but I’m a little afraid Maya Rudolph’s fine work as Kamala Harris will cancel out the work she did as The Judge on The Good Place. (Then again, maybe the Judge had it done. Good to see Wanda Sykes in the mix, but couldn’t they have found room for Larry David somewhere?

Tomorrow, I will gird my loins and deal with the Drama involved in Drama.

A Look Towards This Year's Emmys, Part 2: TV Critics Association Nominations

Well, even though they may not have an idea as to when they’ll give their awards, last week the TV Critics Association finally met and gave out their nominations. And just as I was thrilled with their choices the last two years (the ones I’ve been aware of them; they have a great record otherwise) I was just as happy with what I saw this year.

Let’s start with Individual Achievement in Drama.  Most of them are tied to Limited Series, but its really hard to argue with that. Kaitlyn Dever and Merrit Wever’s work for Unbelievable, Mark Ruffalo’s exceptional work in I Know This Much is True, Regina King’s wondrous work in Watchmen, and Cate Blanchett’s performance in Mrs. America were all among the best performances of the year, and all certain nominees. I am absolutely ecstatic that Rhea Seehorn, after years of laboring in the shadows, got acknowledged for her portrayal of Kim in Better Call Saul, and I hope this at least means the Emmys will nominate her this year. The only actor I didn’t predict for a nomination over the last few weeks was Jeremy Strong for Succession. But having seen his work over the year – especially in the finale – and considering his triumph at the Broadcast Critics earlier this year, his odds of getting nominated for an Emmy just became a near certainty

I can’t really argue with most of the nominations in Individual Achievement in Comedy either. Pamela Adlon, Issa Rae, and Ramy Youseff more than deserve to be there for their acting alone.  Christina Applegate for her work on Dead to Me and Catherine O’Hara’s outstanding work on Schitt’s Creek are certain nominees as well. The only one I really question is Elle Fanning’s for the satirical historical series The Great. I would’ve preferred to see Ted Danson or Rachel Brosnahan here, but you can’t have everything.

I have absolutely no problem at all with the nominees for Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Show. Most are familiar faces, but I hope that this time the Emmys will take this as a hint and acknowledge Seth Meyers. And bravo for acknowledging A Black Lady Sketch Show something that you wouldn’t have thought would be so relevant now.

As for Outstanding Achievement in Movie or Mini-Series, four of the listed choices – Little Fires Everywhere, Mrs. America, Unbelievable, and Watchmen were on my list last year. I’m hoping that the nomination for Plot Against America forces the Emmys to get off their butts and actually nominate a David Simon series for something. I haven’t gotten to Normal People yet, but this may be enough of a nudge to be get me to see it.

Outstanding New Program has an interest mix. We have The Mandalorian and Watchmen for our sci-fi geeks, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist for the networks, The Great and Never Have I Ever for diverse streaming, and The Morning Show making its inevitable appearance. A better mix than usual.

For Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, practically perfect. Better Things, The Good Place, Insecure, Dead to Me, Schitt’s Creeks, and What we Do in the Shadows. Three of these shows are nearly perfect, two are dazzling, and one tests what the medium can do.

Outstanding Achievement in Drama. Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Good Fight, Pose, and Succession are great choices. But how the hell did they get to Euphoria? Stranger Things or Big Little Lies would’ve been better choices.

Which leads us to Program of the Year. Will Better Call Saul repeat? The competition is formidable. Succession, Schitt’s Creek, Mrs. America, Unbelievable, and of course, Watchmen.

Well, most of the certainties of what will be on the list are in the Limited Series. Though at this point, there’s very little about Unbelievable, Watchmen and Mrs. America that anybody could call ‘limited’. Succession seems a sure thing for leading the Best Dramas and Ramy will definitely be in the comedy category. And it was likely The Morning Show was always going to be among the contenders for Best Drama.

But will these awards give a boost to some shows that were going to be under the radar. Could this help Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist or The Plot Against America? It’s always hard to tell – The Good Fight has never gotten much of a boost for being a critics favorite.

However, I always support my fellow critics, and in this case, they have more demonstrated how supportive they can be for great television this year. Let’s hope the Emmys will follow suit. See you next Tuesday.

My Picks For This Year's Emmys: Conclusion: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie/Limited Series

There is a very good chance that any number of the fine actress from Mrs. America and Hollywood will be among the nominees. Considering that there are so many they will probably divide the Academy, I’m going to do my best to split the difference, as well as add some who might very well be overlooked from other series.

Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America

Admittedly, I’ve never given as much due to Orange is the New Black, even though its hard to ignore Aduba’s extraordinary – and in one case, genre bending –work that earned her two Emmys. But those who only knew her as Crazy Eyes will be stunned by her work as Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to run for President, who finds herself fighting for the ERA almost entirely against her will. Even historians may have forgotten Chisholm’s role in history, and the fact Aduba disappeared into her in a way you wouldn’t have though, makes her in my mind, one of the more likely candidates for a nomination from this series.

Rose Byrne, Mrs. America

This is a more personal pick than some of the others. I was always a huge fan of the show that introduced Byrne to America: Damages. Byrne’s work as Ellen Parsons, the dedicated attorney who fought with and against Patty Hewes, never got quite the same recognition as Glenn Close’s (though Byrne did get two Emmy nominations). Considering that she spent so much of her career playing the model of a feminist icon, I think it would be fitting for Byrne to receive another nomination for playing an actual one. Her work as Gloria Steinem, one of the major forces behind the ERA would’ve been dazzling enough on its own, but will likely get lost among all the other extraordinary actresses on the series. I’m giving a push for Byrne because she’s a personal favorite.

Toni Collette, Unbelievable

Ever since Toni Collette dove into a Kansas housewife with multiple personalities in the undervalued United States of Tara for which she deservedly won an Emmy, the Hollywood world has well been aware that there’s nothing she can’t do. Which is why her turn as Grace Rasmussen, the utterly solemn, seemingly joyless, workaholic at the center of the action in Unbelievable who serves at the catalyst that gets the task force started and who helps lead the detectives through the darkest part of the human soul, was so astounding. So much of her best work has centered around comedy, it’s actually kind of stunning to see her do something so perfect. I don’t know why she’s competing in the Supporting Actress category instead of Actress, but based on her triumph at the Critics Choice Awards, it seems to have determined she has a lock on it – were it not for another brilliant investigator in this category.

Allison Janney, Bad Education

I’ve long since stopped being amazed at the vast array of talent that Janney is capable of - she has seven Emmys and an Oscar, so it really seems like there’s nothing more she can do to surprise us. Then you see her play a character like Pam Gluckin, Frank’s utterly indispensible right hand woman, with her perfect Queens accent, and you realize she has more to teach us. She seems to be the perfect undervalued assistant, until we learn she’s been embezzling millions of dollars to give her family the life she wanted from the schools budget, and everything goes out the window again. I think at this stage, even Janney would say she doesn’t need another Emmy. But another nomination seems more than fair.

Jean Smart, Watchmen

How times have changed. Four years ago, Jean Smart was almost certainly robbed of an Emmy for her exceptional performance as Floyd Gerson, the head of a Minnesota crime family making a last stand against the business model, by Regina King. Now its 2020, and she’s starring with the woman who beat her. Smart continues to demonstrate why she is one of television greatest actresses, playing FBI Agent Laurie Blake, a former costumed hero now bent on arrested them, an utter cynic who has no patience for vigilantes, who doesn’t even want to hear the villains explain their plots because she’s been there before. When Watchmen was regarded as a series, Smart upset many bigger names with a win for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama at the Critics Choice earlier this year. Could she manage to do the same thing here? God snaps his fingers, and she might win an Emmy.

Megan Stott, Little Fires Everywhere

There are a lot of great supporting performances in Little Fires, from Alex Pettyjohn’s work as the put upon oldest sister to Rosemarie DeWitt  as Elena’s friend whose desperation for motherhood has driven so much of the action in the series. But in my mind, the most stunning work was given by Megan Stott as Izzy, the problem child, at least as far as her mother goes, mainly because she never wanted her in the first place. Facing the struggle of being an artist and a lesbian in a very suburban community, ostracized by her best friend who won’t accept her sexuality, Stott gave arguably the most realistic performance by a young actor or actress in this long year. The series ended with no clear idea of Izzy’s fate. I think a nomination would be in order.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Naomi Watts, The Loudest Voice

It seems very odd that the two actresses who played Gretchen Carlson, the Fox News personality whose lawsuit brought down Roger Ailes were both Australian: Nicole Kidman in Bombshell, and Watts here. Kidman was the only female lead ignored by the Oscars, and it seems just as likely Watts will be ignored by the Emmys. But Watts had much more to work with in The Loudest Voice. We got a far greater portrayal of just how much abuse she ended up taking, how she plotting to go against him, and when she delivered the fatal blow. When she brought him down, it meant more when we saw it because we’d suffered along with Carlson. I’m not sure enough people want to recognize her, given the atmosphere, but Watts shone brightly.

See you on July 28^th, when the actual nominations come out.

My Picks For This Year's Emmys, Limited Series: Part 4, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Limited Series

For all the praise for Hollywood, I think it may be too fantastic even for the Emmys.  I may be going more out on a limb for these actors than some of the others. But in my opinion, there were many great performances and it’s only fair to rank them.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen

For most of the series, Cal Abar just seemed like a loving husband trying to support his wife Angela and her children, the only real normal person in the entire series. Then in the last two episodes, we learned that Cal had just been a performance for Dr. Manhattan, the ultimate superhero who knew everything from the moment he began his relationship with Angela. Those readers of my column know that I’m a fan of performances that have multiple levels, and we sure as hell as got a lot of them as we realized that the man who knew everything knew what was coming – even his own annihilation. Did he do all this so he could enjoy some happiness or was all of this so he could enjoy the oblivion he thought he’d never have? Mateen’s work was one of the more undervalued performances in an extraordinary series, and I think he’s worthy of a nomination.

Joshua Jackson, Little Fires Everywhere

I’ve already listed him as one of the most undervalued performers in television over the past decade, and just a year after appearing in one extraordinary limited series, he makes an appearance in another as Bill, Elena’s husband who seems to support everything his wife does. But as he gets more dragged into the custody case that is the center of much of the actions, he realizes just how duplicitous and perfectionist his wife is, and how she can’t accept any imperfection – including their youngest daughter. Jackson seems to have the book written un put-upon husbands, yet he never seems to get credit for any of his work by the Emmys. It’s a long shot, but I certainly think he’s worth it.

Seth MacFarlane, The Loudest Voice

I’ll admit, Seth MacFarlane’s appeal has always escaped me. His humor has always seemed only slightly more elevated than South Park and with a lot less subtext. Which is why his work as Brian Lewis, Roger Ailes’ right hand man for much of his time at Fox News, was such a revelation. There was nothing amusing about anything he did. He seem brutal and cutthroat and willing to do whatever Roger as – until he was no longer useful, and he was cast aside like so many other servants to the lord. In another year, MacFarlane would be a sure thing for a nomination. I seriously doubt he’ll get it, but what the hell. He has all those Emmys from Family Guy anyway.

Tim Blake Nelson, Watchmen

Considering for the majority of the episode his face was covered by a mirror, Nelson had to a lot of emoting to make his character of Looking Glass stand out among an extraordinary cast. He did. Nelson’s voice was so solemn, you wondered what he was thinking. And then in the episode when we learned about his trauma from the attack that was the climax of the original comic book – and then learned that it was all a lie – he made you feel for him in a way that just resonating in such few words. “Is anything true?” were among the last words we heard him speak for a long time – words that have come to haunt so many of us and had a special resilience in the world of Watchmen. He was the early favorite to win the Emmy this year, and I still consider that he’s the bets candidate.

Jesse Plemons, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Depending on how you look at it, Todd was the most frightening villain that Breaking Bad ever had. The utter blankness in his expression as he killed people, the way he didn’t even seem to consider morality when he was doing something horrible – you actually cheered when Jesse throttled him in the final minutes of the show. Even seeing him in flashbacks and as actual ghost makes you realize Jesse may never get away from this monster. Plemons has always been a good actor – his work in Friday Night Lights and Fargo more than demonstrates it – and it somehow seems wrong that he’s one of the few actors from the Breaking Bad world who never got an Emmy nomination. Somehow, I feel this will be corrected.

John Turturro, The Plot Against America

Under other circumstances, I’d be more than willing to give this limited series far more nominations, perhaps even for Best Limited Series. A series about an alternate America where Charles Lindbergh, Nazi sympathizer, becomes President and we get a picture of America in the 1940s? It was a great book, and its especially relevant now. Problem is, it’s a David Simon and Ed Burns production. And as we painfully know, no matter what they make for HBO, they will never get the nominations they deserve. That said, it’s going to be really difficult to ignore John Turturro, one of the great actors in any medium, playing Lionel Bengelsdorf, a Southern rabbi who becomes Lindbergh’s biggest advisor and the focus of so much wrath. A lot of actors on this series were great and many more deserve to be nominated, but Turturro’s work in particular stood out.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Michael Sheen, Quiz

Does advocating for the Emmys always come down to picking a great Michael Sheen role? We know from his work in the movies in the 2000s, there’s no British personality he can’t play subtly, and we know from the 2010s that he can play calmly or chewing the scenery. Playing Chris Tarrant, the emcee of the original Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Sheen managed to find, as he does so often, a happy medium. As the face of a hit show who doesn’t want to believe that there’s been a massive fraud perpetrated right in front of his very nose, Sheen managed to glean from elements of his David Frost and calmness of William Masters. We all know he should earn a nomination for his work on Prodigal Son, but that’s an even bigger longshot. This role is in the Emmys wheelhouse, and I think his best shot is here. And yes, that’s my final answer.

My Picks For This Year's Emmys Limited Series: Part 3:Outstanding Lead Actress in A Movie/Limited Series

Three academy award winning actresses, two of televisions greatest talents, and the definition of a promising newcomer will make up this category. Of all the categories this year, this one may be the easiest one to predict – which doesn’t make the talent or performances any less magnificent.

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America

It doesn’t take much of argument to know that Cate Blanchett is one of the greatest actresses in history: she already has two Oscars and seven nominations. But watching her take on the role of one of the most despised women (or beloved, depending on your political alignment) in history, she made Phyllis Schaffly more sympathetic than we would’ve thought possible. The fact that she could disappear into this role as easily as she’s done with Elizabeth I or Katherine Hepburn or Bob Dylan, just goes to prove that there are few actresses in this industry who can do what she can. Does she deserve to win? This is a tough category. But she has readily put herself in the fight.

Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable

The least known name in this category gave one of the most stunning performances this year. As Marie, a teenage girl who is a victim twice over – first of a sexual assault, and then of a system that refuses to believe her and grinds her into the dirt for every decision she makes, Dever was absolutely unforgettable. After decades of watching the same story in police procedurals over and over, Dever’s work as a rape victim who goes out of her way to initially make us unsympathetic to her, and then watch as the world, which has never been kind to her, grinds her down piece by piece. There have arguments recently as to the necessity of the police drama. Dever’s work as a real victim that you can’t typecast broken by the system proves that this is the kind of drama we need.

Regina King, Watchmen

Wasn’t there a time when she didn’t even get nominated for her brilliant performance?  As Angela Abar/Sister Night, the cop/masked hero at the center of the action of Watchmen, King added yet another feather in her cap as the kind of hero we really need right now. As she tries to get to the bottom of a conspiracy that starts with the murder of her boss and may end with the end of the world, King showed new level of the real comic book heroes. She’s trying to do her job, she doesn’t understand the depths of the conspiracy even though she’s at the center of it, and she has to do it all as a black woman in an America that’s bears little resemblance to ours and yet somehow is exactly like it. Her triumph at the Critics Choice Awards makes her the early frontrunner. And honestly, I never get tired of seeing her win

Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere

I take back everything I said about her while Scandal was on the air. I’ve seen Washington give a lot of good performances over the years, but as Mia Warren, the artist, rambling single mother of a child she will not tell anything about her background, Washington went to levels that I honestly didn’t think she was capable of. For much of the series run, she came across the more unsympathetic, manipulative character – until we learned who she was and what made her that way. She was by far the better mother, both to her actual daughter and the girl was continuously drawn to her. I think the odds against her winning are remote (with the vote being split by her co-star, see below) but those who see her performance will never forget it. And its certainly a good choice.

Merritt Weyer, Unbelievable

With all the hype over Run (which went over like a lead balloon and was quietly cancelled this week), it was easy to forget Weyer’s far subtler performance as Colorado Detective Karen Duvall, whose investigation into a single sexual assault leads to a statewide search for a sexual predator. Weyer’s performance may be the most realistic and humane portrayal of police I’ve seen since Fargo (and yes, I’m more than aware those cops are fictional), someone who tries to do her job and go through a broken system and realizes just as quickly how predators like this get started and how the system is weighted against the victim. This is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen from an actress who’s already won two Emmys. She should get a third, but I think this categories too full of showier, more daring performances. I have no doubt, though; the Emmys will remember her for it.

Reese Witherspoon, Little Fires Everywhere

In a perfect world, Witherspoon would be getting three nominations this year. We know it isn’t one. But the Emmys won’t be able to ignore her fine work as Elena, the poster child for a perfect mother in Ohio which begins to crack and finally shatters entirely, partially because of the presence of Mia, but almost entirely due to her own flaws. As the mask slipped of Elena’s ideals, finally shattering in one of the most unforgettable scenes I’ve seen all year, Witherspoon demonstrated what she’s proven over and over, but still has yet to get credit for: that she is one of the greatest actresses working today. She will no doubt be overcome by a brighter sun in the Best Actress in a Drama category (twice, probably) but they can’t ignore this performance.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Helen Mirren, Catherine the Great

Helen Mirren has nothing to prove. She’s already won an Oscar, four Emmys, and played some of the most indelible characters in television history. So you might think that taking on the role of Catherine the Great was just a minor stretch but her work as Elizabeth I for HBO more than a decade ago.  But just as Catherine gets less credit for what she did when she was in charge of the Russian Empire, Mirren seemed to get less credit for playing a more vital, manipulative, and yes sexual woman than we probably ever pictured Catherine to be. There may have been a bit more scenery chewing then many of the more subtle performances here, but Catherine was a lot larger than life than most of them. Had the nomination process begun at the end of last year, Mirren would’ve been a lock for a nomination, perhaps the prize. Now other performances have overshadowed it. But Mirren more than deserves to be considered, and I hope the Emmys do.

My Picks For This Years Emmys, Limited Series: Part 2: Best Actor in a TV Movie/Limited Series

The winner may be predetermined, but it doesn’t change the fact that this category will feature some of the best actors in television and movies playing some truly memorable characters. And for a change, I think there will be at least a few actors from some impressive films this year.

Russell Crowe, The Loudest Voice

Had this series aired later in the year instead of last July, I truly believe it would be in contention for more awards and Crowe would be a front-runner. (He did win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a very impressive field.) Crowe has always been one of our greatest actors, but he truly disappeared into the frightened makeup of Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News and one of the most controversial figures in history. It would have easy to show just the steps that led to his fall, but Crowe showed his full rise and what he managed to accomplish, how much of a tyrant he became, and how he finally was brought down – fighting all the way. Not even Crowe’s abilities could make us feel sympathy for this man, but he did create a full picture of this man who did change the world – for better or worse. He was always going to be here.

Jeremy Irons, Watchmen

Admittedly, much of the action of Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, the world’s smartest man, took place on literally a different world and time than much of the main action of this series. But Irons completely captured the full and utter narcissism and majesty of a hero who truly thought he needed to change the world – and then at the last minute, managed to save it from oblivion once again. He was the only obvious link to the original comic book – as I shall illustrate with some of the other nominees, this would prove not to be true – and he managed to fully capture the level of genius and ego that made him the ultimate foe at the center of the original comic, and ultimately the man whose ego got in the way of saving it again. He may be the only nominee for the series that doesn’t pick up a trophy, but look upon and him, ye mortals, and marvel.

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education

As someone who lives not far from the area where so much of the action of this exceptional movie takes place, I have a place in my heart for it. But even if I lived in Nome, it would be hard to ignore the extraordinary work of Hugh Jackman as Frank Tassone, the beloved superintendent of schools in Rosslyn who was living a secret life as  a gay man (a forgivable flaw) and who embezzled more than twenty million dollars (not forgivable) We see so much of Jackman associated with Wolverine that we often forget what an incredibly subtle actor he can be, and since so much of Frank’s job is performing, there’s a double level to it that he may not even be admitting to himself, right up until the end. Even the real Tassone was impressed by Jackman’s work; it’s obvious the Academy will be too.

Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider

If you had the pleasure of watching Mendelsohn work on the tremendously undervalued Netflix series Bloodline, for which he deservedly won an Emmy, you already know what a gifted and subtle performer he can be. If your first real exposure to him was as Ralph Anderson, the troubled cop whose arrest of a little league coach for a despicable murder is only the beginning of a trip into the unknown, then you know just how truly gifted he is. As an absolute realist who can’t accept the supernatural mire he finds himself getting deeper and deeper into, Mendelsohn is our rock going forward. This is a performance that deserves to be recognized here, not as a regular series

Aaron Paul, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Is there anything left that can be said about Aaron Paul’s extraordinary role as Jesse Pinkman? After six seasons and three Emmys, you’d think no. You might also think there was no need for a sequel to a series that ended so perfectly. Paul made it wrong on all counts. So much of his performance was based on being silent (and considering the level of trauma that Jesse went through in the last three episodes alone you could hardly blame him), but as he tried to get past the damage that Walter White had done to him and make one final, desperate escape, we remembered (as if we needed reminding) just how great a character Jesse is and how great an actor Paul was. Would it be overkill to give Paul one more Emmy? Maybe. Do I think he deserves it? To quote him: “Yeah, bitch!”

Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much is True

Even before this limited series, it was clear that Ruffalo is one of the great character actors in history, someone who can show pain and anguish so well in films such as Spotlight and The Normal Heart. In the dual role of Dominic and Thomas, twin brothers who life seems to have gone out of its way to torment – Tom as a schizophrenic, Dominic as the caregiver who’s considered Tom his burden to bear so long, he won’t accept help from anybody else -  Ruffalo gave a master class in acting. The two brothers were identical but clearly not exactly alike, which was just one of the many major changes Ruffalo did in his performance. And he went out of his way to make these tormented characters as unsympathetic to the audience because of the way life has broken them. This was a dazzling performance, and it is almost certainly going to win Ruffalo an Emmy. I couldn’t be more thrilled.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Guy Pearce, A Christmas Carol

Was he a little young to be playing Scrooge? Well, maybe. But Pearce has been one of the most undervalued actors in any medium that he made it work. We’ve seen Scrooge performed so many times that you think every level of nuance had been stomped out deader than Jacob Marley. But Pearce, perhaps because of his relative youth, was able to reach the level of character that I haven’t seen played by a Scrooge since the days of Patrick Stewart. And come on, wouldn’t it be great to see two of the leads from L..A. Confidential fighting it out?

My Pickes For This Year's Emmys: Outstanding Limited Series

There are a lot of viable contenders, particularly from HBO which went in very big for them this year. How many of them are viable depends on how they are ranked by the academy. I have my opinion; they have theirs. So assuming things are going to go up, here are my choices for the six nominees that I think will fill this category

I Know This Much is True (HBO)

This was one of the most painful experiences in a year that was full of agonizing series. But after getting through the wrenching anguish, I realized that you can’t deny the strength of this series.  I imagine everyone will focus on the incredible work of Mark Ruffalo’s dual performances of Dominic and Thomas, twin brothers who each seem to be acting out their version of the Book of Job. But from the top down, the cast was impressive, and it made the revelations of the final episode actually give an element of relief to those who were left. It may have hard to watch, but you couldn’t look away. And for that reason, it deserves to be considered for Best Limited Series.

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)

One of my favorite experiences of this blasted lockdown was going through this impressive adaptation of Celeste Ng’s book, showing the deeply contrasted relationships of two very flawed mothers, one white who seems to have it all, one black who seems not to, and both with secrets they refuse to admit. Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington gave towering performances in a year filled with brilliant female triumphs. But it was the performances of the children, particularly Lexi Underwood and Megan Stott that pushed this adaptation to the level of Peak TV. Considering how much of what has happened in the last few months about racial inequality, it’s hard to think of a more telling series about this era – well, there is one more, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)

Supporting Actress this year is going to be crowded with so many of the greatest actresses from television of the past decade playing some of the greatest feminist icons of all time. Of course, the main attraction is one of the greatest actress period, Cate Blanchett paying Phyllis Schaffly, that horrendous or beloved (depending on your political orientation) nemesis of the ERA who became  exactly what she was arguing women shouldn’t become in the name of inequality. We all know how close the ERA may come to passing thanks to current events, so we should remember the fight that happened then – and why it’s still going on

The Outsider (HBO)

I’m not sure why this show is being considered under the regular series band wagon, considering how much work Richard Price did to make sure it took place outside the Stephen King universe and that there isn’t yet room for a sequel. What I do know that this is one of the more perfect adaptations of King’s work for the small screen, particularly because so much of it focused on it not being a typical horror story until we were nearly at the halfway point. The creepiness began to rise very gradually, and it was maintained pitch perfectly by the cast, especially the exceptional Cynthia Erivo as the Holly Gibney who didn’t fit King’s description and yet you couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role. I don’t know if or how it’ll be brought back for a second season. But I am eager to see it recognized.

Unbelievable (Netflix)

So many of these limited series this year focused on exceptional female performances. Unbelievable centered around three women at the center of the acts of rapist – Kaitlyn Dever as Marie, a battered teenager who’d been battered by the system so much that her assault was neither the beginning nor the end of her traumatic experiences, and Merritt Weyer and Toni Collette as two Colorado detectives, who slowly but surely begin to put the pieces together to put a predator behind bars.  A lot of people (myself included) have been asking questions of the police procedural recently. Unbelievable shows the best of police by also showing the worst of them, and we can’t deny that this story is anything but pertinent to the world we live in.

Watchmen (HBO)

Who would’ve thought that the most fantastic television series visually would be, by this point, the most relevant one on of the bunch? Set in the future of the world of Watchmen on the centennial of the massacre at Tulsa, the series did the best job of demonstrating the ferocity of race relations, past and present. Of course, it did all this by feature one of the most dazzling stories with some of the greatest performances of the year, from Regina King to Hong Chau to Don Johnson. In many ways, this series is the best comic book adaptation you’ve seen in a long time. In other ways, it’s so familiar to our world it hurts. The almost certain favorite to win the big prize.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Mrs. Fletcher

After all of the darkness that we’ve gone through the last few months, on and off the screen, couldn’t we all use a laugh? Comic limited series rarely happen these days, so why not consider something that was actually joyful. Kathryn Hahn, that incredible talent who never seems to get recognized despite more than fifteen years of superb performances, got to play a woman whose son went off to college, and tried to fill the void in her life with continuing education, friends at her job… and a very specific type of online pornography. Meanwhile, her son, a borderline bully who cruised all his life found he was totally unprepared for what college could bring him. Admittedly, we didn’t get to the end of the book… but we did get the scene that Tom Perotta deliberately went out of his way to avoid. This series gave me so many small laughs over the end of 2019. It may not be HBO’s most ambitious project or powerful, but it was one of the most fun.

My Pick's For This Year's Emmys: Comedies, Part 5:Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Anna Chlumsky, gone. So are both the women from Fleabag – well, Olivia Colman will be, but not in this genre. Sarah Goldberg, ineligible. Who does leave and who will return? Here are my best guesses.

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

She is the constant through the three winning seasons of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – two Emmys, two Critics Choice awards, and – even though she voted for Fleabag - the center of both the SAG awards for the show. Borstein does everything perfectly, playing both straight woman and right arm to Midge as Susie, trying to make room for herself in a world that’s getting bigger, and finding, despite herself, becoming Midge’s friend. The Palladinos have always done a good job at creating female companions for their leads, and Borstein may be the best one they’ve created so far. Everyone says she’s a lock to make it three in a row. I wish someone else would win, but I wouldn’t mind if she did.

D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place

The most understated and versatile player in the incredible cast of performers on this show, she didn’t seem to have a single episode like last year’s extraordinary ‘Janets’ that put her at the center. But Carden always find a way to shine out, and playing the bad Janet in several episodes and every other Janet in two incredible ones, there’s no denying that she demonstrated her gifts yet again. When they finally made it to the Good Place, she now served her final role, leading people to the end, and she was as calming as ever. If the actual afterlife is maintained by Janets, it actually would give me hope for one. And it must have been heartbreaking for her to lose her soulmate, but somehow I think she’ll be okay. Last chance, give her a nomination

Betty Gilpin, GLOW

The one constant presence in the Emmy nominations for this versatile series has been Gilpin’s astonishing work as Debbie/Liberty Belle, the woman trying to make a name for herself on a series that keeps going up and down. There’s an argument that almost anyone else in the cast of GLOW could be here – I’m still not sure why Alison Brie never gets nominated – but Gilpin has been one of my favorite actresses since her work on Nurse Jackie and this is easily some of her best work. The Emmys may not be constant enough to let her win, but they will re-nominate her

Regina Hall, Black Monday

Can a terrible series have an actress who deserves to get nominated? I’ve already expressed how awful Black Monday truly is, but the one truly exceptional thing about is Hall’s awesome work as Dawn. As she became the head of Mo’s group, and did everything she could to empower black women – admittedly, by being a bigger and more ruthless asshole than Mo ever was – Hall resonates in a way that struck me as vital to television months before the crying out for more diversity everywhere began. Is it more likely that Don Cheadle will repeat? Probably. Has Regina Hall more than earned her seat at the table after two decades of understated brilliance? Absolutely.

Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Hinkle’s work as Rose seems to be the only performance on this series that has never gotten its due. But that’s something that has sadly been a constant throughout Hinkle’s career in television going back to her superb work in the undervalued drama Once & Again and continued as the beleaguered principal on Speechless. As Rose, Hinkle manages a harder balancing act than so many of the other characters on this series – the woman who is trying to make a place for herself in this new decade, yet who still holds fast to the old virtues of the past when it comes to family. Now forced to deal with Abe’s problems as well as Midge, one could well see her turning into one of those yentas that were at the center of Fiddler on the Roof. Hinkle has been going out of the way not to be a cliché, and I have no doubt voters will acknowledge her again

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

If there is one bright spot to the political chaos that we live in these days, it has been watching Kate McKinnon take on the roles of every single weirdo politician. You knew she could handle Kellyanne Conway and Elizabeth Warren, but Rudy Giuliani and Jeff Session? One can’t really see her workload being any heavier if Hilary had won in 2016. I’ve been very late to the party of seeing SNL performers nominated, but after watching McKinnon week in and week out, it is really hard to imagine any other actress – yes, even some of the ones in this category – showing the kind of range she has. She’s earned it.

Yvonne Orji, Insecure

Orji’s work as Molly, Issa’s best friend throughout her life has always been the font of much amusement. But in Season 4, Orji truly showed her depth as  performer. Going to such efforts to make her relationship with Andrew work that she would ultimately freeze out and than have a major break with Issa revealed some unpleasant parts of her personality that became even more toxic in the second half of the season. Then in the finale, when things finally began to break apart, it became clear that there were some parts of her she just didn’t want to acknowledge – and by then, it was too late to save one relationship, but not the other.  Combine that with a truly extraordinary HBO comedy special where she revealed a looseness in her behavior that I had never expected in the last few years of watching her, and it can be argued that this is the breakout year for Orji. She is definitely entitled to a nomination.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Lauren Graham, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

Let the record show that I have always been Lauren Graham’s biggest booster. And that the Emmys ignoring twice for one show of each of the past decades – Gilmore Girls in the 2000s, Parenthood in the 2010s – is, to quote about a loss of another dark-haired beauty – ‘the greatest robbery since Brinks.” And in my heart of hearts I know that they if weren’t going to recognize her for two extraordinary parts, they won’t recognize for what is a smaller part on a lesser show. But still wouldn’t it be nice if they did?  Her work has always been stalwart, and she finally did something I’ve been waiting for her to do since the final season of Gilmore Girls – break out into song. She has no realistic chance even among my longshots. But isn’t it extraordinary to think she might have one now?

Next week, movies and limited series. And yes, there will be at least some movies considered.