Last year I was
overjoyed by almost all the Limited Series nominated. This year I have the biggest
problems with it.
In the last two
years the Astras divided its nominees between Broadcast/Cable and Streaming.
This year, for whatever reason, they’ve decided to combine both categories. To
be fair, they’ve also expanded all the nominees to ten in every category which
does make up for it but it has led to some incredible blind spots.
The most
glaring, in my opinion, is the complete shutout of Capote Vs. The Swans. This
is a striking reversal because two years ago the Astras were the only group
to give recognition to American Crime Story: Impeachment which every
other awards group ignored. That they somehow chose to ignore a different
installment of another Murphy series – one far more likely to be recognized by
the Emmys next week – is the biggest blunder they’ve made this cycle. Oh well.
They ignored The Patient and Love & Death last year. Nobody’s
perfect.
Because there
is a significant overlap involving TV movies, I’m going to go over all of the
nominated films as well. Some of their nominations make sense. Others, well,
judge for yourself. Anyway let’s get started.
BEST LIMITED
SERIES
The Astras get
in my good graces right off the start by recognizing Apples Never Fall. Most
of the other nominees follow the likely nominees this year – True Detective,
Fargo, Baby Reindeer, Ripley and Lessons in Chemistry. Fellow Travelers deserves
to be. Black Mirror will no doubt contend in the movie category and The
Fall of the House of Usher was favored by the Critics’ Choice.
If there is one
that seems an aberration it is Hulu’s We Were The Lucky Ones. While it
is a great series, I believe not only Feud but Monsieur Spade and
A Gentleman In Moscow were superior. (Although in the case of the
latter, it wasn’t left out.)
BEST TV MOVIE
The obvious
ones among these are Mr. Monk’s Last Case, No One Will Save You, Quiz Lady and
Red White and Royal Blue, all of which have received multiple
nominations in the past year from many groups. I won’t comment on the remainder
but I am miffed by the fact that The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial isn’t
here at all.
Best Actress in
a Limited Series of TV Movie
Aside from the
absence of Naomi Watts, I can’t fault most of these choices. Brie Larson, Jodie
Foster and Juno Temple are likely going to be fighting it out in the days to
come; Kaitlyn Dever and Awkwafina received nominations from the Critics Choice
Awards for their work in TV movies and Carla Gugino is riding House of
Usher. I have no problem with Sandra Oh here (though I’d have preferred it
if she was nominated for The Sympathizer, which was mostly ignored) and
I’m obviously not going to complain that Annette Bening is here.
My bigger
problems are that Alaqua Cox and Joey King have been listed not just about
Watts but Julianne Moore for Mary and George another limited series
ignored by the Astras.
BEST ACTOR IN A
LIMITED SERIES
Well obviously
I’m not going to fault them for including Ewan McGregor since I dared not even
think he be nominated by the Emmys. Andrew Scott, Matt Bomer, Jon Hamm and Richard
Gadd were all inevitable. Tony Shalhoub and David Oyelowo got nominated by the Critics’
Choice.
The other three
- I’m fine with Nicholas Galitzine being
nominated, if for Red, White and Royal Blue. But I can’t in good
conscience endorse either of the nominees for Fall of the House of Usher. That
not only Tom Hollander but such brilliant choices as Clive Owen and Kiefer
Sutherland were ignored in favor of them is something I can’t easily overlook.
BEST SUPPORTING
ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES
If one can
forgive the absence of the Swans, this is an excellent category. I advocated
for both Alison Brie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and I’m overjoyed both have
been included.
This is the
most diverse category of the group: Lily Gladstone is included for Under the
Bridge as well as Kali Reis for True Detective. Nava Mau is present
along with Jessica Gunning for Baby Reindeer and Aja Naomi King and
Dakota Fanning made the cut. I might chafe at the idea of Diane Lane and Chloe
Sevigny being ignored for Riley Keough for Under the Bridge and Mary McDonnell
for Usher but I can’t complain that much. However the most glaring aberration,
in my opinion, is that Jennifer Jason Leigh was excluded when everyone else in Fargo
was nominated. Oh well.
BEST SUPPORTING
ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES
First the right
choices. Robert Downey Jr., (The Sympathizer’s lone nominee) Lewis
Pullman, Jonathan Bailey and Joe Keery for Fargo. Let’s parse the rest.
I can
understand why True Detective would have a presence here, even if
Christopher Eccleston and Finn Bennett are present but not John Hawkes. I have
no trouble with Joe Keery being here for Fargo and it makes sense Tom
Goodman-Hill is included for Baby Reindeer.
But nothing for
Treat Williams or Sam Neill? Some of the other choices strike me as extremely
eclectic: Mark Ruffalo is the only nominee for All The Light We Cannot See
and I don’t know what John Cena is doing here. I’m an admirer of Jason
Schwartzman but he should have been nominated three years ago for Fargo not
at the expense of Sam Spruell or Dave Foley.
BEST WRITING
AND DIRECTING IN A TV MOVIE
Richard Gadd
and Issa Lopez wrote every episode of Baby Reindeer and True
Detective, so it makes sense both are nominated there as well as Lopez’s
nomination for directing. Noah Hawley is nominated for Fargo. Quiz Lady, Red,
White and Royal Blue and Mr. Monk’s Last Case are nominated
in both categories (which makes sense, considering) and since Steven Zaillian
directed every episode of Ripley his inclusion makes sense. Lessons
in Chemistry is nominated in both categories for different episodes as was Fall
of the House of Usher. No One Will Save You was nominated for direction
(again this makes sense) and Fellow Travelers was nominated for its writing.
Now that I know Chelsea Peretti wrote First Time Female Director I’m
fine with both the film and her getting nominations.
Now let’s deal
with some of the ephemera.
In animated
series, I’m thrilled to see X-Men 97 in the hunt with the return of Clone
High facing off against Harley Quinn and The Simpsons. I can’t
speak for anime, but it does my heart good to see Scott Pilgrim Takes Off among
the freshman nominees along with Blue Eye Samurai.
In Documentary,
the ones that please me the most are Albert Brooks: Defending My Life and
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. I don’t need to go over my
arguments for Game Shows.
In standup, I’m
always glad to see Jenny Slate and Tig Notaro, and I hope the presence of Dave
Chapelle and Ricky Gervais won’t lead people to cancel the Astras.
In Best Talk Series,
the usual suspects are all present save for Bill Maher, which makes me happy to
see him ignored for Hot Ones. I’m glad to see the Oscars and SAG awards among
variety, thrilled to see Dick Van Dyke here. I’m also glad to see so much love
for X-Men 97 among voice over performance.
That’s all for
now and that’s the end of the pre-Emmy coverage. Next week I’ll react to the
Emmy nominations which I know going in won’t make me nearly as happy as the
nominations here. (Then again, they will probably at least recognize Slow Horses
and Feud, but still…)
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