Friday, December 6, 2024

My Always Joyous Reactions to The 2025 Critics Choice TV Nominations, Part 2: Comedy

 

Before we deal with the nominations in comedy we must address the elephant in the room – or more accurately, the animal that isn’t in it.

In what very well may be a foreshadowing of things to come The Bear, not only the biggest winner at the Emmys last year and one of the bigger winners at last year’s Critics Choice Awards, has almost no presence this year with just one nomination.

This is not, as some might argue, the fact that the Critics are having doubts about whether the show deserves to be classified as a comedy but rather the consensus about the disappointing nature of the third season overall.  The show’s defenders might want to argue that this is merely a case of newer series taking over various spots – to which I would point out two of last year’s major contenders as well as two other series that have done very well with the Critics Choice in previous years are very well represented and I don’t think anyone will question whether Season 4 of Abbott Elementary has dipped so far this year.

Whether this is an anomaly may become clearer with the Golden Globe nominations on Monday. On the plus side this gap has led to opportunities for new faces as well as the certainty of new winners in at least three of the acting categories in play.

Now let’s deal with the actual nominees in comedy – which any neutral party will argue are very well done.

 

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

I seriously doubt anyone will argue that Hacks, Abbott Elementary, Only  Murders in the Building or What We Do In The Shadows don’t deserve to be here. Now let’s marvel at the four newcomers to this category.

First welcome praise to the Critics Choice for recognizing in its farewell season the sublime Somebody Somewhere. And having seen all of original episodes of both series I’m elated to see English Teacher and St. Denis Medical among the major contenders. I’m honestly more impressed by the latter, though as you’ll see the Critics still acknowledge network comedy is great. I have yet to see Nobody Wants This but I will correct that start next week. No notes.

 

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

For the first time in four years we are guaranteed to see a new winner in this category. Jeremy Allan White, the deserving winner the past two seasons for The Bear is not here and with Ted Lasso over (at least for now) Jason Sudeikis who won the previous two years isn’t eligible either.

Steve Martin and Martin Short more than deserve to be here as does Kayvan Novak for What We Do In the Shadows. Brian Jordan Alvarez has more than earned his spot for The English Teacher and I’m overjoyed to see David Alan Grier here for St. Denis Medical.  For now, I will assume Adam Brody deserves to be here to. Again no notes.

 

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Overjoyed to see the wondrous Bridget Everett here for the second consecutive year for Somebody Somewhere and while I really want here to win, I’m sure she’s fine just being nominated.

But who wouldn’t be among this company? Quinta Brunson and Jean Smart will face off for the second time in three years. Natasia Demetriou is back for What We Do In The Shadows. And the Critics Choice have more than surpassed the number of qualified Kristens for this category: Bell for Nobody Wants This and Wiig for Palm Royale.  I won’t deny I would have liked to see Selena Gomez here instead of Demetriou but Wiig and Everett overcome all sins.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Again we will see a new winner in this category as Ebon-Moss Bachrach, Henry Winkler and Brett Goldstein, the winners in this category during the decade so far are either ineligible or not-nominated.

Two of my all-time favorites, Tyler James Williams and Paul W. Downs for Hacks are facing off. Harvey Guillen, one of the most beloved co-stars of Shadows is in the hunt again. Brandon Scott Jones has earned his share of love for Ghosts and I’ll allow for Asher Grodman.

I don’t have a problem with a nominee from Shrinking in this category so much as I’m a little surprised its Michael Urie rather than Harrison Ford. Take nothing away from Urie – he may have been the most undervalued member of the cast – but I’d have like to see Ford. Oh well.

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

We will definitely see a different winner in this category as Sheryl Lee Ralph was not nominated for Abbott and neither was Meryl Streep the previous years winner. And it’s a pretty good group.

Lisa Colon-Zayas is the only nominee of The Bear here and given that she may have starred in the one episode that everyone liked I can’t argue with it. Janelle James is back in the ranks as is Hannah Einbinder who really deserves a win. Annie Potts has been in this category a couple of times for Young Sheldon and I’m thrilled to see Stephanie Koenig here for her delightful work in English Teacher. I will see Agatha All Along eventually but I have to say Patti LuPone’s choice over, say, Aubrey Plaza seems a little odd.

 

GLARING OMISSIONS

Aside from The Bear I think the strangest ones involve the lack of contenders from Shrinking or Palm Royale. I would have thought that Jason Segel would be back for the former and I expected Carol Burnett back for the latter. Aside from that this will be one of the more competitive groups of the night and while I have my suspicions as to what will win the top prize, I’m not certain on any of the acting ones.

 

Tomorrow I will wrap things up with Best Limited Series and TV Movie along with my opinions on whatever remains. I will say that strictly speaking for Limited Series, once again the Critics have more than outdone the Emmys almost across the board.

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