As fans of my columns are very
aware the Critics’ Choice Awards have for the last fifteen years been one of my
favorite awards shows, particularly when it comes to television. It is not just
that they are almost always a lot of fun, it is that I’m always in awe of their
choices.
For reasons that are clear to most
people I expect the ceremony that will take place this Friday to be more
subdued, if not somber. It is not just because of the reason of its
postponement – the fires that caused such destruction to Los Angeles for the last
few weeks have made the postponement of awards season almost trivial in
comparison to events – but there are also controversies surrounded many of the
nominated films, most notably the backlash against Karla Sofia Gascon that has
led many to turn against Emilia Perez once considered to be a certainty
to dominate the Oscars. (Gascon herself will not be in attendance.)
But awards shows have gone forth
in the face of bigger, more potent disasters whether it be terrorist attacks or
pandemics that led to them have to virtual ceremonies. And regardless of that I
still look forward to trying to figure out which shows and actors will be among
the major contenders for Emmys later this year. Many of the major nominees do
take up a lot of real estate from last year but some will be prominent this
coming year and it is very possible that we may get some signs of what shows
deserve recognition. So once more into the breach.
As always I will start with Drama.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
As you’d expect this is the
easiest one of the night. Much as I would like to see The Old Man prevail
for what is its final season and while I’m very impressed by Day Of The
Jackal, this will go to the show
that dominated the Emmys this September and the Golden Globes last month. Shogun
is going to be the big winner; the only question is how many awards it
wins.
Should Win/Will Win: Shogun.
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Eddie Redmayne will likely be a
formidable contender for Day of the Jackal this summer as will Jeff Bridges
for The Old Man. I would particularly like to see either of them win,
particularly Redmayne. But this one is going to go to the past as Hiroyuki
Sanada continues his winning streak for his masterful work in Shogun. I
don’t have a problem with this and neither will anyone else.
SHOULD WIN: Redmayne/Sanada.
WILL WIN: Sanada.
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
I won’t lie; I’d really like to
see Shanola Hampton win for Found or Kathy Bates for Matlock. Not
only did they each give searing performances; it would be a major shot in the
arm for network television, which is having a moment, particularly in drama.
But I don’t have a problem with
the clear front-runner as Anna Sawai continues to win every single Best Actress
award imaginable for Mariko in Shogun.
SHOULD WIN: Hampton/Sawai.
Will Win: Sawai
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
It was somewhat surprising – in a good way – when Tadanobu Asano took the
Best Supporting Actor trophy for his incredible work in Shogun at the
Golden Globes. While he would seem to be the favorite, I believe that the
presence of another Shogun star will split the vote the way it did at the
Emmys.
So who will win? I personally
would love to see Mark-Paul Gosselaar prevail for his incredible work as Sir on
Found. However I suspect it will go to another incredible character
actor: John Lithgow for his masterful work in The Old Man. He was one of
those actors who was shut out by the Emmys in Season 1 and he deserves
recognition from what is one of his great performances.
SHOULD WIN: Gosselaar.
Will Win: Lithgow.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
There are some very good choices
in this category but for me this one comes down to two of the greatest
actresses I’ve seen playing very different government roles: Alison Janney as
the Vice President who has a hidden agenda on The Diplomat and the ice
cold Nicole Kidman as a CIA operative in Lioness. My personal preference
is for Kidman in this case but I have no problem with Janney going on into the
winners circle. She had a great year on
television and she deserves it.
Should Win: Kidman/Janney.
Will Win: Janney.
Before we move on to the comedies,
note the striking absence of The Bear, which received only a single
nomination for its third season after winning four out of five awards from this
circle for Season 2. Considering the controversy around the third season, this
may give some of a sign of what the Emmys might do down the rude. Or might not.
BEST COMEDY
To be clear I’ve actually seen six
of the eight nominated comedies at this point and have a very good impression
of the other two. None of them would make a bad choice as a winner in this
category so I do give props to the Critics. That being said, considering that
its already won every award for Best Comedy when it was competing against
The Bear, there’s no question what will be the big winner. Season 3 of Hacks
is absolutely going to crush it here and I couldn’t be happier.
Should Win/Will Win: Hacks.
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
For the first time in a very long
time we will see a new winner in Best Actor in a Comedy. Jeremy Allan White went
back to back the last two years but he is absent from this category. So the
question is who wins this year?
I would love to see basically any
of them win but at this point I think the two biggest contenders are two lead
actors from two of the most incredible new comedies of 2024: Brian Jordan
Alvarez for The English Teacher or Adam Brody for Nobody Wants This. Having
seen the entire first season of both shows, it is very hard for me to choose
between them. Both represent an entirely different kind of comedy: Alvarez’s
title character claims to be a good guy but as we saw in the first season, he’s
basically shallow and selfish in certain ways. Brody’s character is a genuine
good guy whose inner struggle is between love for God and love for a woman.
Both are hysterically funny in fish out of water sequences.
My personal preference would be
for Alvarez but Brody seems to have a certain momentum. He was the favorite to
win the Golden Globe and the decision to give it to White was the one selection
I couldn’t get behind. My guess is that Brody will prevail. But there are no
bad choices here.
SHOULD WIN: Alvarez.
WILL WIN: Brody (but there are no
bad picks.)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
There are no bad choices here.
Zero. I will admit a part of me really wants to see Bridget Everett prevail for
the final season of the incredible Somebody Somewhere. But we all know
who’s going to win and we’re all fine with it. Jean Smart will take her third
straight Critics Choice Award for Best Actress and this time she’ll be here to
claim it.
Should Win/Will Win: Smart.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A
COMEDY
Another strong category but I
think this one comes down to Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary or
Paul W. Downs for Hacks. There is almost nothing to choose between which
one is the funnier one because Williams’ character is brilliant when it comes
to saying nothing and Downs’ is brilliant when it comes to expressing
everything. Tough call, but I’m going with Williams.
SHOULD WIN: Williams/Downs.
WILL WIN: Williams.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN
A COMEDY
This one is a no-brainer. There
are some people who think Lisa Colon-Zayas will win in this category because of
her Emmy in Season 2 and her work in Season 3. Respectfully speaking, those
people are fools.
This is Hannah Einbinder’s award
to lose. And not just because she was robbed of an Emmy last year. She has won
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy from the Astras all three years she was
eligible. The critics have always loved her. She didn’t win the first two years
from the Critics because of two towering talents: Hannah Waddingham and Sheryl
Lee Ralph. Neither of them is here this year. Janelle James and Stephanie
Koenig more than deserve to win for their work in Abbott Elementary or The
English Teacher and they will someday. But it is Einbinder’s time and
place.
SHOULD WIN/WILL WIN: Einbinder.
Now it’s worth noting that the
Golden Globes were willing to give Baby Reindeer the sweep it got from
the Emmys. The Critics might be even more particular then the Globes. With that
in mind:
BEST LIMITED SERIES
As brilliant as such shows as Masters
of The Air and Ripley are, I suspect this category will come down to
The Penguin and Baby Reindeer. There is very little to choose
between them but I do think Baby Reindeer will continue its streak in
this category. As for the rest of the award, well, I’ll get to that.
Should Win: The Penguin/Baby
Reindeer.
Will Win: Baby Reindeer.
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV
MOVIE
When I was faced with a choice
that was very much like this at the Golden Globes I went with Richard Gadd for Baby
Reindeer. This time, I’m going to go the other way around and go for Colin Farrell
for The Penguin. That all said, don’t rule out a win for Andrew Scott,
who did take the Best Actor prize from the Astras for his work for Ripley.
Should Win: Farrell/Scott.
Will Win: Farrell.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED
SERIES/TV MOVIE
Jodie Foster, by now, has
essentially won every major Best Actress prize for her incredible work in Night
Country. The question is whether Cristin Milioti has the momentum for her
incredible work as Sofia in The Penguin to overcome her.
This is, as you might be aware, an
awards show notorious for having ties. I would like to see if Foster and Miloti
could do so here. But failing that I suspect Foster will continue her long
winning streak and I’m okay with that.
Should Win: Foster/Miloti.
Will Win: Foster.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED
SERIES/TV MOVIE
This is one of the few categories
in the awards that I’m not thrilled with the majority of the nominees. I think
it comes down to Robert Downey, Jr. for his work in The Sympathizer or
the late Treat Williams for his superb work as Bill Paley in Capote Vs. The
Swans.
I think Downey will win this one
because he was the heavy favorite for the Emmy when The Sympathizer came
out and has basically gone empty handed ever since. It was a masterful set of
working for him and The Sympathizer honestly deserved more recognition
then it got.
Should Win: Williams.
Will Win: Downey.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A
LIMITED SERIES
I have to admit I’m torn between my
head and my heart on this one. My head knows very well that Jessica Gunning is
absolutely going to win in this category because she’s won both the Emmy and
the Golden Globe. But my heart – oh my heart – calls out for a win for Betty Gilpin
for her extraordinary erotic and open performance in her work in Three
Women.
I hope the Critics can find love
for this incredible actress. But I know its going to go to Gunning. I don’t
have a problem with that to be sure – it was a masterpiece and I’m fine with her
winning. Still…
Should Win: Gilpin.
Will Win: Gunning.
While I have no idea if the other
major nominees in this category will even be covered I have my preferences.
For Best International Series I
expect the second season of Squid Game to prevail. For Best Animated
Series, I think X-Men 97 has momentum – it won this same award from the
Astras. For Best Talk Show, I’d like to see The Daily Show win. And for
Best Stand-Up Special, look for it to go to either Ali Wong or Nikki Glaser.
Those are my predictions. I’ll be
back on Saturday with my reactions.
No comments:
Post a Comment