There's an argument – a good one –
that this category is much closer than it appears at Gold Derby. It seems to be
based on the overwhelming momentum for The Studio overall rather than
other factors, not the least of which is the Emmys has, historically, cared very
little for momentum when it comes to most shows.
There has been little consensus from
the various awards shows in the last ten months on the subject and I could make
a convincing argument for all five nominees. And since that's what this article
is for, I'll try to do just that.
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This (My
Favorite) For Playing: Noah,
a rabbi who is pursuing a relationship with Joanne against the objections of…well,
everybody. Pro: Almost from the moment this comedy dropped on Netflix
the buzz on 'hot rabbi' Adam Brody was almost overwhelming. He was nominated
for every award at the end of the year and eventually won Best Actor in a
Comedy from the Critics' Choice Awards in January. And it's obvious why so many
people have been drawn both to the show and Brody for his wonderful humanistic
turn as a man of faith who wants to get together with Joanne so badly you can
see him going through Talmudic law to find a loophole to be with her. It
doesn't help his family thinks Joanne is just a phase and that they still
prefer the women he broke up with months ago and are sure he will marry no
matter how much he objects to it. (If you're Jewish you know too well that when it comes to
a relationship what the couple involved wants is irrelevant to what their families
do.) Like every other actor in this category Brody has also been acting since
he was a child and like all of them it's only now he's starting to get the awards
buzz from critics he's deserved for years. It might be a cliché but I certainly
want this to happen. Con: As we'll see, being the early favorite didn't
help him with the overwhelming majority of awards even before Seth Rogen
dropped on to the scene. I don't think it will now.
Seth Rogen, The Studio. EXPERTS
PICK. For Playing: Matt
Resnick, a movie lover who is the new head of Continental Studio. Pro: As
I mentioned in my original review of this show almost every comedy in this
category is the product of a hyphenate as has been the trend for much of the
last decade. But in keeping with the Hollywood spirit of auteur Rogen has
become this year's Warren Beatty or if you want to be more recent Richard Gadd.
And it's hard not to love the work he puts into his performance as the new head
of Continental, a man who's love for all things cinema and art really annoys
even his closest friends and irritates his underlings. Even after having seen
just half the season I've seen just how much Rogen is willing to humiliate
himself for a laugh, whether its falling over himself to see 'The Oner' and
absolutely ruining the entire days work, his terror at giving Ron Howard 'a
note' because of a horrible experience with him – and then being beaten up by
him when he does, or when his terror of being 'the man who killed film' leads
him to uproariously parody every aspect of film noir, Rogen is determined to
play tribute to another great film moment: "Don't you know everyone wants
to laugh?" He's already won the Astra in this category and he seems to
have momentum. Con: It's hard to believe Rogen won't win at least one
other Emmy in some other category and while the Emmys are more than willing to
let hyphenates win in other categories, it's a rarity here. The Emmys might
very well choose to spread the love around.
Jason Segel, Shrinking. For
Playing: Jimmy, a psychiatrist
still trying to deal with the burden of the loss of his wife a year ago. Pro:
The other Judd Apatow veteran starring in an Apple TV show Segel's work is
the better balance of comedy and drama in this show, to the point that while it
can be dark no one has ever questioned that Shrinking is a comedy. We
spent the season watching Jimmy letting go of some of the flaws that
overwhelming his process in Season 1, rebuilding his relationships with some
people who he hurt last year, and trying to deal by not dealing with Louis's
arrival. His work in the last two episodes of Season 2 was sublime as we saw
Jimmy come face-to-face with the fact that he's been avoiding truly doing the
work to help himself all this time, finding a way to make things better with
his daughter for good – and perhaps most movingly in the final minutes, finding
there is room in his heart to save someone in need. It's a wonderful balance that
Segel plays brilliantly. Con: Segel is the only nominee who didn't win any
awards during the leadup to the Emmys which in recent years is often a
dealbreaker. And let's face it, there's a more prominent Freaks & Geeks alum
who the Emmys would probably honor first rather than him.
Martin Short, Only Murders in the
Building. For Playing: Oliver
Putnam, a Broadway producer-turned podcaster/sleuth, now on the verge of being
portrayed on the silver screen. Pro: I've said it before and I'll say it
again: how is that Martin Short has spent his entire career and not won a
single Emmy for acting? Oh I grant the two Emmys he's won for writing and Variety
specials? But nothing for acting in a quarter of a century of work? Set aside
the fact neither of his co-stars are nominated at all; how is it he's currently
0 for 3 in this category? (I know, I know, see below.) His work as Oliver has
always been the most over-the-top as well as the most performative and at times
at humane. I was overjoyed when he ended up winning the SAG award in this
category in February but I think it's well past time they honored him. Con: The
Emmys seems to have it out for the actors in this category just as much as the
way murder seems to stalk the trio at the Arconia. Being excellent never seems
to be good enough, and the field never gets any less combative.
Jeremy Allan White, The Bear. For
Playing: Carmy, the
ace chef of a brand new Chicago restaurant still refusing to deal with the
losses of his cousin's suicide and the trauma of the family he's a part of. Pro:
Despite the backlash that was circling the show almost from the moment
Season 3 dropped White did manage to make it three in a row from the Golden
Globes in this category this past January. And much as one might want to have
problems with whether The Bear is a comedy none of the trouble has to do
with the cast. That's particularly true of White who continues to lead this
series into some of its most unprecedented territory as Carmy continues to focus
on trying to make his restaurant a success because that's less painful then
trying to deal with the baggage of his family or trying to emotionally grow.
It's by far the deepest performance on this show. Con: White's Golden
Globe is the only award The Bear has won in all of 2025 from any
major awards show in any category. Regardless of whether The Bear is a
comedy or not (I can still argue it is) the reviews on Season 3 are pretty
clear that it is no longer the best anything anymore. Throw in the fact
that in the 21st century no one has managed to win three
consecutive Emmys in this category and I think White's streak is going to end
here.
PREDICTION: Much as I think this isn't as
one-sided at Gold Derby says I am inclined to agree with the consensus that
Rogen will win. Besides, even with my issues with White, there are no bad
choices in this category.
Tomorrow I deal with Outstanding
Actress in a Comedy. This one is by far the easiest one to predict when it
comes to Comedy.
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