One of the reasons I'm not thrilled
the Emmys is regulating this award, like so many involving limited series, to
the Creative Arts circle is because they involve a group of masterful
performances by some of the best actors who've worked in TV for a while. Some
we've only become aware of recently, some of them have around for decades, all
of them are incredible forces. There are no bad choices in this category.
Here are the nominees.
Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis. For
Playing: Clark Forest, a weatherman involved in a love triangle with the wife
of his best friends that plays out in increasingly bizarre ways over a long
summer. Pro: Bateman
is one of two nominees in this category nominated for two different series. And
his role as Clark is light years removed from who he played in Black Rabbit.
To see Bateman performer power moves in the opening credits to 'Let the
Sunshine In' was just the start of seeing an incredible comic dynamic of a man
who was willing to engage in truly bizarre sexual fantasies, engage in a rap
ballad about acting an insurance physical, and become part of a friendship so
deep he's willing to do anything possible to try and help a man he truly loves
which involves things that are simultaneously so absurd and misread that he's
willing to go to prison for murder rather than let Floyd's son learn the truth
about his father. It was one of the most delightful performances in a series
full of them and I would love it if Bateman could win. Con: We all know
if there's an Emmy winner in this category from DTF St. Louis its going
to go to the guy who actually aced the motherf---ing insurance physical.. See
below.
Richard Gadd, Half Man. For
Playing: Reuben the violent half-brother who shows up at the wedding of Niall
with a decades old grudge to play out. Pro: If this show had been nominated for more Emmys I would
have picked Gadd no question. If you thought his work in Baby Reindeer was
a revelation there's no way you could be prepared for his work as the adult
Rueben, a man who comes out of prison looking like someone straight out of the
manosphere and finds himself drawn yet again to Niall, the man who put him in
their first place. Gadd referred to Reuben as a performer, someone who you
could never tell if he was being honest even to himself and it was frightening
seeing a man who oozed menace with every fiber of his being and yet you could
tell was broken every step of the way. He was damaged beyond repair before we
ever met him and his character is a story who is the monster and the victim of
the society we build. Even in the last minutes of the series when he has
inflicted vengeance at the cost of his own life, he seems surprised even by
himself. A tour de force. Con: Aside from the fact that Gadd is the sole
nominee from Half Man (a travesty) Gadd did deservedly win several Emmys
for Baby Reindeer just two years ago. The Emmy's paid its debt already.
David Harbour, DTF St. Louis (EXPERTS
PICK, MY PICK) For Playing: Floyd Smernitch, an ASL interpreter for a local
news station with a broken penis found dead in a public men's room – which is
where his story begins. Pro: Even
before America fell in love with him as Sheriff Harper on Stranger Things Harbour
has been one of the great utility actors in 21st century TV. And
what a joy it must have been for him to play a man so basically decent and kind
that he lets his best friend have sex with his wife because he doesn't want to
disappoint her. Floyd is overweight, with a bent member and a man who wants to
do everything possible to make the world a better place, even if it means
looking like a complete buffoon doing so. The fact that we know before the
first episode is close to finish that he has met his end would be despairing if
we didn't love his journey every step of the way. Harbour is long overdue
recognition from the Emmys for all his years in television. He has already
received the Gotham TV award for Best Supporting Performance in a Limited
Series and an Emmy would seem to be close at hand. Con: That Charles
Melton managed to prevail at the Astra last month could argue that it's not as
locked up as it appears.
Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis. For
Playing: Inspector Horner, working with a small-town investigator involving the
death of a resident unveils a bizarre underbelly of Twyla. Pro: Jenkins's nomination for his work in
the series was a pleasant surprise for me. I had thought it was more than
worthy of a nomination but I was sure it would be overlooked by the more
obviously brilliant work of Bateman and Harbour. But seeing how Horner proceeds
through an increasingly bizarre and hysterical world with his new partner
really made me believe that this show was turning True Detective on its
ear. Even allowing that level might have been just in the eye of the beholder
it was wonderful to see Jenkins's return to the deadpan comedy I'd first become
aware of in his brilliant work in Six Feet Under as a detective who just
isn't used to a porn-positive partner. It's another in a long line of great
performances. Con: He's at the bottom of the odds of all the nominees
which is fair. But really everyone in this category should be honored to be
nominated with him.
Charles Melton, Beef (DARK
HORSE) For Playing: Austin, a Korean-American whose devotion to Ashley leads
him down a path he never thought possible. Pro: Throughout Season 2 Melton's character
is the only one who has a moral compass that he holds on to almost the entire
way through. He's very devoted to Ashley at first and he's not nearly as bright
as he wants to be but it's clear from the start his light is being dimmed by a
partner who is morally compromised. Throughout the series you can tell that he
wants to do the right thing and it seems by the end of the season he's shown
the most really growth – until in the final minutes he decides to see the
smaller picture, and as we see in the denouement he's become everything he most
loathed at the start. Melton is by far the most promising talent in this group
and the fact that he prevailed at the Astras over several more established
performers shows how much his work is favored. Con: It's probably not
going to be good enough to get him over the mountain that is DTF ST. Louis.
Nick Offerman, Death by Lightning. For
Playing: Chester Arthur, a second rate New York politician who becomes Vice
President and then an unlikely President after the shooting of James Garfield.
Pro: First of all
Offerman is basically built like Chester Arthur and I hate to say it but Ron
Swanson wishes he had Arthur's mustache. More to the point this is the most
recent role in so many years that demonstrates just how versatile Offerman is.
So many of the characters he's played in recent years have an inner toughness
and confidence that its stunning to see him play a politician who famously had
no ambitions and then found himself thrust into the seat of power he himself
didn't think he was fit to qualify for. Offerman himself has considered his
work in this series as some of the best he's ever done and it's more than
worthy of a man who was nominated in this category in two different genres this
year. Con: Offerman, if he has a chance of winning, is more likely to
prevail in Margo's Got Money Troubles. (Hey if he wanted to win he
should have taken a role in Widow's Bay.)
Prediction: Harbour will almost certainly prevail
and I'm overjoyed to see it happen.
Tomorrow I wrap this up with Best
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series and other winners in the Limited Series
category that hopefully will be moved to prime time next Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment