I Finish Trying to Predict The HCA TV Awards, Conclusion: Limited Series, Movie et al

 

I will wrap this up by trying to make predictions in the Limited Series awards. I will preface this with the acknowledgement of the TV Movie categories. For Broadcast and Cable, I would like to see Ray Donovan: The Movie prevail, but think it far more likely it will be The Survivor – and honestly, considering it was virtually ignored by the Emmys, I don’t have a real objection. I’d also really like to see Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas prevail – and it might – but I’m inclined to think that Fresh will end up doing so.

Anyway here we go.

 

BEST LIMITED SERIES, BROADCAST OR CABLE

No lie, I’m torn. I would really like to see most of the nominees win. Impeachment should have gotten the same recognition it did that the previous two installments of American Crime Story from everybody. Gaslit was one of the best series of 2021 so far. Scenes from a Marriage was deserving of a lot more love than it got, and David Simon’s work has been shafted by awards circles for going on thirty years.

But it’s fairly clear that The White Lotus will win in a walk, and it’s hard to argue the selection even a year after the debut.  There are almost no writers willing to go so far to make comedy limited series and Mike White assembled one of the most brilliant casts and showcased them all behaving at their absolute worst for pure comic effect. There was no doubt a larger message her about the evils of the rich, but it was so much more subtle than it is on Succession and far more entertaining. I don’t deny the possibility of an upset here – I would like to see Gaslit win – but I’m basically fine with The White Lotus.

Should Win: Gaslit.

Will Win: The White Lotus

 

BEST STREAMING LIMITED SERIES

A big part of me wants to see Maid win here. It was one of the great accomplishments of 2021, and it was mostly ignored by the Emmys and other awards groups. But I’m a realist and it’s pretty clear that it will go to one of the major Hulu series. I’m hoping they won’t choose Pam and Tommy (though given the ridiculous amount of love focused on it by the Emmys I can’t rule it out) and will choose one of the far superior limited series are more serious subjects: Dopesick or The Dropout.

Having seen most of the former and all of the latter, it is a very close call between them. The Dropout looks at how one women in tech became a monster and a fraud; Dopesick shows how Richard Sackler almost singlehandedly created the opoid crisis to seem to earn the love of his family which he’d never get. Both had superb writing, directing and performances from their entire casts. Right now, I have a slight preference for The Dropout, but I think Dopesick more likely to prevail and I really don’t have a problem with that.

Should Win: Maid/The Dropout

Will Win: Dopesick.

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, BROADCAST OR CABLE

I’m not going to lie: the sentimentalist in me really wants Bill Pullman to win for his measured work in The Sinner, a series I quietly consider one of basic cables masterpieces. His work was brilliant, and he’s gone his entire career being one of Hollywood’s greatest actors and never getting credit for it. But I don’t think he has a realistic chance.

I think it will come down to one of two men: Sean Penn for his work as John Mitchell in Gaslit or Oscar Isaac for his stunning performance in Scenes from a Marriage. Penn’s work was that of a chameleon – you didn’t recognize him underneath the padding – and it was a superb work of a man who has loyalty to a man who has disposed of him. Isaac’s work was just as good, and like Pullman, he’s one of the most undervalued actors working today. (He’s actually nominated for his work in Moon Knight in streaming.) It’s a tough call, but I’m giving the edge to Isaac. His performance was so raw you could see it through the screen. He was the only nominee for this incredible series, and is likely to lose. He deserves recognition here.

Should Win: Pullman.

Will Win: Isaac

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, STREAMING

Let’s not kid ourselves; this is the easiest pick of the lot. Michael Keaton has won every single award leading up to the Emmys for his work in Dopesick. He is the unquestioned favorite for the Emmy next month. He is one of the greatest actors of our time who is enjoying a late-career renaissance. His speeches in all the awards have shown the right amount of self-deprecation and inner pain. And having seen his work in the series, it’s one of the most riveting performances in this entire season. No one else in this category has a chance.

Should Win/Will Win: Keaton.

 

 BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, BROADCAST OR CABLE

I won’t lie; at least four of the actresses in this category deserve to be in the Emmy nominations infinitely more than at least two of the actresses who got it. There are no bad choices here. So let’s break it down.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s work as Betty Ford was one of the great performances of 2022. Jessica Chastain’s work in Scenes from a Marriage is one of those performances that you will never forget. Julia Roberts’ work as Martha Mitchell demonstrates that she is one of the greatest actresses in history. Renee Zellweger was one of my private hopes for the Emmys this year. The only reason I didn’t go for Sarah Paulson in my Emmy list was because I felt Linda Tripp was a supporting role.

So where do I come down? The two I think were the most deserving of the lot are Pfeiffer and Roberts for their work as two very different political wives.  There isn’t much to choose between them, but I’ll give the edge to Roberts because I think she was unjustly shut out by the awards circles for her work in Homecoming four years ago and I think she’s slightly more due than Pfeiffer. Also Roberts’ series got more nominations; I’ll give it a slight edge.

Should Win: Pfeiffer.

Will Win: Roberts (but no bad choices)

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, STREAMING

This is easier by comparison for me because there are only two worthy choices in my mind: Margaret Qualley for Maid or Amanda Seyfried for The Dropout. Sorry fans of Toni Collette or Lily James, neither of them would have made the list of my choices for the Emmys.

That said, choosing between Qualley and Seyfried is agonizing as both women gave extraordinary performances. Qualley’s was a master class in trying to maintain dignity in an utterly hostile world; Seyfried’s was the opposite: an incredible work showing how the path to success can make you completely inhuman.  Both play women at the opposite ends of the financial level of success, both women play characters who in their own ways are victims of it. (I know; I’m calling Elizabeth Holmes a victim, but it’s a tribute to Seyfried’s work that I see her that way.) Both are exceptional child actresses with impressive resumes (Seyfried’s is more so because she’s been acting longer.). I personally want Qualley want to win; I find it more likely Seyfried will. Honestly, I have no problem with either, so for now I’ll consider Seyfried the likely winner and hope for Qualley.

Should Win: Qualley.

Will Win: Seyfried.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, BROADCAST OR CABLE

Oh, I’m torn here. Part of me really wants Dan Stevens to prevail here. His work as John Dean was effective the centerpiece of Gaslit. As we watched the performance of a man who defined an image that goes against everything we know about the real John Dean, it was a work of art. And as someone who’s had no use for Stevens in two critically acclaimed series, I think he demonstrated what an incredible actor he was. I want him to win…but I know he won’t.

No, the winner in this category has be preordained since July of 2021, since we first met Armond, the increasingly put upon concierge at The White Lotus.  By far his behavior was the worst of everybody at the resort, but when I learned he was the victim of the murder, my heart aches. And that’s because Murray Bartlett somehow made him seem lovable, even when he was snorting the drugs of his guests and doing unthinkable things to their luggage. He’s practically a shoo-in for the Emmy this year, and anyone who saw his work knows he earned it.

Should Win: Stevens.

Will Win: Bartlett.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, STREAMING

I won’t rule out the possibility that Seth Rogen will prevail here for Pam and Tommy, but I think it more likely that it will go to one of the supporting cast of Dopesick. I know that Peter Sarsgaard is gaining momentum in the Emmy race for his work as the dogged prosecutor who eventually brings Purdue to justice, but I won’t lie: my preference is for the unquestioned monster of the piece.

The more I watch Michael Stuhlbarg’s work as Richard Sackler, the more I’m mesmerized by it. Which is impressive because it’s a performance where Stuhlbarg doesn’t so much as raise his voice, rant or over perform. Stuhlbarg’s work is completely and utterly devoid of humanity, even with his own family (at one point he tells his wife at the peak of his success: “Perhaps I’m not good at expressing emotion.) It’s even more terrifying because he seems to be willing to create an epidemic just so he can be more prominent in his own family, already in the top one percent. It’s absolutely frightening how cold he is, which makes it all the more likely the Emmys will ignore it. I think Stuhlbarg is one of the greatest character actors in history and he is the right man for this role. I want him to win.

Should Win: Stuhlbarg.

Will Win: Rogen (?)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A BROADCAST OR CABLE LIMITED SERIES

This is even tougher. I’ve always admired Betty Gilpin and she was the conscience of Gaslit. I’ve loved Judy Greer for longer and her work in The Thing about Pam was a quiet masterpiece. But as we know, this will come down to one of the women from The White Lotus.

Connie Britton has been moving up in the odds for her work as the executive wife and mother who has the face of a liberal but is a quiet conservative. Britton has been laboring in the field for decades and has never gotten her due. But I think the odds are with Jennifer Coolidge who, like Bartlett, has been dominated much of the awards talk for the show since the series premiered. Her work was a comic delight from beginning to end as she was a complete and utter mess who uttered almost all the best lines. This is by far her best work on TV (I fully get why she’s coming back for Season 2) and I expect her to win in a walk.

Should Win/Will Win: Coolidge.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A STREAMING LIMITED SERIES

Not going to lie, lots of good choices.  Rosario Dawson should have been nominated for an Emmy for her work on Dopesick. Laurie Metcalf gave one of the best supporting performances in The Dropout and that series had a group of them. Kaitlyn Dever is an incredible talent and if Coolidge doesn’t win the Emmy, I want her to prevail for her soulful work as a lost woman in West Virginia who falls completely apart because of Oxy.

But the performer in this category I want to win is the most deserving of all. Andie MacDowell’s work as the bipolar artist mother in Maid was one of the great triumphs of 2021. From beginning to end, it was a master class in acting, utterly mesmerizing as you saw a woman so utterly oblivious to how the world work – and how she had ruined her daughter’s life – that you couldn’t tear your eyes from her whenever she was on the screen. I’ve been watching MacDowell for thirty years; I didn’t think she was capable of it. There were many, many thoughtless exclusions by the Emmys in the Limited series category – the fact that MacDowell was ignored is one I can not get my head around.

In my head I know it is likely Dever will prevail. In my heart, MacDowell is the only one deserving. She’ll be who I’m pulling for.

Should Win: MacDowell.

Will Win: Dever.

 

Directing and Writing:

For Broadcast/Cable: I think it likely The White Lotus will take both prizes, though I’d honestly be happier if Impeachment won for writing and Scenes from a Marriage for directing.

For Streaming: Dopesick will probably win for writing – Danny Strong is an awards favorite. Direction will probably go to Station Eleven which is more technically involved. I’d prefer Dopesick or The Dropout but I can live with it.

 

Random picks: I want John Oliver to win Best Broadcast or Cable Variety, Sketch or Talk Streaming. I want Amber Ruffin or Jon Stewart to prevail. And as for game show… well, viewers of my blog know which one in closest to my heart. As for the rest, I’m unqualified or don’t care enough.

On Monday, I’ll be back with my thoughts on the winners. I’ll also start my annual predictions of how I want the Emmys to go and how I think the Emmys will go. Will what happens this weekend affect the latter? I can only hope, but I’m a realist.

Possible Contestants for a 40th Anniversary Jeopardy Tournament: Part 3 of an Ongoing Series

Three of the next five on this list would be obvious choices. The next two are borderline compared to those who’ve enjoyed success in recent years, but having had reason to review it recently they are more than worthy choices.

 

 

Dan Pawson

Why he’s earned it: When he made it to nine wins in 2008, Dan Pawson had the third highest total in Jeopardy history to that point. (Jennings and David Madden were one and two.) No one would manage to get as high as nine victories for another four years (as we’ll see a little further down the list.)

In the finals of the Tournament of Champions, he faced off against Larissa Kelly, whose feats I went into great detail in the previous entry.  He managed to pull off a narrow victory thanks to success in Final Jeopardy on the second and last day.

In the Battle of the Decades, he played superbly in what was a tough Round 1 match against Maria Wenglisky (who I might suggest later on as a possibility for this Tournament). Narrowly emerging as the victor, his run came to an end when he ran into the machine that was Brad Rutter in his quarterfinal match and a Final that stumped everybody.

Dan is a superb player and also has a great sense of humor. One of my favorite anecdotes (relayed in the Battle of the Decades) was that he was nicknamed ‘The Sly Fox’ by Alex Trebek because of his wagers in Final Jeopardy. He gave that nickname to the car he bought with his winnings. I also think it slightly unfair that Larissa, the champion he defeated, was invited back to the All-Star Games, but he wasn’t. He’ll be back this time, I have no doubt.

 

Vijay Balse

Why he’s earned it: Vijay only won four games in his initial run, but that’s hardly a major disqualifier. He managed to win $82,400 in those four games which is impressive. The year he played in, there was an odd mix of champions with many qualified six and seven game winners not making it to the finals and Vijay and another four day champion qualifying.

But one of the bigger reasons where I think Vijay deserves more credit is the fact that he was born in Mumbai. Jeopardy is so centered in America that it is rare for a player not born in the United States or Canada to do well. I know of only a handful players born outside America who’ve had any success on the show, much less won a Tournament of Champions. When we consider that, the fact that Vijay managed to actually do so is all the more impressive. Vijay is far more qualified than even some of the other Tournament of Champions winners on this list.

 

Roger Craig

Why he’s earned it: Roger Craig is one of the greatest players in Jeopardy’s nearly four decades on the air. That’s not hyperbole. On his second game, he broke Ken Jennings’ one day record for money won with $77,000, a mark that stood for nearly nine years until James Holzhauer shattered it (and then broke it again…and again…we’ll get to that)

In just six games, he managed to win $230,200 which at the time was the third highest amount of money won by a Jeopardy champion in their original run. He did this by searching the bottom of the board for the Daily Doubles and betting everything each time he hit one, and almost inevitably triumphing on each one. This is such common behavior by Jeopardy players’ right now that it’s easy to forget that Roger helped perfect it.

 That same success helped him romp to an easy victory in the 2011 Tournament of Champions and carried him into the finals of the Battle of the Decades against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. At the time Alex said there was an argument they were the three greatest in Jeopardy history.  And there were at least a couple of occasions where Roger had the two of them by the throat… until his strategy on Daily Doubles turned against him twice.

I had many arguments with the choices for the Jeopardy All-Star Games; Roger Craig’s presence wasn’t one of them.  I was surprised that he didn’t turn out to be nearly as valuable a player as I thought to his team, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s still one of the all-time greats. No matter what format the fortieth anniversary tournament takes, Roger Craig will be there even if some of the other players on this list aren’t.

 

Tom Nissley

Why he earned it: Everything I said about Roger Craig is absolutely true – but he wasn’t the most successful player on Jeopardy that year. That honor goes to Tom Nissley who near the end of 2010 managed to win 8 games and $235, 405. It is Tom’s fate that he never caught the public’s fancy the same way Roger did – Roger made national news for his accomplishments – and therefore never got the credit even among fans. (I was certain Roger was going to win the 2011 Tournament of Champions before it began. The fact that Tom Nissley was the better player didn’t affect my opinion; I’m not even sure I remembered who he was.)

Tom played brilliantly in the quarterfinal and semifinal match of that Tournament and actually was outplaying Roger in the Jeopardy round of the first final match. Then Roger started finding the Daily Doubles and by the end of Final Jeopardy in Game 1, it was all but over. Tom still managed to finish second and take home $100,000.

But that’s how Jeopardy works. Roger Craig was automatically invited back for the Battle of the Decades: The 2000s three years later. Tom Nissley came back as a fan favorite, and while I won’t reveal the names of his fellow nominees, none of them were in the same league as him as a player.  He ended up having to face off against Celeste DiNucci and Colby Burnett, two Tournament of Champions winners. (I discussed the former in the previous entry; I’ll deal with the latter in the next one.) In Final Jeopardy, he was the only player to come up with a correct response. He was in third and his two opponents were $200 apart in score. Nineteen times out of twenty Tom would have moved on to the finals. This was the twentieth time.

Tom has never gotten anywhere near the credit for his accomplishments on Jeopardy; certainly not from me. I think he’s earned another shot back.

 

Jason Keller

Why He’s earned it: If Tom Nissley has been treated unfairly by Jeopardy when it comes to prior tournaments, Jason Keller has been absolutely shafted. In 2011, Jason Keller had one of the most successful runs of any Jeopardy champion to that point in the show’s history. He became the first player since Dan Pawson to win nine games and won $215,900. It would be three years before any champion won more games than him or more money. He had to wait nearly a year and a half before he appeared in the 2013 Tournament of Champions. He dominated in his quarterfinal match, and then ended up getting blown out in his semi-final match due to circumstances not entirely within his control.

He has never been asked back to another Tournament since then and I am absolutely unable to understand why.  He was not invited back to compete in the Battle of the Decades: The 2000s even though two other competitors who had been part of his year were though each had only won seven games and neither had won two thirds of his total. (One of them will get mentioned here; the other is a qualified player but for reasons I don’t think are fair to them is unlikely to ever come back to Jeopardy.) Tom Kavanaugh, who won 8 games in 2005, was also asked back even though he’d barely won two thirds of Jason’s total.  Had David Madden been participating it would have made more sense, but his absence and Tom being included over Jason strikes me as ludicrous in hindsight. Whether Jason should have been asked to the All-Star Games is a closer question. There were some players who had less of a track record than him who were invited, but by that point in the show’s run, there were also more qualified players then him who were ignored.

I know in an era where more and more players have reached double digits in victories that Jason’s figures may seem pedestrian by comparison. However, I still believe it would be an act of reparations to invite Jason back to compete in a future Tournament. It was unfair to exclude him before; Jeopardy should make it right.

 

To Be Continued….

 

 

 

I Try To Predict The HCA TV Awards (And I Still Don't Care If I Get Them Wrong) Part 2: Drama

I am eager with anticipation to try and guess which series will end up winning the awards for Best Drama in all three categories. If the HCA demonstrated anything last year, it was they had no intention of playing by the rules, and that came across clearly in all of their selections for Best Drama. The Crown took three of the four acting awards for Streaming, but the Best Drama in that category was The Mandalorian. This is Us was the leader in nomination for Broadcast Drama, but they chose to give it to New Amsterdam. And while almost all their acting awards in Broadcast and Cable went to either Pose or Lovecraft Country, the Best Cable Drama award went to Cruel Summer. (Oh, that still gives me goose bumps a year after the fact.) So nothing is certain here, especially the idea that they’ll follow previous critics’ road maps.

So here we go.

 

BEST BROADCAST DRAMA

Could they repeat and end up giving a prize to last year’s winner New Amsterdam? I won’t rule it out, but considering they gave twelve nominations to This is Us (eleven more than the Emmys were) and that they’re going to give a special prize and that no other series got more than three, I think This is Us will win in a walk. And frankly, after everything the Pearsons have been through, they’ve earned it.

Should Win/Will Win: This is Us.

 

BEST CABLE DRAMA

The obvious winner would seem to be Succession, but as I listed above the HCA doesn’t play by the rules. So I’m going on a limb and say that they might very well end up going for one of the more critical acclaimed series: Better Call Saul or Yellowjackets. (I would like to see The Gilded Age be a contender, but the odds are against it. There will be more opportunities.)

My personal choice is definitely Better Call Saul which is firing on all cylinders in both the first half and the second half of its final season. Critics have always been more inclined to give Breaking Bad more credit than other awards shows, and this does go more to Saul as well. I still think it likely Succession will pull it out, but I still think there’s a very good chance Saul might win.

Should Win: Better Call Saul/Yellowjackets.

Will Win: Succession (but they can surprise you.)

 

BEST DRAMA, STREAMING

I’ll admit this might be the category Ozark could prevail in, but in my heart I think it will come down to one of the three S’s: Severance, Squid Game or Stranger Things. Severance s far more beloved critically; Squid Game and Stranger Things are Netflix’s biggest hits and that fact may have pushed The Mandalorian over the edge last year.

I’m going to go with the world-wide phenomena here, and vote for Squid Game as the most likely. It is definitely the more fascinating one to watch, and while Severance may be the better series critically, critics tend to overlook the subtitle barriers more than other award groups.

Should Win: Severance.

Will Win: Squid Game.

 

 

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA, BROADCAST OR CABLE

I think this will come to a battle between Bob Odenkirk and the two leads from Succession. We don’t have as much of a clear frontrunner from the pre-Emmys awards (for a reason I’ll get to momentarily) Strong won the Golden Globe, but that didn’t help Brian Cox when he won it the year Succession had its run at the Emmys.

I stand well in favor of Bob Odenkirk. He’s earned it and he’s very overdue. I hope that the HCA is like the Critics Choice (who gave him three consecutive Best Actor prizes) and chooses to recognize him. But I think it more likely that Cox or Strong will prevail, and given how method Strong was throughout the season, I’ll give him the barest of edges.

Should Win: Odenkirk.

Will Win: Strong.

 

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA, STREAMING

This may be the easiest acting award of the lot. It is possible Jason Bateman will be the sentimental favorite for the final season of Ozark, and it’s hard to argue Adam Scott isn’t due. (He’s my own favorite in this category.) But right now, all signs would suggest the obvious winner to be Lee Jung-Jae for his role in Squid Game. He managed a shocking upset at the SAG awards and a slightly smaller one at the Critics Choice. Having seen his work in the interim, it’s hard to argue he isn’t worthy. He’s just jumped into the front-runner spot at the Emmys; I find it hard to believe he won’t win here.

Should Win/Will Win: Jung-Jae.

 

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA, BROADCAST AND CABLE

There’s only one actress I desperately don’t want to win in this category, which means she very likely will. I’ve expressed my revulsion over Zendaya taking the grand prize for her work in Euphoria, and she would seem to be the likely front-runner. Then again, the HCA had a chance to give her a prize last year for the Christmas special, and they didn’t. So, let’s consider the alternatives.

I really want Juliette Lewis to win for her exceptional work on Yellowjackets which is glorious. But I think it will come down to either her co-star Melanie Lynskey (who took the Best Actress prize from the Critics Choice this March) or Mandy Moore, who is going to take the equivalent of an honorary trophy and whose being overlooked by the Emmys for her extraordinary work in ‘The Train’ was a horror show. Part of me wants Moore to win because she never got enough credit for her work on the series. But having watched much of Lynskey’s work, it’s hard to argue she hasn’t earned it, so I’ll be pulling for her. Just please, don’t give it to Zendaya. I’d like anybody but her.

Should Win: Moore.

Will Win: Lynskey.

 

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA, STREAMING

Okay, I have favorites in this and the frontrunners. Having seen the first few episodes of Severance, Britt Lower shouldn’t have been ignored by the Emmys. I want Winona Ryder to win something for Stranger Things, and time’s running out. And I’d have Jennifer Anniston more of a chance had she not been ignored by the Emmys.

So I think the likely winner is one of the greatest actresses in history: Laura Linney. I may not like Ozark or her work in it but it’s hard to argue she hasn’t earned it for her performance. She’s closing in on Zendaya and Lynskey for the Emmy, so I expect her to prevail.

Should Win: Lower.

Will Win: Linney.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA, BROADCAST OR CABLE

This is going to be tough. The clear frontrunner is Kieran Culkin for Succession, given his triumph at the Critics Choice and his humiliated speech that sounded very much like how his character would accept the award. But there are a lot of good choices in this group, who could very well overwhelm him.

My personal preference is for Michael Mando, for the incredible performance he gave in his final episode of Better Call Saul. Giancarlo Esposito is getting a lifetime achievement award as well, so he could have some momentum. Could they give it to Jon Huertas for his incredible final episode on This is Us? I don’t know. This could be the category with a tie in it.

For now, my preference is either Mando or Jonathan Banks. I think Culkin has the barest of edges, but honestly with the exception of Eric Dane, there are no bad choices in this category.

Should Win: Mando/Banks.

Will Win: Culkin (but all good choices, even Dane to an extent.)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA, STREAMING

All of the nominees from Severance are more than worthy now that I’ve seen the first few episodes. Could the division end up benefiting one of the other actors? I could see Billy Crudup managed a victory for The Morning Show, and I wouldn’t mind it Joe Kerry got it for Stranger Things.

But ultimately, I think this will go to Severance and at the moment, my personal favorite is John Turturro. He’s one of the greatest character actors in history, and he is consistently overlooked by every major awards group. His work in Severance is both irritating and endearing, and I personally really want to see him up there.

Should Win: Turturro.

Will Win: anyone from Severance (but no bad choices.)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA, BROADCAST OR CABLE

Oh this is going to hurt. I really want Chrissy Metz or Susan Kelechi Watson to win here – neither got anywhere near the due they should have for their work on This is Us and they really should get something as they walk out the door.  J. Smith Cameron is one of my favorite actresses and I’d prefer her to prevail over Sarah Snook, the likely frontrunner due to her win at the Critics Choice.

But I have two overwhelming favorites in this category. Rhea Seehorn, for her awesome work in Better Call Saul and Christina Ricci, who has a role that lives up to her potential in Yellowjackets. And really as extraordinary as both of them are, I have to go to Seehorn for this one. It is a crime that the Emmys only caught up to her this year, and I really want to see her up there.

Should Win: Seehorn or Ricci.

Will Win: Snook (but you never know)

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA, STREAMING

I won’t deny; I want one of the three young nominees from Stranger Things to win here. My personal preference, as always, is Millie Bobby Brown because she’s awesome, but it’s hard not to appreciate the work by Sadie Sink or Maya Hawke over the years. And I could definitely see Patricia Arquette winning out for remarkable work on Severance as the boss from hell. But I think this year it comes down to choices from Netflix: Julia Garner for Ozark or Jung Ho-Yeon from Squid Game.

Garner has been the dominant Supporting Actress in the Emmys the past two seasons; she’s the front runner this year. Ho-yeon managed a major upset at the SAG this March and could very well do so again. It’s hard not to deny the similarities between their characters as well. I’m going to give the barest of edges to Ho-Yeon and much as I want to see the award go to Eleven, I don’t have a problem with Ho-Yeon.

Should Win: Brown.

Will Win: Ho-Yeon.

 

Writing and Directing

Streaming:

Given the level of the cleverness of the script I’m inclined to give Severance the edge in writing. Its direction is also superb, but I think this may be a category where spectacle will win out over style, and I expect either Stranger Things or Squid Game to prevail. International series will go to Squid Game in a walk.

Broadcast or Cable:

Directing is likely to go to Succession, though don’t rule out the incredible work of Yellowjackets to be enough to put it over. It would not shock me if ‘The Train’ ended up taking the writing prize for This is Us over Succession. (Remind me why Better Call Saul isn’t in either category? Oh, well.)

 

Tomorrow I will finish up with Limited Series, Movie and a few ephemera. Again, much happier with this group then the Emmys (and believe me, this group demonstrates how poorly the Emmys handled it this year.)

 

I Try to Predict the HCA TV Awards (And I Don't Care if I'm Wrong with many of them): Part 1, Comedy

 

Last month I went into paroxysms of ecstasy when the Hollywood Critics Association gave their second annual nominations for television awards. I was much happier with their nomination then the Emmys the following week, but as you know from reading this column that’s always a low bar to clear.  I was far happier with their choices than I had been with the inaugural set of nominees, and those of you who spent weeks reading my columns know how truly joyful I was.

Well, this weekend if you can find it on YouTube, the HCA will be giving its second set of awards this time in front of a live studio audience.  And as an acknowledgement of the huge number of awards they will have to give, they are dividing it into two nights. On Saturday, they will cover broadcast and cable awards; on Sunday, they will cover all streaming awards. So once again, I think it my solemn duty to try and predict what awards they will give.

I could attempt to divide my predictions the same way the HCA will, and do one group for broadcast and cable and the other for streaming. But because I have fundamentally spent my career as a critic categorizing these by their title, I shall do so the same way I would for the Emmys or the HCA: Comedy, Drama, and Limited Series.  As always, I shall divide my predictions based on what I hope will win and what I think will actually win – bearing in mind that the first time out, the HCA was far more willing to honor the former than the latter. Will they do so again with a more ‘traditional’ group of nominees? We shall see. Once again, with a couple of exceptions in the dramas and streaming limited series, there are no bad choices here.

I shall start with Comedy

 

OUTSTANDING BROADCAST COMEDY SERIES

Keeping in mind that last year the HCA chose not to honor the most nominated series (also the one that won the most awards in the comedy category) I think the choice is a fairly obvious one. While I’ll confess a certain sentiment for The Wonder Years (and perhaps the Peabody is a sign that it will prevail) I think no one can dispute the inevitable winner. Abbott Elementary is one of the best series of 2022 on any platform. It is entertaining, hopeful and gloriously funny. It is one of the best comedy series to debut on network TV since The Good Place, and the question is how many awards it will win.

Should Win/Will Win: Abbott Elementary

 

OUTSTANDING CABLE COMEDY SERIES

This one’s a bit trickier. Resident Alien managed an upset last year, so it could pull it off again. I think given the level of the competition it’s unlikely to repeat. I think it will come down to three very different comedy series.

What We Do in the Shadows could prevail if the HCA wants to go as far and recognize pure zaniness. Atlanta, which was inexplicably mostly ignored by the Emmys, could come through if they want to acknowledge its surreal cleverness. Barry could prevail if they want to recognize a perfect blend of satire and the darkest drama imaginable. My preference is marginally for Barry and the fact that it got slightly more nominations might be enough. That said, I think Atlanta is the dark horse here.

Should Win: Barry.

Will Win: Atlanta/Barry.

 

OUTSTANDING STREAMING COMEDY SERIES

This comes down to a battle between three of the most incredible comedy series of the last season. Ted Lasso has the early momentum from the Critics Choice and the SAG awards. Hacks has been picking up steam ever since it debuted two months ago. Only Murders in the Building is the sensation. (I’ll confess part of me wouldn’t mind if Reservation Dogs upset them all.)

I’m going to give the barest of edges to Ted Lasso partly because it is likely to repeat, but I still think there’s a good chance this is where Only Murders Will finally comes through.

Should Win: Only Murders in the Building.

Will Win: Ted Lasso.

 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY, BROADCAST OR CABLE

This comes down to two choices, Donald Glover for Atlanta or Bill Hader for Barry. And because Glover’s presence in the third season was so reduced, I see Hader winning this in a walk. Could his SNL co-star Andy Samberg prevail in an upset for his final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Could the HCA do what the Emmys never win and give a trophy to Anthony Anderson? They could, but in all honesty so far in 2022, few actors have given a more wrenching or mesmerizing work as Hader as he went through one of the most agonizing journeys all season. Hader is the early favorite for his third Emmy in three seasons; I really don’t see anything stopping him here.

Should Win/Will Win: Hader.

 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY, STREAMING

The default would be to see Sudeikis winning this one with no problems. He’s won every pre-Emmy award to this point; he won in this category last year. The real question is, will one of the leads in Only Murders manage to final stop him? Part of me really wants Steve Martin or Martin Short (or hell, both of them) to get a trophy they more than deserve for their funny, sobering, and yes action-packed work. But I’m a realist. I don’t see any reason to suspect Sudeikis won’t win again here. Next month, that’s another story.

Should Win: Steve Martin/Martin Short.

Will Win: Sudeikis.

 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY, BROADCAST OR CABLE

Another easy one, though I don’t deny it hurts. Pamela Adlon really deserves to win something for all the years she did everything on Better Things. Tracee Ellis Ross really should have won something for her work on black-ish. By all right, Issa Rae should have been the African-American female hyphenate who was going to finally get recognition.

But honestly, can anyone argue that Quinta Brunson hasn’t earned it? Abbott Elementary is one of the most remarkable achievements in television on any platform, and Brunson makes it sing.  She has moved up a lot to challenge Jean Smart for the Emmy this year, and can anyone blame them? Brunson is magical on screen, and a wonder behind it. This is going to be the first of many red carpets she walks down and many awards.

Should Win/Will Win: Brunson.

 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY, STREAMING

This is nearly as easy a choice as Brunson’s.  Barring an upset of massive proportions by either Brosnahan or Kaley Cuoco, look for Jean Smart to repeat for her incredible work in the second season of Hacks. Nor would this be a case of laziness by the HCA; having seen the second season, Smart’s work is as good as it was in the first. Selena Gomez is the only nominee I’d want to see win instead, and let’s be honest: she’ll have another chance.

Should Win/Will Win: Smart.

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY, BROADCAST OR CABLE

This is where things start getting interesting. There are several good choices among the nominees and only a handful mirror the Emmys. I could see it going to Tyler James Williams or Chris Perfetti for Abbott Elementary; both were superb. Bryan Tyree Henry more than earned his spot her for ‘New Jazz’ and was actually more of a lead than Donald Glover. But at the end of the day, I think one of the winners will come down to Barry.

I would like to see Anthony Carrigan prevail for his stunning work as Noho Hank, as he demonstrated along with Hader is ability to merge drama with comedy. But my choice goes to Henry Winkler, whose work throughout the season was just magnificent. Some of the greatest drama and the biggest laughs came from watching Gene this season, and he has more than earned it.

Should Win: Carrigan/Winkler.

Will Win: Winkler (but no bad choices.)

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY, STREAMING

The obvious choice is Goldstein, considering he was as brilliant in Season 2 as he was in Season 1. But I actually think there’s a chance that one of the other series will prevail here. I could see Tony Shalhoub triumphing for his work on Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – the critics love him and this is one of the few groups he has yet to win an award from. Nathan Lane’s working in Only Murders was extremely funny – and given his key part in the plot, also allowed him to show some true dramatic range.

My personal preference is for Paul W. Downs whose work as the beleaguered agent on Hacks showed enormous growth on his part. He was overlooked for a nomination (for acting; he’s getting nominations for producing the series.) I think Downs could manage an upset here, but I think it a strong possibility Shalhoub will prevail.

Should Win: Downs.

Will Win: Shalhoub (but again, no bad choices)

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY, BROADCAST OR CABLE

This one is wide open. I have a lot of preferences here. I would love to see Zasie Beetz win for her extraordinary work on Atlanta; I think Sarah Goldberg was snubbed by the Emmys this year for her stunning work on Barry. I just want D’Arcy Carden to win for something, anything.

But at the end of the day, I think this comes down to one of the exceptional women at the center of Abbott Elementary, and in our hearts we know who it is. Only an actress as superb as Janelle James could make Ava wonderfully clueless and full of heart at the same time. She’s going to be winning as many awards as Brunson at some point, and if it starts here, I’m fine with it.

Should Win: Beetz/Goldberg/basically anybody.

Will Win: James.

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY, STREAMING

Could we have a second straight year with a tie?  And could the co-winners be the exact same winners from last year? Having seen the exceptional work by the Hannahs (Waddingham in Ted Lasso; Einbinder in Hacks) it’s really hard to argue that both haven’t earned it again for this year. But Alex Borstein could easily make an impression for Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as she has in every other awards group. And don’t rule out Amy Ryan, whose work in Only Murders had heart, even though it mislead.

This year, my personal preference is Einbinder. I undervalued her work prior to this group; now it’s more than clear she deserves to stand on her own. If I have a slight favorite in the Emmys this year, it is Einbinder. Does that give her enough momentum to get past Waddingham, who dominated the awards prior to the Emmys? We’ll see.

Should Win: Einbinder.

Will Win: Einbinder/Waddingham (I’m guessing.)

As for writing and directing, in streaming I honestly wouldn’t mind if Reservation Dogs took one of the prizes. I have a personal leaning towards ‘The Boy From 6B’ in Only Murders in the Building because it was a personal master class. But there are few bad choices in either. As for broadcast and cable, I want to see Brunson, Glover, Adlon and Rae each win one award, but I know that’s impossible.  So I’ll go with Brunson for the Pilot of Abbott Elementary and Glover for ‘Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga of Atlanta as my preference. But in both those categories, there are almost no bad choices. (I’m waffling on American Auto in writing.)

 

Tomorrow I will deal with the Dramas where I am infinitely happier with almost every choice than I was for the Emmys. (Again, low bar.)

The Truth Is Out There -- And So Is Kim's Hair: Better Call Saul Final Episodes Assessment: Waterworks

Well, it’s the penultimate episode of Better Call Saul. And leave it to Gilligan and Gould to change our perceptions yet again right before the end. We’ve spent so much of the black-and-white present day following the life of ‘Gene’ that it makes a certain amount of sense for us to follow the one character from Jimmy/Saul’s past that we only recently learned was still alive.

The teaser begins with Saul bouncing a ball back and forth in his office. We’re so used to see every aspect of Jimmy in motion that it’s rare to see him in a position where he’s so clearly stalling – something Francesca calls him on in the middle of it. Even after he dislodges part of the Constitution, we know he is reluctant to move forward. And then we see what he’s looking at – it’s his divorce papers. He spends a long moment looking at them, and then hits the intercom. “Send her in.”

When the episode proper begins, it takes us quite a few moments to realize who we’re looking at. And it’s not just because, even in black and white, its apparent Kim’s hair is dyed. It’s that she’s doing something we’ve never seen her due in six seasons – domestic work. A man – probably her boyfriend, though I doubt it, comes in and they have an inane conversation about whether Miracle Whip is mayonnaise. Then there are a series of scenes of Kim and this man having inane conversations with neighbors we can’t quite here, mostly about cooking. We see Kim washing up, we hear the two of them having sex (even here Kim seems bored) and while watching TV, the man sets up a future date.

Of all the curves Gilligan and his writers have thrown us over the years, it is telling that something so utterly straightforward completely throws us. This has to be an act, right? Kim is in some version of witness protection, or maybe after divorcing Jimmy she met up with the ‘vacuum repairman’. Because none of this tracks with what we know about her. Then we see her go to work at what appears to be a sprinkler catalogue. And her name is actually on the door.  We then see her typing up changes for the catalogue, planning to sign a birthday card for a colleague and debating whether vanilla or strawberry is an ice cream flavor she’d like. And at no time does Kim seem like she’s putting up a front.

It becomes very clear the parallels were seeing between Kim’s life now and Walter’s after he fled capture in ‘Granite State’. Only we are infinitely more sympathetic than we were for Walter then or even Gene in the early flash-forwards. Like them, Kim is as much as a prisoner, but unlike both of them, she has put herself in this cage completely of her own volition. This is her penance, and for those of us who saw the brilliant attorney she once was or the con artist she was with Jimmy, we’re incredibly sad.

Then a colleague tells her that she’s got a call from Vincent St. Clair. Kim’s inflection doesn’t change, but she closes the blinds on her office and she shuts the door. Even if we don’t remember the context, we know who’s on the other end. And so does Kim.

This is the conversation that got Saul so angry when he heard it. Only now the viewer’s sympathy is entirely with Kim. She urges Jimmy to turn himself in. She can’t believe when he so casually asks how things are going, and Jimmy actually seems pissed at her for abandoning everything she was good at. He actually seems to talk down to her. “It’s in the past. Gus’ gone. Mike’s gone. Lalo’s gone probably.” Kim actually freezes the longer this goes on, then says: “I’m glad you’re alive” and hangs up. Seconds later, the secretary come in and says: “It’s time to sing.” And as the party begins, we see Kim going through the motions and looking utterly terrified. I’d say its Rhea Seehorn’s finest hour this season, but…

It takes a moment for us to recognize where Kim is in the next scene. It’s the Albuquerque airport. The next three minutes unfold in near silence as Kim returns to the courthouse where we’ve spent so much of the series. She looks in the parking gate briefly, remembering where we first met Mike.  She walks in and we see the memories going through her, most notably when she sees a PD putting a tie on a man. Then she gets in an elevator.

The next scene is just as unrecognizable and it’s not until the intercom buzzes that we realize we’re in Sheryl Hamlin’s house.  There’s another two minutes of silence as we see Sheryl reading a document, which we instantly see is Kim’s affidavit.  We get close ups of phrases laying bare everything Kim and Jimmy did to Howard in the first half of the season, followed with how Howard showed up, was murdered by Lalo almost casually, and basically everything that followed in ‘Point and Shoot’. Sheryl’s face is stoic. “Why did they kill him?” Kim has to tell her that Howard was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. When she offers a half-hearted: “He didn’t suffer.” Sheryl throws in her face, telling her the lies that they told are now all that Howard is known for. We knew it was coming but it hurts. And when Sheryl asks if Kim will go to prison and Kim deflects, she throws in her face what ‘a great attorney she was’. Kim stammers out the truth, that everybody connected is dead and there is no body.” Sheryl doesn’t deliver the same venom to Kim before he was killed, but her rage is just as apparent.

The last scene is heartbreaking. Kim gets on an airbus, no doubt headed back home. For the last minute of the scene, she bursts into tears with genuine grief.  She has revealed herself to have something few characters in Gilligan’s world have: a soul, but she’s enough of a realist to know she still might get away with it. Seehorn continues to demonstrate why she deserves an Emmy next year, if not for this one.

We finally cut back to Gene going into his mark’s house. There are few initial differences from what we saw Buddy do in Breaking Bad – he looks for passwords and ID. Then just as he’s about to leave, he walks away from the door and walks to the next floor.

What follows is genuinely hard to fathom. He goes through the man’s stuff, looks at an urn where his late dog’s ashes are, sees a group of watches, takes three of them, and finally starts to leave. Then he sees the mark is up. Kenny is outside waiting. Gene looks around, reaches for the urn and is clearly going to brain his mark with it, only to find him passed out.

Then it’s clear the cops have arrived. We see Kenny clearly nervous…and then we cut to the car where one of the cops is ranting about the quality of the fish taco he’s gotten and the argument has them completely distracted. Kenny pulls out fast, and crashes into a nearby car. The cops naturally walk up to it…

And we’re back in the past. In total silence, Kim and Jimmy go through the process of signing their divorce papers. Francesca helps them, and Kim says: “Well that does it.” Jimmy says nothing. Only when she is about to walk out the door does he speak… to Francesca. Kim walks outside into the pouring rain.

She takes out a cigarette…and now we actually get a Breaking Bad Easter egg that doesn’t seem like a reject from a DVD. A familiar voice asks for a light. Kim gives into him. “All this rain,” Jesse says. “I thought, we like, lived in the desert.” Kim tries to ignore him. “You’re a lawyer, right?” Jesse says. Then he tells her that a friend of his was one of her clients. Some time in the past, he stole a statue of Jesus a crime even Jesse thought was dumb, but Kim got her off. He actually thanks her.  Then he tells her that one of his friends is facing serious time – which means the divorce basically took place around the same time Jesse and Walt first met Saul. Jesse once again demonstrates the cunning he had that so many people including Walter underestimating. He had told Badger to get a ‘real lawyer’ and that getting a lawyer you see on TV sounded dumb. He actually makes a comparison to a doctor doing it the same way that is pretty cagey.  Then he gets to the brunt of the issue, since Kim’s a lawyer and she must know him: “is he any good?” Kim doesn’t hesitate: “When I knew him he was.” And with that she walks out of the Breaking Bad verse.

Did Jesse’s decision to go on with trusting Saul have any more weight because of what Kim said? Much as trolls tend to blame the wives of these men, I don’t think so. As we saw in just the previous episode, Saul was always capable of making his own bad judgments.

And nothing has changed in the present. He returns to his home, pours a drink, and waits for the inevitable call from Kenny (who is calling his ‘Dad’) about being picked up by the police for the robbery. Gene puts on the hat of Saul, tells him he has nothing to worry about and even agrees to call his mother. Then, as he has done all his life, Saul goes too far. He reassures Miriam about what has happened, tells her Kenny will be fine despite all the trouble…and then reveals what he knows about bail in Nebraska. Miriam asks a certain question, and then hangs up. Then she hooks up her internet. (Was it really that primitive in 2010 Omaha?)

Gene drives right up to the door, and doesn’t seem suspicious when Miriam doesn’t answer. He knocks on the back door, expecting a friendly face, and Miriam is sitting over her computer. Gene is not a fool, he pulls up the screen – and in living color is an ad for Saul Goodman.

And in the last minutes we finally learn what the legacy of Saul Goodman will be forever and ever. He’s the go-to internet search for “con man in Albuquerque.” Gene makes one last effort to try and talk Miriam out of it. At the same time, he grabs the phone cords and starts making it into a rope. Is this the moment where Gene finally, after all these years crosses that final barrier we never thought any of his identities would be? No. Because even at the last desperate moment, he’s still trying to strike a balance between con man and killer. And because he was never really either one of them, Miriam presses her life alert button and tells the police that Saul Goodman is in her home. Gene pauses…and runs out the front door.

So here we are. One episode away from learning the fate of Jimmy/Saul/Gene. I guess we shouldn’t be shocked that, given the world we inhabit, there’s little chance of a happy ending for anybody. The question has become very simple: where does Saul end up?  Given everything we’ve seen Gilligan and crew are capable of for the past fifteen years, there’s a good chance it’ll blow us out of the water.  But I do think I need to say one last thing. I hope Jimmy’s fate doesn’t mirror that of Walter White. Jimmy was never as big a monster as Walter was; he was just a little man trying to be big. (I actually think there’s more to it than that, and I’ll come to that analysis in my final essay.) And I don’t think a horrible death is what any of his identities merit.  But I also don’t think he deserves to get away with it. The question is what will be his final fate?

 

Three Seasons In, This City Still Shines: City On A Hill Season 3 Review

 

The term ‘frenemy’ didn’t exist in 1990s Boston, but its increasingly becoming the only word that works when you described the very complicated relationship between Jackie Rohr and Decourcy Ward, played by two of television’s greatest actors Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge in what is quickly becoming one of television greatest series Showtime’s City on a Hill.

When the series debuted back in 2019, the relationship between the upright Brooklyn-born Ward and the corrupt, immoral Rohr was at the center of the series. Neither man has ever trusted the other, but both thought they could use the other to their own ends. Ward thought he could bring down the corrupt Rohr in Season 1 but was completely outmaneuver by him at the season’s end. Rohr thought he could revitalize his career in an FBI that was increasingly lacking in allies, but all he managed to do was delay the inevitable. By season 2, facing dismissal he threw his badge in the Charles in the final shot of the season.

The series may have started out as a mirror of good and evil in the two characters, but throughout Season 2 it became brilliant because it showed both men inside the grey area. As Rohr’s career began to sink, interesting things happened. An unfaithful husband and a terrible father (he couldn’t handle it when his daughter overdosed in the middle of the first season), we began to learn more and more about Jackie’s childhood – and it made us more empathetic. In one of Bacon’s greatest scenes as an actor, he laid his soul bare and revealed a horrible moment from his childhood to Jenny and Betty, perhaps for the first time. When it ended, Betty silently walked up to her father and embraced him. No one would mistake Jackie for a saint, but ever since then; he’s become just the slightest bit more sympathetic and a lot better husband and father than he was before.

At the same time, Decourcy has increasingly become more intense. The same episode Jackie bore his soul; Decourcy and his wife Siobhan (Lauren Banks) were the victims of a shooting by a young man Siobhan was representing. The bullet intended for him hit his wife and killed their unborn child. Decourcy was more than willing to go down a vengeful path and do things you would have thought him capable of the first season. When the shooter’s brother ended up the victim of a prison stabbing at the end of the season, Decourcy was stunned at first but then admitted to Jackie that he’d known that would be his fate and he’d done it anyway. The ramifications are still being felt in the Ward household: Decourcy now carries a gun and Siobhan is still suffering from PTSD.

It’s not quite clear yet as the third season begins how Jackie and Decourcy’s paths will end up intersecting this year. The season opened with Jackie tending bar and Decourcy buying a drink. There were mutual insults (as always, Jackie’s cut deeper) but that was only a temporary situation. Jackie is now working security for one of his former bosses at the Bureau. (Corbin Bernsen finally gets to play a proper villain after decades of just playing sleazy character who were ostensibly good guys.) Donal gives Jackie some minor problems at first, but we know very quickly that Jackie’s real job will be cleaning of his dirty laundry. The first scene we meet him, Donal is raping an unconscious teenage girl who happens to be one of his daughter’s closest friends; he then goes to back to bed with his wife, who asks him: “Did you have fun?”  When the victim has trouble remembering the events the next day, Donal brings a bottle of wine to her dorm room, says she seduced him, and that he was a happily married man. The next day she OD’s and his daughter, no fool, blamed him.

Interestingly, now that Jackie no longer is bound by the precepts of the law, he seems to be not only a better cop but have slightly more of a conscience. Last night’s episode begins with him querying the M.E. about the OD and working with former agents so that he can get information on how the victim died. When Donal’s daughter disappears, he spends the remainder of the episode hunting for her with only the slightest bit of his usual venom and more genuine interest in what happened than we ever saw him the first two seasons. You can never rule out that Jackie is working solely to protect himself (his self-interest trumps everything) but this is the first time in the series that we’ve actually seen him as a good investigator. It’s not going to take him long to fathom the truth; Donal’s bribing him with a BMW at the end of the episode notwithstanding. The question, what will he do?

Decourcy has been sidelined the first two episodes mostly dealing with his father, who has been suffering from pancreatic cancer and finally passed the last episode. (It’s always good to see what a fine actor Ernie Hudson is, even if he only gets small roles.) But he’s dealing with his own issues: his political boss (John Doman, who should have a masters in playing sleazy officials) is offering him a promotion to DA, and then forces him to compete against another minority in order to get it. Decourcy is still dealing with the fallout of last year’s police shooting of Anton Banks, the man who tried to kill him last year, and now the officer in question is facing life in prison. In the season premiere one of the key witnesses was killed by what seems to be a fellow cop, and now the officer in charge of the strike force (Matthew Del Negro) is dealing with being considered a traitor to his units and a monster to the dead man’s wife.

City on a Hill never walks away from hard questions and doesn’t pretend there are answers. In the middle of last night’s episode, Decourcy asks his brother, a Brooklyn cop what he would do if a man killed another cop. His brother doesn’t hesitate with his answer: “What are the circumstances?” To be clear, both men are African-American and if doesn’t prove blue will always trump black, I don’t know what will.  In one of his last remarks to his son, Mr. Ward tells his father: “You’re not going to absolve Boston of its sin and vice.” The problem is, even with his father dying and after everything else; Decourcy will never be able to stop.

There’s actually a lot more going on then with Jackie and Decourcy. Both of their wives are very busy with their own storylines. Siobhan, who quit her high-powered law firm after the shooting and is now working for the ACLU, is currently in the middle of a lawsuit for a worker who suffered a major brain injury on a construction site where there was clearly safety violations and drinking on the job. Jenny (the always incredible Jill Hennessy) is in the middle of volunteer at a community outreach program and has yet again encountered the gadfly priest who she ran into throughout the first two seasons. (For a series that has moved on from many of the characters from the first season, I kind of wish they’d let this one go.)  Jenny is still trying to deal with the trauma of her father, who spent years abusing her and when she tried to face him at the end of Season 2, refused to let her in the door. Near the end of last night’s episode, he shows up at the worst possible time, and (much like her mother did) shows no interest in making amends.

A few months earlier, I referred to Ozark as an ‘awards bait show’; one that puts together great actors, showrunners and producers but often doesn’t have anything new or different to offer. City on a Hill has all the hallmarks of one such show – all of the actors I’ve mentioned are among the best in television; the series is executive produced by Tom Fontana and Barry Levenson who brought us Homicide and Oz, and its executive producers include Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The thing is, Showtime has produced a lot of series that could be considered award bait shows – I speak of the exceptional Brotherhood in the 2000s, Masters of Sex during its run, Billions in its first three or four years, and this year’s The First Lady. These series all have two things in common with City on a Hill; 1) they were all worthy of praise and awards and 2) they never got any. Such has been the fate of a cable network that has often produced series as good or even superior to work that we see on the eight-hundred pound gorilla HBO but almost never gets the credit from the awards circles it deserves.   Such is likely to be the fate of City on a Hill which has no mind-bending human hosts or travels to the Upside Down or twisting journeys into what we consider corporate America. All it will ever have is brilliant acting, writing and directing and looks into traumatic issues we have never faced and probably never will. It will ‘only’ be one of the best shows of the year in my book, but considering the world that Ward and Rohr must live in, that will have to be enough.

My score: 5 stars.