Same Old Emmys


The Emmy nominees were announced on Thursday morning, leading to a lot of critiques, criticism, and joy. No awards show is perfect, and no list of nominees will make everyone happy. However, it feels like the Emmy Awards get it less perfect than most. That was true, again, yesterday. For every pleasant surprise, there are a half dozen head scratchers.

Below are my thoughts on yesterday's announcement.

Biggest Snub (Individual): Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black." No one on TV does more for a show, gives more for a performance, or stretches themselves more than Maslany. She IS "Orphan Black," and the fact she didn't get a nomination is a crime.

Biggest Snub (Show): "Hannibal," on NBC. "Hannibal" has a visual style, pacing, and storytelling style unlike any show on TV. It may not get incredible ratings, but it is probably the best drama on network TV. It should have gotten at least one nomination for something.

Best Surprise Nomination: Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones." "Thrones" is the best show on TV, and it has a very talented cast. Headey has turned in a great performance for years, particularly last season, and it's great to see her honored.

Biggest Head Scratcher: "Downton Abbey," Best Drama Series. I like "Downton Abbey," and I think that in the past it's been a worthy entry. Last season was not its best, and with the plethora of great dramas out there in their prime, this didn't deserve to take up one of the slots in this category.

Most Deserved Nomination: Alison Tolman, "Fargo." "Fargo" was a delight, and Tolman was the rock that anchored the show. She deserved a nomination, and I hope she wins.

Other Thoughts on the Field: First, I think it's hard to figure how shows qualify in certain categories. "Fargo" was a great show, but it's hard to figure how it's more of a mini-series than "True Detective." Or, for that matter, how the fourth season of "Treme" qualified as a mini-series. Or, how does "Sherlock" have its third season qualify as three TV movies? These are questions that may never be answered.

Other questions abound regarding the nominations. I am not one of the people who hates "The Newsroom." I actually kind of enjoy the show in a way, and I think Jeff Daniels is great on the show, but I don't know if he deserved a nomination. The same goes for Claire Danes. She's a great actress who deserved her Emmy for the early seasons of "Homeland." Last year's "Homeland" season was a disaster, and it's hard to imagine any of its principle performers being rewarded for that.

The same goes for Edie Falco — who practically gets an automatic nomination — on "Nurse Jackie" and Lena Dunham, whose third season of "Girls" was panned by critics and audiences. Or what about "Modern Family," whose shine has dulled and ratings have declined. Yet it seems to earn the benefit of the doubt nomination.

As long as the Emmys exist, these routine nominations will continue to happen. We can only hope that on August 25 the names called from the podium reflect TV's best.

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