2013 Emmys: No Clones or Fake Americans Allowed, But Come In, Netflix

When Orphan Black was being considered as a possible Best Drama nomination at the Emmy Awards, I had my hopes it would happen.

Then I remembered: if the Emmys had no use for vampire slayers, Browncoats, people who run a mysterious warehouse, zombies or time travelers, how can an actress who plays several different clones in one episode get nominated?

Answer: she doesn't.
Tatiana Maslany never had a chance, but at least she'll have TV critics who are also upset about this. It's a cinch this will be discussed at Comic-Con, but I'm sure she's proud of her work, and how it's made Orphan Black a big hit among sci-fi fans.

Also, where are The Americans? Sure, Margo Martindale got a nomination as a guest actress, but no Keri Russell for Best Actress?

However, what some people have predicted did happen: Netflix was welcomed to the Big Boy table with House of Cards getting nine nominations, including Best Drama Series, Best Actor and Best Actress. It took years for cable TV shows to be considered Emmy-worthy, and Netflix did it in less than six months. Meanwhile, Arrested Development's return got a Best Actor in a Comedy nod for Jason Bateman. It should be interesting if Orange Is The New Black will make its mark next year. Also, FunnyOrDie got a nomination for Between Two Ferns, probably for its Oscar nominee interviews, while Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, from Cracked.com, got a nomination. Still, it would have been great if Husbands got noticed. It's mostly due to the Emmys wondering how to properly honor online shows. Maybe with the growth of this type of media, they'll figure out something. They have to, now that Netflix is the first online network to snag a major nomination.

Also, does it tell you something that three shows competing for Best Variety Series have more credibility than Meet the Press or most newspapers when it comes to the news? Yes, we mean The Daily Show, Colbert Report and Real Time With Bill Maher. The two Jimmys, Fallon and Kimmel, are also in the running, but this may be Stephen Colbert's year.

This year's event will also get the attention of Browncoats. Remember the clashes Inara and Saffron had on Firefly, sort of over Mal actually? Now, Christina Hendricks and Morena Baccarin are up for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. However, they have to fend off two likely choices: Maggie Smith from Downton Abbey and Miss Dragon Mom herself, Emelia Clark from Game of Thrones. I'd choose Clarke only because of the Astapor Barbecue.

By the way, Kristen Wiig's SNL episode as host is coming this weekend. What a coincidence she's nominated for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, but my money's on Melissa McCarthy for that honor. Her Bank Loan and Evil Basketball Coach sketches are the best arguments. As far as Guest Actor, Justin Timberlake is nominated again, but he'll have to bow to Louis C.K's portrayal of Lincoln.

Best Mini-Series/Movie could be one wild completion. The Emmys should have put Orphan Black in the running since it's 13 episodes, like American Horror Story: Asylum. Still, AHS collected 17 nominations. The big story is Behind the Candelabra, which should have been in the Oscar race if not for short-sided movie executives. It's up for the big award, and may win. However, putting both Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in Best Actor may create vote-splitting and could be better news for benedict Cumberbatch for Parade's End. I still say Douglas should get the award.

Well, this year's Emmys will be very interesting. We should see Best Drama go to a network without a channel, a Browncoat finally win an Emmy, and a news show get Best Variety Series.
It'll also have this sign: No Clones Welcome....Yet.

It's been a while

As summer turns into fall, although the thermometer may argue otherwise, I am having a good time in Los Angeles this week, especially today.

I spent much of yesterday cramming a lot from my list of things to do. I went to the Arclight Dome to see The Master (no, not Torgo's boss) in 70mm. Although the story wasn't as good as There Will Be Blood, I was blown away by the dynamic duo of Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. They really made this movie in a unique relationship with a man with a unique belief system and a man who hopes it will save him (but is he really trying?). I won't get into the story, but the film tells its story almost like There Will Be Blood, and it shows Phoenix as Eddie, the protagonit whoo's trying to find himself, or let Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) do that for him. It's interesting that while Dodd keeps telling Ediie to reject his animalistic ways, Dodd's a bit of an animal himself. That's especially true when he meets with followers in Philadelphia.

Amy Adams is also great as Peggy Dodd, who seems to be more devoted to The Cause, Dodd's religion, than he is. It's clear this movie is the front-runner for the Oscar race, but that's only because its competitors haven't arrived yet. The chellenge will be coming, from the trailers I've seen, from Silver Linings Playbook, Killing Them Softly and Argo.

Now for some pictures....



Now matter how good the San Francisco production of The Book of Mormon will be, it won't compete with the marquee at the Pantages. Since I'll be back in a month, I will try to get a ticket in its daily lottery sometime.

It's Emmy weekend, so here's as close as I'm going to get to the awards...





If Jimmy Kimmel scores big tonight, maybe Jimmy Kimmel Live will be actually live when he takes over 11:35 in February, or at least on a 30-minute delay. He still has the freshest show every night. Tonight will be the freshest of all.

Since Monday will be a free day, more pictures will be coming Tuesday, so stay tuned

Can the Emmys Be Saved From Bad Ratings?

TV's biggest prize will be on the minds of a lot of people in Hollywood, or anyone who likes TV.
Emmy season gets underway this weekend with the Daytime Emmys. The Creative Arts version takes place on September 13th, and the Primetime Emmys on the 20th. Even though the show brings out the most popular actors on TV, it hasn't translated into big ratings.

The Daytime Emmys was close to not being televised at all until the CW agreed to broadcast it. It's hoping to get a female audience in order to promote its new season. The Creative Arts Emmys, shown on E!, doesn't have to worry about ratings. It's just happy that people behind the scenes get a chance to shine, even if it's on a niche channel.

The Primetime Emmys, however, has been losing viewers in recent years. It's hoped Neil Patrick Harris can bring the magic he had for the Tonys last June to boost the show when it airs on CBS. Last year, the show drew 12 million viewers, an all-time low. There's been a lot of theories about what it's been happening.

One theory is that the show rewards the best TV shows, but not the most popular ones.
That may sound strange. Good TV shows already pull in a big audience, right?
That may be true in the 1990's, but not in today's TV landscape of cable channels producing more creative shows than the Big Four, who rely on spinoffs, reality shows and singing contests. The Academy decided to expand the number of nominees in major categories, hoping to reward popular shows. However, that hasn't stopped cable from dominating some categories, or staying competitive with the networks in others.

In Best Drama, five of the seven nominees are from cable, including Damages, Dexter and Mad Men. House and Lost are both top 20 shows, and made the list. However, more popular shows like CSI, The Mentalist, and Grey's Anatomy did not.

The race for Best Comedy is more even, with four of the shows from the Big Four. However, only The Office is a top 20 show. Two and a Half Men didn't make the final cut, although it has in past years. The Big Bang Theory has a Best Actor nominee in Jim Parsons, but hasn't been considered Best Comedy.

It even affects American Idol, the biggest show on TV. It has eight nominations this year, but has never beaten the perennial winner for Best Reality Show, The Amazing Race. Dancing With the Stars hasn't had much luck, either.

Another possibility is that Emmy voters keep nominating the same people. The nominees in the major acting categories are about the same as last year. If there are changes, it's due to adding an extra nominee. That's why Elizabeth Moss is up for Best Actress in a Drama, or Sarah Silverman and Toni Collette are in the race for Best Actress in a Comedy. Simon Baker may be happy to be up for Best Actor in a Drama only because the field is six nominees instead of five.

Still, is there one guaranteed formula that can turn the Emmys into a ratings success just like an American Idol, or even America's Got Talent? On the other hand, is it really necessary? The Emmys honor the best in TV, and normally shouldn't have to justify broadcasting it on any of the four major networks with big ratings. Does it make sense to cancel the show, or at least move it to cable, because not enough people are watching?

Five years ago, this question would be too off-the-wall to be even asked. But now, with concerns about ratings, production costs, and the economy, it may have to be asked. The fact that the Daytime Emmys have found their way to the CW, a net-let according to some, may be a hint of the future. Could it mean the 2011 Primetime Emmys will be shown on MyNetwork TV, or Bravo or TNT?

Or maybe someone like Neil Patrick Harris can give the Emmys the ratings boost it needs to be popular again. At the very least, it would postpone the answering of some hard questions for another year or two.