The Emmys made history last night, with AMC's Mad Men becoming the first basic cable series to take a best series award. Cable networks dominated all the drama categories: Bryan Cranston of the network's Breaking Bad pulled a best actor stunner, while Glenn Close predictably scratched out her foes with a win for FX's Damages. Zeljko Ivanek of that same show nabbed supporting actor, upsetting co-star Ted Danson, and Dianne Wiest of HBO's In Treatment nabbed Supporting Actress.
Other records: HBO's John Adams won 13 Emmys, besting the 11 won by Angels in America in 2004. Oh, and this year's Emmycast was the lowest-rated ever, with fewer than 13 million viewers.
On the comedy side, things were much more predictable: 30 Rock won comedy series and best actor, as well as actress and comedy writing (both Tina Fey). Jeremy Piven won again for Entourage, while Jean Smart received her third career Emmy for Samantha Who?
THE HOSTS
The five hosts – Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Tom Bergeron, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest, who were all nominated for the new Best Reality Show Host award – stumbled from the beginning. The five stood around for the opening monologue with no clear plan of what to say, and it showed. Over the course of the evening, it was hard to tell what was worse: Klum's mugging or Mandel's jabbering. It's always a bad sign if the hosts are openly mocked by presenters and award winners.
THE VENUE
The re-creation of retro sets in the otherwise glitzy arena was often bizarre. And why bring back the M*A*S*H swamp but no cast members, and then make Don Rickles walk out of it? Another beef: ditch the giant screens above the podium that showed the nominees. When the winners were revealed, the cameras were too far away to make out any faces, and as a result most nominees went unnoticed by viewers.
THE BEST AND WORST
Best Impression of a corpse: David Boreanaz
Most inspired pairing: Don Rickles and Kathy Griffin, who yelled "GET UP!" at the audience when she walked out with Rickles
Best presenters: Ricky Gervais, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert
Cutest veteran presenters: Mary Tyler Moore and Betty White
Best impression of a heroin addict: Jimmy Kimmel
Worst skit: Laugh-In revisited, which made me wonder if the show was ever funny
Best surprise: Josh Groban's giddy TV theme montage
Most in need of new glasses: Tom Hanks
Best mother-son reunion: Tom Hanks and Sally Field of Forrest Gump fame
Same time next year, Folks.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
GEmmy More!
The 60th Annual Emmy Awards are only three days away. These awards are notoriously tough to predict - much harder than the Oscars - but I'm going to try anyway.
DRAMA SERIES
I'm going with Mad Men, which should trump Damages and Lost's resurgence.
I'm going with Mad Men, which should trump Damages and Lost's resurgence.
COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock should prevail again (the fall episodes were the best ever). The only possible spoiler is The Office, and that's unlikely.
30 Rock should prevail again (the fall episodes were the best ever). The only possible spoiler is The Office, and that's unlikely.
ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
I'm going with James Spader over Jon Hamm, simply because he has never lost - as annoying as that is. Plus, word on the street is that he submitted a smart episode.
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close was scary good, plus she's got that Oscar pedigree - just like last year's winner, Sally Field. It would be shocking if anyone else took it.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Logic tells me Ted Danson could take this, but I'm going out on a limb and saying Lost's Michael Emerson will prevail.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Chandra Wilson is overdue, but Emmy does love Dianne Wiest, and it may be a good way to reward In Treatment. I'll give her the edge.
ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anyone who saw Alec Baldwin's performance this season knows he's got it in the bag. Unless Steve Carrell, who has never won, can steal his thunder.
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Tina Fey once said she was a hat rack to Baldwin's Fred Astaire, but I think she's officially promoted to Ginger Rogers. But she should watch out for Christina Applegate.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Let's go out on a limb and say Neil Patrick Harris. That would be more interesting than seeing Jeremy Piven bound to the stage yet again.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
The sentimental vote leans toward Amy Poehler. But don't be surprised by Jean Smart or Kristin Chenoweth.
MINISERIES
Ever heard of John Adams?
ACTOR IN A MINISERIES/MOVIE
I think Ricky Gervais has a shot, but Paul Giammati is more likely.
ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES/MOVIE
Phylicia Rashad, unless Susan Sarandon or Laura Linney pull off an upset.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES/MOVIE
Eenie Meenie Minie Tom Wilkinson.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES/MOVIE
This is a toughie, but let's say Eileen Atkins.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Burn After Reading
Don't expect another Oscar-winning "think" movie from the Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, this year. Their newest movie is about dunderheads. Films like that don't win Oscars, but they do well at the box office. Case in point: the just-opened Burn After Reading recently bowed at No. 1.
With good reason: the story reaches back into the Coens' dark and playful toy chest, and pulls out a zany jack-in-the-box dark comedy. Just like the good ol' days
. With a formidable cast (including perennial Frances McDormand and a playful Brad Pitt), the writing-producing-directing duo have returned to comfortable form.
Where to start? McDormand is Linda Litzke, an employee for a gym called Hardbodies, who is convinced she needs several cosmetic surgeries to be successful at online dating. The dates she meets in the park are usually schmucks, but one, Harry, looks just like George Clooney. Harry's unhappy in his marriage – which is why, in addition to online flings, he's having an affair with Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton, taking Narnia's White Witch down only a notch or two).
Katie's married to Osborne Cox (John Malkovich, in perhaps his most ideal role ever), a CIA agent who gets fired for alcoholism. In an effort to one-up him in a divorce battle, Katie snares supposedly top-secret documents, which get left behind in a Hardbodies gym locker – and into the hands of Linda and her ditzy co-worker Chad (Pitt).
This triggers a series of events that would be pointless to outline. Just rest assured that the deviants' paths cross in ways that might shock you. And, as with most Coen movies, this is achieved through quick bursts of graphic violence – which always seem designed to send unsuspecting Coen virgins in search of a nearby purse to barf in – and, of course, madcap hijinks.
Part spy spoof and part brooding satire, Burn After Reading seems like Get Smart, The Interpreter and Fargo all rolled into one. It's about as comfortable in its own skin as a 14-year-old before a school dance, but that's okay. It's just slick enough to seem original at times, and if you were in search of something deep, you probably would have set foot in a different theater.
McDormand, usually so controlled, is adorably dippy here, and Pitt stands out as Chad, a boytoy with a soda jerk 'do. He sucks H2O out of a water bottle like a three-year-old deflowering a lollipop, and his iPod dance moves might make you believe he's a fan of Miley Cyrus.
Malkovich has never been able to channel anger so beautifully, and a scene in which Osborne goes after an innocent bystander (Richard Jenkins) is both heartbreaking and hysterical. To boot, the CIA supervisors who fired him, played by David Rasche and J.K. Simmons, are woefully and uproariously indifferent.
Ah, but the real star of a Coen Bros. movie is usually the siblings themselves, and that rings true here. The frames are flickered with a knowing glint in the eyes behind the camera lens, in acknowledgement of how many idiots are running around out in the world, and with the hope that you are not one of them. B+
With good reason: the story reaches back into the Coens' dark and playful toy chest, and pulls out a zany jack-in-the-box dark comedy. Just like the good ol' days
. With a formidable cast (including perennial Frances McDormand and a playful Brad Pitt), the writing-producing-directing duo have returned to comfortable form.Where to start? McDormand is Linda Litzke, an employee for a gym called Hardbodies, who is convinced she needs several cosmetic surgeries to be successful at online dating. The dates she meets in the park are usually schmucks, but one, Harry, looks just like George Clooney. Harry's unhappy in his marriage – which is why, in addition to online flings, he's having an affair with Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton, taking Narnia's White Witch down only a notch or two).
Katie's married to Osborne Cox (John Malkovich, in perhaps his most ideal role ever), a CIA agent who gets fired for alcoholism. In an effort to one-up him in a divorce battle, Katie snares supposedly top-secret documents, which get left behind in a Hardbodies gym locker – and into the hands of Linda and her ditzy co-worker Chad (Pitt).
This triggers a series of events that would be pointless to outline. Just rest assured that the deviants' paths cross in ways that might shock you. And, as with most Coen movies, this is achieved through quick bursts of graphic violence – which always seem designed to send unsuspecting Coen virgins in search of a nearby purse to barf in – and, of course, madcap hijinks.
Part spy spoof and part brooding satire, Burn After Reading seems like Get Smart, The Interpreter and Fargo all rolled into one. It's about as comfortable in its own skin as a 14-year-old before a school dance, but that's okay. It's just slick enough to seem original at times, and if you were in search of something deep, you probably would have set foot in a different theater.
McDormand, usually so controlled, is adorably dippy here, and Pitt stands out as Chad, a boytoy with a soda jerk 'do. He sucks H2O out of a water bottle like a three-year-old deflowering a lollipop, and his iPod dance moves might make you believe he's a fan of Miley Cyrus.
Malkovich has never been able to channel anger so beautifully, and a scene in which Osborne goes after an innocent bystander (Richard Jenkins) is both heartbreaking and hysterical. To boot, the CIA supervisors who fired him, played by David Rasche and J.K. Simmons, are woefully and uproariously indifferent.
Ah, but the real star of a Coen Bros. movie is usually the siblings themselves, and that rings true here. The frames are flickered with a knowing glint in the eyes behind the camera lens, in acknowledgement of how many idiots are running around out in the world, and with the hope that you are not one of them. B+
Monday, September 15, 2008
I'm in the Mood for Lists
So, here are, in my opinion, the 10 best episodes of Lost. Let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices.
1. Through the Looking Glass - Season 3, Episode 22
From Charlie's death, to that final moment when the "big reveal" about the future is made, this episode keeps you guessing all the way to the end - and has the most poetic death of a character in the show's history.
2. Pilot - Season 1, Episode 1
The plane crash was terrifying, and the drama was engrossing from the get-go. Most memorable moment: seeing the pilot, who survived the crash, get snatched by Smokey.
3. The Constant - Season 4, Episode 5
I love Desmond episodes, and this trippy enstallment didn't disappoint - especially 'cause of that emotional reunion with Penny that many never thought would come before the series finale.
4. Walkabout - Season 1, Episode 4
The memorable Locke introduction, when we learn (rather poignantly) that he used to live life in a wheelchair.
5. Man of Science, Man of Faith - Season 2, Episode 1
Some viewed the first season finale is disappointing, since we never did get to see what was in the hatch. The follow-up shows it and then some, and introduces one of the show's most interesting characters: Desmond.
6. One of Us - Season 3, Episode 16
Juliet was a highlight of the third season, and this episode - which explained how she got to the island, and quesitoned her allegiance to both sides - was her biggest showcase ever.
7. House of the Rising Sun - Season 1, Episode 6
The defining moment in the airport, when Sun decides her fate, is one of the most wrenching flashback moments over the course of the show.
8. Two for the Road, Season 2, Episode 20
You can't argue with this: the final scene in which Ana Lucia and Libby are shot by Michael may be Lost's most surprising moment ever. Hand over mouth.
9. The Shape of Things to Come - Season 4, Episode 9
Speaking of surprises, Ben's reaction upon seeing his daughter's death packs a wallop. And with the dead doctor washing up on shore, we get one of the first hints of time travel.
10. The Man from Tallahassee - Season 3, Episode 13
Locke and the submarine. Locke and... his father?
1. Through the Looking Glass - Season 3, Episode 22
From Charlie's death, to that final moment when the "big reveal" about the future is made, this episode keeps you guessing all the way to the end - and has the most poetic death of a character in the show's history.
2. Pilot - Season 1, Episode 1
The plane crash was terrifying, and the drama was engrossing from the get-go. Most memorable moment: seeing the pilot, who survived the crash, get snatched by Smokey.
3. The Constant - Season 4, Episode 5
I love Desmond episodes, and this trippy enstallment didn't disappoint - especially 'cause of that emotional reunion with Penny that many never thought would come before the series finale.
4. Walkabout - Season 1, Episode 4
The memorable Locke introduction, when we learn (rather poignantly) that he used to live life in a wheelchair.
5. Man of Science, Man of Faith - Season 2, Episode 1
Some viewed the first season finale is disappointing, since we never did get to see what was in the hatch. The follow-up shows it and then some, and introduces one of the show's most interesting characters: Desmond.
6. One of Us - Season 3, Episode 16
Juliet was a highlight of the third season, and this episode - which explained how she got to the island, and quesitoned her allegiance to both sides - was her biggest showcase ever.
7. House of the Rising Sun - Season 1, Episode 6
The defining moment in the airport, when Sun decides her fate, is one of the most wrenching flashback moments over the course of the show.
8. Two for the Road, Season 2, Episode 20
You can't argue with this: the final scene in which Ana Lucia and Libby are shot by Michael may be Lost's most surprising moment ever. Hand over mouth.
9. The Shape of Things to Come - Season 4, Episode 9
Speaking of surprises, Ben's reaction upon seeing his daughter's death packs a wallop. And with the dead doctor washing up on shore, we get one of the first hints of time travel.
10. The Man from Tallahassee - Season 3, Episode 13
Locke and the submarine. Locke and... his father?
Thursday, September 4, 2008
You're Gonna Make it (on DVD) After All
I started watc
hing Mary Tyler Moore in 1992. I don't really know why I was even interested, although by that time I was already a sitcom freak: when I was 11, I meticulously taped every episode of M*A*S*H and edited out the commercials.
When whole seasons of TV shows were released on DVD beginning around 2000, I waited for MTM to come out. I had shamelessly taped most episodes off Nick at Nite, but who wants to watch cruddy old VHS?
The first season came out in late 2002, and that was the last present my mom ever bought me. She got it for me as an early Christmas gift - in October, I think. But I digress.
For some reason, Fox waited about three years for the second season, and then the third and fourth came out a few months apart. Then, nothing.
Word on the street (actually, from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/arts/television/31harr.html?ref=television )
is that Mary and her friends will be released - all of the last three seasons - in due time. The hold-up was a "gutted marketplace." Whatever, I'm just happy these last three seasons - all of which won Emmys for best comedy series, writing and a slew of acting awards - will see the light of day.
As Rhoda would say, thanks, Kid.
hing Mary Tyler Moore in 1992. I don't really know why I was even interested, although by that time I was already a sitcom freak: when I was 11, I meticulously taped every episode of M*A*S*H and edited out the commercials.When whole seasons of TV shows were released on DVD beginning around 2000, I waited for MTM to come out. I had shamelessly taped most episodes off Nick at Nite, but who wants to watch cruddy old VHS?
The first season came out in late 2002, and that was the last present my mom ever bought me. She got it for me as an early Christmas gift - in October, I think. But I digress.
For some reason, Fox waited about three years for the second season, and then the third and fourth came out a few months apart. Then, nothing.
Word on the street (actually, from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/arts/television/31harr.html?ref=television )
is that Mary and her friends will be released - all of the last three seasons - in due time. The hold-up was a "gutted marketplace." Whatever, I'm just happy these last three seasons - all of which won Emmys for best comedy series, writing and a slew of acting awards - will see the light of day.
As Rhoda would say, thanks, Kid.
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