Blu-ray Review: ‘Modern Family – The Complete Fourth Season’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Modern Family – The Complete Fourth Season’ on Blogcritics.

As ABC’s Modern Family kicks off its fifth season on the air, those who may have fallen behind last year can catch up with Modern Family: The Complete Fourth Season, available now on Blu-ray and DVD. Season four is a time of change for the family, and you won’t want to miss this important part of their lives, played out in 24 episodes.

As this season begins, Jay (Ed O’Neill) is turning 65, a milestone for the old man. What he doesn’t know yet is, he’s about to become a dad again. His wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara), isn’t sure how to break the news, further complicated by that fact that Jay’s son, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), and his partner Cam (Eric Stonestreet), just lost the chance to adopt a baby themselves, something they really wanted.

Don’t let the drama of the situation get you down; it sure doesn’t hurt the tone. Modern Family is a comedy, pure and simple, and even the most uncomfortable situations are played for laughs. More effective than most sitcoms at landing those gags, the talented and most-Emmy-nominated cast can take any scenario and turn it into a series of amusing bits. There is definitely character development, and sweet moments between relations, too, mixing heart and humor in a (literally) winning combination, finely polished after several years on the air.

Among the happenstances of The Complete Fourth Season, Mitchell tries to convince Cam to get a job, Claire (Julie Bowen) makes efforts to tone down her haunted house to be kid-friendly, Luke (Nolan Gould) decides to quite magic, much to the disappointment of his father, Phil (Ty Burrell), Hayley (Sarah Hyland) is arrested at college for underage drinking, the family suspects that Alex’s (Ariel Winter) new boyfriend is gay, Gloria’s hidden secrets are revealed, Claire and Cam attempt to flip a house, Jay’s New Year’s plans are ruined, Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) proves challenging to parent, Manny (Rico Rodriguez) gets a surprise party, Cam directs a production of Phantom of the Opera, Dylan (Reid Ewing) moves into the Dunphy household, Jay offers Claire a job, and Phil buys an RV. And those are just some of the plots.

As you may have surmised, Modern Family works best when the family is together, and that is the bread and butter of the show. Sometimes others drift in and out, and they’re great, but there are few episodes better than when a group of main characters get together. In particular, anytime Claire, Phil, Mitchell, and Cam hang out is priceless.

There are also fantastic guest stars this year. Shelley Long returns as Mitchell and Claire’s mother, Dede, and Nathan Lane is back as Cam and Mitchell’s friend, Pepper. Matthew Broderick plays a man who thinks Phil is gay and hitting on him. Benjamin Bratt makes another appearance as Gloria’s ex, Javier, this time with Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) in tow as his fiance. Mitchell’s ex-boyfriend Teddy (Larry Sullivan, Will & Grace) remains beloved by the clan. Potential spin-off subject Gil Thorpe (Rob Riggle) gets involved in the house flipping arc. We see Phil’s dad (Fred Willard) when the family flies down to Florida for Phil’s mother’s funeral. And look out for Star Wars‘ Billy Dee Williams!

There are quite a few extras in this three-disc set. As one would expect, there are plenty of deleted and alternate scenes, as well as a gag reel. The season finale gets the Director’s Cut treatment, extending the running time slightly. There are commentaries with the writers of the show for select episodes. Plus, a number of featurettes, including one on said writers, a focus on the family’s newest addition, “A Day with Eric,” a fun little bit featuring Stonestreet, and more are within.

Why buy the Blu-ray versus the DVD? I’m going to be honest, there aren’t a lot of special features or obvious advantages. However, if you’re like me, you want the best picture and sound possible. With Blu-ray, the details are crisp and the sound is pretty much perfect, though it’s front-heavy, as the show intended, with variations in tone and color, as rare as they may be, readily apparent. It looks great in HD, so why not? Plus, you get “Season Mode,” which keeps track of what you’ve watched previously.

Modern Family – The Complete Fourth Season is available now.

Go Home to MAMA'S FAMILY

Article first published as 'DVD Review: Mama's Family - The Complete First and Second Seasons' on Blogcritics.

When thinking back to the most fondly remembered sitcoms of the 1980s, Mama’s Family is surely one that comes to mind, viewed with warm nostalgia, even if it isn’t the pinnacle of television comedy. Cranky old Thelma “Mama” Harper, played hilariously by Vicki Lawrence, ran for six seasons, the first two on NBC, and then four much more popular years on CBS. Mama, herself, however, is a timeless character, who had a much longer lifespan on television than this series. Now, The Complete First Season and The Complete Second Season of this show are available on DVD.

Mama’s Family came at the end of an era of sitcoms. Having more in common than those which aired before it than what came after it, the series painted a portrait of an ungrateful family who Mama slaved away for, which justified her less-than-sunny disposition. She is the put-upon, caring matriarch viewers root for, giving a healthy dose of love and sound advice, whether her kids and relations want to listen to her or not. She is a parent, grandmother, and friend to any who need it.

That’s where the authenticity of the show came through. There was truth in her lamentations, and audiences could relate to both sides of the argument. Thelma was the familiar Mama, at least in that particular era for our society, and her issues were our issues. Sort of.

It’s a good thing there is much that is relatable and funny in the story, since the production is quite crude. Mama’s Family often feels like a play, with garish sets and costumes and harsh lighting. This helped reduce the cost of producing the show, and kept it on the air long enough to gain viewers, at least the second time around, but also makes it a little hard to get through until one adjusts to the style, or lack thereof. It is worth it to stick with it, the players being quite enjoyable.

Among the colorful characters in Mama’s life are: Mama’s sister and roommate Fran (Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls), an uptight writer; Mama’s son, the youngest of three children, foolish Vinton (Ken Berry, Mayberry R.F.D.), who is evicted from his house and dumped by his wife, prompting him to move back in with Mama; Vinton’s love interest, trampy neighbor Naomi Oates (Dorothy Lyman, The Departed); Vinton’s stubborn, obedient son, Vinton Jr., otherwise known as Buzz (Eric Brown, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman); and Vinton’s annoying, complaining teenage daughter, Sonja (Karin Argoud, The Stonecutter). This makes for a very full house indeed.

Which does not mean there isn’t room for others to drop by. Mama’s two daughters, Eunice (Carol Burnett, The Carol Burnett Show) and Ellen (Betty White, Golden Girls), put in appearances. And among the familiar faces making guest appearances in these two sets are Harvey Korman (Blazing Saddles), William Windom (To Kill a Mockingbird), Richard Dawson (Hogan‘s Heroes), Imogene Coca (Your Show of Shows), Jack Gilford (Cocoon), singer Jerry Reed (Smokey and the Bandit), and Fred Willard (Anchorman). While not all of these names have stayed in the lexicon today, they were big enough in their own time.

I think what’s most curious to me is that Mama’s Family is a spin-off of a recurring sketch from The Carol Burnett Show, which first spawned a TV movie, and then this series. Looking at other sketch comedies, I can’t imagine a premise holding it’s own for six years. Saturday Night Live bits have been turned into films, but not to my knowledge have they ever been developed as a weekly series. Yet, Mama’s Family worked very well in this format. I guess this is a testament to the unique, layered, fun characters The Carol Burnett Show created.

Speaking of the roots of this series, the extras on The Complete First Season and The Complete Second Season provide a look back at such things. On the first set, fans get one of the classic segments of “The Family” from The Carol Burnett Show. The second contains the aforementioned TV movie, Eunice. Other extras include interviews of some of the stars involved, an outline of the branches of Mama’s family tree, and a featurette about the series.

The only real complaint I have about this set is that it features the episodes in broadcast order, rather than production order. NBC aired them haphazardly, with a wedding that happens early in the run not having occurred yet in later episodes. This DVD set preserves that mistake, though it seems like it could have been an easy fix. Of course, anyone with access to Google can decide on their own how the installments should be watched, assuming they are aware of the issue ahead of time.

Bottom line, despite its flaws, or maybe a little bit because of them, as they seem true to form, Mama’s Family is a welcome addition to the DVD field, and it sure feels good to relive this series. Mama’s Family: The Complete First Season and Mama’s Family: The Complete Second Season are available now.

DRUNK HISTORY Now Weekly

Article first published as DRUNK HISTORY Now Weekly on TheTVKing.

Drunk History began on funnyordie.com, was featured on HBO's Funny Or Die Presents, and now has its own weekly half hour on Comedy Central. The premise is simple enough - Derek Waters (Hall Pass) gets a person who knows a bit about American history drunk and has them tell a tale. Actors perform the inebriated bits, with the drunk voice dubbed over them.

Drunk History works for a couple of reasons. One, the people participating know what they are talking about, so while they tell things in an amusing way, there is some truth involved, too. Two, the segments are kept short, with Watergate, Lincoln's assassination, and Elvis meeting Nixon all in the first half hour. Third, the costumes and sets are pretty good. Not realistic-makeup good, but not made-in-someone's-basement cheesy, either, making the look work well. And it's edited, so we get some tangents, but the plots remain cohesive enough to follow.

There are lots of recognizable faces participating in Drunk History. In this first episode, Jack Black (Scott of Rock) is Elvis, Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad) is Nixon and 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer is Nixon's aide, Stephen Merchant (Extras) is Lincoln, Fred Willard (Modern Family) is Deep Throat, Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and Will Forte (Saturday Night Live) are the Booth brothers, Jonathan Ames (Bored to Death) plays father Booth, and Nathan Fielder (Nathan For You) portrays Woodward. I think having all of these people involved lends the proceedings credibility.

It's also really funny. The narratives are delivered in a whimsical, light-hearted way. It's enjoyable (for a limited amount of time, such as a half hour) to watch people who are wasted, and by taking the words they say and acting them out with pizazz, it's a lot like hanging out with your friends, only more visual.

I could do without the puking on the floor, though I guess that's a necessary risk, as Slightly Tipsy History wouldn't be nearly as good. But the cookie breaks and the dialogue delivery are wonderful. This is an idea that has proven popular in other venues, so it's nice to see it get its due now.

Drunk History airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy Central.

Climbing the Family Tree

Article first published as FAMILY TREE Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 94%

Many are familiar with the work of Christopher Guest, who has made such fantastic mokumentary films as Best in Show, A Might Wind, and This Is Spinal Tap. It’s about time, then, that he gets a weekly series on television. FAMILY TREE, which premiered on HBO last night, is that series.

Set in London, England, FAMILY TREE stars Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, Girls) as Tom Chadwick, an unemployed, heartbroken man in his thirties who inherits a box of bits and bobs from his great Aunt Victoria. In that box are mementos from his family’s history, which he will make his mission to dive into and discover his roots.

It’s a simple premise, to be sure, and one that many can relate to. We’ve all had times in our lives where we lack direction and need to figure out our purpose. Many choose to examine the past to find clues as to a possible future. Tom is easy to relate to and sympathetic in his journey, wonderfully brought to complex life by O’Dowd.

Tom has help in his journey in the form of best mate Pete Stupples (Tom Bennett, PhoneShop), who lives in the past, but in a bad way. Whereas Tom seeks meaning and enrichment from his own history, Pete wants to maintain a silly, sex-obsessed, immature existence as long as he possibly can. He’s also the type of friend to latch onto a person and never let go, whether the other person wants them there or not. Tom is in exactly this position with Pete.

I’m not saying Tom should ditch Pete, even if Tom is a much more likeable person. They have a lot of shared stories together, and Pete is a nice enough bloke, certainly loyal. He provides the comic relief to the more serious Tom, which is probably why Tom doesn’t mind having him around so much, for laughs.

In the pilot, “The Box,” Tom and Pete take an old military photograph to expert Neville St. Aubrey (Christopher Fairbanks, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) to examine. Tom at first believes that the man shown is his great grandfather, but Neville is able to discover that Tom’s relation is the photographer, not the subject, and in finding a photo of said great grandfather, Tom learns he is descended from a “Chinaman.”

If that amuses you, you will likely enjoy the humor exemplified in FAMILY TREE. It’s in a similar vein to other Guest works, silly and irreverent, but toned down a bit here, not so in-your-face as some of his movies have been. Many of the jokes are quiet, though unexpected, the nuance taking precedence over the slapstick. It’s a very specific brand, well executed.

There’s also an underlying level of sadness to the proceedings of “The Box.” Obviously, Tom is not doing so well, with little going right in his life. As positive as he tries to be about it, one can sense that any bit of optimism displayed may just be a coping mechanism. He’s had about all he can take, and only through embarking on a new adventure, learning about his heritage, can he get a foot hold and begin to pull himself back up.

Yet, Tom is not the saddest character introduced in “The Box.” That honor belongs to his sister, Bea (Nina Conti, Bromwell High), who walks around with a monkey puppet on her arm. Unlike Tom, who was raised in Ireland by their mother, Bea was subject to father Keith’s (Michael McKean, Clue) inept, unobservant style of parenting. Bea clings to the monkey as a way to find her voice, and thus is quite a depressed, and depressing, person. I look forward to learning more about her, and how she might be inadvertently helped by Tom’s work.

Somehow, Guest rings the humor out of such people, whether it be in interactions between the various characters, the situations they get into, or cut scene interviews with the players. There is always something to find amusing, even in the darkest bit of the half hour, and it is played to great effect.

Besides McKean, other frequent Guest veterans will appear in the series, including Ed Begley Jr. and Fred Willard. Guest has built his own stable of actors over the years, and although they are not the focus in his latest project, he certainly isn’t abandoning them, either. They get his tone and style perfectly, and will only enhance FAMILY TREE in their recurring appearances.

I like FAMILY TREE a lot. It has the distinctive Guest feel, but also comes across as fresh and original. There isn’t really another series on television to compare it to, at least not in anything but broad strokes, taking a simple story and telling it in a very unique manner. If it can find an audience, and it is certainly accessible enough to do so, it should make a great addition to the HBO lineup.

FAMILY TREE airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.

Community "Paranormal Parentage" a little too normal

First published as Community "Paranormal Parentage" a little too normal on TheTVKing.

Two episodes into the fourth season of NBC's Community, and I still feel like something is a little off. The idea that the characters will spend the evening in Pierce's (Chevy Chase) haunted mansion in "Paranormal Parentage" is a solid one, and knowing that he tricks them into coming because he feels left out is obvious, but makes sense. Some of the things that happen during this adventure are great. Others fall a little flat.

For instance, why do we keep seeing shadowy figures following everyone around? We glimpse one behind Abed (Danny Pudi) in the control room, but neither Pierce nor Gilbert (Giancarlo Esposito), whom we learn to be creeping around the place, approaches Abed. Why not? And which one of them (I'm assuming Pierce) somehow manages to be seen in a costume of Pierce's dad behind Annie (Alison Brie), and then disappears by the time she turns around? And what happens to Jeff in the library? Is the liquor laced with something? Why does the episode tell us? Weak sauce.

I feel like Community is still reaching for the weird, but it's not landing in the same way it used to. All the ham jokes at Britta's (Gillian Jacobs) expense are great, and I love that Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) knows what Pierce's dungeon room is when Troy (Donald Glover) doesn't. I also greatly enjoy that Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) manages to match Jeff's (Joel McHale) costume, and that Abed brings up Cougar Town again.

I don't like that Abed completely ignores all the film-references ripe within a haunted house, and instead is simply excited to find Pierce's control room so that he can watch Cougar Town. Or the fact that Gilbert is secretly taking care of Pierce is explanation enough about why he is standing over Pierce in his sleep. Or that Pierce, old man that he is, is able to sneak around the house without being seen. How great would a few background shots of him tripping and almost getting caught be? Or being seen by a character or two who doesn't feel the need to expose his secret? Maybe everyone but Jeff?

Community is known for their Halloween episodes. If they can't deliver one of those, I worry about the rest of the season. I'm already mourning the loss of the best sitcom currently running on television.

Well, that's all I have to say about the episode specifically. On to some season- and series-long arc musings!

I do kind of like that Troy and Britta are dating this year, but I would like some more focus on it. It doesn't feel like it's quite working for me, and I want to see that. When they fall apart, I don't want it to seemingly come out of nowhere.  For fans to accept their inevitable breakup, we need to see why it can't work between them so that there is no doubt about the reasons they aren't together.

As much as I like Annie and Jeff as a pair, and I think that's the direction Community has been going in for awhile, I believe the show would be better served to have Jeff and Britta end up together. The scenes they have in "Paranormal Parentage," where she psychoanalyzes him and they bicker, is a great demonstration of the sizzling chemistry they possess. They won't ever be cuddle-on-the-couch sappy romantics together, but they have passion, and can push each other's buttons like an old married couple already. Wouldn't their union be a satisfying finale?

We all know that Chevy Chase is leaving the show. I see Pierce's departure going one of two ways. Most likely, his character will be killed off, which completely works on a number of levels, and would pay homage to the great Chevy Chase, the legendary comic actor who sort of withered away on a sitcom he never quite belonged on.

Or, hear me out, they should just replace him with Fred Willard and make no mention of the change. They could even adjust his personality, as Abed does in his head when imagining Fred as Pierce in the season premiere this year. Fred is fantastic in his own right, and could add something cool to the show. Plus, this opens up some possibilities and conspiracy theories about how much of what went on over the last four years is real. Since it is unlikely Community will last beyond this season anyway, and Chevy is staying through episode ten (or thirteen), it would be awesome to see an episode of two with Willard and a "normal" school, and then have the lid blown off the illusion in the series finale.

Just an idea. Feel free to use it. :)

Community airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

October 19th has finally arrived for #Community #SixSeasonsAndAMovie

Article first published as October 19th has finally arrived for #Community #SixSeasonsAndAMovie on TheTVKing.

NBC played a cruel joke on Community fans this year when they removed October 19th from the fall calendar and moved it to between February 6th and 8th. Many long, dark months were spent waiting for the thirteen promised episodes, but now, in the middle of winter, the day has finally arrived for the Human Beings and their fans.

As the premiere, "History 101," begins, after a spot-on gag with some glasses, the study group returns from their summer break as seniors and are ready to sign up for classes. Their first choice? The sole history course on the schedule, which will cover the story of ice-cream. Unfortunately, this is a super popular class, and it has been way overbooked. The Dean (Jim Rash) decides that the only fair way to decide who gets to enroll is to stage the The Hunger Deans, a play off of The Hunger Games, where students will compete to win a desk in the classroom.

The reason for all this madness? It's because Jeff (Joel McHale) only needs one history credit to graduate, and the Dean can't bear the thought of losing his favorite student / crush.

We see a side of Jeff that we don't often see in "History 101." While the rest of the study group is mad at him for taking summer classes behind their backs, bringing him so close to graduation, and don't feel like competing in the games, Jeff tries to earn a spot for each of them. He is committed to taking his final course with his closest friends, even Pierce (Chevy Chase), and is willing to go to great lengths to make sure that it happens. This is a sentimentality unexpected from the program's cynic, and a sure sign that he cares very deeply for the friends he has made at school.

This plot also leads to one of the greatest scenes in Community history when Jeff chooses the Dean as his tango partner. It's a big sacrifice for Jeff to make, knowing that the graceful Dean is in love with him, but Jeff really wants to win, and so, hilariously, he makes it happen.

What this also reveals is that the Dean's feelings for Jeff are real. They are often dismissed as a gag, but to go to such elaborate lengths tells us something about the depth of the emotion, whether it is fully romantic-based or not, is cool. The fact that the Dean gives in and adds another course when Jeff falls one slot short tells us that he cares, even if Jeff rejects him, making him a more sympathetic character.

Of course, that doesn't stop the Dean from buying the condo next to Jeff's, making for a great stalker arc in the coming season.

While Jeff is busy in the games, his classmates have their own challenges to overcome. Chief among them is Abed's (Danny Pudi) realization that this is their last first day of school. Abed has thrived these past three years in a way that the character most likely did not prior to the start of the show, finding a way to fit in with a group of peers. This isn't something that will come easy to someone so anti-social and obsessed with TV and movies, and he doesn't want to lose it.

To cope, Abed goes into a world of his own making within his brain. At first, we see a standard sitcom, complete with laughing studio audience, and the great Fred Willard portraying a kinder, gentler Pierce. Everyone in this world gets along, loves one another, and will never leave Greendale. Then, when that world is threatened, too, Abed retreats further inside, a la Inception, with a Muppet Babies spoof, seeing himself and his friends as young cartoon children in a nursery. Very, very funny.

Even when one is laughing at the lengths that Abed goes to, it's still easy to appreciate the layer of intelligence and creativity that goes into the writing of the show. Everything in Abed's dream worlds mean something, and while there are great gags, such as the pop up ads for other TV shows, there is also a level of depth and understanding of the character that is unparalleled by most shows. Pure brilliance.

The speech that Abed concocts for Jeff at the end is just the right note to end the episode on. It's poignant, and maybe not quite one Jeff is ready to give, but certainly something in line with what his character feels. It's also a message of hope to Community fans that, even should the show be canceled this year, as is likely, their favorite people will live on, and have formed life-long bonds with one another, making these four years mean something.

"History 101" is the beginning of the end for Pierce. Many already know that Chevy Chase quit the show about seventy five percent of the way through this fourth season. But his role has long been a joke, not in a good way, and he is portrayed as even more unlikeable and useless in this episode. If he doesn't have anything better to do in the next nine weeks, as much of a comedy legend as Chevy Chase is, and as painful as it is to write this, he will not be missed. I hope they kill his character off, providing closure, rather than just leaving us hanging.

Because Abed is shut down, he misses an important ritual with his best buddy, Troy (Donald Glover), tossing a coin into a fountain and making a wish. Troy instead does this with his girlfriend, Britta (Gillian Jacobs), who, of course, makes the tradition her own.

Does this mean Abed and Troy are growing apart? Shouldn't Troy be by Abed's side, able to tell that something is seriously wrong, even if Abed claims to be "f-y-n-e" fine?" Is being in a romantic relationship ruining what they have, which is oh-so-special? I hope not, but this should be some good fodder for the upcoming installments.

Annie (Alison Brie) deals with her senior year by wanting to act like a typical senior, having senioritis and pulling pranks. She's not very good at this, of course, as she doesn't quite know how to loosen up, but it's amusing to watch her try.

Annie has a little help from Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown). Shirely is surprisingly creative in her suggestions, since she also seems fairly good and righteous, even with the edge that always lies just under her surface. The payoff, though, comes when the Dean seems to have more of a reaction to Annie's moving of the stapler than Shirley's filling his car with popcorn.

Lastly, Chang (Ken Jeong) appears. It's the end of "History 101," and the tiny Asian villian has not been glimpsed at all (in the real world) during the entire half hour. Then, he arrives naked on a rainy street with a sign stating that his name is Kevin and he is suffering from Changnesia. Is this a scam? Who cares? What it means to Community fans is that Chang is going to still be around, causing trouble, and that's how we like him.

Interestingly, on paper, all of these plots seem perfectly to form with what makes Community the greatest currently running sitcom. Greendale looks the same, and the characters and plots are just as weird as ever.

Yet, there is something just slightly off throughout this installment. Maybe it's just in my head, knowing that creator Dan Harmon is gone. But it's not quite up to that level of magic that I am accustomed to from this series. Hopefully, this nagging doubt will fade away as the rest of the season unfolds, but I really, really hope Community hasn't lost something during the long, troubling break.

Community airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.

2010 Emmys: Guest Actors and Actresses

    The Emmy nominations for this year are out. This is television's biggest awards show, and as a television reviewer, I couldn't help but be excited. Sure, there were some snubs, but there were also some pleasant surprises. With lots of time left until the statues are handed out on August 29th, there is plenty of time to examine who's up for what. In this fifth in a series of articles, I'll look at the the guest star awards.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Mike O'Malley, Glee "Wheels"; Neil Patrick Harris, Glee, "Dream On"; Fred Willard, Modern Family, "Travels With Scout"; Eli Wallach, Nurse Jackie, "Chicken Soup"; Jon Hamm, 30 Rock, "Emmanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land"; Will Arnett, 30 Rock, "Into the Crevasse".  Mike O'Malley deserves this award the most.  His turn as the father who doesn't hate his gay son, and tries everything he can do make him feel accepted, was fantastic.  Definitely some of my favorite scenes in season one.  That being said, Eli was also great, and Fred Willard could always use a little more credit.  Honestly, I wouldn't be disappointed by anyone on this list.  It's a great group.  But O'Malley, all the way.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory, "The Maternal Congruence"; Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives, "The Chase"; Kristen Chenoweth, Glee, "The Rhodes Not Taken"; Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live, "Host: Tina Fey"; Betty White, Saturday Night Live, "Host: Betty White"; Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock, "The Moms"; Jane Lynch, Two and a Half Men, "818-JKLPUZO".  I love me some Lynch and some Chenoweth and some Stritch and some Fey, but let's clear those out of this cluttered category right now, because I don't think they'll win.  With White's momentum, including the groundswell facebook campaign that got her the gig, I see her as the favorite.  However, Baranski gave my favorite performance of the above choice (disclosure: I did not see Lynch's because that's a terrible show).  I also like Joosten quite a bit, as she's won before, I don't want to discount her.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Beau Bridges, The Closer, "Make Over"; Ted Danson, Damages, "The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat"; John Lithgow, Dexter, "Road Kill"; Alan Cumming, The Good Wife, "Fleas"; Dylan Baker, The Good Wife, "Bad"; Robert Morse, Mad Men, "Shut the Door, Have a Seat"; Gregory Itzin, 24, "1:00 PM - 2:00 PM".  All I can say is tough, tough, tough.  Lithgow's buzz makes me lean towards him, although I haven't watched it yet.  I am buzzing through Dexter as fast as I can, but I just started the series two weeks ago!  Itzin was wonderful, as always, and 24 just couldn't resist bringing him back again for good reason.  My third choice would be Cumming.  But again, tough category filled with very talented men.  This is one I am very unsure about my choices.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Mary Kay Place, Big Love, "The Might and The Strong"; Sissy Spacek, Big Love, "End of Days"; Shirley Jones, The Cleaner, "Does Everybody Have a Drink?"; Lily Tomlin, Damages, "Your Secrets Are Safe"; Ann-Margret, Law & Order: SVU, "Bedtime"; Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost, "The End".  I hate to admit it, but I only saw two of the above performances: Tomlin and Mitchell.  Both were excellent, both were talked about.  I favor Tomlin a little more.  However, Jones has been absent from television a long time, as has Ann-Margret, so my instincts are telling me these two legends may be battling it out.  We'll just have to wait and see.

     The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live Sunday, August 29th at 8pm on NBC.