THE LAST MAN ON EARTH Deserves to Live

Article first published as THE LAST MAN ON EARTH Review on Seat42F.

I just wanted to get that out there before this review even starts. It is the most wholly original sitcom on television, taking a premise that seems unlikely to work and building something really cool on it. Having viewed the first two episodes, I’m not sure where exactly the show is going, but given the beauty of the premiere, I can wait and see.

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH begins in 2020, two years after a virus wipes out all of humanity. For some reason, there are no corpses or sign of anyone. The world is in pristine condition, as if everyone and every living creature in it just disappeared one day. I hope that’ll be explained further because that seems very unrealistic for what we’re told, and there is no mention of where the animals have gone. But that doesn’t matter for now because none of this is the focus of the series, nor should it be yet.

Enter Phil Miller (Will Forte, MacGruber, Saturday Night Live, Nebraska). Phil is the lone survivor, and he begins the pilot by searching the entire country for another human being. His search, as the title THE LAST MAN ON EARTH suggests, comes up empty. There’s no one left. What’s a guy to do?

Well, Phil isn’t just any guy. He’s a very specific type of guy. He isn’t the type of guy I am, nor the type most people would be, I suspect. However, the portrait Forte creates is an authentic, complex individual that I could absolutely see existing in the real world. He cares about a set number of things, and others, he won’t worry about until he has to. Hence why an examination of the premise can wait.

The first half hour is a really cool look at this character and how he deals with the situation he finds himself in. There’s a lot for Phil to do, being the only character in every single scene, and he gets through quite a few things in that initial episode. I don’t want to spoil much, but suffice it to say, as soon as you get to know the character a little bit, he acts exactly as one expects him to.

The thing is, there’s an emotional depth present that elevates THE LAST MAN ON EARTH above the typical sitcom. It’s known that Forte can do drama, even if he’s more familiar in comedy circles, and I wouldn’t call the first half hour a comedy any more than I would many of the thirty-minute programs on HBO and Showtime. There is funniness in it, to be sure, but there’s also real human pathos. THE LAST MAN ON EARTH does better than just deliver laughs. This is a tour de force for a deserving actor.

Because of an event at the end of the pilot, which I will not spoil, the second half hour is completely different. The second episode could possibly be more of a picture of what the series is going to be, and if it is a structure to be copied, I don’t think I will continue to love it for too long. But as a second episode, it’s highly appropriate and still very good. If the series moves on and grows from this point, then this is fine. I say this because I applaud the bold risk taking THE LAST MAN ON EARTH accomplishes and I don’t want it to get trapped in a box, which is a possibility, but not one I seriously think will happen.

Looking at the IMDB page of the show, or even the official site (which teases), it’s pretty clear that Forte will not remain alone in the series. Among those credited are Kristen Schaal (Bob’s Burgers), January Jones (Mad Men), Mel Rodriguez (Getting On), and Cleopatra Coleman (Step Up Revolution). Only one of these four appear in the first installments, and I’d prefer not to say who or under what circumstances. It’s because of this list, though, that I am optimistic about the show’s future, meaning it should continue to morph over time as it works its way through the realities of this post-apocalyptic world.

I’m sold. I hope you will be, too. THE LAST MAN ON EARTH premieres this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Mad Men Goes Through "The Doorway"

Article first published as Mad Men Goes Through "The Doorway" on TheTVKing.

As we go through "The Doorway" into Mad Men's sixth season on AMC, we can immediately see that a lot has changed. Some of it is surface, such as the hair styles, an excess of marijuana smoking, and the bustling, busy, successful, two-story Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency. But some of it goes deeper, as the unhappiness that has long-festered in several of the leads comes to the surface even more now, making "The Doorway" a pretty depressing and dark installment.

Don (Jon Hamm) is our main character. As "The Doorway" opens, after a cut scene of an unknown man having a heart attack, he lounges on the beaches of Hawaii, reading Dante's Inferno. There is a stark contrast between the white sands and blue water and Don's choice of reading material. Plus, Don himself is silent, letting life happen around him, but not really participating in it.

We've seen Don like this before. While, last year, he is an active participant in his marriage with Megan (Jessica Paré) and the firm's work, guiding the ship, prior to that he is shown as a sort of numb robot. The season premiere returns Don to that unhappy state, not connecting with the others around him.

We don't know why Don is this way. Obviously, the advertising agency he helped found is doing well, so there aren't professional woes. And Megan is still in love with him, despite her successful career as a TV star, presumably working on a soap opera, so he's not neglected at home. Could it be that Don only functions well when there is a crisis that he must solve, and once that goes away, he returns to his old self? Could he be spurred to go introspective after witnessing his doorman's heart attack, and didn't like what he found inside himself?

I think there is a clue when Don participates in a wedding ceremony on the beach, one he doesn't tell Megan about, but which we see affects him deeply, even after they return from vacation. Something about that young soldier bothers him. Does he represent lost promise? Remind Don of his somewhat shady past? Who knows?

Don brings this attitude back to the office with him, and it's here where we realize that he may not himself understand how unhappy he is. The Hawaii trip is a working one, and he pitches an ad idea for the hotel he stays in. But his vision is one interpreted by many as invoking suicide. Don sees escape as a pleasant thing, but there's a gray area when considering how big of an escape he might actually want to make. A permanent one, perhaps?

The sign of hope we see for Don is his friendship with his new neighbor, a Jewish doctor (Brian Markinson, The Killing, Caprica). We've never seen Don have a friend like this, an equal who is not connected with him professionally. They seem to understand one another and have mutual respect for the work that they do. This looks to be the makings of a wonderful outlet for Don to be Don, and help him cope with disappointments in other areas of his life.

Unfortunately, as we find out at the end of the hour, Don is sleeping with the good doctor's wife. I can't decide if I feel the betrayal more deeply on behalf of Megan or the doctor. After all, Megan knows the kind of man Don is before marrying him, and Don has a history of cheating when he gets restless, as he is now. The doctor, on the other hand, has no reason to suspect Don's activities, which makes it doubly bad. It also means that their friendship will never last.

All of this points to a very dark ending for Don. With only two seasons left, it is doubtful he will be content to stay where he is. Will he end up running away, taking on a new identity again, as he did when he became Don Draper? Or might he decide it's better not to live at all?

Roger (John Slattery) is just as unhappy as Don. He has never found peace in the arms of a woman for long, and professionally he does have a purpose, but it is not an obvious or constant one. In "The Doorway" we see him hamming it up around the office, but not doing anything of note.

Until he gets the news that his mother has died. Those around him are upset by this, Roger's secretary bawling, and Don getting wasted and puking at the funeral. Roger is more frustrated, as he tells his psychiatrist, that he feels nothing. He is fully numb, unable to work up the sadness he thinks he should feel, and regretful of the way he has lived his life, as his mother's passing forces him to face his own mortality.

Roger isn't actually emotionless, of course. Once he gets over the shock, a near-stranger's death sends the tears flowing. But it's one of those defining moments in life, where one takes stock of oneself, and like Don, Roger doesn't like what he sees. Roger doesn't have anyone close to him to share himself with, or to mourn his passing. Not even his daughter, Margaret (Elizabeth Rice), cares, only wanting his money. This starts to affect him negatively, more so than we've ever seen before.

While many show up for Roger's mother's funeral, including ex-wives Jane (Peyton List) and Mona (Talia Balsam), the latter of whom actually offers sound advice, there is a glaring absence: Joan (Christina Hendricks). They may no longer be lovers, but Joan knows Roger better than anyone, and likely has cared about him more than anyone. Why does she not come to him in his hour of need? Have things deteriorated that much between them? How incredibly sad!

The third character that gets much focus in "The Doorway" is Betty Francis (January Jones). Betty identifies with one of her daughter, Sally's, friends (Kerris Dorsey, Brothers & Sisters), who has lied about getting accepted to Julliard, but still wants to run away to New York City at the ripe age of fifteen. Betty, who lived the poor life as a model in the big city when she was young, tries to talk the child out of it, then goes in search of her when the kid disappears.

This plot may show Betty being a good mother figure to a child who is not her own, but it's also about Betty's past and missteps. She is in a good place now, with a loving husband and a nice house, but she definitely has her rocky times. She has a lousy first marriage, has trouble connecting with her own daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka), which is still an issue, and has a hard time finding the right path for her life. Betty wants to not only spare the young teen from making the same mistakes, but also seems to hope it will make up for her own spotty past. And she's willing to go into a truly scary area of town to do it.

Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) has less to do in the season premiere, but we do get to see how she has adjusted to her life away from SCDP and Don's shadow. She is flourishing, her genius shining through, though she is still struggling with managing others, as she doesn't see herself in a position of power, and doesn't have full confidence in herself. She looks and acts like a grown up, and it's pretty clear that, while she does still have a few professional skills to hone, she is well on her way to being a strong, independent woman, the breadwinner for her household, the kind of woman that little girls look up to. It's nice to see someone doing well!

In the office of SCDP, many changes have happened. The layout is totally different, and while "The Doorway" doesn't show us much of the upstairs, it does seem that all the young guys are up there, leaving Don and Roger down in the old section, which makes obvious a distinction. Has the firm somewhat split into two pieces? Are the new guys becoming more relevant than the old, or at least staking their claim as an equally important element? The separation is tangible.

We are also introduced to a new employee (James Wolk, Political Animals), who kisses the butts of the partners enthusiastically, earning him the resentment of Ken (Aaron Staton). Is the newbie earnest, or manipulative? Are his motives pure, or selfish? Should we admire his drive, or does he only have his charm, lacking the talent to back it up? I admit, I am immediately intrigued by him, much more so than the smattering of other fresh faces we see around the building.

Overall, it's hard to say that I truly enjoyed "The Doorway," since it is quite depressing, but I did very much appreciate it. I am interested in the direction the characters are going, and intrigued by the slow and steady departure away from who they were.

Mad Men airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

Mad Men deserves more than just "A Little Kiss"

After a hiatus of nearly a year and a half, AMC's Mad Men returns with "A Little Kiss." Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) begins to resent Roger (John Slattery), not believing Roger is pulling his weight at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Roger isn't concerned much, spending money to poke fun at another agency in the paper, which results in Joan (Christina Hendricks) fearing that her job is in jeopardy and the firm having to hire minorities on their already tight budget. Amid this, Megan (Jessica Paré) throws Don (Jon Hamm) a surprise birthday party, but does not get the reaction that she hopes for.

"A Little Kiss" is a little disappointing. Just a little. It's not that there's anything wrong with the episode. It's just that, after such a long absence, one expects a big, splashy return. That's not what this episode is. It does an adequate job catching viewers up with what is going on for the characters, and there are some amazing moments sprinkled in, but it is mostly a routine installment.

Megan gets her due, to say the least. Now promoted to series regular, she is central to multiple stories in "A Little Kiss." At work, she is a junior member of the creative team, no longer a simple secretary. Her position is shaky, being that she is obviously promoted because of her marriage to Don, but Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) seems to be warming up to her, slowly. If Megan can win Peggy over, she'll be fine. Megan contributes, proves she is up to the job, and willing to work for it. This should result in her acceptance, given time.

At home, Megan's birthday party doesn't go so well. Many of the co-workers enjoy Megan's sexy song, "Zou Bisou Bisou," for Don, but Don is embarrassed by her. Setting aside just how stellar her gift is, one can see why, given the sexy moves Megan performs in front of others, but the moment is still a highlight of the episode. However, the fight between the couple does spill over into the work place, and makes things awkward, especially for her.

The thing is, Megan's relationship with Don is more important than her connection to her colleagues, and the former is on pretty solid ground. In stark contrast to Don's disastrous marriage to Betty (January Jones), Megan doesn't allow Don to get away with his behavior. Nor does she act like a little child. She does resort to some antics to get his attention, but it's to challenge him, rather than punish him. They work out the matter, rather than ignoring it. It's a healthy sign for their union.

Another healthy sign is just how happy Don seems. There is a rough patch in "A Little Kiss," but overall, he seems much more at peace than at any other time during the series. This can surely be credited to Megan, and thus, her presence is welcome. Their nuptials do seem a little fast, but she's proving to be a good match who can inspire Don to be his best self. Better still, he already told her his secrets between seasons, including that he is really Dick Whitman, so there is no dark cloud hanging over them.

Pete's marriage to Trudy (Alison Brie) in Mad Men, on the other hand, seems far less suitable. Pete is clearly unhappy no longer living in the city as of "A Little Kiss." He doesn't exactly cheer the advice of his buddy on the train, who suggests that Pete stay at work later, if he comes home at all, but it does appear that Peter considers the words. How long before Pete begins to act on them? And how long after that before Trudy leaves him?

Roger, too, isn't happy in his marriage. He ignores his wife, Jane (Peyton List), or tells her to shut up. It's not like Roger has ever been happy with anyone (except for Joan), but this is the bed that he made. If he doesn't want to stay married, then get a divorce. Having an unhappy home is not doing him any favors, and with everything else going on, Roger needs some sanctuary where he can feel at ease. At present, Roger is lacking that.

Pete's relationship with Roger is even more tenuous in "A Little Kiss." Pete wants to push Roger out, and makes a play for his office. Roger holds him off, for now, by bribing Harry (Rich Sommer) to switch with Pete instead. Not exactly what Pete wants, since the office isn't really the issue. But this struggle is far from over. And might Pete just be lashing out at Roger because he is unhappy at home?

The thing is, while Pete is right about Roger not bringing in a lot of new business, or really, any, Roger does have value. Clients love him. Potential clients love him. Roger has great people skills, and is fantastic at entertaining with alcohol and fun. This can be very important for a firm that needs all the business it can get, and is still growing. Not giving Roger his own secretary may make sense, but trying to oust him does not.

Is Cooper (Robert Morse) on his way out of Mad Men? He doesn't seem to have an office anymore, and he is treated a bit like a dolt. Not that Cooper seems to notice. He asks to be included in a status meeting in "A Little Kiss," right after it takes place without him. He's just through a glass wall at the time, so he could have noticed, if he were more alert. His mental acuity has definitely suffered, and it looks like he's merely a figurehead these days. But how long can they afford to keep him if he's not contributing?

Joan's position with Sterling Cooper Draper Price is definitely secure, despite her fears. Seeing the ad in the paper in "A Little Kiss," Joan is understandably worried. She may not want to show that in front of her annoying, controlling mother (Christine Estabrook, Desperate Housewives), but who can blame her? She has been away from the office for awhile, with her baby, and she wants to make sure that she has a place to come back to.

Thankfully, Lane (Jared Harris) lays her concerns to rest. No one can run an office as efficiently as Joan, and SCDP cannot wait to have her back. This is a load off not only the character's mind, but fans' as well. Mad Men would just not be the same without Joan at all.

Joan is not the only one shaken by the ad. It's a stupid prank by Roger, but Roger does not consider the consequences before acting. A crowd of African American job applicants show up. It's an unexpected twist, that reminds fans how brilliant the writing on Mad Men can be. All of the sudden, SCDP has a new challenge, and has inserted themselves squarely into the civil rights movement. They cannot send all these people away without hiring them. They would look like fools and bigots themselves. They will have to find money somewhere to provide jobs to at least a couple new diverse employees. Otherwise, their reputation could be ruined.

How will hiring African-Americans change the dynamic of the office? In modern society, of course, many, many offices are integrated without problem. However, in the world of Mad Men, advertising is a white male-dominated business. There is no ethnicity in their workplace. Each characters has a varying comfort level, with a number of them not having been exposed to many people different from themselves. It will make good drama to see who adapts, and who does not.

The final plot in "A Little Kiss" involves Lane finding a man's wallet in a taxi, and falling for the girl whose picture is in said wallet. While Lane is in a good marriage, for the most part, other than some money worries, he is considering straying. Thankfully, nothing comes of it, but not because Lane doesn't want it to. Where is Mad Men going with this character? He's been such a welcome addition to the cast, it would be sad to see him ruined.

"A Little Kiss" deserves at least a solid B+. As mentioned, it is a little uneventful for a long-anticipated season premiere. But as a standard episode, it succeeds, and moments such as Megan's dance, angry floor sex, and the joke ad situation even soar. And anyone else not miss Betty? Best of all, it's great to have the series back in our living rooms with all new stories, and that alone is worth a lot.

Watch Mad Men Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on AMC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Please click here to catch up on Mad Men with streaming episodes and DVDs. Article first published as TV Review: Man Men - "A Little Kiss" on Blogcritics.

Mad Men's "Tomorrowland" packs some surprises

     Wow. That is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of AMC's Mad Men season four finale, which aired Sunday night. The show is used to delivering some twists, but things went to an unexpected, and described by many as weird, place. That's not to say it wasn't good; the episode was excellent. Many fine performances were delivered, some personal plots were advanced, though not the big economic plot the last few episodes have concerned, which I'll get to. It was a fine hour, with plenty left unresolved until next summer.

     The biggest humdinger concerns series star Don Draper (Jon Hamm), who, after spending most of the season in an adult, healthy relationship with a fellow professional, Dr. Faye Miller (Cara Buono), suddenly got engaged to his secretary, Megan (Jessica Paré). I like Megan, I really do. And it's not like there wasn't some set up. Don had slept with Megan when he had problems with Faye, and took Megan to watch his kids on a trip to California earlier that same episode, where he slept with her again. But was he pushed into the decision by his grief for Anna (Melinda Page Hamilton), his worry about his firm, and his anxiety over his true identity being found out by the government? Because Faye has been there for him, and she's a much more appropriate spouse.

     Megan is a lot more like Don's ex-wife Betty (January Jones) than Faye is. Megan is young and pretty. She's not crazy or immature like Betty is. Sort of the next step above Betty, really. Don is not the first partner to marry his secretary; Roger Sterling (John Slattery) wed Jane (Peyton List) not too long ago. And Don has always gone after plenty of women. I can't really point to one factor that led to the rash choosing of Megan, but I don't doubt they'll make a good couple. For awhile anyway. Don will surely cheat on her soon enough.

     Betty was less annoying than usual, towards the end of the episode, anyway. In the beginning, she fired long-time maid Carla (Deborah Lacey). But by the end of the episode, having finally moved out of the house she shared with Don, she stood waiting for him in their old kitchen, more serene that she's been lately. Obviously, her world is falling apart. She actually seems jealous that Glen (Marten Holden Weiner, son of show creator Matthew Weiner) is now infatuated with Betty's daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka), instead of her. Her far-too-quick marriage with Henry Francis (Christopher Stanley) is not at all healthy. I thought she might make a play for Don again, though she didn't. Was it because she found out about his engagement? Was she disappointed? Or surprised? It's hard to tell with Betty.

     Sally Draper has had a banner year. Despite not getting much plot in the season finale, her parents' divorce has allowed the girl to step into the spotlight. Between befriending a boy her mother doesn't approve of, to running away to the city to find her father, Sally has been in trouble quite a bit. But she still seems sweet and innocent, much more so than when she was throwing tantrums the season before. The young actress playing her has handled the much-increased role admirably. Surely Sally will only continue to grow as the series continues, after such a successful season.

     The other big bombshell dropped in the episode was the revelation that Joan (Christina Hendricks) had kept Roger's baby. Not only that, but per Roger's earlier suggestion, she lied to her husband, Greg (Sam Page), who is overseas, and told him that the baby is his. Surely, Roger will know the truth. After all, Joan will have had no opportunity to sleep with Greg since the incident. How far will Roger go to try to claim the child that is biologically his? Will he ruin Joan's marriage? Although he said he was ok with stepping back, he was also pushing for a renewed relationship with Joan, and Roger sometimes does stupid things. This plot is a fantastic set up for season five drama. Although it reminds me of the Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) / Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) baby, which is still an open story, in my opinion, even though the baby was born at the end of season one. But what did Henry Francis say this week? You don't get any fresh starts, life just continues.

     Peggy has had an interesting year. Thrust into a leadership position at the new firm, she now is essentially a boss to several employees. Her clashes with them have been enlightening, and her growing friendship with Don is a high point of the series, as long as they don't ever sleep together. However, Peggy's scene this week with Joan, whom she has never fully gotten along with, where they griped about how the men don't respect and value them, was pitch perfect. One of the best exchanges of dialogue in the series, the two characters have also avoided the cliche trap of sticking together just because they're in similar situations. They don't like each other a lot, and that won't change, but they finally respect and understand each other, and it was oh so satisfying.

     Season Four of Mad Men marked some major casting shakeups. Although we (thankfully) got Lane (Jared Harris) full-time, and Fred (Joel Murray) returned, original cast members Kinsey (Michael Gladis) and Sal (Bryan Batt) are gone. Sal screwed up a major account, and Kinsey probably wasn't that valuable to the company, obviously, or they wouldn't be left out. However, it's still sad to see them go, not to mention plenty of secretaries and other workers we routinely saw around the office. In the new agency, without the big, open space, the amount of extras are cut down, but so are the amount of familiar faces we see working among our main characters. This is further exacerbated by the firing of a number of new supporting characters as Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce struggled to stay afloat. I just hope that the abrupt departure of Cooper (Robert Morse) doesn't stick.

 

     All in all, an excellent ending to a wonderful season. I can't wait to see what Season Five holds.

 

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Article first published as TV Review: Mad Men's "Tomorrowland" Packs Some Surprises on Blogcritics.

 

 

2010 Emmys: Drama

    Yesterday, the Emmy nominations for this year were released.  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 51 days left until the statues are handed out on August 29th, there is plenty of time to examine who's up for what.  In this first in a series of articles, I'll look at the the big categories for Dramas.

Outstanding Drama Series: Breaking Bad (AMC), Dexter (Showtime), The Good Wife (CBS), Lost (ABC), Mad Men (AMC), True Blood (HBO).  Mad Men is favored to win for the third year in a row, so this category probably won't be much of a surprise.  However, The Good Wife got a lot of nominations, and seems to be quite the darling this year, so it could stage an upset.  It's a shame that Lost probably doesn't have a chance because it's a brilliant show that has garnered few major awards over it's six year run, despite the fact that it deserves them.  The other shows on this list are great shows, but considering they weren't able to break past Mad Men the last two years, and there weren't any gigantic, ground shaking changes, any more so than on MM, they aren't likely to do it this year either.  Too bad Friday Night Lights got the snub here.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC), Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime), Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights (NBC / DirecTV), Hugh Laurie, House (Fox), Matthew Fox, Lost (ABC), Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC).  This list pairs pretty closely with the one above.  I am most pleased with the long overdue inclusion of Chandler, but as he hasn't even garnered a nomination for the role before, I don't think it likely.  Cranston has already taken the award the past two years.  In my opinion, Laurie most deserves it.  He took Dr. House to new levels, yet again, this past season, and it's time he was recognized for it.  Hall not so long ago valiantly fought (and beat into remission) cancer while filming his show, and had some really exciting twists this past year on screen, so I could see him taking it.  Of all of the talented actors involved in Lost, Fox is not at the top of my list at all.  It's a shame he earned a nod while so many of his more deserving cast mates did not.  That being said, I'll take anything the Emmys will give Lost, as it's been so woefully underrepresented.  This is one category, though, that any of the nominees would be deserving choices.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TNT), Glenn Close, Damages (FX), Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights (NBC / DirecTV), Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS), Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC), January Jones, Mad Men (AMC).  Half of this list is new this year!  That sure makes things exciting.  And there's some variety of shows and networks that weren't in the above two categories.  I hope this doesn't mean Emmy voters think women can't carry a Best Drama show.  I would disagree vehemently with that.  Close is the previous winner, but I don't know that she should win again.  Sure, she was fantastic, but with so many deserving actresses out there, I hate to see the same people win over and over, and other loose out.  But Damages has likely been prematurely canceled, so she may win it out of a sense of completion.  Britton, a first time nominee, would be my first choice, though I don't think her likely for the win.  Jones can star pensively with the best of them, but I don't think that is enough to earn her a statue.  Marguiles may be the favorite, with her new show getting so much attention, although Hargitay is long overdue, and has been nominated before without the win, so it could be time to make it up to her.  If Sedgwick wins, I'm not sure I can respect the Emmy voters' opinions anymore.

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