New Look for PERRY MASON

Article first published as TV Review: PERRY MASON on Seat42F.

HBO brought back a beloved character of literature, radio, and television this week with their new PERRY MASON show. This is a prequel story, set before the titular man becomes the defense attorney he’s been portrayed as in the past. Set in Los Angeles 1932 during the Great Depression, Perry is a noir private eye working for a lawyer and taking care of his family farm, which he should probably unload, given it boasts a mere two milk cows and is at an airport. How does the drunk absentee lawyer become a hero in the court room? Keep watching to find out.

Matthew Rhys (The Americans) stars as Perry Mason. Rhys is an extremely talented actor, as many already know. His performance in this is as impressive as it customary for him. There’s plenty to sink his teeth into for this role, as Perry is deeply troubled, mostly legitimately. His entire past isn’t revealed right away, so there are still some unanswered questions, such as why did he leave the military dishonorably? But the things we can see make him as sympathetic as he is tortured, so substantially.

Rhys is surrounded by other fine performers. John Lithgow (The Crown) is a lawyer Perry is working for named Elias Bichard Jonathan. Juliet Rylance (The Knick) is Jonathan’s more-than-capable assistant, Della Street. Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) is Pete Strickland, Perry’s co-hort. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) doesn’t show up in the premiere, but is playing a religious leader named Sister Alice that promises to be compelling. Chis Chalk (Gotham) is similarly absent from the pilot, but will be a good cop among the bad. Plus, Nate Corddry (Mom), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Eric Lange (Lost), and a slew of less recognizable, but no less skilled, actors join them in smaller roles.

The design, costumes, and sets are no less impressive. Every item of clothing, prop, and vehicle is beautifully recreated and sets the scene brilliantly, though we should expect no less from a big budget production like PERRY MASON. In particular in the pilot, the original Angels Flight train is recreated in its previous location. This is noir, but realistic looking noir.

As good as everything looks, a lot of the characters are total scum of the Earth. The cops we see are like a gang, more interested in lining their pockets than protecting and serving. The Hollywood execs aren’t any better, trash looking after trash with violence and threats. There are good people in this world, like Perry Mason, and they can even thrive without doing too many bad things. But they do have to exist in the muck alongside the worst of humanity, and that informs their characters, making the whole piece rather depressing.

This is where fans of the old PERRY MASON may have an issue with the new version. The old Perry was a shining beacon, while this one isn’t separate from the baddies. They are often the people he works with and for.

The biggest obstacle, though, might be just how disturbing some of the visuals can be. I’m no stranger to violence and gore, and who can be in today’s prestige television landscape? But PERRY MASON finds new depths in a single hour. A dead baby, rendered in stomach-churning detail, is only briefly on screen, and yet it feels like too long. I won’t go into anything further, but if child violence is a trigger for you, steer clear of this show. And even if it isn’t, it’s extremely hard not to be affected by its portrayal here.

Is the world ready for a gritty PERRY MASON? Will subsequent seasons grow him into someone a bit cleaner, or is this destined to be a one-off miniseries experiment? Either way, it’s a very well-made, well-acted series, and unless they do worse than the baby, I’ll be tuning in to see how it turns out.

PERRY MASON airs Sundays at 9PM on HBO.

Wear THE CROWN Again

Article first published as TV Review: THE CROWN Season 2 on Seat42F.

Netflix’s THE CROWN has returned for a second season. The series follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and the latest batch of episodes focuses on the mid-1950s into the 1960s. This will be the last season with the original cast, as the producers have said they will be switching performers every two seasons (which cover roughly twenty years of time). In general, season two seems to have mostly maintained the good quality of season one.

Picking up near where last year left off, things have gotten more complicated for Elizabeth (Claire Foy) in both the personal and professional realms. Concerning the latter, she no longer has Winston Churchil (John Lithgow) to rely on. Difficult as he could be, the new prime minister, Anthony Eden (Jeremy Northam), doesn’t have the same wisdom or competence. This almost immediately puts Elizabeth in a complicated place as tensions erupt in Egypt.

At the same time, Elizabeth fears her husband, Philip (Matt Smith), may be cheating on her. This is not helped at all by his louse of an assistant, Mike (Daniel Ings). Their relationship has been rocky ever since she was made queen, but this concern is new. In the first hour of season two alone, we see Elizabeth and Philip at their highest and their lowest points, as they continue to try to figure out how her official role fits into their marriage.

While I like seeing the contrast, I am going to take a moment to complain about the opening scene of season two, which takes place five months after the rest of the hour. It has become a far-too-common crutch for television shows to do a flash forward to try to hook the viewers before jumping back to the more ‘mundane’ parts of the story. It’s especially bad here because I feel the narrative would be far more powerful if we saw Elizabeth start on a high note and watched things fall apart, rather than knowing with certainty (for those not super familiar with her history) where it’s going before it takes a turn.

But that is my only real gripe about what I’ve seen so far of season two. Yes, there’s a bit of a hole without Lithgow’s constant presence. However, at this point viewers should be suitably invested in Elizabeth, Philip, and Princess Margaret (Vanessa Kirby) enough that the story remains compelling. With terrific performances and wonderful sets, props, and costumes, it’s still a very impressive production.

I am most intrigued by what role Dickie, also known as Lord Mountbatten (Greg Wise), may play in this season. The first year found him often an antagonist, though not a particularly diabolical one, while the premiere of season two already casts him in a more positive light. Complex characters like Dickie, and ones who aren’t as famous as Elizabeth and Churchill, provide a good hook to the drama.

There is a fair amount of speculation as to how accurate THE CROWN is. While the major sweeps of plot can be fact-checked, this royal family is notoriously private, and it’s hard to know for sure if, for example, Philip really did cheat on Elizabeth. I feel THE CROWN handles this delicately, though, hinting when it isn’t sure, and leaving enough open to interpretation to avoid going too far off the rails, while still preserving the drama.

I very much enjoyed THE CROWN’s first season. While I’m not far into year two yet, I can tell I am going to enjoy this run, too. It’s a feat to bring history to life so vividly and interestingly, especially when the story revolves around characters who might not scream drama themselves. The raw, layered portrait painted manages to make for a fascinating series.

THE CROWN season two is available now on Netflix.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND's Happily Ever After

Article first published as TV Review: 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' - Series Finale on Blogcritics.

It seems a little strange that the series finale of ABC’s Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is called “And They Lived…” Do the writers mean to imply that the characters merely survived the final showdown? Because that’s not the case. They triumph and basically get everything they want, just like any true fairy tale (though not necessarily any television show) should close. So why not finish “…Happily Ever After”?

“And They Lived…” is a good conclusion to the 13-episode miniseries. It has action and adventure, a couple of twists, the deaths of some minor players, and a wedding at the end. Those who have romantic partners find them again. The villain is defeated, the heroes go home, and it all wraps up pretty neatly. This from a series with a very rocky start.

Many would-be viewers gave up on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, including fans of the mother ship Once Upon a Time early in its run. It’s a shame, given how the story continued to get better and better as the weeks went on, but it’s not a surprise. Mostly filmed on green screen, with very little reality to latch on to, the characters seem to have an alien frame of reference, and are slow to add depth to the players.

Part of this is because Once Upon a Time in Wonderland begins very mission-focused, rather than character-driven. We know Alice (Sophie Lowe) wants to rescue the love her life, genie Cyrus (Peter Gadiot), but rather than going through personal growth to get to Cyrus, she instead must overcome external challenges tossed in her way by a couple of bad guys.

A few episodes in, though, this begins to shift. True, Alice stays pretty single-minded, but The Red Queen’s (Emma Rigby) back story is one of broken hearts and missed opportunities (which is a little like the Evil Queen in OUAT, but it feels different enough to be OK). Her arc is all about getting back with The Knave (Michael Socha), which becomes more complicated when he takes Cyrus’ place in the bottle, thus shifting the thrust of the story entirely.

Which brings us to “And They Lived…” Jafar (Naveen Andrews) resurrects the dead Red Queen, then forces her to love him, as he has broken the rules of magic. This is not only the most interesting thing going on as Alice, Cyrus, his mother, Amara (Zuleikha Robinson), The White Rabbit (John Lithgow), and their friends try to save everyone, but also where the most tension lies. After all, even if Jafar is stopped, The Knave cannot have his happy ending without The Red Queen. Would she stay in the land of the living if Jafar’s powers, which resurrect her, are stripped away?

It’s great that Jafar’s own hubris is what brings him down. He thinks he has the situation under control, so gets rids of his henchwoman, the Jabberwocky (Peta Sergeant). But then, he’s being hit from too many sides, and his own spell over The Red Queen fails when true love’s kiss proves to be too powerful. He is soundly defeated by the very woman he forced into the mix.

My one real complaint about “And They Lived…” is the specific way in which Jafar loses. Couldn’t Jafar just give the water back to the well, freeing himself fro the genie curse? And are we supposed to believe that the water witch is more powerful than Jafar, even after he has broken all the rules of magic? I feel like this climax needed to be a little smarter than it is. Ditto how the water witch decided to let the Red Queen live, just because.

Still, between the terrific character moment in which Jafar kills his own father (Brian George), and an Alice / Cyrus wedding that residents from both worlds attend, courtesy of The White Rabbit’s portal skills, there is much to praise. There are dramatic moments, earned and well-wrought, as well as a general a feeling of satisfaction as the protagonists get their happy ending.

News of The Knave’s imminent transfer to Once Upon a Time next fall does raise some questions, though. Will he get to take The Red Queen with him back to Storybrooke? If not, how can the writers separate them without ruining their lovely story? Might others be included? Alice and Cyrus surely will not, but there are plenty of other good candidates, including The White Rabbit, who would be most useful.

I do hope Once Upon a Time in Wonderland‘s ratings failure doesn’t ruin any other OUAT spin-off opportunities. It may have taken a little bit of time to make it work, but in the end, it does. More stand-alone, short-form tales like this would be most welcome indeed. Oz, in particular, seems a ripe vein to mine.

"Down the Rabbit Hole" We Go

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND Review on Seat42F.

With the success of Once Upon a Time, ABC decided it was a time for a spin-off. Called ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND, said show premieres this week with the episode “Down the Rabbit Hole.” Picking up many years after the classic Alice in Wonderland story took place (and admittedly, the tale probably plays out quite differently for show purposes than the book remembers it), Alice (Sophie Lowe, Beautiful Kate) heads back to the magic realm after learning that the man she loves, Cyrus (Peter Gadiot, Hot Mess), whom she thought dead, might still be alive.

Fans of the mothership know that these writers like to mix fairy tales up, pulling one world into another. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND is no different. While the main structure and cast do hark back to Alice’s familiar story, her love is the Genie of the Lamp, recognizable from Aladdin. Similarly, although The Red Queen (Emma Rigby, Hollyoaks) is a malevolent presence in this world, so, too, is Jafar (Naveen Andrews, Lost).

And, because this is ONCE UPON A TIME, who is good and who is bad is not so clear. One of Alice’s friends, well, someone she is friendly with, is helping The Red Queen. It may be under duress, but this character is still leading Alice into danger.

The beginning is quite interesting, with Alice being locked up in a mental institution under the “care” of Dr. Lydgate (Jonny Coyne, Alcatraz). This makes sense for a little girl that is missing for quite some time, then returns with tales of talking rabbits and Mad Hatters. What else would a parent such as her father (Fringe’s Shaun Smyth) do with such a child than seek psychiatric treatment for her? And from the dialogue in “Down the Rabbit Hole,” it’s clear that Alice didn’t make the journey only once, leaving her not only crazy in the eyes of the people around her, but also worldly-wise and prepared to handle herself in dangerous situations. She is not a meek, malleable patient.

Efforts are also made to tie ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND into the previous series. We see the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha, Being Human) in Storybrooke at the start of the episode, interacting with a great guest star hasn’t been seen in awhile! Plus, Granny’s diner figures in, so there are definitely connections.

Which doesn’t mean that one must know much about Once Upon a Time to jump into this, or that the plots are tied closely together. I believe the purpose of that Storybrooke sequence was to solidify that these shows are set in the same universe, though not necessarily that they have anything much to do with one another. Alice’s mission is her own, and she herself does not encounter any familiar faces in the premiere.

I do wonder if each episode of this new venture will be partially flashback, as Once Upon a Time is. There are scenes set in the past throughout “Down the Rabbit Hole,” but these seem for a specific purpose, setting up the story. It is unknown if there will be more in future hours.

The animation and special effects in ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND are excellent for a television budget, perhaps even a step up from Once Upon a Time. The White Rabbit (voiced by Dexter’s John Lithgow), for instance, is fully realized as an individual, with mannerisms and expressions that make him feel authentic. He may not be realistic looking, by the standards of a rabbit you might find in your garden, but he interacts well with the actors, and definitely fits into the setting and tone established for the program.

The story is also well constructed. A Wonderland favorite ends up being a deadly attacker. There are twists and betrayals in the first episode alone. Alice, in particular, is a carefully thought-out role, and while her journey may be easy enough to figure out, there will definitely be fun surprises along the way, such as a marshmallow marsh.

While initially skeptical that Once Upon a Time needed a spin-off, this is definitely a completely separate tale, and an enjoyable one at that. The two can co-exist without being dependent or taking away from one another. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

How I Met Your Mother Has "A Change of Heart"

     CBS's How I Met Your Mother is riding a wave of creative resurgence, turning out better quality episodes these past couple of months than they have in the past couple of years. A large part of this success can be attributed to the fact that they've gotten more dramatic. While comedy has been the show's strong suit, playing just for laughs doesn't a great sitcom make. Pathos are needed to care for the characters and develop a stake in the going-ons. The series used to be really good at that, but waned in recent years. With Marshall's dad's (Bill Fagerbakke) death, and Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) search for a father and a real relationship, there has been plenty of emotion evoked, and done right this time.

     As promised in interviews, though the death was back in early January, the feelings brought up by it have continued to permeate the series. In last night's episode, each of the series regulars visits a doctor (comedian Suzy Nakamura, practically wasted here) to have their heart checked, concerned about an unexpected heart attack like the one that took out Marvin Eriksen Sr. Marshall (Jason Segel) even goes back a second time with a mustache, supposedly a disguise, in his opinion, though the doctor was no more fooled than the viewers. The appointments reminds us of the drama, while the mustache lets us laugh. It may sound a little corny, but the mustache joke really made this thing work.

     Also, the episode brought back the gag of substituting 'sandwich' for marijuana, as they have done several times before. It works for both network censors AND the fact that the whole show is a story a father is telling his kids. I'm not complaining, as I find it incredibly humorous whenever any character mentions smoking a sandwich. Plus, eating a sandwich makes them hungry? Priceless!

     The other really funny stuff this week involves Robin (Cobie Smulders) being denied a dog, so she dates a man who acts just like a dog. The actor playing her date is forgettable (did anyone else think this would be a good part for Taylor Lautner?), but the cast really sells the bit, and it leads to many good puns. Plus, the guy is called Scooby, and with the pot connection in the episode, it adds another layer referencing a certain cartoon often associated with drug use, in which sandwiches were also more subtley substituted.

     Zoey (Jennifer Morrison), who is Ted's (Josh Radnor) love interest this season does not appear in this episode. She is finally becoming likable, after months of just being annoying, but the show has confirmed on screen that she is not the mother referenced in the title. Was this always the intention, or did it come about because fans did not respond positively to her? Discuss.

     The main arc in the episode was about Barney finding love. In flashbacks, we have seen that Barney was a sweet, sensitive soul until his heart was ripped to shreds by an unfaithful girlfriend. Previously, Barney pursued love with Robin, but for whatever reason, the show's writers decided to drop that pairing, at least for now. Instead, Barney is now falling for a girl named Nora (Nazanin Boniadi, General Hospital).

     Nora likes who Barney really is, assuming that the womanizing lecher he is seen as almost every week on the series is a facade. I think it is safe to assume that, though, both because of the long-ago scenes we have been shown, and the flashes of Barney that glimmer through when he thinks no one is looking. Nora enjoys laser tag and hanging out with our guy. Last night, she confesses wanting to get married and raise children. Barney readily agrees, before later claiming that he lied.

     Did Barney actually lie about his wish for happy ever after? Lily (Alyson Hannigan) doesn't think so, and dares him to man up and go back to her. Barney finds Nora, but only daydreams about confessing the truth to her before sadly walking away. IMDB lists Nora as scheduled for the next new episode, so hopefully Barney will get another chance.

     I want Barney to find love. His character has seemed less and less authentic as time has ticked on in the series, and I do not attribute that to bad acting. On the contrary, I think Neil Patrick Harris has the true spirit of the character pinpointed. Barney created his persona because of hurt, but one can only live a lie for so long. I feel like Barney is getting tired of conquests himself, and so it may be time to take the character in a new direction. His upcoming arc where he will meet his father (John Lithgow, Dexter) will hopefully heal some of his past hurt enough to move forward with a new love.

     The question remaining, though, is will Nora be able to get past Barney's behavior? He hasn't told her about the way he has been living yet. If they have any chance of working out, he has to. While I like Nora, and I wouldn't mind seeing Barney date her for awhile, I don't feel like she is the one Barney will marry. Instead, I want her to help him grow as a person so that he is ready for Robin.

     Once Robin is ready for him, of course. While Robin has dabbled with long-term relationships, including a very serious one in the past year, she is still finding herself, too. With her career finally working out in a way she wants it to, her own transformation may be closer to an ending than a beginning. I don't think that the series will get them together again until near the end of its run, if ever. But I'm not expecting that to be more than a year or two away, so perhaps a Barney and Robin reunion is in the cards sooner than you think.

     I do not know when the next new episode of How I Met Your Mother will air, as many shows take some or all of March off from airing new episodes, but it still has some more stories before bowing for the season. The series airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. on CBS.


Article first published as TV Review: How I Met Your Mother - "A Change of Heart" on Blogcritics.

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Dexter, now with real emotions!

    Showtime's Dexter and it's title character have faced many challenges and changes over four seasons. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) the man grew into his role as a husband and father, and started using the ghost of his dad, Harry (James Remar), as a conscience-slash-debate partner. Dexter has gone from a psychopath with no emotions, to a devoted, caring provider. It has been so rewarding to watch the developments, and so it was disturbing when everything in Dexter's life was thrown so out of whack.

     The disappearance of Harry until late in the episode also raises some interesting questions, as it has never been clear why Dexter talks to his dead father, though since he started only after exhibiting the first signs on humanity, I believe that probably has something to do with it. His missing human side, until the breakdown in the bathroom, coincided with the absence of his father. It's a great replacement for the flashback scenes Remar used to be in, which had grown stale.

     Last season ended with Trinity (John Lithgow, in an Emmy winning performance) killing Dexter's wife, Rita (Julie Benz). Dexter returned home to find his baby son sitting in a pool of Rita's blood. Last night's fifth season premiere "My Bad" is an emotional drama, taking Dexter into inner struggles he wasn't aware existed. With real emotion comes the risk of real depression, and he feels that and more with the loss of Rita. Swallowed up by guilt at not having killed Trinity sooner, regretting that darkness he thinks he brings to people's lives, and feeling inadequate in his place in life, Dexter goes through things his character certainly never expected to experience. It was a truly memorable performance for Hall the actor, who was superb.

     It also leaves Dexter at a major crossroads. Clearly, he has to stop killing if he's going to keep his family safe. He now understands the consequences to other people if he ever gets caught, and he doesn't like it. As season four neared the end, it seemed that he might even try to give up his bad habits, though he insists that he has no control over them. His Dark Passenger won't go away, and he has to deal with it somehow. He clearly is a much better person than Trinity, but he may soon have to choose between the two personas he maintains. I think it might be pretty intriguing to see a non-killer Dexter at some point.

     Dexter truly loved Rita, and only in her death could he confess everything to her, and show her what he truly was. I found myself wishing that she took over as the ghost he speaks to. She will be missed, and her departure from the show will be painful to audiences, just as it is to Dexter himself. She brought out the best in him, and now that role will have to fall to someone else. It won't be easy to replace her.

     The rest of the cast got some meat to work with, too. Dexter's sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) has to deal with the brunt of the arrangements for Rita. At least that distracts her from her investigations, which had turned up Dexter's blood relation to the Ice Truck Killer from season one. Deb is too smart for her own good and if anyone does eventually catch Dexter for his murders, my money is on her. Love can only blind a person so much.

     With Dexter checked out, Deb is left helping with his baby, planning a funeral, and trying to get Dexter to speak with the F.B.I., which is investigating Rita's death. Dexter is numb from shock. He never has to process feelings before, and is overwhelmed by them, leaving Deb to worry at the lack of emotional display. It's no wonder that she has a bit of a break, culminating with her rolling around on the kitchen floor with her partner, Quinn (Desmond Harrington).

     Quinn joined the cast in season three, and I've viewed him mostly as a dull, unworthy replacement for his predecessor, Doakes (Erik King). That started to change late in season four, and Quinn actually has something useful to do this year. No one has really suspected Dexter of any misbehavior since Doakes was killed and blamed for the bodies Dexter had dropped into the ocean. Now as everyone in the department seeks to comfort the blood spatter analyst, Quinn is taking a hard look at him as a suspect. This is one murder that Dexter hasn't committed, but it can't possibly be a good thing for the serial killer to be investigated.

     There are plenty of other subplots, from the flashbacks to Dexter's terrible first date with Rita, to Rita's daughter, Astor (Christina Robinson), having to display acting talent, with her mother dead. While it isn't clear what will become of Astor and her brother, I'm assuming Dexter will take them in, as he has shown plenty of protectiveness towards them. But these are minor parts that enhance the whole, not drive the story.

     All in all, "My Bad" is a surreal experience of an episode, taking a break from ongoing story lines to delve deeply into a truly unique character's head. Taken as a stand-alone piece, it is truly a remarkable hour. Added to what's come before, it provides a splendid showcase of the best parts of a great series, as well as stretching the actors in new and exciting ways.

     Tune into Dexter Sunday nights at 9 p.m. on Showtime. If you haven't discovered it yet, it's one of the best shows currently on television. It provides more varied shades of gray than an old black and white television set

Article first published as TV Review: Dexter, Now With Real Emotions! on Blogcritics.

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.

Golden Globes need polish part II: comedy and supporting roles

     On January 17th, the Golden Globes will kick off the winter awards season by naming their winners. Globes are given for both TV and movies, but since I write mostly about TV, we're just going to deal with that. Here's who is nominated for comedies and supporting roles and who should win, in my opinion. Disclosure: I never score very well with awards ballots, so these predictions may be way off.  Click for Part I: Drama and Miniseries.
 
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL - 30 Rock (NBC), Entourage (HBO), Glee (FOX), Modern Family (ABC), The Office (NBC). Four excellent choices, and then there's Entourage. 30 Rock has had it's chance, give it to one of the newbies. I love Modern Family, but Glee should win because it's more fresh, more groundbreaking, and has more merchandise. A DVD of the first half of the season is already on sale.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL - Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; David Duchovny, Californication; Thomas Jane, Hung; Matthew Morrison, Glee.  Alec has had his wins, and Carell has been on so long, it seems a little late to award it.  Not that The Office has gone downhill, but still...  I think this one is going to go to Matthew Morrison, as Glee could easily go for a near sweep, although Thomas Jane could be the dark horse.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL - Toni Collette, United States of Tara; Courteney Cox, Cougar Town; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Lea Michele, Glee.  This may be the category Glee loses because, after all, you can't win them all.  Fey has already won, and Collette's show only did so-so.  Cox is funny, but her show certainly isn't the breakout hit, though it's adequate.  I believe Falco has this one all tied up.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION - Jane Adams, Hung; Rose Byrne, Damages; Jane Lynch, Glee; Janet McTeer, Into the Storm; Chloe Sevigny, Big Love.  Lynch deserves it, hands down.  Unfortunately, she has never gotten the respect that she deserves, and she may not again.  McTeer seems a good guess, but Adams might be a contender.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION - Michael Emerson, Lost; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; William Hurt, Damages; John Lithgow, Dexter; Jeremy Piven, Entourage.   Where is Jim Parsons's (The Big Bang Theory) name in this list?  The fact that he is not on here, but Jeremy Piven once again is, is a crime.  Parsons should have won this category.  That being said, there are four excellent choices here.  My gut says Lithgow, though Hurt wouldn't surprise me either.  Harris should have won the last couple of years, and Emerson has deserved it for awhile, too.  However, Hurt and Lithgow were two intense, exciting, new performances, so I'd say the smart money is on them.  Or maybe not.