Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The schizophrenic Emmys.....
I was both disappointed in and pleased with the Emmys this year. Maybe it's because I don't have cable and thus didn't get to see three-fourths of the shows that were nominated, but I just didn't understand who was nominated and why some of the best shows on TV were either shut out or not even considered. Compared to last year, the show seemed, well, off kilter.
At least the host was great. I never watch Conan O'Brien's late night show and thus am not that familiar with his work, but he was perfect for the Emmys. The opening bit was the funniest I've ever seen for an awards show. First they show him in an airplane that crashes. He ends up on the island from "Lost"! Jorge Garcia comes up to him, and when Conan finds a hatch and asks if he wants to go to the Emmys with him, he says, "Dude, we weren't even invited" (true, no nominations for the show or any of the cast). Then Conan jumps into the hatch, which turns out to be the ceiling to the set of "The Office"! He ends up visiting several shows, including "House", where Hugh Laurie attempts to diagnose him. Later on in the broadcast, he does a musical number about how bad NBC's programming sucks (which, except for "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office", is pretty much true). He seemed pretty much as ease as host, and I hope they use him again.
But I have to ask: where the hell was "Lost"?? Maybe I could understand no individual actor nominations as there is no single lead to the show. But why was it left out of Best Drama?? I've never seen "24", so I don't really know if that show is better, but I was offended that "Lost" wasn't even nominated.
And what about "My Name Is Earl"?? It's the funniest show on network TV, but it wasn't even nominated for Best Comedy. "The Office" won, which I don't mind so much, but I like "My Name Is Earl" a lot better. At least they got writing and directing awards (I thought the writer gave the best speech of the night, incidentally). Why wasn't Jason Lee nominated for Lead Actor? I think Megan Mellally got Best Supporting Actress Comedy because "Will and Grace" is over, so I hope Jaime Pressly gets Best Supporting Actress next year if she continues to be as hilarious as she was this year.
"Grey's Anatomy" was nominated for several awards, but it didn't win a single one. What a bummer. I have to admit I've become a devoted fan since they started airing it on both Sundays and Thursdays and I was able to get completely caught up on the story line.
I was also disappointed that none of the lead actresses in "Desperate Housewives" were nominated. Yes, the show did decline in quality during its second season, so I can see why it was ignored for Best Comedy Series (even though it's neither strictly comedy nor drama), but it was the writing that was sub-par this season, not the acting. Maybe next year??
And I've watched enough of "House" to be quite impressed with the disagreeable character played by Hugh Laurie. He is so good at playing an irritating but brilliant doc that you just want to wring his neck, heh heh. But of course he was not nominated for Best Actor.
And what's the deal with so many nominations for shows that have been cancelled or have ended? I think it's a sign that the networks aren't giving shows a fair chance. Like "Commander in Chief". ABC totally annihilated that excellent show. First, they fail to air it for two months and then move it to a different night, and then they wonder why the viewership is down and cancel it due to poor ratings. Well, duh! Who's gonna watch a show if they don't know when it's on? And now ABC is doing the same thing to "Lost". It hasn't aired in months. Are we gonna be even able to remember where we were in season 2 by the time the new season begins in October? Whatever happened to airing a series straight through the summer in re-runs to keep the momentum going for the new season opener? Are they just counting on all of us to buy the DVD when it comes out next week so we can get caught up again? Argh.
Awards I did agree with: "The Daily Show" winning for Best Variety, Comedy or Musical. That show has been hilarious from day one, and I'm glad to see it honored. They also got an award for writing, well earned.
Tribute awards: I was thrilled that Dick Clark got an award as he is pretty much the biggest TV icon of all time. I was surprised to see him on stage because of his stroke, and it made me cry to hear him struggle to speak. His melodic voice is still present even though it has a hard time forming words, and his sense of humor is of course still quite intact. And, not surprisingly, he still looks somewhat young for his age. There was also a tribute to the late Aaron Spelling, of whom I was less fond. I was surprised, though, to find out exactly how many shows he had a hand in. And the original Charlie's Angels appeared together for the first time in I don't know how long. Kate Jackson still looks perky, Farrah looks completely plastic, and Jaclyn Smith has aged extremely gracefully.
Fashion notes: was extremely pleased to see lots of purple gowns. If only I had an occasion to wear something like that. Ellen Pompeo had a great gown, but I hated her slicked-back hair. Evangeline Lilly looked wonderful all around. Jaime Pressly looked quite elegant and so unlike the trailer trash character she plays that I was impressed. Katherine Heigl was stunning. There were a couple of white gowns that I didn't care for because they were on extremely pale women and they looked all washed out, namely Debra Messing. I hated Julia Louis-Dreyfus in her black and white gown, not because of the colors, but because the design was extremely unflattering on her. And one of the ladies who was wearing all white, I think it was Helen Mirren, tripped on her gown going up to accept an award and made a hilarious remark about going "ass over tit". By far the worst outfit, though, was on Candace Bergen: white top, dark skirt, with this HUGE belt that looked like it belonged on a rodeo rider. Made her look frumpy, lumpy and not at all the elegant woman she usually is.
I hope next year's awards are a little more representative of what the viewers actually like, and that they go to shows that are still airing. But please keep Conan.
At least the host was great. I never watch Conan O'Brien's late night show and thus am not that familiar with his work, but he was perfect for the Emmys. The opening bit was the funniest I've ever seen for an awards show. First they show him in an airplane that crashes. He ends up on the island from "Lost"! Jorge Garcia comes up to him, and when Conan finds a hatch and asks if he wants to go to the Emmys with him, he says, "Dude, we weren't even invited" (true, no nominations for the show or any of the cast). Then Conan jumps into the hatch, which turns out to be the ceiling to the set of "The Office"! He ends up visiting several shows, including "House", where Hugh Laurie attempts to diagnose him. Later on in the broadcast, he does a musical number about how bad NBC's programming sucks (which, except for "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office", is pretty much true). He seemed pretty much as ease as host, and I hope they use him again.
But I have to ask: where the hell was "Lost"?? Maybe I could understand no individual actor nominations as there is no single lead to the show. But why was it left out of Best Drama?? I've never seen "24", so I don't really know if that show is better, but I was offended that "Lost" wasn't even nominated.
And what about "My Name Is Earl"?? It's the funniest show on network TV, but it wasn't even nominated for Best Comedy. "The Office" won, which I don't mind so much, but I like "My Name Is Earl" a lot better. At least they got writing and directing awards (I thought the writer gave the best speech of the night, incidentally). Why wasn't Jason Lee nominated for Lead Actor? I think Megan Mellally got Best Supporting Actress Comedy because "Will and Grace" is over, so I hope Jaime Pressly gets Best Supporting Actress next year if she continues to be as hilarious as she was this year.
"Grey's Anatomy" was nominated for several awards, but it didn't win a single one. What a bummer. I have to admit I've become a devoted fan since they started airing it on both Sundays and Thursdays and I was able to get completely caught up on the story line.
I was also disappointed that none of the lead actresses in "Desperate Housewives" were nominated. Yes, the show did decline in quality during its second season, so I can see why it was ignored for Best Comedy Series (even though it's neither strictly comedy nor drama), but it was the writing that was sub-par this season, not the acting. Maybe next year??
And I've watched enough of "House" to be quite impressed with the disagreeable character played by Hugh Laurie. He is so good at playing an irritating but brilliant doc that you just want to wring his neck, heh heh. But of course he was not nominated for Best Actor.
And what's the deal with so many nominations for shows that have been cancelled or have ended? I think it's a sign that the networks aren't giving shows a fair chance. Like "Commander in Chief". ABC totally annihilated that excellent show. First, they fail to air it for two months and then move it to a different night, and then they wonder why the viewership is down and cancel it due to poor ratings. Well, duh! Who's gonna watch a show if they don't know when it's on? And now ABC is doing the same thing to "Lost". It hasn't aired in months. Are we gonna be even able to remember where we were in season 2 by the time the new season begins in October? Whatever happened to airing a series straight through the summer in re-runs to keep the momentum going for the new season opener? Are they just counting on all of us to buy the DVD when it comes out next week so we can get caught up again? Argh.
Awards I did agree with: "The Daily Show" winning for Best Variety, Comedy or Musical. That show has been hilarious from day one, and I'm glad to see it honored. They also got an award for writing, well earned.
Tribute awards: I was thrilled that Dick Clark got an award as he is pretty much the biggest TV icon of all time. I was surprised to see him on stage because of his stroke, and it made me cry to hear him struggle to speak. His melodic voice is still present even though it has a hard time forming words, and his sense of humor is of course still quite intact. And, not surprisingly, he still looks somewhat young for his age. There was also a tribute to the late Aaron Spelling, of whom I was less fond. I was surprised, though, to find out exactly how many shows he had a hand in. And the original Charlie's Angels appeared together for the first time in I don't know how long. Kate Jackson still looks perky, Farrah looks completely plastic, and Jaclyn Smith has aged extremely gracefully.
Fashion notes: was extremely pleased to see lots of purple gowns. If only I had an occasion to wear something like that. Ellen Pompeo had a great gown, but I hated her slicked-back hair. Evangeline Lilly looked wonderful all around. Jaime Pressly looked quite elegant and so unlike the trailer trash character she plays that I was impressed. Katherine Heigl was stunning. There were a couple of white gowns that I didn't care for because they were on extremely pale women and they looked all washed out, namely Debra Messing. I hated Julia Louis-Dreyfus in her black and white gown, not because of the colors, but because the design was extremely unflattering on her. And one of the ladies who was wearing all white, I think it was Helen Mirren, tripped on her gown going up to accept an award and made a hilarious remark about going "ass over tit". By far the worst outfit, though, was on Candace Bergen: white top, dark skirt, with this HUGE belt that looked like it belonged on a rodeo rider. Made her look frumpy, lumpy and not at all the elegant woman she usually is.
I hope next year's awards are a little more representative of what the viewers actually like, and that they go to shows that are still airing. But please keep Conan.
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