Lily Tomlin Joining Damages

I forgot to discuss the news, but last week it was announced Lily Tomlin would join the cast of Damages for its third season, along with Martin Short and Campbell Scott. Tomlin and Scott will play a mother and son who go up against Patty Hewes, while Short will be playing their attorney. I'm very excited for the casting news, particularly for Tomlin, as the show's greatest quality is its creation of interesting female characters. She should definitely have great material to work with - a show down between her and Close must be epic! I do have the slightest disappointment that this likely means Tomlin won't be returning to Desperate Housewives, which I though she was a hoot on last season. How did she not get an Emmy nomination for it? The casting of Campbell Scott and Martin Short is also promising, though I do hope Short's performance isn't pitched to the rafters, as is sometimes the case. With all these additions to the program's cast, hopefully Marcia Gay Harden manages to make a reappearance on the program. I loved her performance and character, not to mention her boobies!

Emmy Awards - The Morning After

Last night's Emmy telecast was easily one of the best I'd ever seen. Having Neil Patrick Harris host was a brilliant move on CBS's part, and I think we can assume the next time the network gets the ceremony, NPH will be back as emcee. Whoever hosts next year's ceremony on NBC (most likely their go-to guy Conan O'Brien) has some pretty big shoes to fill. I loved the Dr Horrible bit, with NPH and Nathan Fillion in character. Fillion is entertaining on Castle, but the procedural doesn't fully utilize his charisma and comedic talents. He needs his own half-hour comedy series, preferable on HBO. I enjoyed the presentations by Ricky Gervais (as usual) and Jimmy Fallon (surprisingly). I also loved the fact the Music and Lyrics category was moved to the Primetime Emmys, so the overexposed Justin Timberlake could except an award live, but he lost to the team who wrote Hugh Jackman's opening Oscar number.

While the show itself was great, the actual award winners were all over the place. The night started off with a great win for Supporting Actress in a Comedy, the always adorable Kristin Chenoweth from Pushing Daisies, but any happiness from that win was stripped away once the Supporting Actor in a Comedy trophy went to Jon Cryer. I had predicted a win for him, but mainly as a joke about how bad the Emmys can sometimes be. They proved me right. What is it about NPH that stops them from giving him the prize? I was happy Lost's Emerson picked up the prize for Supporting Actor in a Drama, though my own pick would have been Aaron Paul, and while I love Glenn Close on Damages and Bryan Cranston on Breaking Bad, I kind of wish they hadn't repeated their wins from last year. The same goes for Alec Baldwin and his Best Actor in a Comedy win. Seriously, will Carrell ever get the award. The big prizes for Comedy and Drama Series went to deserving winners 30 Rock and Mad Men. I was worried Mad Men would lose, as it had only picked up one trophy at the Creative Arts Emmys, for hairstyling, and only one other Emmy last night for writing. I thought there could have been a backlash against so much attention being paid toward a cable television series. You know the networks are steamed about being shut out of most categories these last two years, but hey that's what happens when you fill you're schedules with a bunch of crime and medical procedurals.

Diane Keaton Moving to Television?

Story here. Diane Keaton, one of the geatest film actresses ever in my opinion, will move to the small screen, starring in a half hour HBO comedy series about a feminist icon starting a sexually explicit magazine for women. The series will be written by Marti Nixon, a producer/writer previously involved in a number good to great television series, including Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Point Pleasant. Mad Men, Grey's Anatomy, and Brother & Sisters. I think the series sounds promising, and hopefully it will provide great material for Diane Keaton. She's really only had two notable performances this decade - Something's Gotta Give and The Family Stone. With few great film roles for older actresses, it seems television is the place to go. Sally Field, Glenn Close, and Holly Hunter have already made the jump from big screen to small, and while they've been successful in their transitions, it's still a pity, since I feel their talent should be on display in theatres rather than just my television screen. Oh well, at least with Toni Collette, Edie Falco, and now Diane Keaton, the Emmy category for Best Actress in a Comedy should become very interesting.

Emmy Nomination Reactions

The Emmy nominations were announced yesterday morning, and there were a number of surprises, but also a good deal of disappointments - it is the Emmys afterall. In their last chance to award Battlestar Galactica, the Emmy voters decided to ignore it once again, with its only major nomination being for direction. I actually thought the show had a chance of picking up a surprise Drama Series nod, as Star Trek: The Next Generation had received a nomination for it's last season, but alas that was not the case. The really surprising shutout, however, belongs to True Blood, which didn't receive any major nominations. HBO had really been pushing the series, but as I had suspected, it had a problem connecting with the voters, being both a genre show and very, very gay. It didn't even get a writing or direction nom, which is where I thought it would make an appearance, since the Emmys seemed to like Alan Ball. Oh well, better luck next year. Even though I love both series, Mad Men and 30 Rock dominating the writing categories, each getting four out of the five nods, is kind of ridiculous. They're we're a number of other series that deserved at least one writing nod. Anyway, a run through of the major categories:

Best Drama Series:
Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

This year they expanded the categories to six nominees, which of course means we wind up with seven nominees. They seriously need to rewrite the rules to prevent ties. Anyway, cable doninated the category with five of the seven nominees. The networks are probably grumbling, but hey, maybe they should do better quality work. Fox should feel lucky it even got the House nod, since it clearly shouldn't be a part of this lineup. Mad Men will win this in a landslide, since I can't figure out what could challenge it, and the series easily deserves the win. A Breaking Bad win would also make me happy, but I don't think it has the same support in the industry.

Lead Actor - Drama:
Simon Baker - The Mentalist
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Hugh Laurie - House

I'm almost shocked by the James Spader snub, seeing as it was the final season of Boston Legal and the Emmys have loved the performance for some unknown reason. As for the men who did receive nods, I think all but Michael C. Hall as a chance of winning. If I had to, I'd put my money on Jon Hamm, but then I think that if they wanted to award him, they'd have done it last year. Maybe he's just too pretty for them to reward. My second guess would be Baker, in a surprise similar to Patricia Arquette's bizarre win for the first season of Medium.

Lead Actress - Drama:
Glenn Close - Damages
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

As expected they ignored the two best leading lady performances - Mary McDonnell and January Jones. Damn you Emmy voters! I'm happy for Elisabeth Moss's nod, I just wish they had room for both Mad Men ladies. Did Hargitay need another nomination for a character who hasn't really grown in a while? Expect Close to win again, though I wish it was Moss, just for the scene in the finale where she tells Pete she had his baby.

Supporting Actror - Drama:

Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal

Michael Emerson - Lost

William Hurt - Damages

Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad

William Shatner - Boston Legal
John Slattery - Mad Men

Yippee! Aaron Paul got a well deserved nomination. Of course, the Emmys had to ruin it by giving two nods to the men of Boston Legal. I know, I know - I like to rag on that show, but I find it overly awarded. Paul deserves the win, but I'd be happy with a Emerson, Slattery or Hurt win as well, but since this is the Emmys, expect Shatner to take the prize.

Supporting Actress - Drama:
Rose Byrne - Damages
Hope Davis - In Treatment
Cherry Jones - 24
Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy

There were some serious surprises in this category, as they ignored previous favorites rachel Griffiths, Candice Bergen, and Katherine Heigl. Unfortunately they also ignored the best supporting actress turn by Marcia Gay Harden, but they voted for Rose Byrne. I like, not love, Byrne on Damages, but in no way is she a supporting character. She is most definitley the lead, as the series centers around her and her relationship with Close's Patty Hewes. Oy. I don't think there's a single front-runner in the category, as any of them could take the prize, but since she won last year, I'll guess Wiest.

Best Comedy Series:
30 Rock
Enourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Weeds

Again with the seven nominees, but hey, at least they threw out Two and a Half Men. Poor Pushing Daisies - no nod again, even though it was the best comedy series on television. The Emmys also seem to seriously dislike Desperate Housewives. Seven nominees and still no room for the ladies of Wisteria Lane. I actually think that if the show was submitted in the drama categories it would get some nods. Yay for How I Met Your Mother, but boo to Family Guy. I'm a casual viewer of the series, but even I admit this past season sucked, and the fact it has a Best Comedy Series nod while The Simpsons doesn't is a travesty. The Weeds nod I just find weird, as it finally received a nomination for its least successful season. 30 Rock will win, duh!

Best Actor - Comedy:
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Jermaine Clement - Flight of the Conchords
Tony Shaloub - Monk
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Steve Carrell - The Office
Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

They ignored his show in the Best Comedy Series category, but they still had to nominate Charlie Sheen, and over Lee Pace no less. Argh. I find it funny they nominated one of the guys from Flight of the Conchords over the other, when it seems a both or neither type situation. Baldwin will win this again, though I think Carrell deserves it this season for the Michael Scott Paper Company plotline.

Lead Actress - Comedy:
Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
Toni Collette - The United States of Tara
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds
Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program

This is a pretty good line up, and I have no real complaints. I just wish they'd found room for Amy Poehler for Parks & Recreation. The Sarah Silverman nomination still has me chuckling. The fact they can appreciate her brand of humor, gives me some hope in the Emmy voters. I'd say Fey easily walks away with this again, seeing as how Emmy voters haven't yet got their love for her out of their systems. I think she may one day be the winningest female actress.

Supporting Actor - Comedy:
Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillion - Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Rainn Wilson - The Office

They really seemed to go gangbusters for 30 Rock this year, with two nominations in this category, but the true shock is Jeremy Piven's omission. I guess the whole fiasco over leaving Speed the Plow because of "food-poisoning" from sushi, actually affected peoples' views of him. This clearly puts the win up for grabs, but I'm leaning towards Harris, as love for him seems to be growing. Plus it would be cool to see the host win an award.

Supporting Actress - Comedy:
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds
Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
Kristin Wiig - Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty

Hands down, this is the best set of nominees this year, even without a nod for Jenna Fischer. I'm excited that they finally nominated Krakowski, and that they nominated Wiig and not just Poehler. Since last year's winner, Jean Smart, wasn't even nominated, the trophy can go to anyone. I'd give it to one of the singing ladies, Chenoweth or Krakowksi, but I'm guessing the actual winner will be Poehler for her last season on Saturday Night Live.

TCA Nominations - Still Sexist

The Television Critics Association announced their nominations this week, and considering they are a critics group, you would think their nominations would be better than the Emmys. Well, that's not really the case. Some of their nods are confusing - Battlestar Galactica and Saturday Night Live gets nods for Program of the Year but not Drama and Comedy nods. They give nominations to the big network hits - The Mentalist get a nod for New Program of the Year. The most annoying aspect about the TCA, however, is they don't seperate their performance categories into Actress and Actor, leading to a lack of recognition for women year after year. Out of the ten performance nominations this year, only two are for women - Glenn Close for Damages and Tina Fey for 30 Rock. There is a definite sexist aspect to it, as television critics, who are mostly men, only seem to believe male roles are worthy of accolades, even the two women who are nominated, Glenn and Tina, have rather masculine roles in their respective series. The fact they'd give Hugh Laurie another nod for House, over the superior work of Marcia Gay Harden in Damages, Mary McDonnell in Battlestar Galactica, Elizabeth Moss and January Jones in Mad Men, or Jill Scott in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, is downright irritating.

The Noms:

Program of the Year:
Battlestar Galactica
Lost
Mad Men
Saturday Night Live
The Shield

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy:
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Daily Show
How I Met Your Mother
The Office

Outstanding Achievement in Drama:
Breaking Bad
Friday Night Lights
Lost
Mad Men
The Shield

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Mini-Series, Specials:
2008 Summer Olympic Coverage
24: Redemption
Generation Kill
Grey Gardens
Taking Chance

New Program of the Year:
Fringe
The Mentalist
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
True Blood
United States of Tara

Individual Achievement in Comedy:
Alec Baldwin
Steve Carell
Tina Fey
Neil Patrick Harris
Jim Parsons

Individual Achievement in Drama:
Glenn Close
Bryan Cranston
Walton Goggins
Jon Hamm
Hugh Laurie

Outstanding Achievement in News & Information:
60 Minutes
The Alzheimers Project
Frontline
The Rachel Maddow Show
We Shall Remain

Best of the TV Season: Top 10 (Part 1)

With the season coming to a close, I decided to do a wrap of the best of television, starting with a top ten list. Now keep in mind this is strictly relegated to shows I watch. There were other series which might have factored in, had I actually caught them, including Friday Night Lights, Weeds, Big Love, True Blood, and In Treatment. Take this list with a grain of salt.

10. Southland (NBC)
I debated whether to put Southland or Brothers & Sisters in 1oth place, as they're both uneven series with great highs interrupted by groan inducing moments. Being the fresher series, I went with Southland. Going for it, the show features two great performances from Regina King and Michael Cudlitz (Emmy nods please), and seems to care more about the emotional core of each character, rather than the crimes they try to solve. The series has been compared to other cop series The Wire, Boomtown, which I both loved, and The Shield, which I always found hugely overrated, but I think if were to last through its second, Southland could find its own footing. Don't cancel it NBC!

9. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (HBO)
I'm not generally a fan of detective shows, but this series always left me with a smile on my face. Based upon a series of novels by Alexander McCall Smith, No. 1 Ladies'... follows Precious Ramotswe as she attempts to start a successful detective agency in her home country of Botswana. The series successfully evokes a foreign local, whether or not it's successfully Botswana I couldn't say, since I've never been there, and Precious is such an endearing character, you want to befriend her. Who knew singer Jill Scott could be a genuine TV star? The series also features one of the best love stories on the tube, with the emerging romancing between Precious and her suitor, the mechanic Mr. Matekoni.

8. Lost (ABC)
I will always love Lost. Attempting to solve the larger picture, can easily become an enjoyable obsession, but with that being said, I have to admit this was the series' weakest season. The fact it still remains in my top ten is proof of the show's overall quality. At its worst, Lost is still one of the best programs on television. My problem with this season stems mainly from the separation of the characters into different time periods. The show works best when its competing personalites are interacting/colliding/getting it on with each other. The series also left me cold with it Dharma plotline. I know it was necessary for the larger picture, but I didn't care, and the one Dharma Initiative character that peaked my interest, Amy seems to have been forgotten and of no importance. At least the season finale set up for a great final season. I hope.

7. The Office (NBC)
The Office was always a series I respected more than I loved. I could recognize the quality of its acting and writing, but it was never appointment television for me. That was until this season. What got me hooked? Well Amy Ryan's endearing performance in a recurring role as HR Rep Holly Flax, the hilarious Post-Super Bowl episode, and the Michael Scott Paper Company storyline. It takes really talented writers and actors to successfully carry a plotline over several episodes of a half-hour sitcom, andThe Office managed to accomplish as much with Michael quitting Dunder Mifflin to form his own comapny with a reluctant Pam and Ryan. Because of it, Steve Carrell was able to provide a lot more depth to his bumbling Michael Scott. The scene in which he negotiates the buy out of his company, displaying a never-before-seen, successful, buisnessman side of Michael, alone deserves an Emmy. Seriously Emmy voters, give him one!

6. Damages (FX)
The second season of Damages was a genuine improvement over the first, bringing in fresh blood with William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, and Marcia Gay Harden's boobies. The idea to expand the show with various plotlines and characters that don't necessarily all converge was an upgrade from the previous season's everything-is-connected viewpoint. Glenn Close is still a hoot, adding greater depth to her dragon-lady Patty Hewes, and Rose Byrne is, well... still uneven, but I remain intrigued/baffled by her. I don't believe her to be a great actress, yet I want Rose to contiue acting. The series would have ranked higher on my list, had it not been for the season finale, which seemed to not make sense, and knocked some of the power out of the previous episodes. Oh well.

(to continue later...)

Damages Season 2 Finale

I've now watched it twice, and I'm still trying to digest the season finale of Damages. I'm still unclear as to whether it makes sense (with Damages making sense isn't always a priority). At what point did Tom and Patty get involved with his sister's investigation into Pell, Kendrick, and Agent Werner? If Tom knew why did he give Ellen a gun for her meeting with Patty, and why did he go storming into the law firm yelling, angry at Patty? I'm guessing their cooperation only began once patty recorded her conversation with Pell. Anyway, I found the finale interesting as it seemed Frobisher's and Daniel Purcell's storylines for the season had already been over with. We only witnessed Frobisher overseeing the construction of his well-being/rehab center, and Purcell having a conversation with Patty about their son. I'm sure they'll both be back for season three. Purcell still must have his trial and discover The Deacon killed his wife, not him. Frobisher will probably be involved in a plotline surrounding the death of Detective Messer. His death at the hands of Wes actually shocked me. I thought the show would have taken him and Wes in a completely different direction. I am disappointed that Anastasia Griffith was wasted this season as Katie Connor. She was upgraded to a series regular, but was less involved than last season. I suppose she'll be used in season three, as the private detective Ellen and Katie hired will most likely be looking into Messer's death and discover his connection with Wes. Although, you never know with this show, which is what I love best about it. This season started with the murder of Purcell's wife, but then spread into a plotline involving corporate and governmental corruption. With the finale I was also disappointed Marcia Gay Harden's Claire Maddox was nowhere to be seem. She was best in show this season, and SHOULD win the Emmy this year for Best Supporting Actress. Hopefully Marcia will be back next season. The show needs her, and not just because of he boobies. She brings a sex appeal, that is lacking from the other characters.

I Love Damages

"When I am through with you, there won't be anything left."

Oh, how happy I am to, once again, hear those opening lyrics each week. After a full year off the air, Damages returned last week, and the first two episodes of the second season have reminded me why I love this show. Is it realistic? No. Over-the-top? Probably. Gimmicky? Yeah. But I still eat up every second of it. The unexpected plot twists that come out of nowhere, the use of cliches which are then undermined, the bluring of fiction and reality, as expressed through fantasy sequences, plot lines that seem to lead no where, then ultimately have importance, but not in the way you thought - all of it, I adore. The show is brilliant as a puzzle or mindf***. It makes you try to figure it out, and at some point you've got an idea of where it's going, only to have the rug pulled out from under you. I'm just saying, any show that can make go, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" while doing jazz hands, like last nights episode did, is doing something right. And of course, there's Patty Hewes. I love that a show was built around Glenn Close, and while the role can at times come off as a dragon-lady, I think there is something deeper to Patty, which Close easily pulls out of her. As for the rest of the cast, Rose Byrne seems to have improved since the beginning of the first season, and William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden are good additions. I'm most excited about Harden. When she's given a good role, I love her, and Claire Maddox appears to be a kind of role she's never played before. The only iffy new cast member is Timothy Olyphat; I still don't know what's going on their. Also, Anastasia Griffith is listed at the beginning of the show, as a regular cast member, and I had no idea who she was. Then I looked it up on line, and Griffith plays Katie Connor, sister of Ellen's murdered fiance David, who had a recurring role last season. Now Anastasia Griffith hasn't appeared in the first two episodes, but I'm interested in the season's plotline, which would require her to be a regular cast member. Hmm?