Posted: 07/14/2011

 

2011 Emmy Nominations

by Julie Hughes




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It’s Emmy time, Small Screen Monthly Readers!

I’ll be real honest here: I don’t watch a lot of dramas, so my drama guesses are almost completely without basis; therefore I haven’t commented on them. But the comedy nominations have me very excited for the award ceremony. Here’s a list of the nominees: (I skipped over the miniseries noms. You’re welcome. My choices*).

Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family*
The Office
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock

My comments: Modern Family delivers the laughs, performances and writing in a way far superior to the other nominees.

Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire*
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men

Lead Actress in a Comedy

Laura Linney, The Big C
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope*
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

My comments: I wish I saw more Raising Hope nominees, but it looks like Martha’s all I’m getting and I won’t complain. That show is proof that new shows can succeed if they’re really good.

Lead Actor in a Comedy

Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Steve Carell, The Office
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Louis C.K., Louie*
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

My comments: I cannot suppress my excitement for Louis C.K.’s nomination. Yes, yes, and yes, give this man the statue.

Lead Actor in a Drama

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire*
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Timothy Olyphant, Justified

Lead Actress in a Drama

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife*
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family*
Ty Burrell, Modern Family

My comments: Gah! Too many Modern Family nominees (and I mean that in the best way possible). It’s like choosing a favorite child. Though torn, I’m going with Eric Stonestreet on this one.

Supporting Actor in a Drama

John Slattery, Mad Men*
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age
Walton Goggins, Justified
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live*
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

My comments: So why would I pick Kristen Wiig over Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara? Because I LOVE Kristen Wiig. She is almost singlehandedly making SNL relevant again and finally a female SNL breakout star that’s actually funny (sorry Tina Fey and Amy Poehler).

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men*
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale, Justified

Variety, Music or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report*
Conan
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

My comments: Why The Colbert Report over The Daily Show and my much-loved Conan? It’s just funnier. The writing is like my jeans after Thanksgiving dinner - really tight.

Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow
Deadliest Catch
Hoarders*
Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List
MythBusters
Undercover Boss

My comments: Don’t really care. Also, you know you’re addicted to Hoarders in a really sick way.

Reality Competition

The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance*
Top Chef

My comments: The Dance is actually a celebration and showcase of art in a way that none of the other nominees come close to.

Host of a Reality Program or Competition

Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance*
Jeff Probst, Survivor

My comments: I didn’t know Jesse Tyler Ferguson could wish things into being. Cat has the most warmth and appeal out of all the nominees by a wide margin.

Outstanding Animated Program

The Cleveland Show - Murray Christmas
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III*
Futurama - The Late Philip J. Fry
The Simpsons - Angry Dad - The Movie
South Park - Crack Baby Athletic Association

My comments: Really tight competition here, but the combination of Robot Chicken + Star Wars should just have to = Emmy.


Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)

Family Guy - Road To The North Pole
The Simpsons - Treehouse Of Horror XXI*
Family Guy - And Then There Were Fewer

Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics

Family Guy - Road To The North Pole (Song Title: Christmastime Is Killing Us)

Outstanding Short-format Animated Program

SpongeBob SquarePants - That Sinking Feeling
Robot Chicken - Robot Chicken’s DP Christmas*
Regular Show - Mordecai And The Rigbys
Disney Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
Adventure Time - It Came From The Nightosphere


Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

Family Guy - Road To The North Pole


Outstanding Voice-Over Performance

Bob Bergen as Porky Pig - The Looney Tunes Show - Jailbird And Jailbunny
Seth Green as Batman/ Cobra Commander/ Judge/ Light Cycle Driver/ Newscaster/ Robot Chicken Nerd/ Teenager/ Venger - Robot Chicken - Catch Me If You Kangaroo Jack
Maurice LaMarche as Lrrr & Orson Welles - Futurama - Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences*
Dan Castellaneta as Barney Gumble/ Homer Simpson/ Krusty the Clown/ Louie - The Simpsons - Donnie Fatso

My comments: Super tough call. I liken this to the Supporting Actor nominees - anyone could win and it’s like choosing a favorite child. Lrrr is one of my favorite characters in all of animation and Maurice has been rocking animation voices for a long time without much recognition.

Tell me how wrong I am and what dramas I should be watching via twitter @ToddyWannabe

Julie Hughes considers television her teacher, mother, and secret lover. She has a BA in Media Arts from Butler University and lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her wonderful husband and beloved basset hound.



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