When word first came out that there was going to be a Facebook movie that was my first reaction "There is going to be a Facebook movie?!?" It was tough to initially sell it for me, but then the movie gained director David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men). Then the critical reviews started coming out (it currently has a 97 on Rotten Tomatoes). The moment that sealed the deal is when the trailer featuring Kanye's song "Power" hit. I was hooked I needed to see this movie, and by most accounts many of you will probably see it in the near future if you haven't already.
The movie opens in a Cambridge bar that I have frequented on several occasions, and like most great motivators it all starts with a bad break up. Sorkin shows off a fast paced dialogue while Fincher sets the mood with the grungy lighting and turns a casual encounter into an eerie setting, their work really mashes up well together. In fact most of the best scenes happen when the characters are sitting down at a table with quick cuts and quicker dialogue. The sharp wit moves a mile a minute and if you lose focus you may miss an entire conversation.
Jesse Eisenberg stars as the CEO Mark Zuckerburg, many just may consider him Michael Cera lite but don't be mistaken, Cera may be better know but Eisenberg is a much better actor with a quality resume of films with another great addition. This role isn't too far off from his base, a socially inept outcast, but he somehow makes a self-interested asshole likable. You can't help but feel sorry for him at moments, or not depending on your perspective. Sorkin doesn't write the script taking one side or the other. He gets as many sources as he can and allows the audience to play the jury on each character which becomes fitting as the frame story takes you in and out of two lawsuits occurring simultaneously. The one source he is unable to get is Zuckerberg himself, not surprising, but what is stunning is that the lack of participation may have helped the story. By not getting this perspective it's no longer the Facebook/Zuckerburg movie, but rather a book about Zuckerburg adding more ambiguity to the character and more free range for Eisenberg to let loose.
This movie features a very strong ensemble cast and is easy to see why these actor will be the next generation of big names. Andrew Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin the C.F.O. and Zuckerburg's only friend in the entire film. I've heard some people say that the nicer the person the worse the businessman. Well Saverin is the nicest player in the whole group and in a group of various shades of gray he may be the lightest shade but still doesn't come out squeaky clean. Rooney Mara plays the heart breaker Erica Albright and her fast tongue and strong performance set the tone for the movie and is probably what landed her the lead role in the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It wouldn't be a David Fincher movie without some tricky computer imaging and that's exactly what he does to have one actor play both Winklevoss brothers. Then there is Justin Timberlake who you may not be able to take seriously due to some of his past endeavors. He really proves himself as the young entrepreneur who co-found Napster Sean Parker. He keeps the character sleek and his work on SNL helped hone in on his delivery skills. Timberlake flirts with the audience the entire movie so one minute you’ll love his enthusiasm next you’ll hate his treachery. He proves to be fantastic which may be why Entertainment Weekly wrote an article about how all three supporting actors could receive nominations come award season. That may not be true but Sorkin definitely will and Fincher should.
The Social Network is a modern day Citizen Kane. Both films feature a young upstart looking to make a name for himself in and both want acceptance from society. Even some of the scenes in the movie bear striking resemblance to some of Orson Welles' masterpiece. And why shouldn't this be a modern day retelling, the Internet has clearly taken the over as our main source of information. While I was writing this review I had Facebook up in the background the entire time, not doing anything with it but merely catching up on the tedium of some of my friends life that their inherent narcissism felt the entire world should know. That's what Facebook is all about, it’s an ego driven way to share the minutia of everyday life and I am right up there with some of the worst offenders. Sorkin is able to capture this feeling and addiction to this program in his script and makes this film an early Oscar contender. A
It has been 23 years since Oliver Stone originally introduced us to Gordon Gekko and probably 10 years since Stone has put out a decent movie. The man is best when he is angry about something. Right now America is mad about two things, the building of a mosque at the site of an old Burlington Coat Factory and the economy. But I doubt Stone is very angry about his economic stature and it shows in his sequel with one of the worst subtitles I've seen since Cradle 2 The Grave.
Michael Douglas reprises his academy award winning role as the Wall Street investor who declared at a stock holders meeting that 'greed is good." The book his character writes is titled, "Is Greed Good?" which seems to be theme of the story even though that question was answered in the first movie, and in much better fashion. But with so much star power the movie is still able to deliver some pop.
Shia LeBeouf takes the Charlie Sheen role in this one as the young investor looking to make a buck himself. And while there is not much difference between his character and the money hungry investors he works with, Stone tries to differentiate his character, Jake, by implying that he has a stopping point, that once he makes a certain amount of money he will be able to walk away. He has also attached himself to fusion energy in order to help the environment, so he can't be all bad. LeBeouf finally seems to find an adult role I don't hate him in. Or maybe my natural distrust of investors and my animosity towards them make LeBeouf the perfect match for a character that seems likeable and yet still somehow a dick.
The story is at its best when it is discussing some of the issues of the market collapse, and while some of the dialogue still went over my head I understood that there are a lot of greedy men out there who are using my money to get rich by betting on me to fail. Josh Brolin plays Bretton James, this movie's antagonist and a modern day Gekko, while the actually Gekko seems to be the moral center of the sleazebags. Bretton James is using the tricks that made headlines months ago to make most of his money. Brolin is very slick and conniving in the role and seeing as his recent movie, Jonah Hex, flopped as hard as it did it is easy to see why he wasn't out there promoting it with Douglas and LeBeouf.
The movie gets murky when it dives outside the economic pool into sub plots featuring romance, marriage, a baby and such. Carey Mulligan does most of the heavy lifting in this aspect of the film which is unfortunate as she is a wonderful actress but there is nothing she can do to save this aspect of the film. Stone, as do many people, see there is some evil goings on in the current economic system and he has something to say about it. Much like The Other Guys he doesn't want to come out and scream it at you, but rather insert some theatricality at you and hope you take something away. The Other Guys does this much better, as towards the end of the film you can see Stone screaming there is more important things than money.
The movie is kind of all over the place with the combo of business life and personal life. The reason this movie gets a sequel is due to the similarities this country faced in the early eighties, same cast of characters just a different plot. Except I hear that story everyday on CNBC with an ensemble cast starring Jim Crammer, who is way more freighting and awful to me than any character a writer can dream up. If you need to see a well done story about the d-bags on Wall Street see the original movie. The sequel is a fun movie but the wayward plot loses some of the fury that made the first one a classic. C+
Besides Huddy, the road to New York, the final season of Friday Night Lights, Jennifer Aniston back on the small screen there are some new shows to look forward to as well this season. Let's take a look.
The Event Mondays 9pm NBC
I don't know if this is a show to look forward to but NBC seems to be pushing the crap out of it. The way execs look at it, people are looking for a way to fill the void after Lost has come and gone. Why don't we see how Flash Forward and V turned out, both canceled (Well not V, but really it's only a matter of time). The show looks like it is going to require a lot of emotional commitment, something I'm not ready to give with football season having started up again and the show being Monday at 9. I have my doubts on this one, and the only way I'm watching this is if I hear good things and then I'll find it online.
Running Wilde Tuesdays 9:30pm FOX
FOX's mishandling of shows is notorious, it gets so many shows that are ahead of its time but doesn't know what to do with them till eventually they shut down the operation (Read: Firefly, Futurama, and Family Guy). Arrested Development was no different, after winning the EMMY for Outstanding Comedy Series after its first year it would get dropped after season 3. It is now held in the highest esteem and you can see the performances now on DVD, IFC, or whenever you see George Michael Cera. Running Wilde seems to be a GOB spin off which could be awesome seeing as first season Arnett was a show stealer. Arnett plays oil company heir Steve Wilde whose life changes when he runs into boyhood crush Keri Russell who, of course, is an environmentalist. Unfortunately I'm going to have to sit through Raising Hope to get to it, because clearly I'm watching Glee first and I'm not going to change the channel. Hopefully this show doesn't go the way of Joey.
Undercovers Wednesday 8pm NBC
I can't hate on a J.J. Abrahms helmed show, he has given the TV world so many gems: Alias, Lost, Fringe - by the way if you're not watching Fringe and ratings suggest you are not give this show a shot. Yes it's about a married couple who have retired from the CIA to open a catering company. And now they are out of retirement to save the world and reinvigorate their marriage. This show also sounds like a stupid premise but hey the wifey looks like a hotty, I apologize for that last line of text I knew it sounded awful as soon as I wrote it.
$#*! My Dad Says Thursdays 8:30PM CBS
William Shatner stars in a show that got its start from twitter. I don't know if this will be any good but its lead in show is the Big Bang Theory so that should help its ratings. But really there is no reason to watch it when you have the NBC Thursday lineup starting with Community leading into...
Outsourced Thursday 8:30PM NBC
I'm a little mad at this show for taking away Parks and Rec and moving it to the spring season, but you need to keep fresh shows coming in and they have been 2 for 2 for adding shows to the Thursday line up so don't bet against this one. The Office may be winding down but with this being Michael Scott's last season I have a feeling this season they are going to pull out all the stops. I like the NBC lineup so I am going to stick with it and give this show a chance. Besides India has given me slumdog, maybe they can give me a solid comedy as well.
Hawaii Five-0 Mondays 10PM CBS
Book em Danno. Usually TV reboots don't work. But did you see Scott Cann in Entourage this past season? He helped to reestablish one of HBO's biggest hits. I don't doubt that he is going to add a lot of comedy to the show as one the leads. I also love Daniel Dae Kim and it may be nice to see him chasing someone other than Sun. I would say this is the drama I'm looking forward to most, but I'd be lieing.
Boardwalk Empire Sundays 9:00 PM HBO
The show looks awesome. Martin Scorsese does wonders with grit like this so I have no doubt they will do this show right. HBO also has a track record for having some of the best shows ever introduced to television. As long as you like Steve Buscemi and the character he always plays something tells me you'll like him in this as well even if he is ordering the deaths of those who stand in his way. He plays the de facto leader of Atlantic City during prohibition. There is going to be plenty of boozing, drugs and sex to go around for everyone involved. Make this the show to watch this fall.
In the same vain of Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You comes the retelling of the classic tale The Scarlet Letter.
Emma Stone stars as Olive, the high school girl who feels unrecognizable in the high school world. One lie begets another and soon she is the center of high school gossip. The morally upright condemn the girl to hell so as an act of rebellion she marks herself with the letter A. Seriously they don't even try and hide the inspiration; I would hope that the lack of subtlety would anger the English teacher whose current assignment is the same book. The movie also draws inspiration from John Hughes' movies. The nods to the movie include Stone looking in the camera and telling the audience I want to live in a John Hughes movie and then a short montage of his films.
The story is told over her web cam and leads to some awful narration which indicates that all the effort was put into the conversation rather than the execution. So many movies today are trying to put their movies through the today’s lens. The narration adds some laughs but what it really brings to the table is a way to bring the whole story together and to add some time to the movie as the whole story runs a brief 90 minutes.
What the movie lacks in subtlety it makes up in writing. The movie is full of sharp wit and snappy remarks. Emma Stone makes it appear effortless in almost all of her scenes. The only time she is ever outshined is by her parents played by Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci. Their humor and veteran comedy chops steal every scene they are in and rang out the most laughter in the theater.
The movie is made for the tween demographic and is probably why the original script called for much more fowl language, probably directed at the film's martyr who bears an enormous amount of weight which I'm sure any high schooler can indentify with. And that who is going to identify with the movie, but worry not parents, there are plenty of laughs to go around. B-
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) Rose Byrne (Damages) Sharon Gless (Burn Notice) Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
I really need to start watching Burn Notice more, not only does it contain the best chin on any b-list movie actor ever but it has Sharon Gless. She is all the buzz and a definate favorite to walk away with the statuette.
But I can't look passed Joan in Mad Men, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Christina Hendricks is simply stunning and I thought deserved the nomination last year, especially episode 12 in season two when her fiancé visits the office. This year she submitted the episode when he doesn't get the position he needs and the horse that she bet on failed big. I can't wait for this guy to go off to war and get killed and for Joan to have some good ole fashioned widow sex. But I'm rambling she is the best female character on the show, and that includes her competition Elisabeth Moss. Moss's character developed the most in the series but the way Hendricks walks the fine line of strong sexual goddess and frail woman is a tribute to women of the sixties. She deserves the win, plus I love to watch her walk.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) Michael Emerson (Lost) Terry O’Quinn (Lost) Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) Martin Short (Damages) John Slattery (Mad Men)
The two most deserving actors on this list are going to cancel each other out making room for a clear third place candidate to walk away the winner.
Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn each have a win to their name. Emerson as Ben Linus trying to redeem his evil ways from the whole series is fantastic. In the first seasons he was in he was always a step ahead, season five featured a role reversal which was strong enough to get him the win last year. This year featured him vulnerable, as a man trying to find his way with a chapter in his life coming to an end and him coming to face all the demons and monstrosities he committed in his search for control. Meanwhile Terry O'Quinn was playing two different characters and very differently from any other character in the series. SPOILER ALERT (FOR THOSE WHO STILL WANT TO WATCH THE SERIES) He was asked to play the main villain of the entire series as the Man in Black controlled his body and he played the season one version of himself as well. Even when I was certain that he was the ultimate baddie of LOST I still thought that the character could be redeemed. I really enjoyed him as the man in black and enjoyed the symmetry of having him be the antagonist in the first and final season. SPOILER OVER His mind games and abuse of women make him my personal choice to win the award.
But like I said before these two men are going to cancel each other out as they are both so deserving and both on the same series. So I am going with Aaron Paul to actually claim the big award, he deserves praise and certainly showed off his chops in the season but he stands in the shadow of the men of LOST.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) Matthew Fox (Lost) Michael C. Hall (Dexter) Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Hugh Laurie (House M.D.)
Without a doubt this is the hardest category to predict. Each one of these actors could walk away with the award and frankly each one of these actors would make the academy proud if they won, so let's try and break it down best we can.
Chandler has not only deserved to be nominated but he deserved to be on this list so many years before. Well except the second season, we all have down years. And no matter how you feel about Lost Matthew Fox has been the heart of the show and also probably deserved to be on the list earlier. His final episode is something special and the last 15 minutes of the episode is the very best acting he has done in his whole career. What may work against Fox is the ensemble nature of the show. Any weak spot may cost any actor the award and this may be Fox's biggest adversity, but voters do love a good finale.
This may be Cranston's weakest year, but never doubt a two time champion. The academy can feel confident voting for him without putting too much effort in knowing that his portrayal of the character is always award winning, and it is. Another sure slam dunk for an award is Jon Hamn who portrays the biggest douche bag on television Don Draper as someone you can't help but root for. Similarly I think he has done better, such as this season as he is being forced to redefine himself and his self worth in a brand new agency living a life he has never known. It's still early but I like him to win the award next year with his character actually facing some strife.
Michael C. Hall has always done great work as the frigid father figure dueling with his own personality. And for those of you who haven't see the episode he submitted see it now. Actually scratch that see the whole thing, you may lose out on the sheer emotion of it all without a whole bunch of back story and there are so many good scenes from the season (the Thanksgiving dinner comes to mind). The power of the season has already been awarded with John Lithgow receiving the award for best guest actor in a drama, too bad he thanked HBO. If he wasn't already dead they'd be killing him off after that gaff.
Hugh Laurie has been always been a bridesmaid never a bride. This may be the year he finally gets awarded. The episode he submits is all House all the time, having him in a mental institution facing his personal demons and featuring a Broadway hero with Lin Manuel (If you are not a Broadway fan do yourself a favor and at the very least check out his performance in the TONYs, as he does something very different on the stage. I'll even give you the link).
If I had to pick someone though I think I like sentimental favorite Kyle Chandler to win the award. But in all honesty the smart money is Dexter for the acting pedigree in the entire season. So I think I will go with Hall for the win. But I love Chandler, especially his pregame speech/destruction of his kids before his first game. But that final scene in Dexter is just so good...
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) Glenn Close (Damages) Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit) January Jones (Mad Men) Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
Julianna Margulies is the reason that "The Good Wife" got nominated for the big award. And much like Sandra Bullock at the Oscars I think she has this one in the bag.
Outstanding Drama Series Breaking Bad Dexter Lost Mad Men The Good Wife True Blood
First off let me declare that True Blood doesn't deserve to be anywhere near this list. They have award winning material in the same way as Lady Gaga discussing her Love Muffin. They have zero chance of winning and should just be glad they made the list. Similarly The Good Wife also has no chance here. The reason the show is here is all Julianna Margulies. But at least her show seems like it is going to keep improving itself through the years.
As I said back when I was predicting the nominees I liked the remaining four series as shoo ins. But now that all four have got nominated it is tough to go from there. Of the four I think that Breaking Bad may be the weak link. While this is still a fantastic series it is going up against the champ, the best season of a show so far and a powerful finale.
Like I have said before it is tough business taking down a champ. Mad Men can sometimes drag with minutia and everyday life which is what makes the series so smart, but the episodes that they submitted are all so very powerful and have you demanding for more, which we are currently getting, thank you AMC. I think this may be the best season so far ("they couldn't even send a full reporter"). Matt Weiner's period piece is a masterful work of art and is what good television is all about.
Last season of Dexter was the best it has ever been even against the first storyline. I lost interest in the show after the second season but with so many people talking about the finale and got back into it and it did not disappoint. Veteran thespian John Lithgow is award winning as the Trinity Killer, but will Michael C. Hall and Lithgow be enough to dethrone a heavyweight contender.
Meanwhile the finale of Lost is in the books and while there are many differing viewpoints, from cried when I watched it to wasted six years, I enjoyed the finale and what this season had to offer. While there were some duds, "What Kate Did" comes to mind, the characters finding redemption and Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse playing with some of the fan theories this year made this year, coming from a fan's perspective, a sight to behold.
But Mad Men is just too smart and too well done to be toppled so I like it to win and make it three years in a row and well on their way to a fourth next year.
Well what do you guys think? What shows should be here? Will you be watching? Hit me up you know I will be.
The Emmys are coming up this Sunday so I decided to make some not so bold decisions on who would take home the big awards.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Ty Burrell (Modern Family) Chris Colfer (Glee) Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men) Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Jon Cryer just may repeat as champion. He has some great lines with Sheen and I love when he does physical comedy. The series hasn't been as funny as usual but Jon Cryer is still hysterical. I actually wish that NPH had won the award last year but sadly it was not to be. The character regressed back to his old form, which is actually for the better, but unfortunately so did the writing style of the show. Barney's chance of winning has come and gone.
Frankly Ferguson doesn't deserve to be on the list, it should be Ed O' Neil. As the straight man in the series, ala he uses a dryer humor, he is not even the funniest part of the episode that he submits for consideration.
Ty Burrell as the father of the nucleus family is fantastic and endearing in the series. While there is no actual lead in the series he may be up there. He feels genuine in his compassion and love for his family and I love his goofy nature. But he is usually outshined, as is the entire cast by the loveable and flamboyant Cam. He is submitting the episode Fizbo which probably is the episode he is known best for but for the voters who have watched the entire series, as I hope most of my readers have, he has some of the best laugh out loud moments of the series. The whole cast is tender so there is no point in pointing out his softer side as that is not what singles him out from the cast and what may eventually give him the win.
But with three members from one show competing for one award it may split the voters. And that is why I love the endearing Christopher Colfer to win the award. Originally he wasn't even supposed to be in the series but after auditioning for the part Ryan Murphy wrote a part specifically for him. Talk about a muse. I love his bitchy attitude towards Lea but the moments that capture him this award is when he confronts his father and his sexuality. Later in the post I will talk about how submitting dramatic moments in this category works against you, I think in this example it works for him. The people voting in this category are very gay friendly and while Eric Stonestreet's character is also gay (as is Fegurson's character and Harris in real life) the story arc rarely deals with the conflict that Colfer faces. He gets to show off an array of emotion and his take on Rose's Turn is fantastic. A well done performance of the song has already bequeathed many actresses gold; Broadway royalty Tyne Daly, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone all won for their performances in Gypsy. His performance in this episode should be enough to get this rookie actor his first award.
Please note that the last video I posted of a Glee character was of Mike O' Malley who also deserved an EMMY but was beaten out. So maybe this was a bad idea to post the video but he does it so well.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Julie Bowen (Modern Family) Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) Jane Lynch (Glee) Holland Taylor, (Two and a Half Men) Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Jane Lynch. Shoo In
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Toni Collette (United States of Tara) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Lea Michele (Glee) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Full disclosure, I don't watch "The New Adventure of Old Christine" or the "United States of Tara" which may hurt my prediction seeing as Toni Collette won the award last year and is a serious contender this year.
Lea Michele probably doesn't deserve to be on the list as she simply has some work to be done before she is considered the best in her craft. Her character was a riot in the pilot but she submitted the episode Sectionals. And while she does deliver a stand out performance that had Barbara take notice she doesn't show off any of her comedic chops and her dramatic moment aren’t anything spectacular.
With the down year for 30 Rock it may be a tough race to win; she has been better.
In my mind this leaves it down to two actresses with Amy Poehler and Edie Falco. Already an Emmy winner, Edie Falco is the favorite to win which would make her only the second actress to win an Emmy for comedy and for drama. Emmy would love to make this happen and her acting on the show is why the series got nominated for the big award. But my heart belongs to clueless Leslie Knope she is able to bounce off of anyone in the cast and if anyone’s acting or comedic chops deserved to get it nominated for best series it was Parks and Rec. Instead what it got was a spring debut. The series deserves better and that is why I am going with my heart and saying that Poehler comes out with the win.
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) Steve Carell (The Office) Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) Matthew Morrison (Glee) Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Someone get Morrison to stop rapping, tell him to stop and never do it again. Larry David has never been known for his acting as much as his writing and this character is probably not too far off from himself but the academy loves the series so he'll get a couple votes. I love Carell and Baldwin both but Baldwin submitted ‘Don Guise, America and Hope’ for his episode and it doesn't come anywhere near as good as past episodes that he has submitted. Carell has been the heart of "The Office" the whole way and has had to do even more heavy lifting ever since Jim and Pam got together but his episode, ‘The Cover Up’, doesn't contain any of those moments of cringe inducing hilarity that I really love about his character. I wish he had submitted Scott's Tots. But sadly it was not to be. Hopefully in his final season he will finally get the award.
This race is down to two men, three time award winner Tony Shalhoub and Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory." The academy is still not entirely behind Big Bang yet which is a shame as the show continually gets funnier and funnier. The episode Parsons submitted is about him accepting award while intoxicated which had me rolling. But working against him is a man who has already won the award and the academy tends to like rewarding strong finales. This was a series that you could pop on and never have to pay too much attention to as it always followed the same formula. It was definitely not one of my favorite series but I really liked the first half of the finale. But Parsons deserved recognition last year and his show deserved to be nominated for best series so I think this will be the validation the whole series deserves.
Best Comedy Series 30 Rock Curb Your Enthusiasm Glee Modern Family Nurse Jackie The Office
First things first let’s just scratch "The Office" out of contention. Simply put the series has had better seasons, and while it had a couple of big moment episodes such as the wedding and the pregnancy, the quality that used to be in the series is not quite there anymore
"Nurse Jackie" had a quality season but for a freshman comedy there may be a little too much drama in the series and not enough of a public outcry to be a serious contender. Edie Falco is great but that won’t be enough to win it all, frankly the series should just be glad it got nominated.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" had quite possibly one of their best seasons ever and if it was ever going to win it would have to be this year. I loved the Seinfeld callback and I thought that Jason Alexander was absolutely hysterical. It however lacks nominations in the writing and directing category and since those are major parts of putting together a best series it would be tough to do, but Curb is definitely the series I am pulling for.
However really this is a three horse race between "Modern Family", "30 Rock", and "Glee." I haven't seen this kind of support for a new show since "Lost" or "American Idol." Simply put it has taken pop culture by storm and is almost as big as those Jersey D-bags. Almost. I love the series, love getting their songs stuck in my head, and am in love with Lea Michelle who has taken over as my celebrity crush. The quality in the series definitely went down after they took their long break. The second half of the season featured episodes that were based around the song, not the song helping to propel the plot. The new structure has also featured a theme which goes back to my last point of choosing the songs over the story, this tactic got annoying. While the male characters were fantastically written from Kurt and his dad to Artie, the women of the show still need a lot more definition. There were some standout episodes in the series such as each finale and the Madonna episode but the producers did not include their six best in the packet they sent to the academy and that may be what costs them.
"30 Rock" is the three time winner and arguably the show to beat as the writing speaks to the business and it is impossible not to love Tina Fey, but much like "The Office" the series has seen better days. Producers this year have selected great episodes to present but on a whole the series definitely took a step back. Even in a down year the show is smarter than a lot of the other garbage on TV but this year it faces a big opponent.
"Modern Family" is a family sitcom with a call back to the days of old with a great twist. All the adults are fantastic in the series with five out of six receiving a nomination in the supporting cast and with Ed O'Neil being one of the biggest snubs of the whole nomination process. The series on a whole is very endearing and you could tell there is serious chemistry between all the actors. Plus the women are smokin hot ala Sofia Vergara, old Happy Gilmore flame Julie Bowen, and of course Cam in a cuddly sort of way. Early on it was considered "Arrested Development" lite which also won the big award in its freshman year. As the show has gotten stronger you see a bigger call back to core family values told in a modern day perspective and I have a feeling older voters will connect with, giving "Modern Family" the edge and the win.
For the past eight years the Daily Show has come out the winner Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Program. The streak ends on Sunday as Stewart faces his biggest competition to date in two of his friends and some jezebel.
A few months ago The Daily Show had to deal with some negative publicity after Jezebel posted an article sighting many acts of sexism on the show including a lack of female guests, few female correspondents and producers, along with the recent hiring of Olivia Munn which many viewed was based on her looks over her wit. The article made its rounds through the media with FOX News getting some knocks in, along with Daniel Tosh and Stephen Colbert poking a little fun at the issue. The whole subject more or less came to a halt once the women of the Daily Show posted an open letter on their website firing back and having a little fun of their own (especially towards the end). The whole thing by now is long forgotten as we have the attention span of small birds, but for those voters who may feel that the article had its points it may cost the host a few votes with older female voters, which could prove important if the race is close. Below are the real reasons why Stewart will lose this year.
This past weekend the Colbert Report writers claimed the EMMY for the best writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program and Colbert's character hams it up as usual after the big win. What this really indicates is that Colbert’s writing team had some of the best content in this category. While Stewart’s tone and his interviews have become a staple Colbert has recently been able to outshine Stewart in news gathering. Stewart has the advantage on Colbert as The Daily Show takes the first slot. Despite this Colbert has beat Stewart to the punch and has been "reporting" on stories a day before Stewart gets to them. Maybe that was enough to give the writing team the edge, but it helps proves that Colbert’s crew is gaining the competitive edge with fresher writing. Stewart tends to write towards specific stories while Stephen can touches upon a broader range of issues.
Meanwhile for those who don't watch the programming regularly, this year the Colbert report submitted the first episode of Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando. The week long series, besides being a tremendous tribute to the troops, is pure EMMY bait. He came out on stage every episode with golf club in hand as a constant homage to comedy legend Bob Hope. His B-block usually contained video of him with the military either trying his hand in boot camp or throwing up in the back of a jet. He had a barrage of Washington elites sending messages to the troops he was performing for. But the piece de resistance came when the Commander in Chief ordered his general to shave Stephen's hair. All this and more may be why Colbert’s show wins its first EMMY outside of the writing category.
But wait there's more. The short lived Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien is getting a lot of press and public support and has been for the past seven months (for those keeping score at home that's exactly how long his show was on-air for). Choosing not to destroy the legacy of the house that Carson built O'Brien decided to step down as host of the tonight show. Throngs of fans showed their support for the host; unfortunately those same fans couldn't be bothered to actually watch the show. Some of the best TV came out of the last week of programming where he featured waves of fantastic guests, performances and bits that weren't all that funny as much as they were ridiculously expensive. But the clincher may have been his classy speech towards the end of his final show.
With the effort that Colbert put in this year, what he really may do is split the vote of those who enjoy smart political commentary. Conan's show had a completely different feel to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report and so he will steal some of Jon's typical voters as well since all three programs speak to the same demographic. Not only that but I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love to see NBC execs squirm as the man that they helped boot prove triumphant on their own network.
While I hope that this is the year that Colbert finally gets his dues but this onslaught of support will probably get Conan on the stage to accept the honor. Either with this year the streak ends for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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