EMMYS: AwardsLine’s Pre-Nom Profiles
There are six AwardsLine Emmy issues scheduled for this year — three coming before yesterday’s deadline in voting for the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards and three after the nominations are announced July 19. The first three issues cover the drama, comedy, and movie/miniseries and reality categories. (Click here to download PDFs of the latest print issues.) Below are links to AwardsLine’s stories that have run up to now to keep you satisfied until nomination day.
Drama
Drama Series Overview
Since its debut, Mad Men has had a lock on the Emmys’ marquee drama series category. Last year, it fended off a formidable challenge from another period drama, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, which was coming off a best drama series at the Golden Globes. In doing that, Mad Men matched The West Wing and Hill Street Blues’ record four consecutive Emmys in the top drama category. Mad Men’s quest to become the first drama series ever to win five years in a row is becoming even more difficult this year with several hot series gunning for the prize. Showtime’s acclaimed Homeland has been on a roll, winning for best drama series at the Golden Globes, PBS’ pop culture phenom Downton Abbey is entering the drama series fray after winning the Miniseries or Made for Television Movie category last year, and AMC’s Breaking Bad is back at its best after skipping last year’s Emmys because of a long hiatus between seasons. Add to that a surging Game Of Thrones and still potent Boardwalk Empire, and we get a very competitive best drama series Emmy race this year.
Basic Cable Dramas’ Basic Problem Is A Lack Of Academy Love
For Some Actors, It’s Lights, Action, Directing
Profiles
PBS’ ‘Downton Abbey’
CBS’ ‘The Good Wife’
Showtime’s ‘Homeland’
‘The Walking Dead’
‘Boss’ Creator Farhad Safinia
‘Boardwalk Empire’ Creator Terence Winter
Steve Buscemi On ‘Boardwalk Empire’
Josh Charles On ‘The Good Wife’
Kelsey Grammer On ‘Boss’
Charlie Hunnam On ‘Sons Of Anarchy’
Damian Lewis On ‘Homeland’
‘Mad Men’s Jessica Paré On ‘Mad Men’
Emily VanCamp On ‘Revenge’
Comedy
Comedy Series Overview
This season was a successful one for freshman comedies, with a whopping seven broadcast half-hour series making it to a second season, led by breakouts 2 Broke Girls and New Girl, and joined by several cable newbies including HBO’s Veep and Girls and Showtime’s House Of Lies. They will likely make the Emmy race more interesting, but it will be hard for newcomers to challenge the reigning best series winner, ABC’s Modern Family. Coming off wins two years in a row and still delivering the goods, ABC’s comedy juggernaut, the highest-rated series on television, remains the one to beat. Its competition includes three critically praised but ratings-challenged NBC series: 30 Rock, which is nearing the end of its run; Parks And Recreation; and Community.
Unfunny Comedies?
Comedy From Female Perspective
Are Some Shows Too Raunchy?
Series Creators On Why We’re Laughing
Profiles
Marc Cherry On ‘Desperate Housewives’
‘Rules Of Engagement’s Tom Hertz On Comedy
Chuck Lorre Of ‘Two And A Half Men’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’, ‘Mike & Molly’
Matt Bomer On ‘White Collar’
Jon Cryer On ‘Two And A Half Men’
Louis C.K. On ‘Louie’
Ed Helms On ‘The Office’
Danny Pudi On ‘Community’
Christina Applegate On ‘Up All Night’
Zooey Deschanel On ‘New Girl’
Lena Dunham On ‘Girls’
Jane Levy On ‘Suburgatory’
Julia Louis-Dreyfus On ‘Veep’
Movie/Minseries
Movie/Miniseries Overview
Game Change is more than just the name of the polarizing HBO picture that’s the frontrunner to take home the 2012 Emmy in the now-merged movie/miniseries category, it’s also the underlying theme of the whole race. Until last year when PBS’ Downton Abbey pulled off an upset, HBO projects had taken the gold for nearly a decade. Suddenly, it seemed like anything could happen — and, suddenly, it did. Downton’s move to the drama series category makes the movie/mini derby an HBO-vs.-PBS free-for-all. Thanks to Game Change — as well as the marquee value of Hemingway & Gellhorn — the cable network would appear to have the edge. But there’s a growing sentiment that no potential nominee or winner is more deserving than PBS’ Sherlock. For now, however, whether that stellar underdog will score a nod, much less a win, remains a mystery. Another potential spoiler: FX’s rookie anthology American Horror Story. And with its record-shattering ratings, along with A-level stars in Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, History’s Hatfields & McCoys solidified its Emmy chances.
Longform Shakeup Sign Of Times
Made For TV/Miniseries Economics
From Silver Screen To Small Screen
Profiles
Julianne Moore On ‘Game Change’
Jay Roach On ‘Game Change’
Kevin Costner On ‘Hatfields & McCoys’
‘Hatfields & McCoys’ Producer Leslie Greif
Nicole Kidman On ‘Hemingway And Gellhorn’
Benedict Cumberbatch On ‘Sherlock’
Jessica Lange On ‘American Horror Story’
Reality
Reality Competition Overview
Evolving Formats A Tough Reality
ENTV Video
Drama Series Odds
Comedy Series Odds
Movie & Minseries Odds
Reality Series Odds
Related stories
EMMYS: Mike Fleming’s Q&A With ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Creator Terence Winter
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