The TV Zone

Now this is officially confusing: The Emmys are now back on the 20th.

(But stay tuned - they could be changed again.)

CBS just announced. They had been moved up to the 13th by the network - very early, per tradition - but....

Well, let CBS explain:

"After we announced plans for September 13, MTV informed us they were locked into the same day for the Video Music Awards, with venue and sponsorship agreements in place. We had the flexibility to move; they didn't," said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music & Live Events, CBS Entertainment. "It's best for the industry and the audience that these events not compete against each other. Huge thanks to the Television Academy and Don Mischer for quickly moving mountains to make this happen. If the Emmy broadcast has as much excitement as the scheduling of the date, viewers are in for an unforgettable event."

"We appreciate CBS and the Television Academy taking on the mammoth task of moving such a huge event as the Emmy's to accommodate the Video Music Awards. Now audiences will get to experience two phenomenal nights of entertainment," said Stephen Friedman, General Manager of MTV.

Yes, as suspected: No one cared much that "Mad Men" was the front-runner to take home the bacon last night.

The three-hour Emmy telecast was seen by a mere 12.2 million viewers.

You know you've got problems when "America's Got Talent" regularly scores considerably higher.

I don't know how this stacks up in the history of the awards telecasts, that once upon a time, easily drew more than twenty million viewers without breaking a sweat. But I'm going to stick my neck way out here and say: This was the lowest-viewed in history.

In fact, I'm told now that it IS the lowest ever by a HAIR. Last night's number was 12.241 million, and Fox's 1990 telecast was the previous record-holder at 12.303 million. Now this could all change, albeit slightly, when the nationals come in tomorrow, but right now, it looks like we've got a world record.

Meanwhile, ABC attached this modifier to the press release, which I submit for your own perusal. My only qualification to this: It's hard to imagine people rushing home tonight saying, "boy I gotta watch the Emmys! Heard the reality hosts were great!" In fact, the Live plus 7 number will be negligible, I imagine, also because this is premiere week.

"A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 27% currently, from 19% at the same point in 2007. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen."

Of course, what would a post-Emmys day be without a post-Emmys awards show on TV Zone - a scurrilous and unvarnished bestowing of that which is so richly deserved unto to those who so richly deserve it. Here goes:


The "What in God's Name Were We Thinking" Citation to...The five reality show hosts. An opening so bad as to defy description, so lame as to befuddle commentary, so long as to render the meaning of time meaningless.

The Why's SHE/HE Here Award: Oprah. Every year someone turns up and their only purpose is to stop people from reaching for the remote. Oprah was in the designated role, and the poor lady was handed a script that said something about how tough times were in the the poor underpaid world of television, while hastily adding that - yeah, in the rest of the world too. Good to know.

The Dumb, Dumb, and Dumber Decision Award: To, the Academy, for refusing to allow political commentary. You ask Tom Smothers to a show to receive a special writing award, and of course, Smothers is arguably the single biggest symbol of quashed political speech there is on TV, insofar as he and Dickie were fired forty years ago for getting Bill Paley in a raging knot over the subject? And one of the reasons you're giving this award is to sorta certify that long-ago ban? And yet you tell everyone they can't say anything political? I suspect the Academy feared it'd get a Palin reference, or GWB whack, every third or so acceptance speech, culminating with a frothy-mouthed denunciation of the last eight years from Alec Baldwin. But the Emmys also usually have a self-regulating mechanism in place, in which the first anti-GWB rip meets with polite applause and modest laughter, and the second, a little less so. The third? Stony silence, meaning, "shut the hell up and get off the stage so we can get outta here." Smothers still got in his veiled - and perfectly obvious - swipe, and the audience mostly just sat on their hands. And Colbert's prune gag? That too was obvious, but got actually some laughs.

The Uh-Oh-This-Could-be-a-Long-Night Award to Jeremy Piven: Not because he didn't deserve to win, but because he DID win, once again proving at Emmy time that there's no such thing as too much awarding. Go ahead! Give the guy another statue and forget all the other poor saps who did pretty good work too. Even James Spader musta been thinking, "God, please, anybody but ME AGAIN!!!" Bryan Cranston's victory was a very pleasing reminder that sometimes surprises actually break out at the Emmys.

The "It Seemed Like a Good Idea on Paper" Award to: Josh Groban. And indeed it did, until he got to the "South Park" song and was forced to go up a couple octaves, making the rest of the routine a parody, which I guess it pretty much was. Much better to have juggled a few classics, and leave it at that. Believe me - Matt and Trey wouldn't have minded being left out.

Bryan Cranston?

Are you telling me Hal - Hal!! - just won best actor in a drama, for "Breaking Bad," which is a series on AMC that I'm pretty certain is watched by fewer people than "Mad Men?"

Hal: Nice nerdy repressed Hal, of "Malcolm in the Middle," who went on to the manufacture or crystal meth and engaged in various murderous activities, in another show entirely?

Yes, strange the ways of primetime TV. I've watched "Breaking Bad" a few times, but wouldn't come close to describing myself as conversant on "BB" - far from it. I'm still thinking Bryan Cranston is in "Mac in the Middle," which was cancelled (like) five years ago, so you can see how far I have to go to catch up.

Personally, I'm happy for Hal. (The years of abuse on "Mac.") But enough of that: Cranston's a terrific journeyman actor, who finally got his due last night, and you don't see that happen often on the Emmys. Usually it's someone the critics have designated (or whom the Emmy voters then promptly ignore.) Cranston's so far out in left field, he's up in the stands (the upper levels.) He's been an actor on this medium for more than a quarter century, with his very first credited role - a bit part - on "CHiPS" (someone named "Billy Joe") and almost a hundred parts large and small since then. Cranston's one of those actors that everyone in the business knows and respects - but few viewers (other than "Mac" fans) can place.

Last night changed all that.

AMC - which had a pretty good night too - has a series of clips on "Breaking Bad," narrated by creator Vince Gilligan; a good place to catch up on the show and its star. I've posted a couple that are worth watching, below.

Plus go to the jump to read the review of this show by my colleague Diane Werts. She was the first to come out and say just how good this guy is, and was the first and perhaps only one to (in effect) make the right call last night.

Continue reading "The Emmys: Bryan Cranston (??!!)" »

That post below about "Boston Legal?" (Fine show, that, and I hear its last season is upon us...)

Forget about it.

I was wrong, but I was also playing devil's advocate, which is another way of saying: I didn't mean any of it.

Don't you just love bloggers who are full of it?

"Man Men" won best drama at the 60th annual Primetime Emmys. "Mad Men" should have won best drama. It would have been an Emmys crime - piled upon many over the past 60 years (notably and most egregiously, at least of recent vintage, the absolute kiss-off of "The Wire," which didn't even win its one, single, solitary, little nomination last night.)

But that's another rant for another day. "Man Men" shoulda won, and just to prove to you that I've been carrying the show's water for weeks, months...here's my most recent story in Newsday on the show, just last week.

If you can stand to read one more thing about "MM" go to the jump. If not - and believe me, I understand - then I have another post coming up with third thoughts, this time about Bryan Cranston.

Continue reading "The Emmys: On Second Thought" »

The Big winner?...Read on...

We have what you've been waiting for right here: My own predictions of who/what will win this year's 60th Annual Emmys.

But first, fair warning: Do not take this list to your local bookie and place a bet; this could be right, or this could very well be wrong. I'm playing devil's advocate in a few cases here (see if you can guess which ones.) Reason? These lists from critics every season confidently predict who they'd really LIKE to win, and not necessarily who they THINK should win. The result - a yawning disconnect come awards time, a gnashing of teeth about how the Academy voters screwed up again, and so forth. I oughta know - I'm guilty of it too.

So this time, a departure: I'm gonna try to get inside the heads of voters themselves. Do I think "Mad Men" will win Best Drama tonight? Probably, but it's not what I think that matters; it's how the voters vote. Here are some alternate theories:

DRAMA SERIES:

"Boston Legal," ABC
"Damages," FX
"Dexter," Showtime
"House," Fox
"Lost," ABC
"Mad Men," AMC

(Upset! Yes, I fear "Mad Men" may not win this, for a couple reasons. It's far too low-rated, and TV's biggest awards show likes to reward shows with big numbers; hence, there's an inherent bias against "MM," even though it is the best of the field. I think the Academy is filled with a bunch of sentimental softies, and they'll wanna reward David Kelley and his last big show as it enters its last half-season, plus they love Spader, and Shatner, and..."Lost?" A magnificent season, but I really am not sure it'll pull one out here. Another strike against "Mad Men:" Producers/distributors Lions Gate and AMC; I doubt they have a lot of voting members...)

COMEDY SERIES:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO
"Entourage," HBO
"The Office," NBC
"30 Rock," NBC
"Two and a Half Men," CBS

(The Academy loves repeats and threepeast in this category...)

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"

(They love four-peats too, but I honestly think Spader won't walk out with a fourth one - that WOULD be embarrassing.)

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

(Certainly my own personal fave, but don't count out Mariska!)

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

(Medical issues gets the sympathy vote; plus, she was very good.)

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

(I've given up trying to figure out this category, so I'll just go with the obvious choice; I suspect the voters did as well.)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

(A great category, and I'm just spit-balling here; any of these could/should get the win, and I actually like Harris's chances a lot; I just think that tie goes to the guy who's established a precedent...)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Ted Danson, "Damages"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"

(Another insanely competitive category, but Shat is so beloved, and "BL" is so over, and I can't imagine him not getting it...)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"
Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

(Honestly, Chandra was only OK, it seems to me in an OK season, but the Academy probably feels it's gotta take care of "GA" in one of the major categories; Oh had a better season, but not quite the big emotional arc that Chandra did, so...)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

(Comedy series? The Academy bent ever so slightly the rules, I imagine, to get Amy into this cat.; she had a great season, and a memorable one. Plus...it's over!)

This...?????

Or....this???????

Or, too much of THIS???????

Do they allow drinking during the Emmy judging panel sessions? You know - with bottles of Grey Goose, or maybe just Popov, set up conveniently, and prominently, around the table? How else to explain what seems to be going on in Beverly Hills right now, with the Emmy judges passing judgment on the dramas that will be selected for distinction this September?

I was amused, then appalled, by this report from Goldderby.com, that reliable Emmy watcher hosted and run by Tom O'Neil. This morning from the battlefield front lines, Tom writes:

"So far Gold Derby has received two trusty spy reports from Emmy judges who participated in the voting panels conducted on Saturday at the TV academy and the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Both agree that four shows have an excellent chance to be nominated for best drama series: 'Boston Legal,' 'Damages,' 'House' and 'Mad Men.' However, the judges differ radically on what the fifth show may be plus disagree on general reax to submissions by 'The Wire,' 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Lost.'"

"Differ radically?"

Are they drunk?

Or insane?

How can anyone - seriously - sit around a table and "differ radically" over whether "Wire" or "Lost" is better or worse than "Grey's Anatomy?" This - after they just ushered "Boston Legal" into the final round?

As always, I'm jumping to conclusions. Tom's spies may have been the ones tipping from the Popov jug, and got all this wrong. When the finalists are announced mid-July, we will see "Wire," "Lost," "Mad Men," "House," and "Damages" (though I still think "Friday Night Lights" shoulda/coulda been a finalist...)

We'll see. But this is Emmy, and...

After years of Emmy ignominy, "The Wire" appears poised to get a Best Drama Emmy nomination when awards are announced July 17.

How do we know this? Because in an unusual move, the Emmys Thursday night announced drama and comedy finalists, or -- as Emmy put it -- the "top ten vote-getters." The so-called blue-ribbon panel screenings of these vote-getters takes place on June 28 and 29. Then? I'll let Emmy explain: "The results of those panels, who will watch and judge the work of each finalist, represent 50 percent of the vote. Both results will be averaged together to come up with our five nominees in each category . . ."

But I'm burying my lede. You are dying to find out what the other shows are. Dying . . . and I'm delaying here, or to use a fancy word, temporizing, just to build the excitement, anticipation, thrills.

Oh, for Chrissakes, Gay, will you please open the damn envelop.

Without further temporizing, dear friends, herewith the list -- ta dum. (Quickie analysis to follow.)

Top 10 Comedy Series Finalists

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

Top 10 Drama Series Finalists

Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

Quickie analysis

Comedies: No "Desperate Housewives" in comedy? After a pretty good season? This crop looks strong, but I'm befuddled by "Family Guy;" I must be missing something but after 20 years, the greatest show in TV history, "Simpsons", couldn't crack this list because it was animated, and had to settle for that silly and insignificant "animated" category. Why does "FG" earn a bye here? Meanwhile, glad to see "Weeds" which deserved to be here before (but you know Emmy!) and absolutely thrilled to see "Californication" is not. Thanks God, this isn't the Golden Globes. What should be on the final list? "Weeds," "Rock," "Men," "Conchords," "Office."

Dramas: What sticks outta this list like a broken thumb (swollen to 10 times its size?) You are correct, sir / madame! "Grey's," which belongs on this about as much as "One Tree Hill;" in fact, "Hill" has more right to be here than "Grey's," which had a stinky season. (Just ask Kate Heigl!) Of course my heart is gladdened by the fact that "Lost" is here. What should be on the final list? "The Wire," "Mad Men," "Lost," "Friday Night Lights" (hmmmm), and "Damages."