Writing Emmy Nods

This is the one category that actually recognizes the greatness of television series. It doesn't just rely on popular programming such as Grey's Anatomy or Two and a Half Men. It realizes that many shows have great writing, even if they are not watched by mainstream audiences.

Outstanding Writing for Comedy Series:
James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie- Flight of the Conchords (episode: "Yoko")
Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky- The Office ("Dinner Party")
Bryan Fuller- Pushing Daisies (episode- "Pie-lette")
Jack Burditt- 30 Rock (episode- "Rosemary's Baby")
Tina Fey- 30 Rock (episode- "Cooter")


I enjoy 30 Rock and The Office keeps me entertained, but there is not surprise for these nominations. I was happy for Bryan Fuller because he deserves to getting recognition for being a great television screenwriter. The ATAS failed to realize the genius coming from Dead Like Me, so at least they have come to their senses and realized that Pushing Daisies is another great from Bryan Fuller.Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement's hilarious nature and obvious genius writing carried Flight of the Conchords for its entire first season. "Yoko" is a great episode about the Yoko-factor, when Jemaine starts to believe a girl named Coco is attempting to break up the band.

I am holding out for these two nods in September, but the Office and 30 Rock will probably prevail again.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:
Michael Angeli- Battlestar Galactica (episode: "Six of One")
Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, Daniel Zelman- Damages (episode: "Get Me A Lawyer")
Matthew Weiner, Robin Veith- Mad Men (episode: "The Wheel")
David Simon, Ed Burns- The Wire (episode: "-30-")


This is finally a category for writing that realized that there are great shows out there that aren't just on network television. First The Wire finally gets recognized in a writing category even though they completely ignored them for Outstanding Drama Series in its last season when it has been one of the best Drama series on television. Also Mad Men continues with its domination in drama categories for this years Emmy nods. First with a nomination for the pilot and another nomination for "The Wheel".

Finally, we have the first writing nomination for Battlestar Galactica. This was one of the things that made me excited about the nominations when they were released. This show has had great writing from the beginning, but ATAS still seems to think that Sci Fi Channel shows should only be nominated in technical categories. Well in your face. This show is good and the writing is amazing. Maybe next year you will realize that the acting is great also.

Top Ten Comedies...Thus said Emmy

Ok, I know the Emmy noms came out yesterday and this entry is like...3 weeks late, but I have been busy and I need to complain about the choices that the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences made for their top ten lists for dramas and comedies. To begin this little adventure, we shall start with the much loved and sometimes unexplainable comedies.

Top 10 Finalists for Best Comedy:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

To begin this rant I will start with the one show I never really understood why it has been a success since its induction into the CBS comedy hour (or is it two hours?). Why the hell do people like Two and a Half Men. Ok, I will admit when it first came on I might have let out a yelp seeing my beloved 1980's New Wave cool dude Duckie, but then I was put in my place when I then realized that Duckie had become a chiropractor. What would Andie say?

The show has its moments like other annoying shows such as scenes with Joey in them from friends and that dog on Fraiser. Other than that, the show is annoying, deals with the same issues constantly (that kid doesnt do his homework, Charlie Sheen sleeps with a lot of women, and Jon Cryer has no life). ATAS, get over this Two and a Half Men obsession and recognize good shows like Flight of the Conchords (good job, no really I am quite suprised), 30 Rock (again great decision), and It's Always Sunny in Philadeplia (I will forgive you this year).

There are even better shows in that CBS Monday line up that deserve that position more than Two and a Half Men, like The Big Bang Theory. Gotta love those theoretical physicist nerds. Or even better, How I Met Your Mother. Neil Patrick Harris is great on that show, along with Willow and Nick Andopolis, I mean Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segal. Charlie Sheen is not funny, Duckie is a sell out, and that kid (does anyone actually know his name?) I think may be getting fatter as the series continues, which I think think might take away the halfness of his manness (?).
The rest of the shows are ok, I guess. Ugly Betty stills annoys me, but its second season is nothing like its first. I wasn't expecting much though. Gotta love marijuana dealing moms on Weeds. But come on, Family Guy? Are you trying to make a statement that cartoons can be great comedies too? I mean, I don't disagree, but you chose Family Guy. Curb Your Enthusiasm is still on the air? Oh yeah! Entourage is still pulling in audiences with mediocre writing, but I still love to watch the show. Turtle makes me chuckle. Good job with Pushing Daises too. Who doesn't love pie, pie shops, and bringin' back people from the dead?

My Favorite Shows Currently On Air

10. Mad Men
I am excited for the premiere of the second season starting in July. This show was an unexpected suprise last summer and carriered on being a great show all the way to the season finale. Who doesn't love the great age of constant smoking and constant drinking of the 1960s. Yes women were only secretaries and men were total douche bag misogynists, but Mad Men doesn't shy from showing the viewer exactly what life was like in the advertizing world in 1960s. I was like a show that doesn't try to avoid political incorrectness.


9. No Reservations
Anthony Bourdain I love you. Who wouldn't love a bad ass chef who travels the world and has a great time doing it. I watch a lot of shows on the travel channel (I love you too Samantha Brown), but Anthony rocks them all with his carefree attitude and constant reckless adventures. New Season starting in two weeks and I can't wait.

8. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Pretty much Seinfeld in a bar and more funny. The episodic nature of the show is what pulls you in. You don't have to watch the entire season to know what is happening in each episode (but I would still recommend watching the entire season). The writers of this show, who are also the actors, don't shy away from any issue regardless of its taboo nature. It just finished up its third season with the addition of Danny Devito joining the acting cast.





7. Top Chef
As someone who can't cook this show makes me want to get up and go make something. As much as I would like to do that, I know that isn't going to happen, but we can wish. Each season is pretty much the same, but I still love it. Bravo and their professional job shows are great. I like reality television that has actual accomplished chefs competing and not the shitty ones that are on Hell's kitchen.

6. The L Word
Ahh, who doesn't love the L Word. Probably my guilty pleasure, but the show is great. It is Sex and the City with Lesbians (what could be better?). Going into its 6th and final season I will miss the girls of West Hollywood and their sex obsessed selves. Besides, we know we will all miss Shane. From beginning to end, I think I can only name one bad season ( erm ..4).



5. Friday Night Lights
This was one of the best shows to air for the 2006 Fall lineup but still people don't watch it. It is about football, but the show is excellently written and the direction is amazing. I don't think NBC knew how to market it and that was why the show never really got the audience it deserved. The show is on hiatus write now and will air in the fall on some obscure cable channel. Then NBC is going to try to air it on regular programming again in January.

4. Torchwood
Never had a show been so unbashful about homosexuality. Yes pretty much the entire cast has had a homosexual experience, but that isn't the focus of the show. Focuses on the Doctor Who organization Torchwood that investigates alien activity on Earth. The Characters have so much depth and the writing is great. Also any show that brings in James Marsters as a guest star (aka Spike from Buffy/Angel) has my vote. Also British television is so much more risque than American, and who doesn't love a Welsh accent.





3. Battlestar Galactica
Who ever though a Military Space Show would be so addicting. Just finishing the first half of its fourth season, the show just keeps you pulled in as Galactica trys to find the mysterious Earth. Every year the Academy of Television Arts ignores BSG for its top ten drama list, but it still have one of the biggest cult followings of modern science fiction. Now going into its second half of the fourth and final season, we will all be excited to see whats in store for the crew of Galactica. After its done, what the frack are we gonna do then?

2. Flight of the Conchords
After an amazing and hilarious first season, HBO scored it big for this eccentric comedy. About two guys from New Zealand who sing in a band, Flight of the Conchords has pleased fans and critics alike. With a second season starting soon, Flight of the Conchords is still flying high after last weeks Emmy top shows list came out with Flight of the Conchords suprisingly (and well deservedl) gitting a spot on the top ten comedies of the year list.





1. Doctor Who
The fourth season finale is on Saturday and with the major cliffhanger they left me with last week, it looks like it is going to be amazing. If you haven't seen this show you are either not british or not really into sci fi. Well too bad. Because you really don't have to be into either to enjoy it and get addicted like every other whoniverse follower. Space travel had never been so much fun since the introduction of the tenth doctor. He better not be regenerated after last week's cliffhanger!