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.

Lost/Forgotten Shows: Tru Calling

I just got done watching a marathon on the Sci Fi channel of Tru Calling. For a long time I refused to watch this show because it was the reason why Faith, I mean Eliza Dushku decided not to make a Faith spin-off of Buffy. Eliza wanted to try other opportunities, which apparently resulted in making this series.

The concept is interesting. Tru Davies (played by Dushku) while working at the city morgue realizes she has the ability to talk to dead people. Not like Haley Joel Osmet talking to dead people, more like Pushing Daises talking to dead people, except no touching. The one difference between this mediocre show and Pushing Daises, is that when Tru talks to dead people (well they pretty much talk to her, she just stares at them), the dead person says a message and then Tru and everyone else restart the day. The day begins again and Tru can remember everything that happened the day before (which is technically the current day), but no one else can. Hence, we get a brand new day to prevent the person from dying. whoo!

The writing is boring and the acting is okay, but the premise kept me watching the entire day. I have watched a couple episodes here and there when ever the show has been on, but for some reason today I watched it from start to finish. Well, I pretty much watched the entire first season and all of the second season, well all of the season that was left after Sci Fi stopped airing it earlier. Yes, that means I proceeded to watch this mediocre show on my computer after sitting around watching it all day on the television.

Anyways, the reason I for some reason became invested in the show was because of Jason Priestley's sudden introduction into the series half way through the first season. SPOILER (like you care): Jason's character Jack Harper is the opposing force to Tru's calling (pun) of communicating with the dead. Unlike Tru who helps people live, Jack makes sure they die, ergo we get a villian. Anyone who has an obsession with Brandon Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210 (including wanting to tatoo his face to your body), will understand how crazy it is to see the beloved good guy from West Beverly as a villian. Actually he is the best part of the series. After a while I just wanted to see him screw with people's lives instead of watching Tru save them.

Eliza, I have one question for you: why did you leave Joss for this? I could understand if you were never given the opportunity for your own staring show, but Joss was handing one to you. One with potentially great writing, great acting, and an active fanbase. Well luckily for you, he still thinks you have some attributes. And four years later we get Dollhouse airing January 2009 staring you and created by Joss Whedon (pictured below). In the end, Tru Calling will only be remembered by those who frequent Sci Fi channel during daytime hours or are active disciples of Zach Galifianakis (who suprisingly isn't the funny character on the show), and for that reason Tru Calling is a lost/forgotten show.

Emmy Nominations are out and I am sort of pissed...but not suprised

well here are the major catagories...I will remark about them at a later date:

Outstanding Comedy Series:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Drama Series:
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House MD
Lost
Mad Men

Made for Television Movie:
Bernard and Doris
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
A Raisin in the Sun
Recount

Outstanding Mini-series:
The Andromeda Strain
Cranford
John Adams
Tin Man

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Man Men)
Hugh Laurie (House MD)
James Spader (Boston Legal)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tiny Fey (30 Rock)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures for Old Christine)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Glenn Close (Damages)
Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters)
Mariska Hargitay (L&O: SVU)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a 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)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Ted Danson (Damages)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Zeljko Ivanek (Damages)
William Shatner (Boston Legal)
John Slattery (Mad Men)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
Amy Poehler (SNL)
Jean Smart (Samantha Who?)
Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Candice Bergen (Boston Legal)
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters)
Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
Dianne West (In Treatment)
Chandra Wilson (Grey's Anatomy)

I left out Reality Shows and Miniseries for now, but I am happy the Tin Man was recognized.

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?