Monday, August 28, 2006

58th Annual Emmy Awards

Earlier in this blog I expressed my displeasure at the nominations for this year's Emmy Awards. And while I am still unhappy that shows that deserved to be nominated in various categories were not (Lost and Entourage), I am somewhat happy with the way the 58th Emmy Awards turned out given the circumstances.

Indeed, I am still unhappy that Lost was not even nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. And given that it was not even nominated, I do think House should have won. That having been said, I cannot protest too much over 24 taking the award. Besides House, it was the series which deserved to win the award the most that was nominated. And while I am still unhappy that Entourage was not nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, I am happy that The Office did win. Currently it is the best comedy on the networks, in my humble opinion.

Here I should correct an error that I had made in my earlier post on the Emmy nominations. I said that Jeremy Piven had not been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series. Well, it turns out he that not only had he, but he also won! This makes me happy. Entourage is the best comedy on television right now and much of the reason the series is so good is indeed Piven's performance as slimey agent Ari. As to the other wins in the actor categories, I am very happy that Mariska Hargitay won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series, for two reasons. First, Hargitay is easily one of the best actresses in televison and she does well in a difficult role. Second, I was worried that Geena Davis might win for Commander in Chief. Quite simply, I do not believe she should have even been nominated as she wasn't even suited for the role and hardly convicing in it. As to Alan Alda winning the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, I think he deserved it. The role seems so utterly unlike Alda in real life, yet he was totally convincing in it.

I am unhappy that Lost, well, lost the award for Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series, although I am happy that The Sopranos beat Grey's Anatomy (which actually had two episodes nominated in this category, even the show didn't deserve to be nominated for any Emmys). I would have also preferred that Lost took the award for Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series, although I cannot complain too loudly about 24 taking it. After all, the direction on 24 is actually one of its strongpoints.

One thing that I must say that I am very happy about. Even though it received a ton of nominations, Grey's Anatomy did not win even one. I have said it before and I will say it again. Grey's Anatomy is simply a soap opera masquerading as a medical drama. It has absolutely no originality and adds absolutely nothing to the genre of medical dramas. I am still bumfuddled as to how it has become so popular and really stupefied as to how it received as many Emmy nominations as it did.

Anyhow, given that there were shows that were not even nominated in categories that they should have been, I cannot say I am wholly unhappy with this year's Emmys. Some shows that have long deserved recogniton got it (24 and, at least with regards to Jeremy Piven, Entourage), some younger shows that deserve recognition also got it (The Office), and in most of the categories the best nominee did indeed win. It is not often that happens at the Emmys.

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