Category Archives: Emmy Awards

June 8, 2007 · 11:00 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actresses – Elizabeth Mitchell and Melora Hardin

[In Week Two of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actress awards in both drama and comedy. Today, we present our first set of candidates. For last week’s Supporting Actor candidates, and an index of all candidates, Click Here]

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet)

Lost

We first met Elizabeth Mitchell’s Juliet at the beginning of season three, as she became Jack’s all-purpose wrangler if you will. She brought him sandwiches, she played him Bob Dylan-style video tapes in an attempt to seize control, and she assisted in surgeries despite only being a fertility specialist. Throughout that six-episode mini-arc, this was all we knew about Juliet. Mitchell’s portrayal was certainly strong, but the character was just another Other as far as we could tell. However, with “Not in Portland” (The first episode back from hiatus), Juliet was thrust into the centre of the Others’ history, and Mitchell was up to the task. Throughout the remainder of the season, she became an intricate and powerful part of this ensemble, and at season’s end she was still as complicated and engaging as ever. Much like Michael Emerson, Mitchell had an incredibly tough task ahead of her. And, like Emerson, she stepped up to the plate with a performance worthy of Emmy consideration.

Juliet could have been a fairly mediocre character in the wrong hands. She has been used as a disruptive influence in the relationship between Jack and Kate, and became “the other woman” to the castaways as well when Jack brought her back to camp following their adventures. And yet, Mitchell always managed to create a character that we outwardly liked, even when they were doing somewhat evil things. When we learned that she was still working for Ben as she took Sun to the medical hatch, we as viewers wanted it to be false, wanted there to be some kind of explanation. Mitchell’s portrayal made us want to like her, something that could have been difficult considering who the Others are.

This season of Lost was all about humanizing the Others, providing them a perspective on this island. Without performance like Mitchell’s, I think the Others might have remained faceless villains, incapable of becoming part of the show’s mythology. Juliet became someone we outwardly liked through a complex back story, a relatable situation trapped between two sides, and by never completely showing her cards. The show asked a lot of Mitchell, and she stepped up every single time. I was never bored with Juliet, and I’m not sure I will ever be. Elizabeth Mitchell is now an integral part of Lost’s ensemble, and her ability to weave Juliet into the show’s complicated storyline is Emmy worthy.

Episode Selection: “One of Us” (Aired April 11th, 2007)

Juliet’s second episode worth of back story, One of Us is a tumultuous journey through her time on the island, coinciding with her present struggle to become part of the culture at the beach. It is a fantastic portrayal from Mitchell that gives her a wide range of scenes that would pull any Emmy voter into her direction. She has so many that I had an incredibly tough time picking just one. Her nervousness before she heads to the island? Her breakdown after yet another woman dies during childbirth? Her smackdown of Sayid and Sawyer as she gather the medical equipment? All of them are noteworthy, but the one I must showcase is where she confronts Ben about his tumour. He had promised to cure her sister of cancer, and yet he has it himself: Juliet is unpleased, and Mitchell’s portrayal is honest and just fantastic. This is an acting tour de force, and it cannot be ignored.

YouTube – “One of Us”

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Melora Hardin (Jan Levinson)

The Office

I believe that one of the greatest disservices of this television season was the character homicide of Jan Levinson on NBC’s The Office. After three seasons worth of strong, subtle performance from Melora Hardin, she was turned into a boob joke and a serious case of the crazies. While it provided some comedy, sure, what was always entertaining about Jan was how she walked the line between neurotic mess and corporate role model. Her relationship with Michael was her trying something new, trying to find stability where there was none. If she was the comedic form of humpty dumpty, she had a great fall at the end of the season. But, I hope that Emmy voters will be able to remember how to put Melora Hardin’s subtle and entertaining comic performance back together when it is time to submit their ballots.

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June 7, 2007 · 5:18 pm

‘For Your Consideration: Jericho’ Page Now Open

Just a heads up to my regular blog readers: I’ve officially opened the For Your Consideration: Jericho page I have alluded to in far too many previous posts (I’m a whore for the email link recently, apparently).

For Your Consideration: Jericho
https://memles.wordpress.com/jerichoemmys

If you want to submit something, or think that another show might deserve a similar page, send me off an email…well, I won’t post it again, but it’s in the upper right hand corner for those interested.

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June 7, 2007 · 11:00 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Terry O’Quinn and Michael Urie

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our last, and seventh, set of candidates. Tomorrow, we’ll begin looking at Supporting Actresses. For all Supporting Actor candidates, Click Here]

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Terry O’Quinn (John Locke)

Lost

I’ve saved Terry O’Quinn until the end not because I don’t know what to say, but rather because it almost feels unnecessary to say it. After unjustly losing the Emmy two years ago, Terry O’Quinn has unfortunately gone unrecognized for his role as John Locke, and in a way it makes sense. The 2nd season wasn’t a big one for Locke, as he lacked a true defining moment. It was more of a general pattern, his obsession with the Hatch being a long, drawn out affair as opposed to a single emotional moment. However, I will make no excuses for the Emmys or any other awards show when it comes to the coming awards season. Because, when it comes to supporting performances, no character had a bigger episode this season than John Locke, and no actor stepped up to the plate like Terry O’Quinn. And for that, my friends, Terry O’Quinn deserves an Emmy.

This season, Locke was given the opportunity to finally reconnect with the island, the very thing that had so tempted him in the first season when he stumbled upon the hatch. Without that hatch to rely upon, Locke was asked to step up to the plate and lead his people after Eko’s untimely death. The result of this was Locke regaining his faith, of sorts, from Eko’s scripture-laden stick, and sending him on a journey to find the Flame Station, the Others’ compound, a certain submarine, a magic box, a gruesome task, a fateful journey, a mysterious encounter, a near fatal shooting, a visitor from his past, and a final plea to Jack to not allow outsiders to enter the sacred island he now calls home. That journey, taking place in the second portion of the season, hearkened back to the Season One Locke we knew and loved.

And O’Quinn was right back with it. Don’t call it a comeback for O’Quinn, though, because he was just as solid in the second season as he was here. However, the content of each season can’t be compared: whereas Locke became marginal in season two, he was the centre of attention in season three. And O’Quinn rose to the occasion, never backing down from a challenge and marking some memorable exchanges with Sayid, with Jack, and with the leader of the others, Ben. At all times, O’Quinn played Locke like the man of faith again, the man who believes when others don’t and, perhaps, might just be onto something. Lost wouldn’t be the same without Locke, and the Emmy Awards will not be the same without Terry O’Quinn. They made a mistake two years ago, and it’s time they made it up to him.

Episode Selection: “The Man From Tallahassee” (Aired March 21st, 2007)

In Season One, Terry O’Quinn should have won that emmy for Walkabout, the episode where we learned he had previously been in a wheelchair (One of the show’s best reveals, perhaps only topped by this season’s finale). In Season Two, O’Quinn was at his finest when sparring with Henry Gale, the prisoner in the hatch who we later learned was the leader of The Others. The Man from Tallahassee takes these two elements (Locke’s past paralyzation and his confrontations with Ben) and puts them into the same episode. The result is a philosophical and powerful hour of television that wraps itself around the island as a character, Locke’s journey, and most importantly: we finally learn how Locke lost the use of his legs. It is perhaps the final chapter in Locke’s journey, that final piece of the puzzle, and Terry O’Quinn knocked it out of the park. If this performance isn’t worthy of an Emmy, I don’t know what is.

YouTube – “The Man from Tallahassee”

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Michael Urie (Marc)

Ugly Betty

After watching the pilot for Ugly Betty, I felt that the show was far too vindictive. At that time, the various intricacies of the show were tossed aside in favour of fish out of water at its finest. The staff at Mode magazine were downright mean to hapless, unfortunately dressed Betty, and the result was that they all became instant villains from that moment onwards. And, thus, it is to the show’s credit that they managed to take these people and turn them into human beings who we empathize with on a weekly basis. One of those individuals is Wilhelmina’s flamboyant and biting secretary Marc, and Michael Urie’s portrayal of the character has managed to turn heartless into heartfelt. In a show that has transformed itself along with its titular heroine, Urie’s performance is absolutely part of that reason, and for it he deserved to be considered for an Emmy Award.

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June 6, 2007 · 2:25 pm

In Review: ‘Save Jericho’ In Retrospect

For people who haven’t been following this story, or perhaps want to revisit what Cultural Learnings has had to say in the past, I’d like to bring attention to a few past stories that still have some resonance considering today’s news regarding the show’s imminent midseason pickup.

For Your Consideration: Jericho and the Emmys – In Retrospect

Now, more than ever, this plan is the best step forward for this movement. With the priority now being building buzz around this show, garnering an Emmy nomination or two for the series is definitely the right tactic and something that everyone should be involved in. I’ll likely be posting the initial FYC page for the series at some point over the next few days using the fan input I’ve received thus far (To send your own, email it to cultural.learnings @ gmail.com).

A Word of Warning to ‘Save Jericho’ – In Retrospect

This article, the 2nd I wrote on the subject, has proven to be just as relevant as it was when I posted it. At the time, my general tone was that a 2nd season would not be brought back without changes, and that this could mean the loss of some of the show’s key elements. And, according to sources, this might just happen.

While CBS has contract options on most of the show’s leads, the reduced order would also probably include a reduced budget and, in turn, a reduced regular cast. In addition, many of the show’s writers have already migrated to other shows, including season one showrunner Carol Barbee, now serving in a similar capacity on another CBS midseason drama, “Swingtown.

These types of changes were to be expected. However, what effect will they really have? A smaller regular cast makes sense, but it also changes where producers may have been going with core storylines. This won’t make too much difference, of course, when you consider that many of the producers might well have, like Barbee, headed off to different shows. It is going to be a balancing act, and Jericho fans need to hope for the best as to its outcome.

If Jericho is Renewed, What Timeslot is Best? – In Retrospect

Well, it appears it is going to be renewed and will arrive at some point in midseason (Could be earlier if another show bombs, but then it would need to go on hiatus during Christmas). So, where do we put it? Suggestions at the time seemed to be fairly certain that 9pm would be best, but there is no certainty as to what night would be preferable. This is one issue that won’t be resolved for a while, but one that will be incredibly important for the show’s future.

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June 6, 2007 · 10:14 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Harve Presnell and John Pyper-Ferguson

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our sixth set of candidates. For all candidates, Click Here]

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Harve Presnell (Lew Steziak)

Andy Barker, P.I.

Not very many people watched Andy Barker P.I. It’s understandable: this midseason replacement came and went with only four airings in its timeslot on Thursday nights. Facing Grey’s Anatomy and CSI, the show failed to gain any ratings traction and never became a watercooler success. It is therefore somewhat unfortunate that the performance of Harve Presnell as Lew Steziak, a cranky old man who has long retired from the private eye business but finds himself being dragged back in. I don’t know what it is about Presnell’s performance, but he manages to capture jaded old man so very well without falling too far into senility. His performance is exactly what I’d like to become when I’m older: cantankerous, grumpy, angry, and yet aware that I could be less angry. And, while he’s certainly a long shot, I think that Presnell at least needs to be considered.

It’s not even that Presnell had a huge dramatic moment, or that he had the most hilarious line possible. He just had this way about him, this delivery, that continually brought something unique to this comedy. Although only airing for six episodes, the show created many unique characters who made up quite the team, but I think I’d most like to meet a real life Lew Steziak, in the flesh. I would put the performance up there with an acting master class by any means, but from a comic perspective I think Presnell brings just the right amount of everything to the role. And, well, I can’t really expect much better than that from a 74-year old, can I? Not likely.

Episode Selection: “The Lady Varnishes”

In this episode, perhaps the wittiest of the show’s takeoffs of old murder mystery films (The Lady Vanishes), this episode features Amy Sedaris as a one-legged (She has a wooden leg, which she varnishes) as a long lost love of Lew’s. It’s a cute episode, and Presnell is good in it with Ed Asner as his arch nemesis as well. However, Andy Barker isn’t big on the YouTube. So, head over to NBC.com to watch the complete episode, and enjoy this clip of Presnell from the hit musical “Paint Your Wagon”.

YouTube – “Paint Your Wagon”

Supporting Actor in a Drama

John Pyper-Ferguson (Joe Whedon)

Brothers & Sisters

Brothers & Sisters is a show about an extended family dealing with the death of its patriarch and all of its other problems. This family is a bloody mess, and they all know it. As a result, I always feel the worst for those who chose to be a part of it. They married these people, and found that they had married into a crazy house. As a result, I also feel the most for these actors who have to react in a natural fashion to the problems that this situation creates. And, as a result, I have chosen to highlight John Pyper-Ferguson, who plays Sarah Walker’s husband Joe, for Emmy consideration.

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June 5, 2007 · 10:45 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – John C. McGinley and Zach Gilford

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our fifth set of candidates. For all candidates, Click Here]

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox)

Scrubs

John C. McGinley really never gets a fair shake when Emmy time rolls around. Dr. Cox, the character he portrays on NBC’s Scrubs, is hilariously funny through most of the episodes, but he is at his best when the series demands dramatic material from him. When Dr. Cox just a few seasons ago lost three cancer patients due to an infection that he missed, he sunk into a deep depression from which he was unable to escape. When his best friend and brother-in-law passed away, he went through an entire episode imagining him to be there, leading him through his life and making up for mistakes along the way. These episodes were touching, emotionally powerful…but not comic. And, as a result, he has struggled in this category. Well, this season lacked such a poignant moment for the character, but I still believe that he is an unsung hero that should be considered for an Emmy nomination.

What Dr. Cox does so well is to basically serve as the sarcastic doctor, a mentor who has not yet become so jaded as to refuse to mentor others, and as someone who is always there to call J.D. girl’s names and let his opinion be known. I’ve written in the past about how I feel Scrubs hasn’t aged well (If I haven’t, I’ll have to do so when the show premieres in September), but I think that McGinley has magically overcome this problem. While other characters seem to spin in circles, McGinley seems to be able to navigate a fairly interesting path for his character even though his brand of humour can often be the most stereotypical.

That sense of humour, however, remains fresh. His long-winded rants about J.D. and others’ incompetence, his refusal to become part of the personal lives of the doctors around him, and his general sarcasm all make him funny and entertaining, while he remains able to humanize himself through his own life with two kids, an ex-wife who he hates and loves at the same time, and an inner heart of gold. McGinley never seems to get lost in the character, or lost in the other characters’ inability to mature over six seasons. McGinley, as the most consistent character in the show’s ensemble, deserves to be recognized more than its lead, who often sits back and watches as McGinley berates him with aplomb. And that, my friends, is why John C. McGinley deserves serious Emmy attention for his comic performance.

Episode Selection: “My House” (Airdate: January 4th, 2007)

Now, I don’t know if I would have selected this episode myself (It is somewhat lacking in some of Dr. Cox’s best qualities), but the premise behind the episode is one that could affect Emmy voters. Faced with two medical mysteries (Four if you count Carla and Eliot’s problems), Dr. Cox becomes the NBC equivalent of House. This quasi-crossover appeal should engage voters, and there are some strong moments for the character, but I think that the episode is just a bit too dull. Hugh Laurie’s performance of House is brilliantly comic within a dramatic setting. Here, McGinley is understated in a show that values absurdist comedy (Too often, to be honest). As a result, I think it won’t gain traction as a comic performance…but stranger things have happened. Via YouTube, here is his final diagnostic, House style.

YouTube – “My House”

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen)

Friday Night Lights

When I wrote a review of the Friday Night Lights pilot, I classified Matt Saracen as something akin to a contrived cliché in character form. Backup quarterback, never played a game in his life, throws footballs through a tire, takes care of his ailing grandmother, and in a moment of tragedy he is forced to step up and put the weight of an entire town on his shoulders. Within the context of the pilot, it was certainly a cliché series of events. However, what I did not realize at the time was that the show was also asking for a lot of weight to be placed on Zach Gilford’s shoulders, and much as his character led the Dillon Panthers to State so too did Gilford take this character and portray him as a real teenager, with real anxiety, and with real heart. And even in his understated fashion, without a single breakout scene to blow Emmy voters away, this young actor absolutely deserves to be considered this award season.

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June 4, 2007 · 11:00 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Rainn Wilson and Jack Coleman

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our fourth set of candidates. For all candidates, Click Here]

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Rainn Wilson (Dwight)

The Office

While sentimental types might support John Krasinki’s Jim, it is Rainn Wilson’s Dwight that remains, and will always remain, the show’s supporting comic center. Jim’s pranks may initiate the laughs, but it is always Dwight reaction that gives me the most enjoyment. The fact that Rainn Wilson wasn’t nominated last year despite the utterly fantastic work in “Dwight’s Speech” is outrageous, and therefore it is only fitting that he be given a shot at an Emmy this year.

Without Dwight, The Office would not function the way it currently does. Michael would be infinitely less funny if he didn’t have someone hanging off of his every word. Jim would be a juvenile prankster if Dwight’s reactions weren’t so funny that we forget about the idiocy of it all. And, in those moments where Dwight is asked to step up to the plate and be his own starring character, he knocks them out of the park. His relationship with Angela has always been played subtlely, and it is often one of the show’s best qualities.

Rainn Wilson always brings a quality to the character that makes him more likable than he really should be; while there is no question Dwight is a decent guy at his core, Wilson always ensures that we see that just enough to make it work. Whether he’s trying to capture a bat, trying to take over the Office, or actually succeeding in doing so, Dwight is always played with just the right amount of nerdiness, naivety, and gusto. A scene-stealer in every possible way, Rainn Wilson deserves credit for bringing Dwight to the screen each week with an Emmy Nomination.

Episode Selection: “The Job” (Airdate: May 17th, 2007)

Currently, Wilson’s episode entry is the early-season episode “The Coup,” nominated for a Writer’s Guild Award. While a decent episode, and featuring some solid Dwight comedy, it doesn’t work as well for me as the recent season finale as the highlight of Dwight’s absurdity and humanity. “The Job” features Dwight finally having his dream come true: Michael appoints him boss, and he gets to run The Office his own way. Even though I have some problems with the way the season finale played out, Dwight’s part in it was indicative of some of the character’s best qualities, and Rainn Wilson knocked it out of the park. While individual Dwight moments certainly resonate more than any single episode, this one certainly brought a lot to the table for the character comedically. The Coup certainly has more of a character arc, but the hour-long finale has more overall moments for voters to remember.

YouTube – “The Job”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Jack Coleman (Mr. Bennet)

Heroes

Although the academy will not be handing out awards based on an entire season’s work, the journey of Jack Coleman over the span of this past year has been one of the most intriguing in all of television. Introduced as a shadowy villain without a name, Noah Bennet quickly became a conflicted father, a reluctant conspirator and, eventually, a hero in his own right. When we finally learned his first name in the show’s season finale, one felt that a real arc had been created: this person who we barely knew but 22 episodes ago was now perhaps the character we knew the best. And it is Jack Coleman’s portrayal of this character that makes him deserving of Emmy Award recognition.

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June 3, 2007 · 11:02 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Jack McBrayer and Dominic Monaghan

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our third set of candidates. For all candidates, Click Here]

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Jack McBrayer (Kenneth the Page)

30 Rock

Kenneth the Page is perhaps one of the simplest characters in all of television. A lowly NBC page for the cast of the fictional The Girlie Show, Kenneth believes in the power of television and little else. We see glimpses of him talking to his skeletal mother, we see moments of absolute naivety, and on occasion his innocence can seem quite exaggerated. And yet, what we originally believed was cluelessness was actually just a different perspective, simple without being stupid. Kenneth believes in the magic of television, and I, as a result of Jack McBrayer’s performance, believe right along with him.

What McBrayer brings to the role is just the right balance of simple and smart, which is such a hard thing to balance. When Kenneth becomes a poker all-star, Jack spends days trying to figure out his tell. However, the point is that Kenneth has no tell. He is capable of looking and acting entirely smart, even when he’s really clueless. However, on the other hand, he is often able to be entirely smart even when he seems simple on the outside.

And it is that innocence that makes McBrayer’s performance so difficult: in the hands of the writers, McBrayer needs to walk the fine line between stupid and naïve every single episode. And yet he always achieves: while certain episodes are worse than others, Kenneth always is as endearing as he could possibly be, and completely funny when required. For being able to strike that balance and create a scene-stealing supporting character, Jack McBrayer is worthy of an Emmy Nomination.

Episode Selection: The Head and the Hair (Airdate: January 18th, 2007)

While the episode’s title refers to a storyline unrelated to Kenneth, and there are technically three stories at play within this episode, Kenneth has by far his finest moments within it. The reason is that he gets copious amounts of screentime with Alec Baldwin, who as per tradition is taking over Kenneth’s job for the day. We get to see Kenneth’s dirty work, the things he has to put up with on a regular basis, plus Kenneth gives multiple impassioned speeches about television. And then, at the end of the episode, he sells his game show idea to NBC executives. While Kenneth plays a major role in other episodes, here his story arc is touching, complete, and funny in a way that is deserving of Emmy Attention.

YouTube – “The Head and the Hair”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Dominic Monaghan (Charlie Pace)

Lost

I would not be putting Dominic on this list three weeks ago, which I guess is somewhat contradictory. Charlie has been absent from key storylines for a very long time this year, and I was amongst many who was happy to see that he was fated to die according to Desmond’s flashes. And yet, perhaps spurned on by his imminent departure from the show, Charlie began to become likable again. No longer saddled with nothing of consequence, Dominic delivered a performance towards the end of the season that almost made Charlie likable before finally nailing it by season’s end. And that delivery, making me actually care about his fate, is enough for me to deem him worthy of a potential Emmy nomination.

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June 2, 2007 · 10:48 am

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Jeremy Piven and Michael Hogan

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our second set of candidates. For all candidates, Click Here]

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Jeremy Piven (Ari Gold)

Entourage

HBO’s Entourage has been receiving attention from the Screen Actor’s Guild and the Golden Globes for the past two years, and it is about ready to break through in a big way in the series category at the Emmys this year. However, ahead of the show itself, Jeremy Piven won an Emmy in this category last year. While there is no question that the show as a whole has its merits, it is Piven’s performance that has often garnered the most attention, and for good reason.

Ari Gold is a high-powered Hollywood agent, but you wouldn’t know it from his behaviour. He’s crash, rude, vulgar, quick to anger, neurotic, and usually out of sorts for a variety of different reasons. All of these things could become overbearing, but Piven’s performance sells us on Ari’s inner sanity while still providing some hilarious and occasionally touching character moments.

And that is what makes Ari such a strong supporting player: despite being outside of the titular entourage, Ari is constantly a presence in their lives, and when the show cuts to Ari’s non-Vince related projects it’s actually a welcome break. He’s strong enough to sustain his own storylines, but plays a fantastic role within the core ones as well. He’s a strong foil, a brilliant performer, and without a doubt is going to garner his third straight nomination for this role.

Episode Selection: Manic Monday (Airdate:April 22nd, 2007)

While Entourage’s entire third season will be eligible, it is this episode from just a month ago that represents Ari’s finest moment. Asked to fire an agent, Ari is unable to pull the trigger (despite it being an experience he relished in the past). His therapist tells him that it’s because he’s still hung up over losing Vince as a client. Ari, still unable to get it out of his system, tracks down his therapist on her day off (on a golf course) and in the process gets his anger back and delivers a memorable firing to the agent in question. It is an arc that deals with his emotional connection with Vince, his more hilarious moments, and even his relationship with his wife. It’s over-the-top, but grounded. And it’s the best performance to win Jeremy Piven his Emmy.

YouTube: “Manic Monday”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Michael Hogan (Col. Tigh)

Battlestar Galactica

While I am personally more fond of the performance of James Callis as Gaius Baltar, I cannot deny what PopWatch and others are saying: if there is ever a chance for Battlestar Galactica to get some attention, it might well be in Hogan’s performance as the alcoholic mess that Sol Tigh became on New Caprica after the occupation. Newly eyepatched after time spent in a Cylon prison, he emerged from that experience a broken man.

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June 1, 2007 · 6:37 pm

For Your Consideration: Supporting Actors – Neil Patrick Harris and Michael Emerson

[In Week One of Cultural Learnings’ 59th Annual Emmy Awards Nominations Preview, we’re looking at possible contenders for the Supporting Actor awards in both comedy and drama. Today, we present our first two candidates.]

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Neil Patrick Harris (Barney)
How I Met Your Mother

I started watching How I Met Your Mother at the beginning of May, and have gone through the entire two seasons within a month. After watching the pilot when it premiered in 2005, I remember thinking closely about the performance of the former Doogie Howser. In the pilot, you can tell that he was meant to be wacky, with the focus on catchphrases like “Suit Up!” and “Legendary”. And, as a result, part of me wrote the character off as I lost touch with the series. I now realize that this was a terrible mistake, and after a fantastic two seasons of work Neil Patrick Harris deserves an Emmy nomination.

Barney has become something more than a womanizing flack with a high-end job and a lair-like apartment over the past season, and the result was some strong character moments. We saw the inside of his apartment, we learned that he had played a major role in Lily’s return from San Francisco, and we got to become an Uncle to his gay brother’s adopted boy. The character got a fair amount of dynamism in his storylines to go along with his usual strong supporting comedy, and that is the mark of a great supporting actor. When he needs to be simple and foil for the leads or other characters, he is fantastic at quips, comebacks, and all of that fluff. However, when the show asks more of him, Neil Patrick Harris always steps up to the plate. Even in its more derivative moments, Neil Patrick Harris raises How I Met Your Mother to whole new levels of awesomeness.

Episode Selection: Showdown (Airdate: April 30th, 2007)

There is no better example of Neil Patrick Harris’ finest moments than within this tour de force that literally becomes the Barney show in its last act. Believing since childhood that Bob Barker was his biological father, Barney finally gets the guts to travel to Los Angeles and confront him live on the show. From his price memorization (He knows everything) to his fake surprise, it’s all fantastic comedy…but then the moment where he prepares to inform Bob that he is his father is just heartbreaking, and the arc actually means something to him as a character to see that he couldn’t go through with it. If Emmy voters see this episode, I do not see how Neil Patrick Harris won’t be on the ballot.

YouTube: Showdown

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Michael Emerson (Ben)

Lost

Last season, Michael Emerson made an impact on Lost as Henry Gale, the captured Other who was kept within the Hatch for an extended period of time. He gave an eerie and compelling performance, but we were not yet truly introduced to the character in question. It is thus impressive that Ben, the leader of the Others, has managed to develop into a full fledge part of this ensemble cast with mysteries, intrigue, and a fantastic performance from Michael Emerson worthy of an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama.

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