HBO’s ‘Westworld’ Controversy at TCA

TCA attendees were treated to a significant Westworld controversy after viewing two episodes

HBO held a large Westworld press screening at the Television Critics Association (TCA) on Saturday. There, TCA attendees were able to view the first two episodes of the twice-delayed futuristic Western series, based on the 1973 film written and directed by novelist Michael Crichton. The inception of the series has not been an easy one, but early looks have been dazzling. According to multiple news outlets, the presentation did not go without a Westworld controversy of its own.

As originally reported in The Hollywood Reporter, the series’ opening scene features Evan Rachel Wood’s android character dragged to be raped off-screen by the villainous Man in Black (Ed Harris). The scene perhaps provided the rallying cry that pressers needed to pounce on the project. After many delays and a heavy budget, it already feels like the press is pre-disposed to react negatively to the project. After 2014’s huge Game of Thrones rape storyline, this isn’t the kind of Westworld controversy HBO needed.

Set in a world where human appetite is satiated through an advanced virtual reality populated by androids, Westworld stars Anthony Hopkins, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Wood, Harris, among others. It’s the presumed heir-apparent to the Game of Thrones crown as that Emmy-winning series declared its end with Season 8 at TCA. HBO has publicly struggled to build the Next Big Thing after Boardwalk Empire ended and Vinyl crashed. It’s very fair to note that similar concerns over HBO’s future slate happened post Sex and the City and The Sopranos.

But the rape controversy hits particularly hard after the series already obtained a reputation for its vivid orgies and strong sexual content. The Hollywood Reporter mentioned HBO’s new programming chief was rattled by the reaction Saturday morning.

Sexual violence is an issue we take seriously; it’s extraordinarily disturbing and horrifying. And in its portrayal, we endeavored for it to not be about the fetishization of those acts. It’s about exploring the crime…” Lisa Joy, Westworld showrunner

Showrunner Lisa Joy indicated the series tries to illustrate the full human struggle – including sexual violence – against the android and virtual setting.

“It was definitely something that was heavily discussed and considered as we worked on those scenes,” showrunner Lisa Joy said. “Westworld is an examination of human nature. The best parts of human nature — paternal love, romantic love, finding oneself — but also the basis for parts of human nature —violence and sexual violence. Violence and sexual violence have been a fact of human history since the beginning. There’s something about us — thankfully not the majority of us — but there are people who have engaged in violence and who are victims of violence.”

“When we were tackling a project about a park with premise where you can come there and do whatever desire you want with impunity and without consequence, it seemed like an issue we had to address,” she continued. “In addressing it, there’s a lot of thinking that goes into it. Sexual violence is an issue we take seriously; it’s extraordinarily disturbing and horrifying. And in its portrayal, we endeavored for it to not be about the fetishization of those acts. It’s about exploring the crime, establishing the crime and the torment of the characters within this story and exploring their stories hopefully with dignity and depth and that’s what what we endeavored to do.”

No widespread Westworld reactions out of TCA yet, although one critic appeared to respond positively to the episodes on Twitter. She later went on to share that Episode 2 starts deconstructing the “rape implication/gratuitous tit shots” of the pilot.

Westworld premieres on HBO Sunday, October 2.

Emmy Tracker: The Disadvantage of New Emmy Rules

How will Emmy rules impact the Supporting and Directing Limited Series categories?

This week I’m looking at three of the Limited Series/TV movie races – both supporting categories and directing. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story leads in nominations, but voters clearly loved Fargo and The Night Manager as well. With new Emmy rules for the final round of voting, this might lead to quite a few upsets.

Multiple nominees from the same show in a single category used to benefit those actors in the days of submitted episodes and juried tapes. It basically meant more material for those nominees, which is why Modern Family dominated the supporting performance races for so many years and why The Golden Girls all won Emmys. They never risked splitting the vote because voters ranked their ballots. Last year voting was opened up to any Emmy member in their specific branch, and this year new Emmy rules changed the final round of voting from ranking the nominees to simply marking off a favorite.

So being in the company of your costars or coworkers went from giving nominees an upper hand to potentially doing them a disservice in the final round of voting. 2016 is the first year with both of the new voting rules, and it will be interesting to see if it actually makes a difference. The Limited Series/TV movie segment will be the most telling with The People v. O.J. Simpson competing against itself in four major categories, and, if the biggest show of the year goes home with fewer than expected awards, these rule changes might be the reason why.

 

Emmy Rules
(Photo: FX)

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Last fall, Fargo‘s Jean Smart seemed a near lock for her calm yet commanding matriarch, but as the television season continued Fargo seemed to be forgotten compared to the other major limited series. Now that the nominations are out and the second season of Fargo returned stronger than ever, it’s pretty safe to say that the Emmy winner has held on to her front runner status.

In a talented but arguably lackluster supporting actress lineup, there aren’t that many performances with the momentum to upset Jean Smart. Melissa Leo and Regina King (both former winners) weren’t given the material they deserve to attract enough voters, and Paulson and Bates are likely to split any support American Horror Story: Hotel might be able to muster up. However, 2016 is the year of Sarah Paulson, and I wouldn’t be shocked if, under a new popular voting system, she ends up winning two Emmys to make up for being snubbed so many years in a row.

Olivia Colman is the dark horse nominee after earning rave reviews in a British import that earned 12 nominations. She has been on the radar of voters for a while for her work on Broadchurch, and a lot of voters saw her in this spring’s The Lobster. As likable as Colman and The Night Manager are, three-time winner Smart and Fargo are even more popular and well-known making this race one of the easiest to predict.

Current Ranking

Jean Smart, Fargo

Olivia Colman, The Night Manager 

Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Hotel

Regina King, American Crime

Melissa Leo, All The Way

Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Hotel  

 

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

The massive supporting cast of The People v. O.J. Simpson was able to dominate the race with three supporting actor nominees: a movie star, a television star, and a lesser known character actor who gave the most high profile performance of his career. Three years ago, this race would have obviously been between Brown and Travolta, but without the ranking system they might end up splitting the vote (and let’s be honest, no one is voting for Schwimmer).

Fargo outperformed almost everyone’s expectations with two much deserved supporting actor nominations in Bokeem Woodbine and Jesse Plemons. The downside is that both actors are equally great, but neither stands out compared to the other, making it hard for either to rally enough Fargo fans to win. In the end the actor that will likely be able to stand out to voters is Hugh Laurie, the only supporting actor to be the sole representation of his show The Night Manager. Hugh Laurie has had a big year on The Night Manager as well as his plans to steal the White House in Veep. On top of the love for The Night Manager, Laurie also has a lot of fans who remember him being snubbed for his time on House and want to see him win an Emmy.

Since members of the acting branch have so many categories to vote in some might choose to stray away from The People v. O.J. Simpson in the supporting races since they’ll likely be supporting the show in the two lead races. I might be overplaying a potential vote split between the American Crime Story cast and hopefully voters are rallying behind Sterling K. Brown over bigger names and campier performances from John Travolta and David Schwimmer but Emmy voters haven’t always been known to make the best (and what should be the most obvious) choices. Well-wishing aside, Hugh Laurie stands out in a lineup dominated by two mega limited series and just might Adrien Brody his way to his first win.

Current Ranking

Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager

Sterling K. Brown, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

John Travolta, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Bokeem Woodbine, Fargo

Jesse Plemons, Fargo

David Schwimmer, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

 

Emmy Rules
(Photo: AMC)

Directing for a Limited Series or TV Movie 

The directing branch clearly loved The People v. O.J. Simpson, and in the final round of voting they have three strong directors to choose from. Anthony Hemingway (Manna from Heaven) directed half of the season, and over the past ten years has been racking up directing credits on countless popular shows. John Singleton (The Race Card), the first African-American director to be nominated for Best Director at the Oscars as well as the youngest, might be the most respected director in the lineup. In the end, the director with a slight edge is likely to be Ryan Murphy who, as one of the executive producers, is credited with creating the year’s breakout new show. Over the years, pilots have had an upper hand in the directing race and mixing that with a household name like Ryan Murphy makes “From the Ashes of Tragedy” the likeliest choice.

Ryan Murphy has been unfairly snubbed in the past, most recently for directing The Normal Heart where he lost to the first season of Fargo and if any program is going to upset him again it will probably continue to be just that. The one detractor to Fargo winning a second Emmy is the episode’s lack of a standout scene. Voters are going to look at all three The People v. O.J. Simpson episodes and be able to vividly remember scene after scene.

Jay Roach has never lost an Emmy previously having won four Emmys for his directing and producing work for his other HBO films. All The Way fell short of being as popular as his other films, and in a year where HBO no longer has a stronghold on the Limited Series/TV movie races Roach will likely go home empty-handed for the first time. The Night Manager has a good chance of upsetting in the writing and supporting performance races, but over the last five years the directing race has tended to lean more mainstream with big limited series or HBO films.

In the end this directing race will be the most telling on whether or not any of the new Emmy rules have any effect on the winners.

Current Ranking

From the Ashes of Tragedy, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Before The Law, Fargo

The Race Card, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story  

All The Way

The Night Manager

Manna from Heaven, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Do These Emmy Categories Have the ‘Best New Artist’ Curse?

The Swingle Singers. A Taste of Honey. Jody Watley. What do these names mean to you?

Maybe nothing, but each of these musical artists has won the Grammy for Best New Artist at some point. The long-running joke in pop culture has been that those who win Best New Artist are cursed and go on to be one-hit wonders, never able to do anything substantial passed their first musical effort (see: Hootie & the Blowfish and Men at Work).

But is there a similar curse in the Emmys? Maybe.

There is no Outstanding New Series Emmy, but there are two categories that could substitute: Outstanding Main Title Theme Music and Outstanding Main Title Design. Why? Because most shows don’t change up their title design or music year to year, so when a series is first introduced to the world, so is there music and title sequence.

Let’s look at some Outstanding Main Title Design winners:

  • Dilbert (1999)
  • Carnivale (2004)
  • Huff (2005)
  • Bored to Death (2010)
  • True Detective (2014)
  • Manhattan (2015)

All of these shows were critically acclaimed only to be canceled before their time (although that second season of True Detective is debatable). Dilbert only lasted two seasons, despite its cult following, with creator Scott Adams citing UPN and Shasta McNasty as the main culprits of its early demise. Meanwhile, HBO’s Carnivale set an early record for ratings, only to be unable to maintain this momentum. The dust settled on the show at just two seasons, even though it was scheduled for six. Meanwhile, the poor bastards who were fans of Huff never learned how the show ended, as Showtime canceled the series two days before the Season 2 finale, which had a lot of unresolved storylines.

Now, let’s look at some winners in the Outstanding Main Title Music.

  • seaQuest DSV (1994)
  • Murder One (1996)
  • Gideon’s Crossing (2001)
  • Masters of Horror (2006)
  • Pirate Master (2008)

First, let’s talk about who these winners beat out in their categories. seaQuest DSV beat out classic main title music from Frasier and The X-Files, which were both nominated in this category that particular year. (As much as I loved the late, great Jonathan Brandis, and may or may not still have a seaQuest DSV bookmark, this is insane considering the impact these two other shows have had on popular culture.) Furthermore, Gideon’s Crossing beat out the theme song to Survivor in 2001. (I will give you $5 if you can sing the Gideon’s Crossing theme right now.)

But if you look at other nominations in these categories, it’s pretty random, with not only forgettable songs, but forgettable shows. For example, the year Pirate Master won (the ill-fated Mark Burnett pirate-themed reality show), it was competing against Kid Nation, one of the WORST experiments on children in TV history, and TNT’s Saving Grace, the forgettable Holly Hunter crime drama in the era of “Let’s milk the The Closer formula for all its worth.” Pirate Master winning HAS to be a consolation prize for never giving Survivor the Emmy in this category, since it’s a cheap rip-off of tribal theme only with swash bucklers.

The moral of the story is that the nominations in these Emmy categories are just as wacky as Best New Artist, and there’s definitely a weird freshman curse at play. You think it’s weird that Esperanza Spaulding beat out Drake and Justin Bieber for the Best New Artist Grammy in 2011? Well, Star Trek: Voyager beat out Friends for the Best Main Title Music in 1995. Astounding, right? I guess it just wasn’t Friends day, week, month, or Emmy year.

‘Last Tycoon’ to Series, ‘AHS’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’ Sneak Peeks

Today’s biggest TV news saw Gilmore Girls and AHS Season 6 start their publicity rollouts

There’s a little flurry of television news today. First and foremost (at least in this corner) is the gradual leak of American Horror Story Season 6 information. We still don’t have a name or a theme, but AHS Season 6 revealed a series of brief teasers via Snapchat and Lady Gaga’s Twitter account (see below). While we don’t have a specific theme identified, we do have a good sense based on the released publicity material. There’s an isolated farmhouse and billowing smoke that forms some sort of symbol / “6” combination. Then, we’ve got a Rosemary’s Baby homage followed by a nod to The People Under the Stairs.

It’s not much to go on, granted, but we’ve always loved AHS‘s expert marketing campaigns. Maybe even more than the series itself, which drops early this year – September 14 on FX. Take a look at AHS Season 6’s promo material, courtesy of Lady Gaga.

Update:  FX has release three more sneaks.



Gilmore Girls

Also dropping today was Netflix’s date announcement for the Gilmore Girls reboot. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, branded a 4-part event, will premiere on the streaming service November 25, just in time for fans to cuddle up to it over Thanksgiving weekend. Here’s the date announcement trailer and a first look at the tone of the series.

 

The Last Tycoon

And last (and kind of least), Amazon picked up it’s 2016 pilot entry The Last Tycoon to series. The drama stars Matt Bomer, Kelsey Grammer, and Lily Collins’s eyebrows in a 1920s-era Hollywood setting. Written and directed by Billy Ray (Shattered Glass), The Last Tycoon is loosely based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald unfinished novel. We reviewed the pilot on a recent Water Cooler Podcast and preferred it to The Interestings, but that’s not saying much. The pilot is well produced and looks fantastic, but Bomer never really settles into the lead role. Given Amazon’s enthusiasm behind it, perhaps it gets better.

The Interestings is, according to Deadline, D.O.A. Check out the trailer for The Last Tycoon.

2016 AwardsDaily TV Emmy Quiz Answers

Obviously ***SPOILER ALERT*** but if you haven’t taken the 2016 AwardsDaily TV Emmy Quiz, then do so before reading this post. No cheating!!!

1. Veep has the most comedy nominations in 2016, with 17, but what comedy holds the record for most nominations in a single awards year?

  • Seinfeld
  • 30 Rock
  • Cheers
  • Friends

30 Rock, with 22

2. Jon Hamm taught high school drama to this first-time 2016 nominee.

  • Erinn Hayes (Children’s Hospital)
  • Kirsten Dunst (Fargo)
  • Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
  • Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)

Ellie Kemper

3. In its first eligible year, this television comedy had zero nominations at the Emmys (even if it went on to win more than one Emmy).

  • The Big Bang Theory
  • Mike and Molly
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  • Last Man Standing

The Big Bang Theory (0 nominations, 0 wins in 2008)

4. Which of the following shows has NOT been submitted in more than one genre (comedy, drama)?

  • Masters of Sex
  • Downton Abbey
  • Shameless
  • Orange is the New Black

Masters of Sex has only been submitted as a Drama.

5. Many shows received the exact same number of nominations this year as they did last year. Which one of the following didn’t?

  • Empire
  • Gotham
  • Better Call Saul
  • Bloodline

Gotham (received 3 this year, 4 last year). Empire has 3, Better Call Saul has 7, and Bloodline has 2.

6. In a review of this Emmy-nominated show (which received its first nomination this year), Joey wrote: “Perhaps the show will wiggle into a more likable, funny direction.” What show was Joey talking about?

  • The Muppets
  • Angie Tribeca
  • Galavant
  • Sense8

Galavant

7. In a review of this Emmy-nominated show (which received its first nomination this year), Clarence wrote: “The show as it’s presented feels something like a greatest hits of Spielberg’s science fiction-influenced films and the themes therein.”

  • Minority Report
  • Wayward Pines
  • The Whispers
  • Marvel’s Jessica Jones

The Whispers for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.

8. Modern Family was nominated this year with four nominations, the smallest amount since it was first eligible in 2010. What season earned it the most nominations?

  • First
  • Second
  • Fourth
  • Fifth

B. Second season (17 nominations). First had 14.

9. This Emmy nominee was originally cast as Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future, but was recast when Eric Stoltz was replaced by Michael J. Fox. Who is it?

  • Melora Hardin
  • Molly Parker
  • Maura Tierney
  • Robin Wright

Melora Hardin (Transparent).

10. Hank Azaria was nominated for his guest performance on Ray Donovan this year, bringing his total lifetime acting nominations to 8 (even though he’s known for his voice-over performances on The Simpsons). Which series did he actually win an acting Emmy for?

  •  Huff
  • Friends
  • Mad About You
  • Tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series or a Movie

11. Other than Steve Harvey, which Emmy-nominated actor has also hosted Family Feud?

  • Louie Anderson
  • Tituss Burgess
  • Anthony Anderson

Louie Anderson, who’s nominated for FX’s Baskets

Television Academy Categorizes Emmy Ceremonies

The Television Academy seeks to spread out a record 113 categories over three Emmy ceremonies

The Television Academy announced today the structure of their, count ’em, three Emmy ceremonies. As previously announced, the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air on September 18 on ABC. That ceremony, however, only hosts a comparatively small number of categories. After all, there are a record 113 categories to deal with. Even the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies are too big for a single night, thus the Television Academy split that into two nights – September 10 and 11. An edited down version will air September 17 on FXX.

So, what categories will be unveiled over the three nights? The Television Academy provided a handy list of categories separated by the three Emmy ceremonies. Take a look below and stay tuned to AwardsDaily TV for updates as awards are announced.

PRIMETIME EMMYS, SEPTEMBER 18

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OF MOVIE
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OF MOVIE
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OF MOVIE
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OF MOVIE
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE
OUTSTANDING VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL

CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS, SEPTEMBER 10

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL
OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A CONTEMPORARY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A PERIOD/FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA – MULTIPLATFORM STORYTELLING
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA – ORIGINAL INTERACTIVE PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA – SOCIAL TV EXPERIENCE
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA – USER EXPERIENCE AND VISUAL DESIGN
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE
OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN
OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE (NON-PROSTHETIC)
OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES (NON-PROSTHETIC)
OUTSTANDING MULTI-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
OUTSTANDING NARRATOR
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PROGRAM (HALF-HOUR OR LESS)
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE)
OUTSTANDING PROSTHETIC MAKEUP FOR A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A SERIES
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) AND ANIMATION
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR)
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL AND VISUAL EFFECTS
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL AND VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A COMEDY SERIES OR VARIETY PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A DRAMA SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS, SEPTEMBER 11

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR REALITY PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A VARIETY, NON FICTION OR REALITY PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES OR SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
OUTSTANDING INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN/LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR A VARIETY SERIES
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN/LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES OR SPECIAL (NON-PROSTHETIC)
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A STRUCTURED OR COMPETITION REALITY PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR AN UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR VARIETY PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR VARIETY, NONFICTION, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR VARIETY, NONFICTION, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM ANIMATED PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM VARIETY SERIES
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING (Single or multi-camera)
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A VARIETY SERIES OR SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SERIES
OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING

Comic-Con Updates and Emmy’s Main Title Nominees

Episode 87: The Cooler gang talks TV buzz out of Comic-Con and reviews the 2016 Emmy Main Title Design and Theme Music nominees.

On this week’s Water Cooler Podcast, we’re nearing the end of July, meaning the advent of San Diego’s Comic Con. Comic-Con was at one point something of a comic book trade show. However, once Hollywood learned the power of the geek, they descended upon the Con with presentations and panels from movies and television. We take a look at the latest buzz out of San Diego Comic-Con and discuss some buzzy trailers recently unveiled.

Our main segment this week is one of our most favorite: the Main Title Design and Original Main Title Theme music categories at the Emmys. We’ll review each category’s entry, and we’ll rate/argue about what we think will ultimately take home Emmy gold.

As always, we close with the Flash Forward of what television we are most excited about in the upcoming week. Enjoy the week Cooler fans!

04:33 – Comic-Con
51:51 – Emmy Main Title Categories
1:39:23 – Flash Forward

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HBO’s ‘Looking’ Gets a True Goodbye

Joey Moser bids HBO’s Looking a fond farewell

Television isn’t always fair. Sometimes shows’ lives are cut short, and the audiences that follow them are left in the cold with no real solution for their favorite characters. Surely depression and despair follow. When HBO’s Looking was canceled back in early 2015, fans were devastated, but the creators knew they were going to end things with a finale special. There was no real need for petitioning online or any Gilmore Girls-esque gap/anticipation. Looking never delivered in the ratings department, but HBO knew that the fanbase could only be described as diehard and very devout. Looking: The Movie is made with obvious care and love of its characters. It succeeds in providing fans with exactly what they want in a proper farewell.

My personal problem with Looking was the role of Jonathan Groff’s Patrick, and it’s hard to get around not liking the central character. During the two seasons of the series, Patrick was always too whiny, doe-eyed, and self-conscious for me to fully appreciate his character. Nothing ever seemed enough for him, but he didn’t mind lending his own level headed advice or opinion to every situation he entered or heard about. Patrick was always too cautious for me.

Looking: The Movie begins with Patrick returning to San Francisco for Agustin and Eddie’s wedding–apparently you can come home again (as Groff rides in a taxi into the city, you can even see a poster or billboard in the distance that reads “home”) After his breakup with his boss, Kevin (Russell Tovey), Patrick moved to Denver and began working for a different video game development company. The movie kicks off with the group of friends visiting their old stomping grounds and having a blast before the big wedding day at the courthouse (complete with Tyne Daly cameo!)

As with all movie adaptations of television series, we have to check in with all the characters. Doris is reluctantly enjoying domesticity, Dom is beginning to enjoy his career, and Kevin is moving back to London with his boyfriend. You know, the one that Patrick pulled Kevin away from. There isn’t enough Daniel Franzese’s Eddie, but he wasn’t part of the initial group. The final goodbye scene between Kevin and Patrick (with raised voices and honesty in a coffee shop) is one of the best scenes between Groff and Tovey. There’s understood anger there mingled with a dull sadness.

When a show comes to a close (whether its exit is expected or not), a question lingers over the legacy and importance of it, and that question is: did the show take advantage of its own time? Did Looking get to tell the stories it wanted to tell? I’m tempted to say no, but that allows for the movie version to step it up in a real way. As I watched the movie, I felt a sort of sadness about it coming to a premature close. I didn’t get to spend enough with Dom, Richie, Agustin, Doris, and yes, even Patrick in the initial run–especially because I was late to the party.

Andrew Haigh (who co-wrote the screenplay and directed) allows the characters to talk and talk and talk in bars, down the streets, and in close quarters, and his direction is gentle and completely unforced. It’s almost as if he let the camera silently capture these friends talking but he didn’t want to let them know he was filming them. Looking might not have been perfect, but Looking: The Movie wants to give you the closure you deserve.

New TV Trailers Pop Up Out of Comic-Con

San Diego’s Comic-Con is a reliable hot bed of new information and TV trailers

The costumed masses swarmed on San Diego’s Comic-Con last weekend. Assuming they weren’t playing Pokemon Go, many attended for panels on their favorite television shows. It’s been a thing for several years now that Comic-Con is much less about comic books and much more about generating buzz for new product. Geek-friendly films and TV shows hope to make a splash and generate positive internet buzz as a result. As with each year, studios host panel discussions about current and upcoming shows, often premiering TV trailers never before seen. This year was no exception.

The Walking Dead Season 7 (AMC)

American Gods (Starz)

Luke Cage (Netflix)

Iron Fist (Netflix)

The Defenders (Netflix)

Narcos Season 2 (Netflix)

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (BBC America)

Legion (FX)

The Flash Season 3 (The CW)

Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

About THAT Twist on ‘UnREAL’ *Spoilers*

Unlike what some critics are saying about Season 2 of Lifetime’s UnREAL TV series, I’ve been a champion for this sophomore season for a variety of reasons.

For one thing, it had the balls to do what no ABC dating show has ever done (cast an African American as the Bachelor). Second, it’s become a character study of Rachel (Shiri Appleby) and Quinn (Constance Zimmer) as much as it’s given audiences a glimpse at Everlasting‘s on-screen and behind-the-scenes drama. In fact, what’s depicted on UnREAL often feels more real than anything you’ll ever see on The Bachelor.

But during the most recent episode titled “Ambush,” the series takes a strange, twisted turn down a road that doesn’t necessarily feel natural.

*Stop Reading to Avoid Spoilers*

In the most recent episode, Rachel, ever the stirrer of the drama pot, calls the cops on Darius (B.J. Britt) and Romeo (Gentry White) after they take a car out for a spin with two of the women vying for Darius’s heart. After Rachel reports that the car is stolen, there is a showdown between the cops and Darius, and Romeo ends up getting shot.

If someone would have told me at the beginning of the season that Lifetime’s UnREAL was going to address police violence and Black Lives Matter, I probably would have said, “The same show where the chick took too many pills and jumped off the roof?” UnREAL doesn’t necessarily scream “ripped from the headlines,” and that’s actually a big reason why I watch it. I want drama, but nothing that’s too real (“UnREAL” implies that it’s, you know, not actually real). After all, scripted sudsy dramas like UnREAL are an escape from the tragedy you see on the news.

The cops pulling Darius over just doesn’t fit, as surely at least one of the cops would have recognized the football star. When he tries to tell them who he is, they act like they’ve never seen or heard of him. Meanwhile, the beginning of the season stressed the fact that Hill has been in the headlines for his indiscretions and for saying “Bitch, please” to a reporter. It’s not like he’s a faded athlete – he’s a hot topic. (Plus, one would think that the police and security would be aware that a reality show was filming in the area.)

Plus, thematically, how will the show within the show be able to recover from this? If Romeo dies (please say he doesn’t), Everlasting already has one murder on its record. Are the fictional producers really going to bring it back another season after someone else is killed? If UnREAL is going to aim to do “ripped from the headlines” stories, then it should face the “ripped from the headlines” reality of it. In real life, the show would surely be canceled. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and 19 Kids and Counting haven’t been back on the air since their public turmoil. Two murders on a reality show feels like something that isn’t greenlit for another season.

Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter storyline on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black was appropriate given that the series has never been a warm and fuzzy look at prison life (except for that lackluster third season). There’s a power structure on the show, and there always has been, between the guards and women, so there’s a deluge of stories to uncover whether it’s about being a woman of color in prison, a Muslim woman in prison—the cultural stories are endless. Here, political topics feel more logical.

But for UnREAL to pull a police-shooting storyline feels like a power play to be a more “legitimate” drama series when it simply doesn’t have to be. The second season development with Darius Hill is interesting enough and already made a bold statement about how white dating shows are. The shooting just feels fabricated and over-the-top, two words usually reserved to describe UnREAL‘s real-life muse.