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Jalal’s Take: Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Jalal Haddad takes a look at the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy race in a series of posts leading up to the Emmy nomination announcement on July 14th. Over the next few weeks, Jalal will be providing his own expert analysis in individual races and covering the top ten contenders in each category.

As a result of a tie, last year gave us eight nominees in an acting category for the first time. All eight of last year’s Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nominees are eligible this year, although it is very unlikely that we will see another 3-way tie for the sixth slot. The category is so crowded that that I didn’t have the chance to dissect whether or not Netflix can sneak one of the many famous names from Wet Hot American Summer (Wiig, Shannon, Poehler) into the category based on name recognition alone. If anything, the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series race shows that the acting categories can and should be expanded to ten nominees.

1. Anna Chlumsky (Amy Brookheimer), Veep

Anna Chlumsky’s first Emmy nomination came as a slight surprise. Now that Veep is the reigning comedy champ, she has become the surest bet in an overly crowded race. If the winners were still determined by small juries and submitted episodes, she would have already won for Amy’s infamous breakdown where she read the president to filth as “the worst thing to happen to this country since food in buckets and maybe slavery.” She may not have a scene as iconic as that but as the show grows in popularity voters will correct last year’s mistake.

2. Allison Janney (Bonnie Plunkett), Mom

Supporting Actress in a Comedy — Photo courtesy of CBS.

Allison Janney is the queen of getting nominated for shows most voters probably don’t actually watch. Voters fell in love with the actress during The West Wing and continue to nominate her for shows like Masters of Sex and Mom. Even though the acting branch will continue to nominate her it will be increasingly hard for her to win a popular vote for a show that has never been recognized in any other category.

3. Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy), Modern Family

One by one the Modern Family cast has dropped from Emmy graces in reverse alphabetical order and now the Dunphys are the last two standing. Bowen and Burrell could easily continue reaping nominations until the show ends, but Bowen faces a lot more competition. She was also left out of individual recognition from SAG, although they have left her out and brought her back before. In an insanely crowded category anything could happen but enough voters probably still love the show to keep her in the category.

4. Jane Krakowski (Jacqueline White), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

After five nominations, Krakowski is well overdue for her first win. Her material in season two started off rocky (the questionably offensive Native American story line), but as the season progressed she was given a lot of great material surrounding her new life as a divorcee and great guest stars to play off like Anna Camp and Amy Sedaris. She will also be on the radar of voters for her appearance on James Corden’s caraoke, winning every theater award this season short of the Tony, and she has the advantage of Netflix’s massive FYC campaign.

5. Kate McKinnon (Various Characters), Saturday Night Live

For the past nine years Emmy voters have consistently nominated someone from the SNL cast. For the past two years that person has been Kate McKinnon. The Emmy voters started recognizing the cast when the show was going through a renaissance, but now that the show is at its all-time worst, there is a chance that voters break that streak and leave out McKinnon. Even if voters aren’t watching SNL they have probably seen the sketches of her impersonating Hillary Clinton. She is also getting a lot of attention right now from starring in the upcoming Ghostbusters remake and in such a crowded category any attention helps.

6. Carol Kane (Lillian Kaushtupper), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

From dating Robert Durst to launching a crusade against gentrification, Carol Kane’s Lillian has become the most consistently hilarious character on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. As a former winner on a breakout show she should be a front-runner for a nomination, but she has been overshadowed by her costar in an already overcrowded category. As the show grows in popularity voters might just make room for both of them on their ballots, especially since they’re so close on the ballot, making it harder for voters to pick one over the other.

7. Sarah Sutherland (Catherine Meyer), Veep

Selina’s tragically hilarious daughter Catherine has never been given a significant story line before this season, but her presence has always been welcome. In the fifth season, she has been given the material she deserves from a romantic relationship with her mom’s bodyguard to the death of her grandmother. What started out as a reoccurring joke of Catherine hiding in the shadows recording every mistake of the White House staff culminated in the episode dedicated to her film “Kissing Your Sister.” The episode aired in the middle of Emmy voting, making Sutherland’s performance the last thing voters see before they fill out their ballots.

8. Niecy Nash (Didi Ortley), Getting On

In a perfect world Niecy Nash would have a handful of Emmys for her performances on Reno 911! and Getting On. Her nomination last year might have single-handedly been the most surprising nomination in any category. Unfortunately she was probably nominated because there were eight nominees and the chances of that happening again are very slim, especially since the show was cancelled and has been off the air for six months. The one thing that might make her standout to voters again is her versatility from her improv and slapstick skills on Scream Queens to her subtle character driven work on Getting On.

9. Judith Light (Shelly Pfefferman), Transparent

Last year, a lot of people were predicting Judith Light to be nominated for the first season of Transparent even though she didn’t have the material to warrant it. Instead, voters surprisingly nominated the standout supporting player, Gabby Hoffman. Light actually has the material in season two to warrant a nomination, including a shocking bathtub scene, but so did the rest of the supporting Pfefferman clan. There is a good chance that voters disagree on the standout supporting performance and split their votes, similar to why the supporting actresses from Girls were never nominated.

10. Gabby Hoffman (Ali Pfefferman), Transparent

Gabby Hoffman was last year’s breakout supporting player on Transparent mostly for being the most likeable of Maura’s three kids. In season two Ali Pfefferman takes a backseat to her siblings (at least in the first half of the season) and voters might decide to instead vote for Amy Landecker, Judith Light, or Emmy-winner Cherry Jones. As a previous nominee, she shouldn’t be counted out, but someone from last year’s lineup has to be dropped. Even though she was nominated twice last year, she still doesn’t stand out compared to the rest of last year’s nominees.

11. Jenifer Lewis (Grandma Ruby), black-ish

Grandma Ruby is the funniest character on television. It’s as simple as that. In season two, Lewis was promoted to a series regular, and the writers found countless excuses to bring her around from harassing Bow and inviting gentleman callers over to a house she doesn’t live in. Even though she is everything voters love to reward in the supporting races, she hasn’t been campaigned as predominantly as the rest of the cast. She already has the cards stacked against her. If she does get nominated, it will be because the acting branch recognizes how many years of hard work Lewis put in as a character actress.

12. Mayim Bialik (Amy Fowler), The Big Bang Theory

Mayim Bialik has managed to last longer at the Emmys than Emmy juggernaut Jim Parsons, and the only justifiable argument of this is how early she appears on the ballot. She was probably at the bottom of the eight nominee barrel last year and now that voters have rejected the show in every other category, she will be the next to go. The category has grown too competitive, and she doesn’t have the ballot or the old popularity of her show to rely on to easily stand out to voters.

Worth Mentioning: Amy Landecker, Leslie Jones, Allison Williams, Kristen Wiig, Kristen Schaal, Kether Donohue, Sofia Vergara, Melanie Lynskey

Readers, which six actresses do you think will be nominated on July 14th? Is there any chance of there being another tie? Sound off below in the comments!

Jalal’s Take: Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jalal Haddad takes a look at the Lead Actor in a Drama Series Emmy race in a series of posts leading up to the Emmy nomination announcement on July 14th. Over the next few weeks, Jalal will be providing his own expert analysis in individual races and covering the top ten contenders in each category.

With two open slots in the lead actor race voters have the opportunity to celebrate fresh new performances. The acting branch has two different options. They can rely on well-like actors in shows that might not be as popular or as well known (Cannavale, Giamatti, Chandler) or they can instead champion performances by lesser known actors or performances on genre pushing programs (Malek, Theroux, Paul, Highmore).

1. Kevin Spacey (Frank Underwood), House of Cards

Kevin Spacey is theoretically someone who should have won an Emmy for his work on House of Cards years ago when the show debuted but always ended the night empty handed. His submitted tapes couldn’t compete against those of Bryan Cranston and Jeff Daniels and then he couldn’t compete against the popularity of Jon Hamm. Now that he is the only remaining ‘iconic’ performance/character left the two-time winning TV SAG actor should have no problem dominating a popular vote among his peers to win.

2. Rami Malek (Elliot Alderson), Mr. Robot

Initially I dismissed Malek as a serious Emmy contender because for being young and unknown but after he was nominated for an individual SAG award I moved him into my predictions. Only 12 actors have never gone on to Emmy nominations after being nominated at SAG (although the years don’t always align) and for the past five years the SAG nominees have all gone on to receive individual recognition at least once. As the star of the critic and industry breakout hit, Malek is one of the surest bets in a category with so many open slots.

3. Paul Giamatti (Chuck Rhoades), Billions

I have yet to find anyone who actually watches Showtime’s freshman financial drama but Paul Giamatti is one of the most consistently nominated actors at the Emmys. He’s only appeared on TV four times over the past ten years but he’s been nominated for all four performances. That sort of record makes him an obvious prediction in a wide open category. Showtime also has a pretty strong record of getting their leading actors nominated for shows no one seems to be watching (Don Cheadle). Depending on the mood of the voters his biggest competition for a nomination might be his costar, Emmy-winner Damian Lewis.

4. Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman), Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul was the lone breakout drama at last year’s Emmys and afterwards Bob Odenkirk went on to be recognized by every group including the foreign press, SAG, and the TCAs. In fact, Odenkirk and Malek were the only two actors in this race to be recognized by every group. None of those groups have an impact at the Emmys besides SAG but he has been getting nonstop media attention because of these awards. Better Call Saul might not return as strongly as they did last year, but Odenkirk is the show’s only sure bet at recognition.

5. Bobby Cannavale (Richie Finestra), Vinyl

Bobby Cannavale was looked at a leading contender to win the Emmy when HBO announced the show. However, Vinyl suffered several setbacks when it received tepid enthusiasm from critics and viewers. Normally that wouldn’t stop Emmy voters from embracing a faux-prestige period drama on HBO, but they subsequently cancelled the show in the middle of the voting window. As a 4-time nominee and 2-time winner, Cannavale will still probably be nominated although any chances of winning were squashed long ago.

6. Kyle Chandler (John Rayburn), Bloodline

Bloodline is an incredibly divisive show. Some regard the show as a prestige drama while others dismiss it as incredibly boring awards bait. None of that really matters though because most people simply adore Kyle Chandler (as an actor and a as a person). In such an unenthusiastic year for lead male performances he can easily come back for a second nomination in a row.

7. Aaron Paul (Eddie Lane), The Path

Aaron Paul holds the record for the most Supporting Actor in a Drama Series wins (3) so he is clearly on the radar of Emmy voters. His performance in The Path as a family man who finds himself stuck in a religious cult is his highest profile role since Breaking Bad ended, and he earned great strong reviews for the show. His biggest setback might be that the show is streamed through Hulu, an online network that has never gotten as much attention as other streaming sites. If anyone can push Hulu into Emmy consideration its someone like Paul.

8. Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), Ray Donovan

There was a lot of discussion last year regarding who would fill that sixth slot in the leading actor race at the Emmys and to my knowledge no one was seriously considering Schreiber. Voters shocked everyone by showing that they actually watch Showtime’s LA-based crime drama, and it’s a toss-up on whether or not he will return. The show’s late summer air date does him no favors, but he did receive a Golden Globe nomination last winter for Ray Donovan and a SAG ensemble nomination for his work in Spotlight.

9. Justin Theroux (Kevin Garvey), The Leftovers

HBO has an unusually strong record of campaigning their dramas at the Emmys, but for whatever reason voters completely ignored season one of The Leftovers. Theroux was ignored not only by his peers but largely by critics and bloggers as well. In fact, the only attention Theroux was garnering was online for more superficial reasons like his sweatpants in season one and his naked bathtub crawl in season two. The lack of traction makes it hard for Theroux, but HBO seems to be stepping up their campaign for The Leftovers. A nomination for the lead seems like an obvious place to start.

10. Freddie Highmore (Norman Bates), Bates Motel

I’ve always struggled with Norman Bates as a character, often finding him to be the most grating character on television. Annoyances with Norman aside, I have always thought Freddie gives one of the strongest male leading performances on television. Emmy voters have largely dismissed Bates Motel (besides a season one nomination for Farmiga), but after Norman’s full descent into madness there is a chance that Highmore’s performance is finally recognized especially with his costar regaining Emmy buzz.

Worth Mentioning: Matthew Rhys, Terrence Howard.

Who are you rooting for in the lead actor race? Will this finally be Kevin Spacey’s year? Sound off below in the comments!

Jill Kargman Talks ‘Odd Mom Out’

Jill Kargman is quite the comedian. She’s just wrapped season two of Bravo’s Odd Mom Out and is about to head off to the UK. Yesterday was deadline day with Emmy voters, and we managed to squeeze in ten minutes before midnight to talk Odd Mom Out and where her apt for comedy came from. London beware – Kargman is always on the lookout for new material…

Where do your comedy skills come from?

It’s pretty innate because my parents are hilarious. My mom is French and has a very witty, dry observational humor. My dad is a total ham. He did stand up during business school at Columbia. He’s a riot. I feel like his business career because aside from having natural business acumen. He used humor as a way to connect with people. He made work fun.

When did you realize you could turn this into a career?

For the last 20 years, I’ve been writing books that are comedies. It was a natural extension. I was an actress first in college. I was never going to pursue it because I thought the odds were crazy. It never occurred to me to go on auditions or try that. I wanted a job, so I went from college right into working with a magazine. The articles turned into TV work, which turned into books .Things seemed to grow organically into one another. The transition on to camera seemed natural as it was my first love.

How different is that for you now? You’ve transitioned from writing to delivering it.

It feels like one thing. People would ask if I was nervous. I wasn’t. I was always on stage in college, in TV it’s so much more challenging and something that feels so artistic. I love what we’re doing with the show. You get chances, if you screw it’s not the end of the world. It’s not nerve-wracking at all.

How do you get the great guest stars that you have?

I feel lucky. With the exception of Drew Barrymore who’s my sister-in-law, everybody was sent the script. I sent it to Drew too. She wasn’t just going to do anything. She really responded to it. With season one we were an unknown entity, and Bravo who are known for their unscripted productions, so people weren’t quite sure what we were going to be. So, it wasn’t an alluring hook for the TV community.

Now, it’s been proven and critically acclaimed, agents started pitching us on guest stars. It was interesting. When we threw the hook for season two, it was easier, and there was way more fish. Once something is a known entity and appreciated, I think everyone wants to be a part of it.

There are plenty of reality show about the rich wives, how did you manage to turn that into humor? Was it a deliberate choice to write it that way?

It started about not having the same affluence or trappings of a wealthy family. It’s so much more than that because in this season I go out of the Upper East Side a lot. I still feel awkward, even when I went to Brooklyn last season. It’s not just about money, it’s about fitting in. Even though mom is in the title, it’s about keeping up. It’s really relatable no matter where you live. The latest thing you have to see whether it’s Hamilton, or a a restaurant you can’t get into.

With social media, everyone you know is posting about something and you feel on the outskirts. It’s just my interpretation of that. A lot of the time, people say to me how much they relate to my character. It’s really about how you feel. It’s about how I felt at 28.

What were some highlights?

Working with Molly Ringwald was such a highlight because she’s such an icon and really represents what I looked up to in my childhood. I was so obsessed with her. It was very surreal for me, and I was pinching myself. All the guest stars I did that with, but her particularly. I feel like I spent the most time with her because when you see someone’s movie’s dozens of times through your life, it’s strange acting with them. We also did lots of fun locations this year too. We have an awesome locations department that managed to get some great places.

What lessons have you learnt from season two and growing as a film-maker?

I feel so much more that we hit our stride because we were given so much freedom. Bravo is an amazing network for us. In season one, I was a 39-year-old, a total unknown. There were checks and balances, and going over everything. Once they knew we had a following and they could see what the show had crystallized into, I got to be me more. It was almost like the balsamic reduction of myself. I felt I had a lot more freedom which made me a lot more creative. One of the writers wrote, let Jill be Jill and that was great. They said, she’s way more kookier, and you see that.

Odd Mom Out airs on Mondays at 10pm ET on Bravo.

Last Minute Emmy Voting? Here are 10 Picks for the Indecisive!

It’s now or never folks! Emmy voting stops tonight at midnight Pacific Time. If you’re a member of the Television Academy and you haven’t cast your vote yet, then here are 10 picks from the AwardsDaily TV group that are sure-fire winners. Plus, they really need your Emmy vote!

Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)

I don’t know what this woman (or this show) has to do to earn an Emmy nomination, but the Television Academy has routinely ignored one of the best thrillers on television. This year, the A&E series managed to commit the act so many of us were dreading, but they did it with typical elegance and grace. The cast is uniformly fantastic, but, if you have only one vote to give for Bates Motel, then cast it for Vera Farmiga. She’s a revelation.

I mean, look at her. Just look at that face. Tell me Claire Danes gives that much face.

Carrie Coon / Amy Brenneman (The Leftovers)

We love The Leftovers here at AwardsDaily TV, and we encourage liberal voting for this underrated series. But should you need some guidance, then you must vote for Carrie Coon (because that name is amazing) and Amy Brenneman (because she’s infinitely smarter than all of us). Coon’s season two performance has been hailed as some of the best dramatic work on television. Brenneman’s season two performance was an emotional powerhouse as her character started reclaiming her life post the Guilty Remnant.

We aren’t above standing outside of your house in all white smoking cigarettes until you vote for them.

Andrew Rannells (Girls)

Emmy voters, Girls hit its series best stride this year along with another certain big HBO show that also features tons of droopy boobs and girl-on-girl action. While we completely endorse almost everyone in the cast, Andrew Rannells deserves serious contention in the supporting actor comedy race. He literally shattered our hearts (and inflamed Joey’s loins) with his emotional and carefully constructed season five performance. Please give him a warm Emmy hug. Or at the very least a handy reach-around.

7 Days in Hell

No, we are not kidding.

Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)

Lena Headey did series-best work as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. And, honestly, do you really not want to vote for her this year? Remember what she did the last time a bunch of people were congregated in an enclosed facility… I’m not saying she’s going to blow your shit up, but… Just vote for her. She’s amazing. Look at this photo. Don’t you want to know what she’s thinking? That’s acting.

And, yes, she’s thinking about fucking her brother. She’s cool like that.

Jane Fonda / Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)

Please don’t take these wonderful, beautiful senior citizens for granted. Their season two performances as new friends Grace and Frankie – thus the title – can only be taken for granted because of the talent that delivered them. Fonda and Tomlin are American treasures. They’re great in the roles, and you really can’t vote for one without the other. Also, it’s a great public service announcement for vaginal dryness. It’s a problem people. A dry, serious problem.

The Night Manager

Just the whole damn thing. Across the board. The cast is hot, the locations are sexy, and it would make the Television Academy seem smart AND classy. Win. Win. Win. Win. Plus, People v. O.J. Simpson can’t win EVERYTHING, can it?

Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City)

People love this show! Why can’t you? It’s funny, and the two stars are comic geniuses. Amy Schumer can take a back seat this year and let Glazer and Jacobson in the Emmy circle. Robin Write would be very happy, and you don’t want to see Robin Write unhappy. He’s already going through quite a bit with the whole Brexit thing. By the way, does anyone have a flat in the US? I mean an apartment? He’s looking…

OK, I lied… That was eleven. Or twelve. Vote for Rachel Bloom too because Joey Moser has a pathological need to see her run towards a podium. In pant suits. She’s amazing that way, and he’s got a fetish. Plus, we love pretzels too!

Natasha Lyonne Talks About Her Time Away from Litchfield

Natasha Lyonne’s season three character arc was brief but powerful. ADTV talks to the star about her time in and outside of Litchfield prison.

Natasha Lyonne’s Nicky Nichols was dearly missed for the majority of the third season of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. Even though she’s in maximum security for 10 of the 13 episodes last year, she returns for the latest (and best) season of the prison drama. It’s great to have her back at Litchfield. It wasn’t the same without her.

In 2014, Natasha Lyonne was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series alongside her Orange co-stars Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox. Since the recent rule change, the show competes in Drama, and Lyonne has a chance to be nominated for her meatiest role of the third season. In “Empathy is a Boner Killer,” Nicky is betrayed by a corrections officer, and she’s sent to maximum security. The episode also delves into the strained relationship Nicky has with her mother. Lyonne might only be in the first three episodes, but she packs a significant emotional punch. You feel her presence throughout the rest of the season.

After I sufficiently geeked out over talking to the star of the beloved queer comedy But I’m a Cheerleader, I asked Natasha Lyonne about what it felt like to step away from the show, and she described her favorite scene from the new season.

Natasha Lyonne, when you received the script for the episode “Empathy is a Boner Killer,” was your first reaction, “What the hell?!”

I did talk to Jenji before reading “Empathy is a Boner Killer,” and I knew it was coming of course. But I guess it’s a testament to how great the writing is. Even though I knew it was coming, it didn’t make it any less shocking and heartbreaking.

I definitely missed you the entire rest of the season!

I’m very sorry.

Was there any discussion of showing Nichols at all in max, or did Jenji Kohan want to cut everybody off?

I think that part of it was this brutal cut. So much of the show is the overall impact that it has on all the characters. The brilliance of the show is the way in which one thing affects another—so much like The Wire. That’s personally one of my favorite shows and you sort of see how everything is connected. In a weird way almost like a real time Rashomon, you know, with many people’s points of view. In that sense the main story takes place at Litchfield, so the impact that it ends up having on Kate and Yael (on Lorna and Red) is that much more intense if Nicky is sort of not in their psyche. In a weird way, it’s sort of like negative space. What we don’t see impacts as much as what we do see.

Since I watched the third season very quickly, a lot of people kept saying to me, “She’s coming back right? She’s coming back.” And I kept saying, “I don’t think so…”

[Laughs]

Your flashback scene in the third season (with your mother in the limo and the scene where you crash the cab) features other actors. Is it sort of refreshing to do work a little outside of Litchfield?

Well, I mean, in a sense I’m sure for any of us the person we would send into prison would be a sort of representative. It would be too risky a situation to send in our truest, most vulnerable self. I think the benefit as an actor in getting to play scenes outside the prison is a bit of insight into other sides of Nicky—how she would exist out in the world without the risk of other prisoners judging her strengths. In a weird way, she’s much whinier than we’ve ever seen in prison. It only occurred to me in this moment. It’s not aesthetically palatable.

Everyone’s lamest side is them in the face of their mother. It’s not a charming, sexy side of a person [Laughs]. She’s a brat, short tempered and needy. That coupled with the desperation of drug addiction and the circumstances really make for far less suave presence of when she’s in prison—even when she’s down and out. There’s a certain bravado she never loses even when she’s her most vulnerable in prison. With her mother on the outside, there’s so much need in a way. Nicky doesn’t know where to look for it.

Natasha Lyonne — Photo courtesy of Netflix.

One of my favorite aspects of your character is that Nicky is so charming and she’s always on. Any time there’s any interaction with her and another character, there’s always that great back and forth. In the scenes with her mother, she’s looking out the window of the car (in episode 3). The relationship is really interesting to watch.

I think Nicky really gets a kick out of people. And I don’t know if she’s “on” as much as she’s engaged. I don’t think she’s trying to impress anyone as much as she’s generally getting a kick out of most situations even if it’s their darkness or realism. It’s something I really identify with. I think that it’s not the case with her mother. It’s the one and primary relationship where she is not charmed at all. It’s heartbreaking. It’s one thing for a person to kind of survive their own circumstances, but it’s another to have to look it in the eye. It breaks down whatever shell you’ve encased yourself in to survive. I think that’s mostly what you see in the scenes with her mother.

In the scene in the lawyer’s office in my mind was about horror and shock about my circumstances my potential sentencing as it was kicking dope in that one scene. At least what it means in the throes of my addiction. Out in the world, Nicky is getting high every five seconds. The idea of a sentence for an addict who is not going to be able to get drugs, I’m not sure what’s worse: the idea of going to jail or not being able to get heroin.

Since you weren’t in a lot of the third season, how did you experience a lot of it? Were you on the set? Did you watch any of the filming?

Well, I don’t watch the show, so I haven’t seen it. I watch the first episode of each season at the premiere, but two of those I haven’t been in. Essentially I’ve only really seen one episode in full which is the very first episode of the show. [Laughs] This last one I wasn’t in, obviously. My experience of the show is in real time—the experience of shooting it. I didn’t visit the set, so I wasn’t there. A least a bunch of us are really close so there wasn’t a time where I wasn’t connected with the show. But, yeah, what I would know would come from someone texting me—like Lorna—and stuff like that. We would find ourselves engaged, and I would be like, “I don’t know what’s happening!”[Laughs] .

It’s sort of like you’re experiencing exactly how Nicky would experience it.

That’s the thing! That was my goal having never been on a television show before. Watching your own movie, it’s never pleasant, because you’re picking apart your own performance. At least it’s sort of like spilled milk—there’s nothing you can do about it, you know? The idea of watching a show that’s in motion, it feels too risky to me. I’d be too afraid that I wouldn’t be strong enough to not impact my own performance based on the opinions of what I thought. I feel like that’s a little bit of a dangerous dance. Something is going very right with that show with people (it was picked up until at least season 7). I feel very grounded at work and I get to go deeper and deeper as I figure out who she is. I feel like I can take bigger swings. Maybe I’m just reluctant to have the outer body experience. I just want to keep it pure in a way that I only know what Nicky knows.

You wouldn’t want that to affect your character later down the line.

Kind of. I’ll tell you another thing, I don’t know if this was the best choice. It’s something I made early on and I don’t want to be in the position of watching, you know, 70 hours of television in one sitting. I love the show. I’m so obsessed with the writing and the experience and getting to act with them. What I do get to see is a true ensemble. They are such singular characters.

I think I’ve said it every single season that this is probably one of the truest forms of an ensemble that we have on television. It’s not just everyone working together in the big scenes, but everyone works so well individually.

It’s a very generous cast in that way. There’s a real sense wanting each other to succeed and to bring out the best in each other. When you put a bunch of character actors together, something very special happens. You see it on Game of Thrones, too. Character actors kind of learn along the way to do their best and keep it moving. It’s no fault of the movie star, but there are a lot of elements they are juggling that are not strictly about doing the scene. There’s a lot of pressure there and whatever. The experience for us is that we’re very grateful to have such a good job, and we love to play together. It’s a bunch of session musicians instead of rock stars. It’s a different feeling.

What was your favorite scene to shoot in season 4? My personal favorite was the scene between you and Luschek on the phone. I was on the edge of my seat with that one.

Yeah, that was pretty crazy. What I loved about doing that scene with Matt was that Lauren Morelli wrote it, and it was the first time I’d been on set in a while. It was the kind of speech that a woman so infrequently gets. It was like one of those De Niro speeches, a Goodfellas speech. I think that’s always been my dream as an actor to do some of that stuff that should be more unisex, in my opinion.

Nicky is a really incredible character to get to play. Her sexuality, in that context, allows her to not only speak to the human experience but also the female experience. In general, I’d say that’s why I so identify and enjoy so much playing gay characters. I feel like it’s not all about boys. Those women are allowed to just be existing. Like Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces. Karen Black is existing in the movie as a response to Nicholson. Playing the straight, female love interest, too often it becomes about the character’s response to the man she’s with. That scene was intense to shoot, so I don’t know if I’d classify it as fun. It was also fun to scare people on the day. [Laughs] It was a good way to take up space again.

I also really loved the crack scene. The situation itself was insane, so it really allowed us to dig out heels in and be completely in character. There was nothing coy about that scene—it was out of control. It was so hot and disgusting, so I never want to relive that scene. There’s something about horrible physical circumstances of just bleeding and sweat and dirt in your fingernails, passing the pipe, and accidentally burning yourself with the lighter. At a certain point, you can’t act anymore. It’s so completely in the moment. Your physical senses are too spent in a way. In the moment it was pretty insane, but afterwards you say, “That was a crazy day!”

Natasha Lyonne and Orange Is the New Black are currently streaming season four on Netflix.

Boyd Holbrook On Prepping for Netflix’s ‘Narcos’

Narcos‘s Boyd Holbrook talks about his starring role in the hit Netflix series.

Actor Boyd Holbrook (Hatfields & McCoys, Behind the Candelabra) is currently on location in Indiana working on his next project. He’s about to play a villain on the next installment of the Marvel franchise Wolverine. More recently, he starred on the hit Netflix show, Narcos. On the show, Holbrook plays a DEA agent who helps track down drug lord, Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). With balloting for the Emmys closing at midnight, we managed to squeeze in a last minute conversation about Columbia and how he researched his role as Steve Murphy, a DEA agent hunting Escobar.

Boyd Holbrook, why is there this obsession with Pablo Escobar? I’ve been fascinated with him for the longest time.

The rich are a certain few percenters to have that sort of lifestyle, and life is the best struggle. When people see someone go through the ranks in being superior, it’s a fascinating extension as we know how hard it is.

I think what he did is iconic in crime. It’s very Shakespearian because we see this young, poor man ascend to being a king, and it unravels.

What did you know about him before you took on the role?

I was ten when he died. I wasn’t doing that much cocaine when he died. [Laughs] It wasn’t until I started talking to Steven Murphy that I learned about it. I was training to see how to get into this skin. Pedro and I got to train with the cadets. You’re risking your life going into these places saying you’re not really who you really say you are.

We had guns that fired blanks, in one scenario, they pulled a gun at me and shot me. It was a blank.

How petrifying.

It was great. To just do the show in Columbia was great. We could have done it in English with bad accents, or even shot it in Puerto Rico, but all that goes into the genuine show.

That’s one thing I liked about the show, not only did we have the visuals of Columbia, but also the Spanish, on a show like this.

It’s engaging that way. You have to be active to watch the show.

Absolutely, you had to pay attention, it wasn’t one show that you could have on in the background. So, going back to shooting in Columbia, what was that like? It wasn’t something you could have done 20 years ago.

Columbia is gorgeous. I was there for 17 months. Every time I was down there, the altitude is really high. For me, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was also the most rewarding. I’ve seen things that not many North Americans get to experience. That much of time there changes you.

You touched on it earlier, but you really researched this role.

I was on the phone to Steve every day. Wikipedia was tracking every episode to see how the facts check out. Some were out of timeline, but we were verbatim to history. It was wild.

What was it like working with Steve Murphy, Javier, and Pedro Pascal?

We became buddies. They’re really good cops. To do that work, it’s about friendship and getting to know a person. We had a good dynamic set up in the narrative. We all spoke and talked and listen to experiences, and hung out a lot.

What other experiences did you have that you enjoyed?

To go to work every day as an actor is rare. To do that for 17 months, figuring out the scenes and innovating things was really rewarding.

What about some challenges?

The location, and navigating around the country. The film infrastructure is nowhere near as what it is in the North.

What’s the appeal of living out of the East Coast?

I have ten acres where my dog can just run around. I dug a pond. I get to landscape!

Boyd Holbrook and Narcos are currently streaming on Netflix.

TCA Awards and Reviewing the 2016 Amazon Pilots

Episode 82: We take a look at the recent TCA Award nominations and review the new crop of Amazon Pilots.

This week at the Water Cooler, Joey, Megan, and Clarence discuss the recent Television Critics’ Association (TCA) awards. Who received the most nominations? Who benefited more as the announcement comes during the Emmy voting window? We’ll discuss this and whether or not these awards have any influence at all on Emmy voters. The 2016 Amazon Pilot season provides our central topic for the week. We review the two major entries in this year’s crop of Amazon Pilots, down from last year’s five entries. We take a look at The Last Tycoon, a throwback to early 20th century Hollywood, and The Interestings, an adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s acclaimed novel. Of the two, which do we recommend for promotion? Do we recommend any? And is this Amazon Pilot methodology a good way to realize new television shows?

As always, we close with the Flash Forward.

On next week’s star-spangled podcast (dropping on July 4, natch), we’re going to take stock of the 2016 year in television at the halfway point. With so much great television this year, it will be fascinating to see how long our “Best of” lists are halfway through the year.

Until then, ENJOY!

03:56 – TCA Awards
36:58 – Amazon Pilots
01:09:09 – Flash Forward

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Emmy Spotlight: ‘Game of Thrones’

Last year’s record-breaking Emmy winner Game of Thrones wrapped its sixth season tonight. Is another win in the cards?

Almost no one actively campaigns for HBO’s Game of Thrones to win the Drama Series Emmy. Don’t twist my words as I’m not saying no one wants it to win. I’m saying very few expend the energy to actively push the series forward into the winner’s circle. All types of campaigns exist on the Internet and in trades for other series – series whose biggest win would be to rank in the top seven on nomination morning. Yet, Game of Thrones biggest competition this year may be last year’s record-breaking haul: it received 12 Emmy wins in a single year. Will Emmy voters feel all that inclined to similarly reward the series this year?

The short answer? Probably “Yes.”

Game of Thrones won for its fifth season, a season that tested even die-hard fans’ patience. However, with Breaking Bad out of the way, the title clearly provided the next series for Emmy voters to rally around. Even the final season of once-favorite Mad Men could not dissuade them. It’s curious, though, to think that Emmy voters have fallen into the Breaking Bad pattern with Thrones already. Breaking Bad didn’t win until it started the descent into its series finale. With Thrones still plotting two additional seasons, will Emmy voters reward it another three times? It’s difficult to imagine that for a fantasy series.

Still, the merits of season six are hard to argue.

Apparently very confident in its sixth season, HBO submitted the traditionally battle-heavy ninth episode of the season for most Emmy consideration, and that was a very smart move. Even though it aired in the middle of the voting period, “Battle of the Bastards” provided a visceral and emotional experience, widely considered one of if not the best episode of the entire series. Why is that? The battle itself between Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton ignited the screen with its incredible staging. The dirt and grime, the blood and gore – all of it effectively realized and difficult to watch. It was also hard to look away with so much at stake dramatically. And then that clincher of a final scene as Sansa Stark watched Ramsay get his. In the face.

As a good friend of mine put it, “Battle of the Bastards” offers the episode in which the good guys finally, irrevocably won. After years of misery where good guys died left and right, we finally saw an episode that pretty much featured a widespread victory (save poor Wun Wun). Sure, it was predictable as hell, but who cares? It was the battle we wanted and needed. It was the ending to the Bolton story line most everyone wanted. Maybe it’s perfect that it aired midway the Emmy voting cycle. The euphoria could carry Game of Thrones to a record Emmy nomination haul for the series itself.

One thing going against the notion of a record series haul is the relative lack of Guest Actors put forth this year by the series. Jonathan Price and Diana Rigg were not submitted in their Guest Acting categories. Rigg has received nominations for her role as Queen of Thorns in the past. Only Max von Sydow received a submission for his role as the Three-eyed Raven, a role I’m not sure anyone truly understands.

Personally, the rest of the year captivated 100 percent. The thrill and adrenaline rush of the “big moments” trained audiences to expect that on a weekly basis, but, to me, Game of Thrones excels equally in the quiet, sulking moments that pay off episodes later. That’s where Lena Headey lives and breathes, and, going into tonight’s season finale, I waited for that killer Cersei moment promised earlier in the season. She excelled in the scene illustrating the revelation of the recently deceased Myrcella, and she just needed one more scene to bring it home.

She got it tonight as she exacted her revenge against the High Sparrow (Jonathan Price) and her tormenting nun. Now, Lena Headey’s most significant issue is the nature of her character as Cersei isn’t one for great emotional moments. On the contrary, Cersei’s heart appears as icy as the white walkers marching on Westeros. How else could someone watch as half of King’s Landing burned in a massive explosion? How else could someone stare mutely at the corpse of her latest dead child, King Tommen? Headey’s performance this season has been remarkable. Emmy will take notice with a nomination, but the win is unclear.

Game of Thrones ends its sixth season giving payoffs galore. The tension and filmmaking craft of the destruction scene that kicked off the season finale nearly equalled the great “Battle of the Bastards.” Perhaps “The Winds of Winter” gave us an even greater episode of television. Whatever glory Emmy bestows upon Game of Thrones this year won’t be the final opportunities. This is a series taking flight away from the chains of the source material, and I believe that to be a very good thing.

Guaranteed Nominations
Drama Series
Direction
Writing
Peter Dinklage, Supporting Actor
Lena Headey, Supporting Actress
Emilia Clarke, Supporting Actress
All The Crafts

Possible Nominations
Kit Harington, Supporting Actor
Sophie Turner, Supporting Actress
Max von Sydow, Guest Actor

Emmys FYC: Jon Bernthal Gets To The Heart of ‘Daredevil’

By day he’s Frank Castle. By night he’s The Punisher, a man on a mission. He’s a vigilante who sets the bad guys straight. He’s also a major component of Netflix’s critically acclaimed Marvel property Daredevil. Actor Jon Bernthal makes his Daredevil debut in the second season of the streaming series. His anti-hero story is as compelling as anything we’ve seen thus far in the brutal series.

I caught up with actor Jon Bernthal to talk about playing the crime fighting hero. We also talk about an important moment in season two where his alter-ego gives us a peek into his vigilante soul.

Can it be that The Punisher really isn’t that bad after all?

Were you always a fan of Daredevil growing up?

To be honest, I really wasn’t. My first real exposure to the comic books and the comic book world was through The Walking Dead. It was also an exposure to the comic book fans and their enthusiasm and how much it means to them. I had no idea how committed that fan base is. There’s something with comic books, and the medium requires so much imagination on the part of both the reader and audience. It ignites the imagination and gives the audience this sense of ownership of the characters and of these worlds. I think that’s a reason for the passion. I experienced it firsthand with The Walking Dead. With this character, Frank Castle, I really dived into the comic book. I got a lot from the books and the research process was fun.

What was it about this particular guy that made you say, this is who I want to play?

I wasn’t desperately trying to get into the comic book world. [laughs] For me, it’s about the human being. He has no superpower. His superpower is his humanity. It’s his drive, his rage, and his loss. I could never have played this part if I weren’t a husband or father. Until you really understand what it’s like to love somebody more than yourself and to willingly give your life for them, only then can you understand what it would mean if they were taken from you.

I really dig this Netflix model of 13 episodes. All at once delivery system of material because it allows for real freedom in the way that you tell a story. You can be bold and take risks or abandon the audience and go very far. The way most of this material is digested all at once. They don’t have to wait 3 or 4 months to win the audience back to explain their actions. I really dig it.

As a character study and acting, you can’t ask for anything more.

You really have to hand it to Netflix for giving us this binge-watching culture. It’s like a choose your own adventure. You decide where to go next be it one episode, two, or the entire season.

With the TV model, whether cable or network, you sort of have to operate in these gray areas where if your character is going down a road where you could lose the audience, you have to keep it gray and play it both ways. A character like Frank Castle, he goes all the way, and later on humanity sets in. The regret, humiliation and shame pour in later with him.I love that you don’t have to tell all these different stories and let that affect you in a natural way. There’s no question that the Netflix model is a real ally in that.

Jon Bernthal — Photo courtesy of Netflix.

I love your take on Frank Castle and The Punisher. You nail the dark, gritty edge to him. But what’s it like with those battle scenes? Again, you nail those scenes.

I think when you’re talking about characters like these, the way they fight, what’s motivating the fight is very important. Beating someone up to drag them into jail is different than someone who is exercising his rage on people. The Frank Castle you find in this story is not The Punisher. He’s reeling from the loss of his family. He’s driven by rage and is on a singular mission to find these people who took his family from him, and do it as brutally as possible.

This team that’s been assembled, they’re unbelievably ambitious. The fighting in this show everybody working together. I also believe the way in which he fights tells you volumes about the character. There’s a story with each and every punch, and they allow us to approach it like that. These guys are good enough to choreograph in that way.

Which scenes stand out for you from this season?

A big part of this guy is a guy searching for himself. He’s got pain, regret and remorse. There’s the graveyard scene where he opens up. He delivers this scene where he explains what it’s like to come home and see his daughter. It was such a gift from John C. Kelley. I had been away from my kids for three months, and I was at the crux of my own torture, going through that.

I really tried to drive into what this guy was going through. Not only was it beautifully written. What it allowed was a man who doesn’t open up much, doesn’t share, who has been alone, and this circumstance found him where he didn’t think he’d be able to get up from that gravestone. He has this opportunity to open up. Those moments and that speech gave me the ammunition to go as far as I wanted the other way. You could be as brutal as possible, as depraved, as tortured as possible because at that moment, the audience got to see what was going on in that man’s heart, and he’s unbelievably human. He’s in an unbelievably amount of pain. That speech was the anchor of the season for me.

We’re getting to see who he is

It’s very rare for characters like this and these broken people on a mission is a necessary part of being a soldier and being a man on a mission. To say things like shame, regret, and humanity. I’m not letting those things penetrate me because I’m just about this mission. What was great about that was that it reminds us that it’s impossible to build a wall around your heart. It also tells us that all humans are reachable, and some light penetrates that wall, and feelings are underneath there. What an opportunity for a guy like this to share that and open up about it.

What lies ahead for Frank and The Punisher?

[laughs] I have no idea. We are going to do a show with him next year. I’m really excited about that. We’ll have to see.

Does anything surprise you about the Frank character at all?

I think the relationship with Karen surprised me the most. It was a rare thing that can happen when you have a real collaboration between writers and actors. These writers and producers watch the dailies, they see things that were happening. You might not be able to put words to it, and they develop that. In the same way that there’s this connection between Frank and Karen and we never explain exactly what it is. I felt what it became was that I thought he looked at her as, this is the kind of woman his daughter could have become, bold and intelligent, and courageous, independent, bold and caring. I think he saw his daughter in her. I think as a man that swore off caring about anything besides his mission and completing it, I think he started to care about her, her well-being, and her opinion.

Jon Bernthal and Marvel’s Daredevil is now streaming on Netflix.

Emmy Tracker: Will Shocking Endings Boost or Kill Emmy Chances?

Vinyl and Penny Dreadful both died this week. Did their Emmy chances die with them?

*** SPOILERS AHEAD***

I’m not sure which ending was more surprising. My jaw was literally on the floor on Monday morning when I read that Penny Dreadful killed off Eva Green’s Vanessa Ives during its third season finale. Even though the last thing viewers saw was “THE END,” I immediately assumed the series would either resurrect Ives (Red Priestess, perhaps?) or would continue without its tortured star. Then, later in the week, HBO did what nearly everybody wanted but no one expected: they pulled the plug on Vinyl, a Martin Scorsese / Mick Jagger vanity project. So, immediately, the question of what Emmy voters would think given this widespread news during the Emmy voting period popped into my head.

Let’s dive into this, shall we?

There isn’t really a lot of historical data to prove sudden departures enhance a series’ Emmy chances. The final season allure of Emmy voting really only applies to previously nominated series like Breaking Bad or, this year, Downton Abbey. Penny Dreadful is actually far more awarded a series that you’d might think, winning 10 awards across from mostly critics’ groups. Shockingly, its first season failed to win a single Emmy and was completely ignored for its lush period design and fantastic cinematography. It was recognized for makeup and twice for music.

Still, viewers saw the second season as a significant improvement over the good-but-not-great first season. Early awards recognition for the second season seemed to be on an upswing. Eva Green managed a surprise Golden Globe nomination, and the Critics’ Choice Television Awards bestowed four nominations on the series. Granted, none of these resulted in a win. Beggars, you know?

Eva Green hadn’t surfaced on the Emmy Tracker before now. I’d certainly made a plea for her before and continue to sing her praises. Is there a chance that this wide publicity about the end of the series actually a good thing for her? Penny Dreadful didn’t become one of those heavily buzzed dramas, which is a shame. The series was resolutely good, full of lushly photographed gore and sumptuous costumes. Maybe that turned Emmy voters off. However, as the series made headlines with the unexpected and shocking end, Eva Green could benefit from the attention. This ending could be a reason for Emmy voters to check out the series and see what all the fuss is about, particularly if it’s not a long-term commitment now. Or it could make them trash the screener. It’s a rather sticky situation that is difficult to predict.

Still, I’m giving Eva Green an upgrade over Krysten Ritter for the tenth slot. I doubt she makes it in, but there’s no such thing as bad publicity, right?

Maybe there is if you’re Vinyl.

Vinyl is one of those series that nearly everyone gave up on halfway through (earlier?) its tumultuous first season. Still, HBO seemed to stand by it, giving Scorsese and his team a chance to course-correct in the expensive series’s second season. But that, like Andrew Dice Clay in the series premiere, is no mo’. If Emmy voters considered Vinyl, then they likely ripped the record off the turntable and tossed it in the garbage.

I mean, seriously. Screeners meant to represent 400-plus scripted series bury Emmy voters. You’re telling me they’re going to spend time with a series in which HBO has so little faith as to not even grant it a second outing? To pull the plug midstream? A show that battled reviews and toxic buzz to try and push stars Bobby Cannavale and Ray Romano into the Emmy acting races? It’s all done, folks. It’s toast.

Cannavale may still sneak in there on his name and wild-child performance. In my opinion, that would be a horrible fucking shame over far more deserving actors. I’m not sure I want to live in a world where Freddie Highmore’s career-defining work as Norman Bates on Bates Motel isn’t as highly regarded at Cannavale’s manic gyrations. It’s probably going to help Kyle Chandler’s Bloodline season two domination sneak into the top six categories. I would be OK with that, but Cannavale gets a downgrade into the lower ranks of the category as Vinyl flushes its way down the pipes.

And of Ray Romano? I quite liked his performance in the pilot, but he’s toast too. Who replaces him in the top ten? Alan Alda’s startling work on Louis CK’s Horace and Pete seems to be getting a lot of last-minute Emmy buzz. And, honestly, just look at the poor guy. He looks like he’d slept in a dumpster behind Louis CK’s house. He flushed vanity for his art, and he’s great in the series.

Welcome to the Emmy Tracker, Mr. Alda.