Analyzing the Golden Globe TV Nominations

Joey Moser provides commentary (and a bit of snark) to the television nominees to the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

If you were daydreaming and thinking, “I wish I could relive the Emmys from last year,” look no further than the nominations for this year’s Golden Globes! In the Drama and Limited Series races, we will be seeing some familiar faces from this past September, but let’s be real: the more Nicole Kidman and The Handmaid’s Tale, the better, am I right? As usual, the Hollywood Foreign Press offered some surprises. Why, yes, Ms. Biel, you are in the right place.

Best Drama Series
The Crown
Game of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us

The top prize offers the usual contenders this season. People hungry to see Game of Thrones nominated can relax now that it’s eligible for something again. While Thrones normally dominates the Emmys every year, this was the only nomination it received. Does the HFPA only think that HBO produces shows about dragons? The Deuce is supposed to be good? No…ok…Game of Thrones it is! The best reviewed new show, Netflix’s Mindhunter, failed to score any nominations.

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Batemen, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Freddie Highmore, The Good Doctor
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schrieber, Ray Donovan

Yay for Bateman and Highmore–both people we thought could make the cut. The big miss here is James Franco from The Deuce. We were expecting him to be a big winner on the film and television side, but he only grabbed a nomination for his performance in The Disaster Artist. Also Ray Donovan is still on, huh? That’s cute. Jonathan Groff should be in here for his layered portrayal of a detective exploring the dark side in Mindhunter.

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Claire Foy, The Crown
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Deuce
Katherine Langford, 13 Reasons Why
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale

We joked about the possibility of the inclusion of Langford in this category on the podcast (you’re a subscriber, right?), but here we are. It’s not that Langford is bad on 13 Reasons, but it’s just the type of bonkers, whack-a-doo thing that the HFPA would nominate. Here’s your tape, Megan.

Best Comedy Series
black-ish
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Master of None
SMILF
Will & Grace

No Veep? At all?! Sure, the Golden Globes have never truly warmed to the political comedy, but shutting it out completely in all the comedy categories is a surprise. And where the holy hell is GLOW?! The Globes really like shiny, new things–especially in the comedy races. GLOW was this year’s runaway sensation, so it’s a shock that it only grabbed one nomination this morning (a very well deserved one for Alison Brie). Master of None missed out on a nomination for the first season (only Aziz Ansari made the cut last time), so seeing it included this year is great news.

Best Actor in a Television Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Kevin Bacon, I Love Dick
William H. Macy, Shameless
Eric McCormack, Will & Grace

I am kicking myself for not including Kevin Bacon for Amazon’s I Love Dick. The HFPA loves Amazon shows, and he’s still a big star in his own right. Can we please just have him and McCormack recreate their Footloose dance from Will & Grace? Speaking of McCormack, it’s a tad surprising that he’s the only one from the original Will & Grace foursome to get nominated.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Alison Brie, GLOW
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Issa Rae, Insecure
Frankie Shaw, SMILF

No Julia Louis-Dreyfus?! No Debra Messing?! No Tracee Ellis Ross?! Okay, I’ll bite. No Kristen Bell?!?!?!?!?! On the plus side, these are all great nominees. Since Adlon was a surprised nominee for Better Things at the Emmys, I think we were all a big hesitant to include her here.

The battle of the ingenue is ON! If Shaw was the only nomination for SMILF, I’d say that Brosnahan has this in the bag (yes, I’ve been on record that she will indeed win), but HFPA clearly likes the show as a whole. Hear that? It’s the sound of television enthusiasts logging into Showtime Anytime to catch up.

Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Big Little Lies
Fargo
Feud: Bette and Joan
The Sinner
Top of the Lake: China Girl

Where the heck is Twin Peaks?!

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made of Television
Robert De Niro, Wizard of Lies
Jude Law, The Young Pope
Kyle McLachlan, Twin Peaks: The Return
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Geoffrey Rush, Genius

I wonder if it will come down to McLachlan and Law’s ass for the win? Since Twin Peaks didn’t make the cut in the top limited series category, it’s all we’ve got in terms of something shiny and new. Even though it’s a reboot of a show from the 90’s.

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Biel, The Sinner
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies

I was looking forward to Elisabeth Moss getting two nominations this morning, but I guess we can’t have nice things. Can you imagine how gay Twitter will react if Biel wins? “First she took Justin Timberlake and now Nicole’s Golden Globe!”

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
David Harbor, Stranger Things
Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
Alexander Skarsgaard, Big Little Lies
David Thewlis, Fargo

Fiiiiiine! Don’t nominate any comedies. It’s not like I wanted Sean Hayes in there at all. Oh…no one from Modern Family. We’re fine.

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Michelle Pfeiffer, Wizard of Lies
Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies