EMMY MUSINGS

Just a few thoughts looking over the list of Emmy nominations which were announced this morning.....

I don't feel qualified to delve too deeply into the technical categories behind the scenes, but these two categories caught my notice:

Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
Rome • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with the BBC
Jeff Beal, Composer

It's always nice to see somebody vindicated after I think they've been done wrong.

Jeff Beal wrote the theme music of 'Monk', which was used only in the first season. Then they dumped it in favor of a dopey (albeit catchy) song by Randy Newman.

Occasionally it shows up in episodes of the show, and they even made reference to it in an episode as in-joke. (Sarah Silverman's character was talking about a fictional TV show's theme song which suffered the same fate.)

It's nice to know that the incident didn't make the entire industry view Beal's talent as tainted and not up to snuff.

Outstanding Commercial
Clydesdale American Dream - Budweiser • •
PYTKA, Production Company
DDB Chicago, Ad Agency

Concert - AmeriQuest • •
MJZ, Production Company
DDB Los Angeles, Ad Agency

Required Reading - Hallmark • •
The Institue for the Development of Enhanced PerceptualAwareness, Production Company
Leo Burnett Chicago, Ad Agency

Stick - FedEx • •
Partizan, Production Company
BBDO New York, Ad Agency

I'm not familiar with the two middle choices, but I think the battle will be between FedEx and Budweiser. Budweiser may win for the awwww warmth factor, but the Caveman trying to ship a stick via pterodactyl never gets tiresome to view.

And it's good for Toobworld to boot!

Now, as for the acting categories:

How can they choose Kevin James for 'King Of Queens', and yet ignore the work of Jason Lee in 'My Name Is Earl'? Perhaps it's because Jason Lee is a lot like Henry Fonda - he makes it look so easy, that the voters forgot he was acting!

Having such a crush on Blythe Danner while I was in college, I'm so happy to see her recognized for two different roles this season.

How can they think Alfre Woodard's performance in 'Desperate Housewives' was comedy????

Lisa Kudrow? Really?

And no love for Jason Lee? Randy Supplee? Hugh Laurie? Edie Falco? Jorge Garcia?

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Larry David as Himself
The King Of Queens • CBS
Kevin James as Doug Heffernan
Monk • USA
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
The Office • NBC
Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

Except for Kevin James, this is a strong category, but I think this is Steve Carell's year.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
Rescue Me • FX Network
Denis Leary as Tommy Gavin
Six Feet Under • HBO
Peter Krause as Nate Fisher
24 • FOX
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
The West Wing • NBC
Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet

Right now, it looks like it's Kiefer Sutherland's to lose, but I think Denis Leary deserves the nod. Next year, I hope they recognize the work of John Scurti on this program.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Charles Dance as Mr. Tulkinghorn
Human Trafficking • Lifetime
Donald Sutherland as Bill Meehan
Mrs. Harris • HBO
Ben Kingsley as Herman Tarnower
Pope John Paul II • CBS
Jon Voight as Pope John Paul II
Thief • FX Network
Andre Braugher as Nick Atwater

I'm not familiar with most of these nominations, but I think 'Bleak House' overall is going to be strong, so it could be Charles Dance. Of course, nobody wants to insult God, so maybe Voight will win for playing the late John Paul II.

And wasn't 'Thief' supposed to be a series, not just a mini-series?

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The Comeback • HBO
Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish
Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Jane Kaczmarek as Lois
The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell
Out Of Practice • CBS
Stockard Channing as Lydia Barnes
Will & Grace • NBC
Debra Messing as Grace

Thank God we won't be seeing that tired Grace Adler in the category next year!

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
The Closer • TNT
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson
Commander In Chief • ABC
Geena Davis as Mackenzie Allen
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Six Feet Under • HBO
Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher
The West Wing • NBC
Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg

I think 'Six Feet Under' has been off too long for anybody to remember Ms. Conroy's work. TV Guide's Michael Ausiello will be happy about Ms. Hargitay, but I know he'll be bleeped off that Lauren Graham got passed over yet again.

I'm going with Ms. Sedgwick, a great blend of drama and comedy in Brenda Leigh Johnson. And because I want to hear her say "Thank yew. Thank yew so much." when she wins!

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Ambulance Girl • Lifetime
Kathy Bates as Jane Stern
Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock
Elizabeth I • HBO
Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I
A Little Thing Called Murder • Lifetime
Judy Davis as Sante Kimes
Mrs. Harris • HBO
Annette Bening as Jean Harris

As with Charles Dance's nomination, I think 'Bleak House' will drive in the win for Ms. Anderson. But at the same time, she was incredible in the role and made me forget all about a little thing called 'The X-Files'.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Will Arnett as Gob Bluth
Entourage • HBO
Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold
Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Bryan Cranston as Hal
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper
Will & Grace • NBC
Sean Hayes as Jack

I HATE JACK! Sorry, felt the need to say that. Otherwise, Ari's storyline from last season in which he almost lost everything should carry him to the win.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
William Shatner as Denny Crane
Huff • Showtime
Oliver Platt as Russell Tupper
The Sopranos • HBO
Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti
24 • FOX
Gregory Itzin as President Charles Logan
The West Wing • NBC
Alan Alda as Arnold Vinick

Had there been any lesser actor in the role of Arnold Vinick on 'The West Wing', I'd say that Gregory Itzin should win for playing the Nixonian President on '24'. Even though I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat in the Real World, I SO wanted Vinick to win the election on 'The West Wing'!

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce
Elizabeth I • HBO
Hugh Dancy as Earl of Essex
Elizabeth I • HBO
Jeremy Irons as Earl of Leicester
Human Trafficking • Lifetime
Robert Carlyle as Sergei Karpovich
Thief • FX Network
Clifton Collins, Jr. as Jack “Bump” Hill

The strenght of 'Bleak House' would have had nothing to do with this. I've been a big fan of Denis Lawson since 'Local Hero' and the first 'Star Wars' trilogy.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Cheryl Hines as Cheryl David
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Alfre Woodard as Betty Applewhite
My Name Is Earl • NBC
Jaime Pressly as Joy
Weeds • Showtime
Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes
Will & Grace • NBC
Megan Mullally as Karen

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Chandra Wilson as Dr. Bailey
Huff • Showtime
Blythe Danner as Izzy Huffstodt
24 • FOX
Jean Smart as First Lady Martha Logan

I don't watch '24', but I kept up on the details through various websites. Someday I'll watch it all, I swear! But I do know that Jean Smart really made this season spectacular with her portrayal of the First Lady.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
The Girl In The Café • HBO
Kelly Macdonald as Gina
Hidden Places • Hallmark
Shirley Jones as Aunt Batty
Mrs. Harris • HBO
Ellen Burstyn as Former Tarnower “Steady”
Mrs. Harris • HBO
Cloris Leachman as Tarnower’s Sister
The Water Is Wide (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation)• CBS
Alfre Woodard as Mrs. Brown

I never saw any of these productions, and I never even heard of two of them, so I can't honestly voice an opinion on who might win.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Extras • HBO • BBC
Patrick Stewart as Himself
Extras • HBO • BBC
Ben Stiller as Himself
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Martin Sheen as Harvey
Will & Grace • NBC
Alec Baldwin as Malcolm
Will & Grace • NBC
Leslie Jordan as Beverley Leslie

It's nice to see Leslie Jordan recognized for his talents, even though I thought his character was ultra-creepy; even more so than the role he played on 'Boston Legal'. But nothing was funnier than seeing Patrick Stewart describing his idea for a TV Show for himself, about a man who could undress women with his mind.

And that would also be a big boost for Toobworld's League of Themselves.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
Michael J. Fox as Daniel Post
Boston Legal • ABC
Christian Clemenson as Jerry “Hands” Espenson
ER • NBC
James Woods as Dr. Nate Lennox
Grey’s Anatomy
Kyle Chandler as Dylan Young
Lost • ABC
Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond

Yeah, being as big a 'Lost' fan as I am, sure I'd love to see Desmond get the win. Especially if it would mean that the producers might then consider making sure the character survived the finale and then make him a regular.

But great work among character actors should always be recognized and this may be the best chance Christian Clemenson might ever get. His portrayal of Jerry Espinson was heart-breaking, edgy, and memorable.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives • ABC
Shirley Knight as Phyllis Van de Kamp
Extras • HBO • BBC
Kate Winslet as Herself
Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Cloris Leachman as Ida
Monk • USA
Laurie Metcalf as Cora
Will & Grace • NBC
Blythe Danner as Marilyn Truman

Watch Kate Winslet or just listen to her potty mouth and tell me she doesn't deserve the award.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Kate Burton as Ellis Grey
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Christina Ricci as Hannah
Huff • Showtime
Swoosie Kurtz as Madeline Sullivan
Six Feet Under • HBO
Patricia Clarkson as Aunt Sarah
Six Feet Under • HBO
Joanna Cassidy as Margaret Chenowith

Seeing as how one's work is never judged only on its own merit, I think Kate Burton might win for more than just the fact she does an excellent job portraying an Alzheimer's patient. But she also plays a very loving and sympathetic recurring character on 'Rescue Me' and hey, she is Richard Burton's daughter!

So we'll see how it goes at the end of August......

Stay tuned!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby