Johnny Simmons

True Blood has such an expansive cast (and a principally male ensemble) that the actors have little time to make their mark. Kwanten and Trammell have been most effective for the past season. Watching Kwanten do his usual dance between melodrama and comedy continues to be interesting and Trammell has never been as interesting as he was this past season dealing with a family from hell. Kartheiser continues to be underrated on Mad Men but he’s been incredible in season 4. Pete can be arrogant without losing his humanity and Kartheiser makes his attempts to balance his work and family more than a repeat of Don’s issues. I’ve not been especially fond of Marshall this season, but Gilchrist has been phenomenal. Sure, he was good in the New York episodes and dealing with Lionel’s death but it’s the confrontation with Bryce that I remember most. Shannon reaches a new level of creepy on Boardwalk Empire when he gets religious fever and Eli Gould is, as always, untouchable.

Remember two years ago when Mad Men took up four of the five writing nominations at the Emmy? We sure do. Ryan (of Sorta That Guy) and I started Emmy predictions with the guest performers early in the week. We return, this time focusing on the potential writing and directing nominees. These categories are notoriously difficult to predict, but this conversation was a lot of fan to predict.

Ryan: But off the bat, I've never even tackled predicting Writing/Directing nominees before because it's hard.

Andrew: It IS hard to predict. You were saying on twitter that it’s exasperating when shows submit like a dozen episodes, and even though I know they want to give themselves as much chances, I wonder if they really expect double nods.

Ryan: It doesn't help that the Emmys LOVE to give multiple nods. I remember two years ago how ridiculously it was that Mad Men got 4 of the 5 nominations. Love the show, but that is excessive.

How many nods is Mad Men getting this year?

Ryan: Well with that said, shall we dive into Writing for a Drama then?

Andrew: Indeed, and since we're talking about Mad Men, they've won each year for the past three years. 2 nods the first season, 4 the second, 2 the third. How much do we see them getting this year and for what?

Ryan: At most 3 nominations for "The Suitcase" "Walfdorf Stories" and "Tomorrowland." I'm confident that "The Suitcase" will get nominated though.

Andrew: Really, because if we have any legitimate precursor for this category it's the WGA and the nominated MAD MEN episode there was "Chrysanthemum and the Sword"...which they won for...

Ryan: Hm. Maybe I should've paid more attention to the precursors! Well, then it'll be that and "The Suitcase." Or you know, maybe they'll get 4 nominations. Who knows anymore? The thing is there are a lot of new shows that they might want to honour.

Andrew: If there's a third, I'm thinking either "Tomorrowland" or "Beautiful Girls", but really they go crazy over some episodes. My favourite episode of the season was "The Good News", but I'm not a true fan. Sigh.

Ryan: Well as for new shows, Boardwalk Empire is the big one, but there's also Game of Thrones, Shameless, and The Walking Dead.

Andrew: Has Shameless been well received? That one seems to have escaped me.

Ryan: I'm not sure how well-received Shameless is actually, but it's HBO so it almost feel automatic for it to be in the running. And The Killing, which submitted almost every episode ever.

Any chance of The Killing making it in?

Andrew: Ha, I loved that The Killing did that. Probably just to fuck with voters. What really surprises me about the submissions for writing is that Boardwalk Empire really throws me for a loop when they submit almost every episode but NOT the pilot. And pilots of great shows are almost always the go-to for nominations. So I don't know which Boardwalk Empire episode to wager for a nod.

Ryan: Especially since Boardwalk Empire's "Pilot" is the front-runner for Directing. Um, Martin Scorsese thank you very much.

Andrew: (Yup, he's the frontrunner. But, you're pre-empting me. ha. ha) I figure the season finale is the best bet for a nod.

Ryan: I agree, but I don't really watch the show so I don't know. Also I was wrong about Shameless, it's on Showtime, not HBO. Its chances actually dropped because of that.

Andrew: You are mean.

Ryan: I'm going purely by nominating history of the Emmy's. They love HBO.

Andrew: Friday Night Lights and The Good Wife both got writing nods last season. Are they coming back?

Ryan: That's funny since I was going to ask you if there are any non-cable shows that would make it in.

Andrew: Let me get this out of the way now, I don't get Friday Night Lights. I'm trying so hard to get through the final season, and it's well made but I just can't love it. I'm barely mustering up a liking.

Ryan: I actually quite love it, except for the final season. Something's just been off about it, but then again I saw all of Friday Night Lights in 2 weeks a few months ago.

Andrew: Well, they submitted one episode which means all the fans have one horse to bet on. A nod you think?

Ryan: It's a great strategy definitely, but who knows. Everyone else does seem to love it, so its finale "Always" has a shot. As for The Good Wife, I'd say "VIP Treatment."

Andrew: Before we actually predict, I HAVE to ask. As someone who loves The Good Wife what do you think of the submissions? I think that there are some pretty egregious snubs in terms of submissions neither "Getting Off" nor "Ham Sandwich"? Or "Breaking Up" which I thought was a fair episode but excellently written. But, I guess of the lot "VIP Treatment" is the best bet.

Ryan: The episodes you mentioned are damn good, but that's the thing about this show, almost every episode is perfectly written. That's why I actually respect that they took the "less is more" route over the alternative.

Andrew: I do respect them for that. I'm a Dexter fan but it's never gotten a writing nod. Odd isn't it?

Ryan: Yeah and I have no idea how to explain it. They're okay with violence (The Sopranos), so who knows?

Andrew: I don't get that; and some critics weren't a fan of this season so I guess it's not a lock for a nod. I think it's time we show our hands; this is going to be fun. I'll go first.

Ryan: Do we really have to predict now, because I have 12 episodes on my long list and I have no idea how to pick 5-6 of them. I really, really don't. Guess I'll look at yours and decide.

Andrew: Pick blindly. (And you only have 5 choices.)

Ryan: Even better.

Andrew: My picks:
Boardwalk Empire “A Return to Normalcy”
The Good Wife “VIP Treatment”
The Killing “Pilot”
Mad Men “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
Mad Men “The Suitcase”

Ryan: My predictions are actually the exact same as yours, except I'm wavering on The Killing's Pilot. BUT my alternatives to that would be episodes from genre shows aka Game of Thrones"Baelor" and The Walking Dead"Days Gone By." So... I'm going to go with…
Boardwalk Empire “A Return to Normalcy”
The Good Wife “VIP Treatment”
Game of Thrones “Baelor”
Mad Men “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
Mad Men “The Suitcase”

Andrew: I, too, am wavering on The Killing, people have started to hate it so it could easily get ignored. And I don't see Game of Thrones getting love. I'd be pissed on principal if they do, because they ignored The Tudors back in the name which I find criminal.

Ryan: That's exactly why I'm wavering on The Killing. The buzz just seems to not be on its favour now, while Game of Thrones is riding some good ones.

Andrew: But the Emmy's are weird, they kept nominating Two and a Half Men without a care in the world. So, who knows?

Ryan: I'm predicting a shut out for that show this year. But maybe its wishful thinking. Also, that's jumping ahead a bit. Shall we go to Directing? Any front-runners?

Andrew: Hah. I'm already dreaming about how awesome Martin's speech will be.


Ryan: He's so locked, it's funny. I'm looking forward to seeing it. And I will definitely see that episode before the Emmy's. This category is a bit more forgiving on genre shows, so I'm predicting Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and maybe even Fringe could get in. The latter is DEFINITELY wishful thinking on my part.

Andrew: I have Game of Thrones there too.

Ryan: Three episodes though. Which one has the better chance?

Andrew: I say the pilot, for obvious reasons. Dexter will probably make it too. It won last year, and Shill directed "Everything is Ilumenated" which seems to have a good chance.

Ryan: I was thinking the pilot, too. And yes, definitely on "Everything Is Illumenated" since as you said, it’s last year's winner.

Andrew: Although, I'd think "Hop a Freighter" is a more obvious choice...

Ryan: And how about the perennial winner Mad Men? I keep saying "The Suitcase" because it was my personal favorite episode of the season, but I'm not sure. Especially since Matt Weiner did "Tomorrowland" and last year nominee Lesli Linka Glatter did "The Chrysanthemum And The Sword." Also I say "winner" though it hasn't won a directing award, has it?

Andrew: They've never won for directing, and probably might not...it could be any number of nods for them, though...but one is what I’m assuming...

Ryan: Any thoughts on the chances of "These Arms of Mine" for Grey's Anatomy? The direction of that episode was front and centre as they had to make it look like a documentary.

Andrew: But they've started hating on the show, they didn't even nominate Sandra last year. So I don't want to be hasty.
Ryan: Yeah, even as an on-off-on again fan of the show, I thought it was insane they didn't get any love for their chilling finale last year.

Andrew: I concur. Emmy's are really random that way.

Ryan: Another nominee last year, Agnieskza Holland could be nominated for her work on The Killing. But who knows?

Andrew: Show your hand, sir. Before you do, though, the DGA nominated Dexter, Mad Men, Lost, Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire.

Ryan: Thank you sir for that. Okay...
Boardwalk Empire “Pilot
Dexter “Everything is Illumenated”
Game of Thrones “Winter is Coming”
Mad Men “The Suitcase”
The Walking Dead “Days Gone By”

Andrew: Seriously? That's my line-up which is really random.

Ryan: So you were thinking The Walking Dead, too, though? That one was the surprising consensus to me.

Andrew: (I erred it was actually The Walking Dead and not Game of Thrones which got DGA love. Game of Thrones hadn’t come out yet.) I'm going crap it up and say "Hop A Freighter" instead of “Everything is Illumenated” instead for DEXTER.
Boardwalk Empire “Pilot
Dexter “Hop A Freighter”
Game of Thrones “Winter is Coming”
Mad Men “The Suitcase”
The Walking Dead “Days Gone By”
           
And...Darabont (The Walking Dead) is an Oscar nominee. But, really who knows?
               
Any predictions on the writing and directing for drama categories? Scorsese for the win? Mad Men to rule and conquer?

Three season finales - The Killing, Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara, the latter of which is also a series finale. So many people keep talking about Game of Thrones and, who knows, maybe I will catch up with it at some time – but I don’t when.
           
The Killing: “Orpheus Descending”

It’s a bit difficult to get my thoughts in order as I write about the season finale for the show’s freshman season. It was mere happenstance that led me to Alan Spinewall’s site late last week – he’s not a fan of the show and after watching the season’s closer I couldn’t help but sidle over to see what he thought of it. Unsurprisingly, he loathed it. For me, The Killing continues to be a character study in vignettes as we are privy to only bits and pieces of characters’ lives. Thus, the possibility of Richmond legitimately being the murderer was 50/50. The hunt to prove his guilt was well established, though. Even as I wondered why some of the trails weren’t investigated two weeks ago, the show’s world makes sense of it happening now and everything right down to that tense phone call that Sarah received in the plane worked. And even as they revealed that Holder had tampered with evidence I was still willing to believe that Richmond was the killer nonetheless. It was that cliff-hanger of Holder’s apparent duplicity which left me agitated, not so much the lack of finding Rosie’s murderer. Publicity placement or no, The Killing holds my interest because of more than “who killed Rosie Larsen” – at least I tuned out of who killed her weeks ago. There was something vaguely off, but I’m not sure what. For example, as good as Sexton was it was so random having him in Ahmed's room and talking to his wife, even if the scene was excellently played. It has its moments of strangeness, but I’ve liked the first season (proof).
[B]


United States of Tara: “The Good Parts”
I did not shed a tear when the credits finally began rolling for the final episode of United States of Tara, not because the episode wasn’t every bit as emotional a closer as you’d expect from the Gregson’s but because the episode was as perfect a series’ finale as any fan of the show could have hoped for. Except for a few moments of Bryce at the beginning the episode featured Tara without any alters and it’s proof that Toni Collette’s Tara is the draw for the series – not the alters. More than Tara, though, the show is brilliant when it examines all the issues of Tara’s families – her states, her good parts and it’s so nice seeing the curtains closing on Kate, Marshall, Charmain and Max in such a fine fashion. Will Tara ever be cured? That blink-and-you’ll miss it glimpse of Tee, Alice and Buck in Max’s truck suggest otherwise. But, the episode wrapped it all up so well that even if it Tara’s life doesn’t develop to perfect we’re satisfied with the parts we got. The good parts.
[A-]
      
Nurse Jackie: “deaf blind tumour pee test”
Honestly, I can’t stand Jackie. Edie Falco is great in the role and I do love the show, but for a lead character I feel not the slightest bit of interest in the machinations of Jackie. The ending of the season hit us with a confession of an affair, not from Jackie but from Kevin and as Jackie tells him to pack his bags I’m wondering just how further out of control she’s going to spiral. Who knows? In other news Coop’s birthday/wedding came off without a bride, and it was difficult watching Facinelli deal with that. The ending with him and [ ] was nicely done. Gloria continues her tirade of being one ridiculous boss, and that ending was nicely played as she disposed of Jackie’s urine test. It’s been a good season, and the show continues to be well developed. It’s managed to make me understand it’s comedic roots and it boasts one of the finest supporting casts on the small screen (Best, Wever and Facinelli are particularly brilliant). I’m looking forward to see what comes next.
[B+]

        
Standout Performers
John Corbett in United States of Tara A-
Toni Collette in United States of Tara B+
Mireille Enos in The Killing B+
Rosemarie DeWitt in United States of Tara B+
Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie B+
Brian Sexton in The Killing B+
       
Anyone watched the closers for The Killing and Nurse Jackie? Any final thoughts on the glorious three year run of United States of Tara? What did you watch this past week?

So, apparently The Killing has taking a critical lashing from the everyman recently, which makes me both unsurprised and intrigued. I consider it essentially pointless to concoct a post that’s essentially a “my opinion is better than yours” diatribe. And, I’m not even sure if you guys are watching The Killing, but the neurotic in me (which is, essentially, all of me) demands that I review the rest of the episodes in preparation for the season one finale tonight.
                       
(Scant words on episode #1 - #5 here.)
                           
Remember when I said that the show’s about atmosphere? I wasn’t kidding. And maybe it’s because I love the bleak and morose, but the rainy and gloomy ambience of The Killing works for me. There’s nary a bright light to be found, even the bright colours seem gloomy. The Killing is a thirteen episode AMC series focusing on Sarah Linden, a detective who’s working with her new partner working on solving the murder of Rosie Larsen in thirteen consecutive days.

Episode 6: “What You Have Left” B+
On day 6 her English teacher Bennett Ahmed seems like the most obvious suspect. Apparently most of the show’s viewer’s loathe Mitch (Rose’s Mother), and even though I think giving people a chance to be terrible in grief is ridiculous I don’t see her as a monster. Watching the Larsen’s prepare for Rosie’s funeral is emotional but never overly heavy and though it’s just a bit too pulpy having her father take Bennett for a car ride when he finds out that the police have been asking about it, it’s a nice hint as to what’s come.

Episode 7: “Vengeance” B
This is one of the two episodes where the show is not as stellar as I’d like. There was a slim chance of Bennett being the actual killer, but the way in which the investigation ended up spiralling out of control was a bit crazy. It’s filled with some good bits, though, like Bennett and Stan having that exceptionally tense car ride. This is one of those episodes where the campaign for mayor ends up seeming like the most significant arc as everything there lands exceptionally; it’s one of Campbell’s stronger episodes.

Episode 8: “Stonewalled” B
Having Linden and Holder’s investigation be compromised by the FBI’s own terrorist investigation is a bit left-field. But, it’s nice having Holder play a significant role in the investigation and there are more great hings.. For example, the entire arc of Darren Richmond (he’s running for mayor and Rosie’s severed body was found in one of his campaign cars) dealing with dead wife’s hit-and-run assailant being paroled is interesting to watch. Especially as a preface of what’s to come in further episodes.

Episode 9: “Undertow” A-
I know that there’s more than just a little antipathy towards this episode, but I can’t relate. For me, it’s not a herring that Ahmed turns out to be the killer, because the way that arc develops ends up fitting into the fabric of the case while still exonerating. More than about the murder investigation, The Killing fires on all cylinders when it comes to the rapport between Kinnaman and Enos and having them warm up to each other as they begin covering each other’s backs is great to watch. The most obtrusive thing about the episode is, of course, Stan Larsen and his ally beating Ahmed to a pulp thinking that he’s the killer – all at Mitch’s behest. It’s not the episode that shows Forbes at her best, but it’s to her credit how she takes the base and somewhat Machiavellian motives of Mitch and makes it possible to understand them.

Episode 10: “I’ll Let You Know When I Get There” B+
This episode is almost like a pilot in that Linden and Holder are back to square one with the investigation and it serves for some good detective work. The highlight, for me, is their interview with Stan’s henchman, who’s just the right amount of creepy to be a potential suspect. I wish that Kinnaman would at least be in talks for Emmy consideration, people seem to have been fooled by the smokescreen he sets up playing Holder as a disinterested stoner so it’s nice seeing him have those moments where he’s more sentient. Then, there’s the issue of the Larsen’s bank account being cleared which, unfortunate for Stan, Mitch finds out when she’s already pissed off. I’ll always be a little wary of Billy Campbell (blame Enough) and duplicitous or not there’s something a bit too greasy about him watching him gloat over his campaign success.

Episode 11: “Missing” A
I know it’s a bit premature to start ranting about “classic” episodes when the show is not even finished with its first season, but there’s something brilliant in having all the plot-points even Rosie the main plot, except for the bookends, and focus on the fantastic chemistry between Kinnaman and Enos (who I now want bone each other – sue me) as they search for Linden’s bratty son. Enos is spectacular in the episode as is Kinnaman and it sort of proves that the show is brilliant not just because of the smoke and mirrors concept of solving one case in one season, which is much more logical I might add than the one a day wonders of CSI et al.

Episode 12: “Beau Soleil” B+/A-
Okay, so maybe Mitch is a little bit of the bitch and all when she decides not to post bail for Stan. It wasn’t until the rewatch that I realised that Stan had put out a mortgage on a house, which accounted for the lack of money in the bank. The thing is, I can’t hate Mitch. She’s a broken woman and whatnot, but she’s not without redemption. But, there are bigger things afoot like finding out Rosie was a call-girl of sorts. I’m not the biggest fan of the actual arc, but we get to see more of her kooky aunt Terry and it leads to Holder taking a call-girl back to his room for “research” good stuff. Then, there’s the revelation that Richmond – our potential mayor, has been soliciting young girls. It’s a cliff-hanger to rule all cliff-hangers which makes me think that Richmond is not the killer. On one hand I want it to be Richmond, because I don’t care for him but there are so many options – it could be his financial backer, or one of his assistants. Who knows?

(Not So) Random Thoughts

• So, I heard a roomer that Terry's going to be back in season two, which seems really random. I love her snark, but I'm curious as to in what capacity she could return.
• Is it just me or is Kinnaman like a less groomed (but better acting) version of Alexander Skarsgård?
• I figure Kyra Sedgwick can't win a secondy Emmy, and I'm not sure Julianna Margulies will win for this season, so who thinks Enos could nab the prize?

I can’t wait for tonight. So far I'd put Enos, Forbes and Kinnaman (duh) on my Emmy ballot and Campbell, Lehman and Sexton turn in fine work too. Who else is looking forward to the finale tonight?