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TwitterWhat we learned at the Emmys
It's been generally accepted in recent years that the most daring, thoughtful and provocative programming on TV airs on cable. It's also true that not many people, relatively speaking, watch those daring, thoughtful and provocative shows, wherever they might air.
Those two trends met up at Sunday's Emmys. The winners for best comedy (30 Rock) and drama (Mad Men) had a combined audience of about 7.5 million people, which has to be the smallest total for the best-series winners in decades (if not ever). That probably won't do a whole lot for the ratings of the Emmy broadcast either, and that's even before considering the fact that it just wasn't a very well-done show.
But other than the damage it might do to ABC's ratings for Sunday night, is there anything wrong with two low-rated shows winning the top prizes? Heck no. In fact, other than a couple of boring, predictable choices early on -- Jeremy Piven, again; The Amazing Race, again -- I daresay the television academy did a pretty darn good job in making its picks this year.
I, along with most other critics, have accused Emmy voters of playing it too safe year after year and ignoring the hidden gems in the TV landscape. That doesn't seem to be the case as much this year; the voters really seemed to be paying attention, regardless of a show's Nielsen ranking or buzz factor.
Case in point: The best dramatic actor victory for Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad -- a show even farther under the radar than its AMC stablemate Mad Men. Cranston, a multiple nominee but never a winner for Malcolm in the Middle, tore it up as a terminally ill chemistry teacher who turns to cooking meth, but the show barely cracked a million viewers in its first season. In a field that also included Hugh Laurie, James Spader, Jon Hamm, Michael C. Hall and Gabriel Byrne, to say Cranston was an underdog is vastly understating things.
The best series wins for 30 Rock and Mad Men aren't all that surprising; 30 Rock was the defending comedy champ, after all, and Mad Men was considered a favorite going in. Given the often puzzling history of the Emmys, though, it's nice to see the two best shows in their categories actually win the award.
Other items of note from the Emmys:
Cable triumphant: Cable shows won 17 of the 28 awards handed out in Sunday's telecast, including all but two of the awards in the drama series, miniseries and TV-movie categories. Cable also grabbed the majority of the awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, fulfilling everyone's predictions that this was a tipping-point year for cable networks not named HBO. Mad Men's best drama win was the first ever for a series on ad-supported cable, and Glenn Close of Damages became the first drama best-actress winner from a basic-cable show.
Broadcast TV -- the place for comedy: On the other hand, the broadcast networks more than held their own in the comedy categories. In addition to the triple win (acting, writing, producing) for 30 Rock's Tina Fey, broadcast comedy series also won for best actor (Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock), supporting actress (Jean Smart of Samantha Who?) and director (Barry Sonnenfeld of Pushing Daisies). Piven's third straight supporting-actor win for Entourage was the only cable victory in the comedy categories, and we still say Neil Patrick Harris wuz robbed.
Hugh and Steve, still empty-handed: Hugh Laurie and Steve Carell, widely acknowledged as two of the best actors on television, are now a combined 0-for-6 at the Emmys. I can't really argue with the selections of Cranston and Baldwin this year, but the fact that neither of them has ever won an Emmy is a little hard to fathom.
It's a new record: John Adams won 13 Emmys this year, breaking the previous mark held by another HBO miniseries, Angels in America, and the ABC movie Eleanor & Franklin from the 1970s.
Forget the ratings bounce: I'm not sure I really believe in the idea of a ratings bump for Emmy-winning shows anyway, but it's really not going to happen this year. Mad Men is already more than halfway through its second season, and joining in now isn't going to be especially easy for a new viewer (though I suppose an uptick in DVD sales for season one is likely). And NBC won't debut the new season of 30 Rock for more than a month.
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We learned, actually it was confirmed, that Stewart and Colbert are morons. That Baldwin can sometimes talk without ****ing off millions. And that ABC has no integrity at all by allowing these and other idiots to spew hate about our country. It was called the Emmys, not the ..."I have a forum, I'm an imbecil and I want to tell the world what my tiny mind has come up with despite the fact that I have no brain at all..."
Still, I wonder if the people at the Emmys are blissfully unaware that some people still a.) are Republicans and b.) cannot afford HBO. It's a little nonsensical, watching the Emmys, seeing good favorite shows like The Office getting p***ed up in favor of shows I had never even heard of before. Not to say these aren't good shows - 30 Rock is great, for instance... but I always feel that these elite, popular shows win out over ones that are just as good AND that everyone like. It's the new anti-conformist thing. Everyone is anti-conformist! Liking a popular show or admitting that a popular show is actually good is beyond most people in Hollywood nowadays. Oh well.
I am so happy you said that you put my thoughts into words...not the place pay for your own political ad.
thank you. I turned it off at the first one. Hey why don't they leave.....Canada isn't that far away!!
Well, I have to say- that had to be the WORST award show I have EVER watched! Palllllease people- hire a talented host that can at least entertain us- not a bunch of reality stars who are not at all funny. You could tell a few did not want to partake and felt stupid-
As far as the previous posted. I would love it if you oculd write a pilot, tv show, mini-series, film. Hence- they aren't that stupid...stupid.
And... if you had that forum- I could bet, you'd be up there spewing your crap- since you are using THIS forum to do it here! Duh! I can't stand people like you- hypocrit!
Yeah, Stewart and Colbert aren't for everyone--you have to be intelligent to understand them.
I forgot that one can't watch these awards shows and not get bombarded with political statements. I wanted to be entertained and see the pretty dresses, not hit over the head by self-righteous liberals. Makes my stomach turn. I had to stop watching the Oscars...now I can't watch the Emmy's. Phooey.
Wow R - you must have been watching along with us in my living room. Cheers on your review - we agreed 100%. We were pre-cringing when AB walked up and could not believe he took the high road. Too bad the other over paid talking heads felt compelled to bore us with how they "feel" - just read the lines folks and move on. In fact KUDOS to Don Rickles - one of the few cl*** acts in the house - watch and take notes - the master has spoken.
Disliking something in or about a country does not equal spewing hate against it. Admittedly I didn't watch the whole thing, but I saw few political remarks, and the ones I did see were reasonably graceful, like Laura Linney's community organizer remark. I'm not really sure what you're talking about, though I do give you irony points for spelling imbecile wrong.
"I have a forum, I'm an imbecil and I want to tell the world what my tiny mind has come up with despite the fact that I have no brain at all..."
It's spelled imbecile and just because someone has a different opinion than you doesn't make them stupid.
We learned, actually it was confirmed, that Stewart and Colbert are geniuses. That Baldwin can be gracious in victory. And that ABC can't produce an Emmy show to save its life.
Sure, I mock the previous posting...but 1) does ABC have any control over what people say at the mic? No. In fact, they cut MANY people off in mid-sentence, so to say they were giving people an open forum is idiotic. 2) I can't believe someone is surprised a bunch of hollywood types are bleeding liberals. Outrage! 3) The prune thing was funny.