Emmy Awards 2008, Part II

The Emmys are tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to them despite the fact that they are being hosted by a bunch of reality show hosts. Last weekend was the Creative Arts Emmys and I didn’t get any of my wishes. Sarah Silverman’s “I’m F***ing Matt Damon” beat out Jimmy Kimmel’s “I’m F***ing Ben Affleck”. I guess Silverman’s came first, but I found Kimmel’s funnier, especially with all the star power. The Creative Arts Emmys did tell me that Mad Men is going to do well Sunday.

Just like last year, here are my predictions for tomorrow night’s Emmys. I’ve included who I think will win, who I want to win and who I don’t want to win. Again, I usually play to win but if the one I want to win happens to take the trophy, I'm fine with making a wrong predicition. I’ve included most of the categories but have left out the miniseries because I usually don’t watch them. If you wanted to bet though, I’d take HBO’s John Adams that already won eight awards last week. Anyway, here are the fearless predictions.

Drama Series
Boston Legal / Damages / Dexter / House / Lost / Mad Men
Who I think will win: Mad Men (The voters are hooked on this show)
Who I want to win: Damages (I was hooked from the first episode)
Who I don’t want to win: Boston Legal (The show has run its course)

Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm / Entourage / The Office / 30 Rock / Two and a Half Men
Who I think will win: 30 Rock (The show is on a roll)
Who I want to win: The Office (30 Rock comes a close second)
Who I don’t want to win: Two and a Half Men (It’s funny but not fantastic)

Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report / The Daily Show With Jon Stewart / Late Show With David Letterman / Real Time With Bill Maher / Saturday Night Live
Who I think will win: The Colbert Report (It’s time for him to win)
Who I want to win: The Colbert Report (Please, please, please)
Who I don’t want to win: Real Time With Bill Maher (Still don’t like him)

Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race / American Idol / Dancing With The Stars / Project Runway / Top Chef
Who I think will win: Amazing Race (Why ruin a streak)
Who I want to win: Amazing Race (Can’t wait for next week)
Who I don’t want to win: American Idol (Overrated)

Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal: James Spader as Alan Shore / Breaking Bad: Bryan Cranston as Walt White / Dexter: Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan / House: Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House / In Treatment: Gabriel Byrne as Paul / Mad Men: Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Who I think will win: Jon Hamm (He got the Golden Globe)
Who I want to win: Hugh Laurie (It’s about time he won)
Who I don’t want to win: James Spader (I can’t believe he won last year)

Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters: Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker / The Closer: Kyra Sedjwick as Brenda Johnson / Damages: Glenn Close as Patty Hewes / Law & Order: SVU: Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson / Saving Grace: Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko
Who I think will win: Sally Field (Voters like her)
Who I want to win: Glenn Close (She rocked Damages)
Who I don’t want to win: Holly Hunter (Her voice annoys me)

Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Monk: Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk / The Office: Steve Carell as Michael Scott / Pushing Daisies: Lee Pace as Ned / 30 Rock: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy / Two and A Half Men: Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper
Who I think will win: Steve Carell (Baldwin’s off-screen comments put people off)
Who I want to win: Steve Carell (He deserves some Emmy love)
Who I don’t want to win: Tony Shalhoub (If he wins again, I’ll scream)

Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Julia Louise Dreyfus as Christine Campell / Samantha Who?: Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly / 30 Rock: Tina Fey as Liz Lemon / Ugly Betty: America Ferrera as Betty Suarez / Weeds: Mary Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
Who I think will win: Tina Fey (She’s had a great year)
Who I want to win: Tina Fey (She rocks on 30 Rock)
Who I don’t want to win: America Ferrera (Don’t like the show)

Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal: William Shatner as Denny Crane / Damages: Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher / Damages: Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske / Lost: Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus / Mad Men: John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Who I think will win: Ted Danson (He’s so not Sam Malone anymore)
Who I want to win: Zeljko Ivanek (I think he stole the show)
Who I don’t want to win: William Shatner (His schtick is getting boring)

Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Boston Legal: Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt / Brothers & Sisters: Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker-Whedon / Grey’s Anatomy: Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey / Grey’s Anatomy: Sandra Oh as Christina Yang / In Treatment: Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll
Who I think will win: Dianne Wiest (She’s a veteran)
Who I want to win: Dianne Wiest (Don’t really care)
Who I don’t want to win: Don’t really care

Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Entourage: Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold / Entourage: Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama / How I Met Your Mother: Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson / The Office: Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute / Two and a Half Men: Jon Cryer as Alan Harper
Who I think will win: Neil Patrick Harris (He so deserves one)
Who I want to win: Neil Patrick Harris (Steals every scene)
Who I don’t want to win: I seriously like them all

Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies: Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook / Samantha Who?: Jean Smart as Regina Newly / SNL: Amy Poehler as Performer / Two and a Half Men: Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper / Ugly Betty: Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
Who I think will win: Amy Poehler (She does a great Hillary Clinton)
Who I want to win: Kristin Chenoweth (She is a treat to watch)
Who I don’t want to win: Holland Taylor (her character is one note and barely there)

Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program
80th Annual Academy Awards: Jon Stewart / The Colbert Report: Stephen Colbert / Late Show With David Letterman: David Letterman / Mr.Warmth: Don Rickles / Saturday Night Live: Tina Fey
Who I think will win: Don Rickles (Emmy voters are stupid)
Who I want to win: Stephen Colbert (C’mon he deserves it)
Who I don’t want to win: Don Rickles (I don’t like stupid results)

Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program
The Colbert Report / The Daily Show With Jon Stewart / Late Night With Conan O’Brien / Late Show With David Letterman / Saturday Night Live
Who I think will win: The Daily Show (He tends to win these)
Who I want to win: The Colbert Report (It’s better than Daily Show)
Who I don’t want to win: I like all of them

Writing For A Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords • Yoko / The Office • Dinner Party / Pushing Daisies • Pie-Lette / 30 Rock • Rosemary’s Baby / 30 Rock • Cooter
Who I think will win: Dinner Party (Awkward best)
Who I want to win: Pie-Lette (It’s just so nicely put together)
Who I don’t want to win: All great writing

Writing For A Drama Series
Battlestar Galactica • Six of One / Damages • Pilot / Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / Mad Men • The Wheel / The Wire • 30
Who I think will win: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Mad Men will get a bunch)
Who I want to win: Damages Pilot (The episode got me hooked)
Who I don’t want to win: 30 (Didn’t watch it)

Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program
80th Annual Academy Awards / The Colbert Report • Show #4051 / Company (Great Performances) / The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Show #13050 / Saturday Night Live • Host: Tina Fey
Who I think will win: Company (It’s PBS)
Who I want to win: SNL (I liked the episode, especially I Drink Your Milkshake)
Who I don’t want to win: Academy Awards (Awards should not win awards)

Directing For A Comedy Series
Entourage • No Cannes Do /Flight of the Conchords • Sally Returns / The Office • Money (Parts 1 & 2) / The Office • Goodbye Toby / Pushing Daisies • Pie-Lette / 30 Rock • Rosemary’s Baby
Who I think will win: Goodbye Toby (It’s a nice farewell)
Who I want to win: Pie-Lette (So beautifully done)
Who I don’t want to win: I like them all

Directing For A Drama Series
Boston Legal • The Mighty Rogues / Breaking Bad • Pilot / Damages • Pilot / House • House’s Head / Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Who I think will win: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Emmys like Mad Men)
Who I want to win: House’s Head (One of the best episodes of the series)
Who I don’t want to win: The Mighty Rogues (Boston Legal is not that great anymore)

There you go. The Emmy Awards are on Sunday. I'll have the recap soon afterwards. Then it's on to some Fall films.

Emmy Awards 2008, Part I

It’s Emmy Time again. This year it’s a little harder with the strike and all. Many programs didn’t get their full time to shine so it’s a pretty tricky year with predictions. As I have for the past few years, I’ll give my picks on who I would have nominated for a variety of categories, then I’ll post who I think will actually win, and then finally a post that gives the results and feedback from the Emmy Awards. Also I like to pick five people I want to win for the Creative Arts Emmys. This year I’m rooting for Pushing Daisies to win for Art Direction, Lost to win for Cinematography, Flight of the Conchord’s ‘The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)’ to win for Best Original Music & Lyrics, FedEx’s ‘Carrier Pigeons’ to win for Best Commerical (though Budweiser’s ‘Swear Jar’ is pretty funny too) and Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘I’m F***ing Ben Affleck’ to win for Best Picture Editing of a Clip Package. (Yes, that’s an actual category.) Anyway, here are the nominees I would have picked in some of the bigger categories:

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Dexter Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan / Dirty Sexy Money Peter Krause as Nick George / Eli Stone Jonny Lee Miller as Eli Stone / House Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House / Mad Men Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal James Spader as Alan Shore / Breaking Bad Bryan Cranston as Walt White / Dexter Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan / House Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House / In Treatment Gabriel Byrne as Paul / Mad Men Jon Hamm as Don Draper

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Closer Kyra Sedwick as Brenda Johnson / Damages Glenn Close as Patty Hewes / Law & Order: SVU Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson / Mad Men January Jones as Betty Draper / Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Lena Headey as Sarah Connor
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker / The Closer Kyra Sedjwick as Brenda Johnson / Damages Glenn Close as Patty Hewes / Law & Order: SVU Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson / Saving Grace Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Chuck Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski / The Office Steve Carell as Michael Scott / The Office John Kransinsi as Jim Halpert / Pushing Daisies Lee Pace as Ned / 30 Rock Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Monk Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk / The Office Steve Carell as Michael Scott / Pushing Daisies Lee Pace as Ned / 30 Rock Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy / Two and A Half Men Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Miss Guided Judy Greer as Becky Freeley / The Office Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly / Samantha Who? Chistina Applegate as Samantha Newly / 30 Rock Tina Fey as Liz Lemon / Weeds Mary Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
The New Adventures of Old Christine Julia Louise Dreyfus as Christine Campell / Samantha Who? Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly / 30 Rock Tina Fey as Liz Lemon / Ugly Betty America Ferrera as Betty Suarez / Weeds Mary Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Damages Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher / Damages Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske / Eli Stone Victor Garber as Jordan Wethersby / Heroes Jack Coleman as Noah Bennet / Lost Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus / Mad Men John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal William Shatner as Denny Crane / Damages Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher / Damages Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske / Lost Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus / Mad Men John Slattery as Roger Sterling

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Damages Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons / Dexter Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan / Dirty Sexy Money Samaire Armstrong as Juliet Darling / Dirty Sexy Money Natalie Zea as Karen Darling / Lost Yunjin Kim as Sun Kwon
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Boston Legal Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt / Brothers & Sisters Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker-Whedon / Grey’s Anatomy Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey / Grey’s Anatomy Sandra Oh as Christina Yang / In Treatment Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Back to You Ty Burrell as Gary Crezyzewski / Chuck Adam Baldwin as John Casey / Flight of the Conchords Rhys Darby as Murray / How I Met Your Mother Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson / Pushing Daisies Chi McBride as Emerson Cod / Reaper Ray Wise as The Devil
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Entourage Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold / Entourage Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama / How I Met Your Mother Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson / The Office Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute / Two and a Half Men Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
The Office Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor / How I Met Your Mother Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky / Pushing Daisies Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook / Samantha Who? Jean Smart as Regina Newly / SNL Amy Poehler as Performer
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook / Samantha Who? Jean Smart as Regina Newly / SNL Amy Poehler as Performer / Two and a Half Men Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper / Ugly Betty Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater

My Picks for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Damages • I Hate These People – Patty wants Ellen back, Ray Fiske is blackmailed with tragic results / House • House’s Head – After a severe bus accident, House tries to piece together what actually happened / Lost • The Constant – Desmond goes back and forth in time and must find Penny who is his constant / Lost • There’s No Place Like Home – The Oceanic Six are rescued as the island disappears / Mad Men • Red in the Face – Don and Roger have a difference of opinion but Don gets the last laugh on a long flight of stairs
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Battlestar Galactica Six of One / Damages Pilot / Mad Men When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) / Mad Men The Wheel / The Wire 30

My Picks for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords • Mugged – Jermaine is mugged and no longer trusts Bret who left him behind / How I Met Your Mother • Sandcastles in the Sand – Robin’s ex singing partner returns which flashes back to another music video / The Office • Survivor Man – Michael tries to survive in the wild with Dwight keeping an eye on him / Pushing Daisies • Pie-lette – Ned brings his childhood love back to life / 30 Rock • Somebody to Love – Jack has an affair with a congresswoman, Liz thinks her neighbor is a terrorist
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords Yoko / The Office Dinner Party / Pushing Daisies Pie-Lette / 30 Rock Rosemary’s Baby / 30 Rock Cooter

My Picks for Outstanding Drama Series
Damages / Dexter / House / Lost / Mad Men
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal / Damages / Dexter / House / Lost / Mad Men

My Picks for Outstanding Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords / How I Met Your Mother / The Office / Pushing Daisies / 30 Rock
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm / Entourage / The Office / 30 Rock / Two and a Half Men

My predictions will be in the next blog. Stay tuned.