this 'n that, plus emmy noms are out!!!

Hello there, Clay here visiting this new and exciting blog-world on my sister's very own blog. I'm so excited for her, she's doing a really good job. Don't you all think?
So, I'm her big brother and co-pop-culture freak. We grew up watching tv together. As little kids whoever woke up first got to control the tv for most of the day, do you remember that, Catherine? I remember watching Charlie's Angels, The Brady Kids cartoons in the mornings, Golden Girls (yes, I stayed home on Saturday nights, just like Ross)...with all my siblings. With that, I got to be so knowledgeable with tv shows, even if I didn't watch them or if they were only on for a short time. Like who remembers Flamingo Road, Paper Dolls, and Bare Essense? I loved those nighttime soaps. Mark Harmon, Terry Farrell, and Genie Francis were all featured in them, respectively...all so great!!!
I also love movies. My latest obsession is Wanted. How great was that movie? Plus Angelina and James McAvoy (woof), both stars excelled in that movie, I thought. And I can't wait for Twilight (coming this December, mark your calendars now 12/12/08). I'm towards the end of the third book right now and I'm so into it, I read it everyday on the bus to and from work. I look forward to the busrides, actually. I get mad when I can't sit on the bus and I can't read on that trip, like this morning. I was late and the bus was so full, I hated that ride. Anyway...TEAM EDWARD all the way, right? Who's with me on that one?
Okay, so the real reason why I'm on here: The Emmy nominations are out today and my sister wanted me to comment on them...so without further ado, here are the main categories with my thoughts on each one:

Best Drama: Boston Legal; Damages; Dexter; House; Lost; Mad Men.
(Last Year's Winner: The Sopranos) I really loved Mad Men, it truly is an amazing show, beautifully executed in every way from the acting to the the period set pieces to the writing, to that cool opening credit sequence. Lost really brought their A-game back this last half-season (writer's strike be damned!). It's really between these two shows. Why are there 6 in this category, they couldn't leave out Boston Legal, why is that on here? WHY? I know what you're all thinking, where's Grey's Anatomy or Battlestar Galactica? Well, Grey's had another off season and the Emmys refuse to reward Battlestar on any level, yes, I'm bitter about that.

Best Actor in a Drama: Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; James Spader, Boston Legal.
(Last Year's Winner: James Spader, Boston Legal) This is a 3-way race between Michael C. Hall, Jon Hamm, and Hugh Laurie. Jon Hamm is just so brilliantly subtle that you forget he's an actor playing a normal, cheating, but loves his family, guy. Michael C. Hall becuase he's so brilliantly scary as the serial-killer of serial killers playing him as a normal, crazy guy. Hugh Laurie because he has deserved this award for the past 3 years, but has never gotten it. I haven't seen In Treatment, so I don't know how good Mr. Byrne is. I saw the pilot for Breaking Bad, and he's really good as the sad sack teacher, in any other year he'd have a chance. And James Spader, well...he already won last year and they can't give it to him 2 years in a row, right? And why is he nominated again this year? Why are there 6 in this category as well? The obvious ommision here is Patrick Dempsey, but what does he really do on Grey's besides look really pretty?

Best Actress in a Drama: Glenn Close, Damages; Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters; Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU; Holly Hunter, Saving Grace; Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.
(Last Year's Winner: Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters) All these women deserve to be here on this list. I personally love Kyra Sedgwick, I love her Brenda Leigh Johnson. She brings a zest to her role, a quality that she is tough as nails, yet knows when she can be soft and gentle (esp. her scenes with Fritz, love those). Now I love me some Sally Field, but she has enough awards, as do the other 3. Kyra deserves this one, esp. for last season. The obvious ommison here is Ellen Pompeo form Grey's Anatomy. I like her subtle work as selfish, crazy Mer, but it wasn't a great season, plus with these powerhouse women on tv, it's going to be tough to breakthrough. At least, Carmela from the Sopranos isn't on this list again, I really hate it when they keep nominating themselves every year and keep winning. (I'm still upset that Jennifer Garner never won an Emmy for Alias, she was nominated 4 out of the 5 years her show was on, she deserved it for that first year alone.)

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Ted Danson, Damages; Michael Emerson, Lost; Zeljko Ivanek, Damages; William Shatner, Boston Legal; John Slattery, Mad Men.
(Last Year's Winner: Terry O'Quinn, Lost) This is Michael Emerson's to lose. His wild-eyed, crazy just a little or is it a lot Ben is really one of the best things about Lost. He was deserving of it last year, but his co-star won it, so this has got to be his year. His closest competition is Ted Danson, which I tried to watch one time, but couldn't emerse myself into another drama. John Slattery does good work on Mad Men, but I think it's too small a role. And don't get me started on William Shatner (yup, I'm anti Boston Legal, I don't know why, but I just am, esp. when everyone and the damn show keeps getting nominated for everything). End rant here.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Candice Bergen, Boston Legal; Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters; Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy; Dianne Wiest, In Treatment; Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy.
(Last Year's Winner: Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy) The big brouhaha about Ms. Heigl not submitting her work for a nomination was exactly that, a big brouhaha. I agree with her. She didn't have any good work for her character this last season. Good for her fo realizing and knowing that. Again, I haven't seen In Treatment, so I have nothing to gage Ms. Wiest on. See my Boston Legal rant from above about Ms. Bergen. So that leaves Rachel, Sandra, and Chandra. I give the edge to Chandra because she is just so freaking good as Bailey, I cry at everything she does. Sandra had a good story after she got left at the alter. And Rachel is always good, but I think not always great. I can't think of anyone missing from this list.

Best Comedy: Curb Your Enthusiasm; Entourage; The Office; 30 Rock; Two and a Half Men.
(Last Year's Winner: 30 Rock) This is a toss up between The Office and 30 Rock, both have already won this award, while the other 3 have not. There's a good reason they haven't won. While all 3 are very funny in their own right, they just aren't brilliantly executed in every way as the other 2. You have to be whip smart to get the little things in each show. From the surrounding other smaller actors/characters, to the way things look on each show, they are consistently funny. And never more so than in this last season, for both shows. I'd be happy if either one won in this category. The ommisions here are the revitalized Desperate Housewives and the new Pushing Daisies. While I would have loved to switch Curb and Entourage for these 2, I can see why they weren't nominated. Housewives feels like it was too little too late, while Pushing Daisies is too new and didn't have enough first-run shows to truly show its brilliance (Again , thank you Writer's Strike).

Best Actor in a Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies; Tony Shalhoub, Monk; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.
(Last Year's Winner: Ricky Gervais, Extras) Alec Baldwin has gotten the Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild Award, now he needs this Emmy. There is no one else more deserving in this cateogory. That scene where he portrayed everyone of Tracy Morgan's family is enough to secure him this statue. Though Steve Carell comes pretty close. Don't get me started on Tony Shaloub for Monk, I mean, who watches that damn show anyway?!?! He suffers from the Boston Legal syndrome, which is "why are you on this list?" That's all I have to say about this category. Alec Baldwin needs to win, he deserves to win, he better win this year!!!

Best Actress in a Comedy: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?; America Ferrera, Ugly Betty; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine; Mary Louise Parker, Weeds.
(Last Year's Winner: America Ferrera, Ugly Betty) America, Julia, even Christina (from her guest star turn on Friends) has won an Emmy. Mary Louise has several Emmys in other categories. And Tina won the SAG award this last year. So, who do I want to win? Some lady who wasn't even nominated. Marcia Cross needs to win sometime, right? (I'm also still upset that Courteney Cox is the only Friend to never get nominated in her role, while all the others did, with the other 2 ladies actually winning). So, I really don't care who wins in this category. Yeah, they're all really good and funny and hilarious, but nothing will ever beat Marcia Cross's Bree in any given scene from Desperate Housewives.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Kevin Dillon, Entourage; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Rainn Wilson, The Office.
(Last Year's Winner: Jeremy Piven, Entourage) If Jeremy Piven wins again this year, I just don't know what I'm going to do. This one belongs to Neil Patrick Harris, he deserved it last year and he deserves it this year. Kevin is good, so is Jon, but not as consistently funny as Neil. And Rainn has always annoyed me, his Dwight is sometimes too much to bare, I guess that makes him really good, but I personally don't get it. Neil Patrick Harris totally better win, plus he's an out and proud gay.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies; Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live; Jean Smart, Samantha Who?; Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men; Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty.
(Last Year's Winner: Jamie Pressley, My Name Is Earl) Again, I feel so strong about Ms. Vanessa Williams that if she doesn't win this year, it is just a travesty. She should have won last year!!! I'm all for Amy Poehler, too. In any other year, she would and should totally win, but I'm being biased here and claiming that Ms. Williams better win. The other 3 are always funny, but this award belongs to the Ms. Wilhemina Slater.

Plus a new category:
Best Host for Reality or Reality-Competition: Ryan Seacrest, American Idol; Tom Bergeron, Dancing with the Stars; Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal; Heidi Klum, Project Runway; Jeff Probst, Survivor. I really wanted Cat Deeley from So You Think You Can Dance and Padme Lakshme from Top Chef to be nominated, but alas maybe next year. I think they totally are great hostesses, they keep the show going, they interact with the contestants in a very personal way, yeah, I really wanted them to be nominated. I can see why these 5 did though, well, except maybe for Howie Mandel. All these hosts keep the show humming and alive and are very personable to the viewer and the contestants. So this is a perosnal choice. The first ever Best Host Award should go to... Tom Bergeron, he's very funny and subtle about his humor. He keeps the show running and can stand next to that Samantha chick and stand her flubs and not so funny quips and keep from punching her in the damn face. Jeff Probst is really good too, in those tribal councils alone. And Ryan totally keeps the show running smoothly, but he already has a big enough head, that an Emmy would make it explode.

So...there you have it. My thoughts on the Emmy nominations 2008.
I hope you found it interesting, somewhat funny, informative, and totally in keeping with the vibe my sister has created here.
I had a really good time writing this. Thanks, Catt for inviting me to do this. I really appreciate it. So, comments, please. How is my writing style? Who do you think deserved to get nominated? Are you on Team Edward or Team Jacob? Is James McAvoy really that hot?

Clay here, signing out...

P.S.
Please keep a look out for my own blog coming soon. I'll keep you all informed, or my sister will. I already have a name for it. It's called Clay-land. What do you think?