Emmy Dream Ballot: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2012-2013)

One week after the Supporting Actors, it's time for the ladies, and like the men this was a tough category to narrow down, at one point in the year I had 9 or 10 women vying for the topic six spots in this category.  These six women became the no brainers.  Not only are these some of the strongest women on television, but they provide some great layered female characters, which are hard to find!

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart in The Good Wife 

Diane navigated the potential break up of her firm, the choice between career and love, and at the end of the day did so with poise.  While everyone loves Kahlinda Diane stole this season making her one of the most valuable pieces to The Good Wife family.  Watching her fight to keep her firm was like watching a parent fight for a child, Diane battled to keep the firm, and made sure that at the end of the day she and Will kept control of their baby.  Diane is the most underrated character on the show, and Baranski plays her like no one else could; she is strong, and one of the most commanding female performers on television.

Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan in Dexter 

Boom, you find out your brother is a serial killer, go!  Carpenter's acting skills have grown throughout the years, and while everyone has paid attention to Michael C. Hall they often have forgotton about Debra.  Watching Debra cope with finding out about the "dark passenger" was one of the most amazing story lines, and Carpenter gave incredible performances week after week.  I think the most heart breaking moment was within the last episode where (spoiler) she killed Laguerta instead of Dexter.  The ramifications of this act are going to be interesting but Carpenter proved that Deb, not Dexter was the most interesting character this season.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys "Khaleesi" Targaryen in Game of Thrones

Over the years Clarke has grown into her acting much in the same way Lena Headey grew into character in Thrones.  Khlaeesi is the "mother of the dragons"she is becoming a force to reckoned with, and the growth of her character has been chronicled well this season.  As Khaleesi grows Clarke's strong performance is something powerful, and that should be recognized.  In the past this story line, often was my least favorite, but as Clarke's determination and power grow her performance becomes 

impressive time and time again.  I love the way she not only commands her army, but the screen.

Anna Gunn as Skylar White in Breaking Bad 

Skylar may not have spoken much, her grief about the way she and Walt handled themselves and their fake business got the best of her.  I always hated this character, and to be honest I still do, but Skylar's portrayer Gunn has taken this once shrill character and made her layered, and given a new depth to her, which never existed.  Whether its watching her disgust for Walt, in a more subtle manner or empowering herself Skylar is a different women after a year (the time passed in the show).  Gunn has turned in the most spectacular performance this past season, namely because you can't imagine someone working through the complexity of a husband who makes and deals meth.

Kate Mara as Zoe Barnes in House of Cards

House of Cards who be nothing without the foil to Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey), Ms. Zoe Barnes.  Zoe is young naive, driven, selfish, and I could use many more adjectives to describe this young woman.  At the beginning of Cards Zoe is ready to do and be anything in order to get ahead.  As the season passes by Zoe grows more and more hesitant about the path she has chosen, and the darkness within the political realm which has made into something she never expected.  There are times when you believe Zoe and Frank are cut from the same clothe, but in reality this character is the millenial opposite, biting off more than she can chew.  Mara is fantastic in this role.

Monica Potter as Kristina Braverman in Parenthood 

This was one of the most personal stories told on television this year.  My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I am glad that diagnosis came after watching Potter's Kristina Braverman go through the experience.  Kristina's cancer story line was one of the driving forces of this season of Parenthood, and one of the most believable journeys of a family to cope with disease.  Potter's performance throughout the season was both beautiful and heartbreaking, I may have cried several times.  Whether you were laughing with her when she got stoned, or crying as she went into septic shock Potter nailed every moment this season.  At the heart of things beyond this story line Kristina is a great mom in the show and together all of these things play out because of Potter.

Runners Up: Abigail Spencer-Rectify, Olivia Munn-The Newsroom, Morena Baccarin-Homeland

Unlikable Television Characters Part 3: Television Wives

One of the most interesting trends in television today is impeccable television dramas.  Today's dramas are making films are growing better than films.  There are just two problems, most of the films are completely driven by male lead characters, there are obviously a few exceptions, like The Good Wife, Revenge, Once Upon a Time, and Homeland (to some extent).  The Good Wife and and Homeland are praised by critics, while Revenge and Once Upon a Time clean up with critics.

Most of the shows out there center of male leads, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Newsroom, Dexter, Boss, and NCIS. While many of these shows are ensemble shows or focus on a duo most shows still focus on a man at the center.  Game of Thrones is the one show on the air which trascends all logic (way to go George R. Martin).  Within these male centered shows one of the other trends is the fact that many of the female characters/wives are some of the most unlikable, and fans rage against them in the message boards.

Let's start with my least favorite, Jessica Brody played by the talented Morena Baccarin.  Baccarin is a great actress, and she plays the role well, but Jessica Brody is currently the most annoying wife on television.  Throughout the first season Jessica was a mild annoyance, from sleeping with her husbands best friend when she thought he was dead to constantly over crying and over emoting her frustration with Brody, I almost used to lose, but then she would nail a great scene, and the character's frustration would come down to a mellow level.  Seasons two's Jessica has become this high and might Congressman's wife, trying to impress politicians' wives, calling her husband crazy for being a Muslim.  While I understand the fear and adjustment in the character, I never think the character nails these emotions without being melodramatic.  I have only finished episode four, but Jessica has continued on the same trajectory so far, and her character has not proven she is changing, her is to hoping they develop her further.

I asked my friends for thoughts on some of the other unlikable television wives out there, and my friend Eric reminded me about Lori on The Walking Dead.  Lori is another over the top wife, and granted the situations warrant her going out of her mind, because she's pregnant, being chased by zombies and trying to protect her son.  In this case I feel as though the actress is up to the challenge, and the role would have been better suited for someone better.  Sarah Wayne Callies is by no means a bad actress, but I never feel as though she is tough enough or up to the challenge her character has to face, this could also be the writing/direction.  The show's character development for many of the group have hit a plateau.

Next on the list would be Betty Draper (Francis), while Betty is no longer the wife of Don Draper; she is by far one of the most unlikable television wives and mothers of all time.  Jessica Pare plays Don's second wife Megan Draper, and like Betty she is another unlikable wife on this television show.  Matthew Weiner and crew know how to write women well though.  The writers have constructed three female characters that are incredibly strong in Peggy, Joan, and Sally.  All three characters have developed into some strong women, minus Joan selling her body to become partner.  Most of the character development seems to based in the cultural milieus of the time, and the roles women had to play.


The last couple of women that could fit on this list are Anna Gunn who plays Skylar White and Betsy Brandt who plays Marie Schraeder.  Gunn and Brandt are both solid actresses but their characters have these obnoxious streaks where they become melodramatic about their lives.  Skylar's character has had her ups and downs, but Marie has pretty much been consistently a shrill character.  While Vince Gilligan is a genius, who has created one of the best shows of all time, does he and his writing team have a hard time writing for the women in the lives of the men in the show.  Skylarhas started to her up her game in the last two seasons, and I expect with the end of season 5.1; she she will continue to do the same.

Are writers/producers to blame for the direction of their female characters?  Many of these shows have strong female characters, Homeland has Carrie (Claire Danes), Mad Men has the three listed above, and Breaking Bad has improved Skylar, yet these women still seem to be incredibly unlikable.  I often wonder why, is it because the shows have large male audiences?  Could be, but many of the female viewers dislike these ladies as well.  Looking at these ladies is an interesting cross section of television at the moment, and the role women play in these television shows.  Hopefully time will prove these women played an important development in television rather than just remaining archetypes of the evil wife.

Dream Emmy Ballot: Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

My favorite television blogger (well one of them), Michael Ausiello always helps put together his dream Emmy ballot.  I am going to share my dream Emmy nominees in most of the major categories with you day by day.  I am going to start today, but I am also going to forewarn you I am going on vacation tomorrow so I will releasing my list of nominees and why once or twice a week.

Anna Gunn as Skylar White-Breaking Bad-One of the reasons this show has improved is that the show finally engaged the audience on all levels with not only Walter and Jesse but with Skylar too.  Gunn's Skylar moved beyond being the judgmental wife to the woman behind the scenes.  I have grown to love and fear her character in a brilliant way thanks to Gunn's performance.

Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris in Mad Men-Hendricks is a bombshell, but she also is one of the best actresses working on television.  Watching Joan fight for her marriage even though her husband had raped her.  Watching her confront her husband was brilliant.  Watching Joan give her body for the firm the firm was painful, but brilliantly acted.  I am always blown away by her.

Lena Heady as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones-You want to hate her yet you can't take your eyes off her.  Cersei's sparring with Tyrion has moved to utter brilliance; she was no better than when she was meant to be the beacon of strength as Stannis Baretheon lays siege to her kingdom, and she talks about her duties, and love.  This woman has grown by leaps and bounds.

Kelly McDonald as Margaret Schroeder in Boardwalk Empire-McDonald started the series on the road to a quiet life of unhappiness with a drunk husband.  In season two her relationship Nucky as a strong more vocally active woman has shown that McDonald is a force to be reckoned with, and she commands the screen on this male dominated series.

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma in The Good Wife-Something great about this character is that even throughout three seasons we knew nothing complex about Kalinda, until the end.  Kalinda has realized her husband knows where she was, and the terror in her eyes showed us a whole new side to this complex character.

Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey-This sharp tongued older woman was and is still the best character on this show. Smith is a great actress, and has made this woman more than a one dimensional character; she has developed so much, and her witty one liners make her one of the most developed characters on the show.