Modern Family, Homeland, and Downton Abbey Lead the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) Nominations

The Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) Television nominations typically dishearten me, namely because of the way they combine categories, and nominate much more reptatively than other award shows (even the Emmy Awards).  Sentimentality often wins out, and to me that makes no sense.

This year's drama nominations are pretty solid, while they always miss the peripheral shows and performances, these nominees make sense.  Homeland and Downton Abbey lead the pack with 3 nominations each.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Homeland

Mad Men

This was a predictable, but great set of nominees, SAG always know what they are doing with the drama nominees.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
JEFF DANIELS / Will McAvoy – “THE NEWSROOM” (HBO)
JON HAMM / Don Draper – “MAD MEN” (AMC)
DAMIAN LEWIS / Nicholas Brody – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)

The Newsroom scored a nomination! Proving the show has respect (so greatful to that).  I was somewhat surprised Peter Dinklage did not grab a nomination, but otherwise these were solid but predictable nominees.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)
JESSICA LANGE / Sister Jude – “AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM” (FX)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

Downton Abbey took two spots!  Way to to go to Michelle Dockery for besting the likes of Glenn Close; she was the surprise nominee in this bunch.

As usual the comedy nominations are an incredible disappointment.  Modern Family has the most nominations with 4, closely followed by 30 Rock with 3.   

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 Rock

The Big Bang Theory 

Glee 

Modern Family

Nurse Jackie 

The Office 

Glee, 30 Rock Nurse Jack, and The Office, over Veep, Parks and Recreation, New Girl, Happy Endings, and The Middle?  30 Rock and The Office were pick because it's there last season, but come on these shows are past their prime.  Glee's nomination is the biggest joke, they misuse their ensemble episode after episode.  Modern Family will win this award once again.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
LOUIS C.K. / Louie – “LOUIE” (FX)
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Glad Louis C.K. finally made this list; he is the only new nominee, the rest have been to the rodeo before, and if Alec Baldwin wins again I may throw my television out the window.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – “PARKS AND RECREATION” (NBC)
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
BETTY WHITE / Elka Ostrovsky – “HOT IN CLEVELAND” (TV Land)

Glad Poehler made the cut, surprised Falco is here, she and the show do not fit the usual pattern of nominees.  I can't believe more people were not predicting White after she won last year.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

KEVIN COSTNER / “Devil Anse” Hatfield – “HATFIELDS & McCOYS” (History)
WOODY HARRELSON / Steve Schmidt – “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)
ED HARRIS / John McCain – “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)
CLIVE OWEN / Ernest Hemingway – “HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN“ (HBO)
BILL PAXTON / Randall McCoy – “HATFIELDS & McCOYS” (History)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
NICOLE KIDMAN / Martha Gellhorn – “HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN” (HBO)
JULIANNE MOORE / Sarah Palin – “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING / Eva Delectorskaya – “RESTLESS” (Sundance Channel)
SIGOURNEY WEAVER / Elaine Barrish Hammond – “POLITICAL ANIMALS” (USA)
ALFRE WOODARD / Ouiser – “STEEL MAGNOLIAS” (Lifetime)

Emmy Week 2012: The Mini-Series/Movie

Throughout the years the Mini-Series and Movie categories have had their peaks a valleys at the Emmy Awards.  Over the years all of the actors who were a part of either a mini-series or movie competed against one another in the acting categories at this award show.  From 1973 until May 2010 the Mini-Series and Movie category were separate awards.  From June 2010 through the present day with fewer Mini-Series and Movies being made, the nominees have been merged into one category.

Throughout the years there have been numerous landmark mini-series and made for television movies that have had an impact on television audiences.  On the mini-series side we have had Upstairs, Downstairs (1976), Roots (1977), Prime Suspect (numerous years), From the Earth to the Moon (1998), Band of Brothers (2001), Angels in America (2003), John Addams (2007), and this years Outstanding Drama Contender Downton Abbey (2011).  In the made for television movie category there was And the Band Played On (1994), Miss Ever's Boys (1997), Wit (2001), Recount (2008), and Grey Gardens (2009).

Looking at this list there a wide variety of films/mini-series that have had an impact on audiences, but throughout the most recent years as HBO and PBS dominate these categories the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have noticed a diminishing number of made for television movies and mini-series, namely because of their waning popularity.

Last year's winner Downton Abbey beat out the most nominated program, and heavy favorite Mildred Pierce. After Downton's win the show started to get more notice from American audiences creating great word of mouth making this show a pop culture phenomena.  Downton Abbey is part of an uptick that happens every so often in this category.  Other mini-series like Band of Brothers and Roots have propelled cultural interest from television audiences proving there is value in this aspect of television, and that there has been a change in the way this category looks, and the type of shows that qualify for this award, even though they seem to constantly bend the rules.

This year the nominees for Outstanding Mini-Series/Made for Television Movie are:

American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway and Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Belgravia

Shows like American Horror Story, Luther, and Sherlock Holmes break the mold of this category.  The typical mini-series has fewer episodes is finite and does not tell a continuing story, Luther and Sherlock both break this pattern.  Prime Suspect was the original BBC drama shown on PBS to break the mold with this style.  American Horror Story fits the loose definition but Ryan Murphy is the similar pattern to create another season, namely because of the shows popularity.  These three are superlative works, and they each do this category a fine service, proving that this category can evolve the way television has evolved.

The more interesting thing about this category is that most prognosticators are not predicting one of these rebels to stir up trouble and win the Emmy, although many American Horror Story as a second or third pick.  Many award show gurus are playing it safe and predicting the political drama Game Change, about the failed campaign of John McCain, and running mate Sarah Palin.  I am going to go out on a limb and say that the even more traditional Hattfields and McCoys is going to win.  The Emmy Awards typically have a few rebels and help change up the nominees, but the winners usually stay pretty consistent.  Older voters are not going to go more leather bound ghost in American Horror Story, the prize for that is Lange's win.  Game Change will be honored with acting wins for Moore, and Harris, while I think Costner will surprise in the lead actor category.  I think Hatfields surprises everyone.

Beyond my predictions above this proves two things, one through nominations, and one through winners.  Like within most award shows people are willing to give the outsider a shot with a nomination, from Community getting a writing nomination to obscure acting nominations like Joanne Frogatt in the drama category.  Academy voters picked the the best mini-series/movie nominees.  My prediction is that voters will not prove evolutionary with their winner.

I am proud ATAS nominated these six shows, and this is proff they do pay attention to the outsiders, and the variety of programming on television.  I can't say I will convinced this voting has changed, much like with a Presidential election, until the results are revealed this Sunday night.