Emmy Week (2013): Time to Liven Up Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmy Awards. Can Louis C.K. Save the Day?

For the past 6 years 2 shows have won Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmy Awards, 30 Rock and  Modern Family.  From 1999 until 2006 only one show repeated their victory and that show was Everybody Loves Raymond.  Between 1999 and 2006 shows like Ally McBeal, Friends, Will & Grace, Sex and the City, Arrested Development, and The Office each took their turn at the podium.  Each of these shows won in a year with critical support, they were the best seasons of their shows history, and deservedly.  The only win I would argue against was Everybody Loves Raymond's repeat, which should have been a repeat win for Arrested Development, or even Desperate Housewives.

As stated above 30 Rock and Modern Family have dominated these categories for six years, and this could be the seventh, this award winner has gotten stale like back to the days of Frasier's 5-peat in the mid to late nineties.  The big question of the week is can comedian Louis C.K. come in and save the day making this category a bit more interesting?

Ove the years only a few shows have repeated in this category, Frasier has the most wins at 5.  There are three shows tied with four wins: All in the Family, Cheers, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.  Four shows have three wins: 30 Rock, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Modern Family, and Taxi.  Seven shows have 2 wins: Everybody Loves Raymond, Get Smart, The Golden Girls, I Love Lucy, The Jack Benny Show, Murphy Brown, and The Phil Silvers Show.

Of the 65 years only 20 years have had repeat winners, which is pretty great at creating variety in this category, but we are in a drought.  Both Modern Family and 30 Rock are heavy front runners this year, but there is one upstart who could change it all, and that's Louis C.K. for Louie.

Over the years shows like Louie rarely win in the series category, but do score nominations.  Curb Your Enthusiasm is obviously the closest show to compare.  Curb  has been nominated for 39 Emmy Awards, but only won 2, only one non technical award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series.  Louie has just tied Curb's record of two wins, one for writing last year, and one for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.  C.K. himself has been nominated all three the show has been on the air for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, but this is the first year the show has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.  Can Louis C.K. do what Larry David, the creator of Seinfeld from an HBO series could never do with Curb, win?

Louis C.K. is nominated for nine Emmy Awards this year, and the answer is maybe.  Is there Modern Family fatigue?  The show was nominated for fewer awards this year, and one of their cast members was snubbed for the first time since the first season.  The show also has no writing nominations.  Can 30 Rock swing back for the purpose of sentimentality?  The show won it's first Emmy in 3 years Outstanding Casting, which is fairly rare for a show in its last season.  The only problem is that only two shows have won for their final seasons, and they are Everybody Loves Raymond and Barney Miller.  30 Rock may win win an acting and writing or directing, but not series.

Does this open the door for Louie?  Why not The Big Bang Theory, the most watched show comedy on television?  Bang has no writing or directing nominations, along with some of the other major technical awards that signal a win here.  Girls is too polarizing and has lost its sheen, and while Veep has the clout it did not score a writing or directing nomination in a show where those factors are the most important.

My gut says Modern Family will keep the snooze fest of this category alive, but I am going to go out on a limb, and predict that Louie will shake things up, and pull out a surprise victory in this category.

Emmy Week (2013): HBO Cleans House at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards with Behind the Candelabra, and Boardwalk Empire, Plus Netflix Scores their First Emmy Awards

Once again HBO is the big winner at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the television film Behind the Candelabra was the big winner of the night with 8 wins, Boardwalk Empire was the big winner of the night in the drama categories taking home 4 trophies.  The only problem is Empire was widely ignored in the larger categories this year leaving this race wide open once again.

30 Rock took home its first Emmy win in three years winning Outstanding Casting in a Comedy Series, the shows final season could take home many trophies next Sunday, my thought is that Tina Fey could be honored for writing and acting.  Another winner in the casting category was the Netflix series House of Cards, the show claimed the prize for Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series.  Cards took home two Emmy awards, and proved the power of Netflix.

On the acting side of things The Good Wife took home the Outstanding Guest Actress trophy in a Drama series for the second year in a row, last year it was Martha Plimpton this year it was Carrie Preston, both are great recurring characters on the series.  Dan Bucatinsky surprised providing Scandal with its first win, but Bucatinsky is no stranger to the Emmy Awards; he won for the Special Class Program Web Therapy.

The biggest news of the night is that Bob Newhart, who has never won an Emmy, and i repeat has never won an Emmy, won for his guest role on The Big Bang Theory, all I have to say is finally. Oscar winner Melissa Leo won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her hilarious guest work on Louie.

One of the other big surprises of the night was that the Outstanding Reality Talk Show Host went to Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum, Klum had been nominated before but never won, this was Gunn's first nomination.  The two were nominated together and won together.

ORDER OF EMMYS BESTOWED AT CREATIVE ARTS  

Casting for a Drama Series: "House of Cards"
Casting for a Mini/Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Animated Program: "South Park"
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Melissa Leo ("Louie")
Short-Format Animated Program: "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant de Triomphe"
Children’s Program: "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee"
Achievement in Animation: (6 honorees announced earlier) "Adventure Time," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney TRON: Uprising," "Dragons: Riders of Berk," "The Simpsons"
Art Direction for Multi-Camera Series: "Master Chef"
Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming (Tie): Olymphic Games, "Saturday Night Live"
Art Direction for a Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or a Variety Program: "Supah Ninjas"
Stunt Coordination for Drama series, Movie or Mini: "Revolution"
Picture Editing for Reality Programming: "Deadliest Catch"
Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Calpa: Silence in the House of God"
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: "Breaking Bad" ("Gliding Over All")
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "The Office" finale
Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Single Camera Picture Editing for a Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Picture editing for Short-Form Segments and Variety Specials: "Daily Show"
Hairstyling for a Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra:
Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special: "Saturday Night Live"
Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Dan Bucatinsky ("Scandal")
Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special: Grammy Awards
Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming: "History of the Eagles"
Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour): "Boardwalk Empire"
Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half Hour) and Animation: "Nurse Jackie"
Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Makeup for a Miniseries or a Movie (Non-Prosthetic): "Behind the Candelabra"
Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non--Prosthetic): "Game of Thrones"
Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic): "Saturday Night Live"
Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Sound Editing for a Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera): "Men Who Built America"
Sound Editing for a Series: "Boardwalk Empire"
Special Visual Effects: "Game of Thrones"
Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role: "Banshee"
Voice-Over Performance: Lily Tomlin, "An Apology to Elephants"
Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Costumes for a Series: "The Borgias"
Costumes for a Variety Program or a Special: Grammy Awards, "Portlandia," "Men Who Built America" (juried award)
Music Direction: Tony Awards
Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): "Downton Abbey"
Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Original Dramatic Score): "World Without End"
Original Music and Lyrics: Tony Awards
Original Main Title Theme Music: "Da Vinci's Demons"
Main Title Design: "Da Vinci's Demons"
Outstanding Commercial: "Inspired," Canon
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bob Newhart, "The Big Bang Theory"
Cinematography for Reality Programming: "The Deadliest Catch"
Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series: "House of Cards"
Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie: "Top of the Lake"
Cinematography for a Nonfiction Programming: "Anthony Boudain: Parts Unknown"
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Carrie Preston, "The Good Wife"
Direction for Nonfiction Programming: "American Masters"
Writing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Documentary or Nonfiction Special: "Manhunt: Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden"
Documentary or Nonfiction Series (Tie): "American Masters," "Inside the Actor's Studio"
Informational Series or Special: "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown"
Special Class Programs: Tony Awards
Special Class Programs - Short Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs: "Children's Hospital"
Special Class - Short-Format Nonfiction Programs: "Remembering 9/11"
Interactive Program: "Night of Too Many Stars"
Creative Achievement in Interactive Media: Original Interactive Program: "Lizzie Bennet Diaries"
Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series: "The Big Bang Theory"
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: Tony Awards
Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series: "The Voice"
Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special: Super Bowl Halftime Show
Directoring for a Variety Special: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Writing for a Variety Special: "Louis C.K.: Oh, My God"
Variety Special: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Reality Host: Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn
Reality Program: "Undercover Boss"

Emmy Dream Ballot: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2012-2013)

Where have all the good leads gone?  I will say that this is the best this category has been in a few years, this category along with Lead Actress (in a Comedy series) have started to improve over the last few years, but this category has always been the weakest.  A few years ago if you took away Steve Carell, Alec Baldwin and one or two other men like Jim Parsons or Jason Bateman you were hard pressed to find quality contenders for this category.  Throw in Louis C.K., Adam Scott, Jake Johnson, and Bateman back into the roster, and you have one swell round-up.

I think the difference within this category is there are fewer commanding lead performances like Baldwin or Carell.  While Adam Scott's Ben is potentially the on screen love of my life Leslie Knope steals his thunder (although they share the screen well).  My thesis to this is that many of the men in this category have remained the same over the years, with an odd new comer coming into the mix.  With no more Baldwin, who will be the dominating force here, and who will win at SAG?  Jake Johnson is a breath of fresh air, and I hope New Girl continues to use him wisely.

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock

In the last season of this show Jack grew as a person, while dealing with his divorce, being a father, and losing his mother.  I loved watching Jack finding out he was the old man in a woman's dating rotation, his reaction was priceless, and provided some of the best laughs.  My favorite moment was when Jack and Liz went to help clear up his mother's belongings at her house, and they found out she was in relationship with a woman.  Jack and Liz pondering these thoughts in the same bedroom was a great work up to the odd chemistry between these characters.  Baldwin may find nothing as great Jack, and he went out playing him brilliantly.

Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth in Arrested Development

Michael finally had flaws!  Throughout the entire first three seasons, Michael had flaws, and had his misadventures, but this past season did he fall hard.  After investing in building up his properties, which eventually turned into a ghost town crashing with his son at college was the bottom of the barrel. Michael did not get that his relationship with George Michael had changed, and that he was wearing thin on his son, this was both well acted and hilarious.  Michael wasn't merely the son holding his family together he was dealing with his own problems, along with trying to make a movie about his family, which was one big failure.  Bateman is great.

Adam Scott and Ben Wyatt in Parks and Recreation

As I stated above Ben Wyatt would be my dream husband, too bad he's fake and now taken by Leslie Knope, even in a fake world.  I like him and I love him.  Ben took to Washington DC to help work on political campaigns living out his dream.  The real dream was enacted through his proposal and wedding to Leslie.  Wyatt is a dork supreme, but one of the most romantic.  Wyatt was a pro as Ben especially when he went back to "ice town" to find out that his town was punking him.  This emotional journey for Ben was one of the most poignant, and hilarious showing just how great this actor has grown over the years.

Jake Johnson as Nick Miller in New Girl

What can I say that has not been said by others about the growth of Nick on this show, well Johnson has done a great job with this character.  From Nick dealing with his father who uses him, and then ultimately dies to dealing with his relationship with Jess.  Johnson knows how to walk the fine line of that cranky old man like Oscar from the Odd Couple mixed with dashes of the gentile nature of the modern leading man.  Johnson is hilarious in this show, as this loner who finally finds someone and something he cares about enough to push him to change, Jess.

Louis C.K. as Himself in Louie

Watching Louis C.K. date and potentially take over the Tonight Show this season were two of the best story arcs in television this season.  I loved watching him grapple with an honest crank like himself in Melissa Leo, then finding a woman in Parker Posey with whom he genuinely liked and connected with.  These moments showed a growth in his acting, and made you connect with him more than ever.  Then there was the story where he was talking about possibly taking over for the Jay Leno.  Watching Louie battle the glee and the nerves associated with the job offer was not only great television, but provided some great laughter as well.

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory

Boy has Sheldon grown, sort of.  In the first episode of the season his girlfriend Amy gives Sheldon an ultimatum that he must open up his heart to her, or she will break up with him.  Sheldon ends up reciting a beautifully emotional speech, which is from Spider-Man, but also proves the genius with this character, and Parson performance.  Sheldon has grown as much as he can because of his connection with Amy, and while he has grown he is still the same Sheldon, awkwardly flirting and getting a sexual harassment lawsuit thrown at him, and playing Words with Friends with Steven Hawking.  Parsons is great in this role, and continues to wow!