Emmy Awards (2013) Ruled by Death,Dancing and Drugs

This year's awards were filled with some pretty big surprises (more about those below), but the ceremony seemed to ruled by three things: death, dancing, and drugs.

Dancing

Let's tackle these alphabetically, dancing obviously comes first.  Neil Patrick Harris puts on a great show, he is a song and dance man, but I can't help but think that the pressure to do a lavish dance number took over the fact that he did not want to for monologue, but put a dance number in the middle of the show?

Harris is hilarious; he has great puns, but he felt out of his element tonight, the opening with the past hosts fell flat until Amy Poehler and Tina Fey chimed in to being on the laughs for the the first award of the night.

In the middle of the show Neil put together a pointless dance number with Nathan Fillion and Sarah Silverman, I am still baffled at why this happened and why these two stars.  This was put in, and people's speeches were cut off for this?

Props to the show for doing the Best Choreography Award on the show, and the number by the nominees was great, and connected to the different series, I was entertained by this, and glad cutie Derek Hough won.

At the end of the night the lackluster monologue and the attempt to be too showy made this a bummer of a show"

Death 

Speaking of ultimate bummers, or downers, I get that Jame Gandolfini, Cory Monteith, and Jonathan Winters were all "bigger" names who passed away this year, but having the formula of award death tribute brought down this show in a big way.  Yes Carl Reiner, and Edie Falco made me cry, and their tributes were beautiful, but this was too much.  I get the sincerity was there, but couldn't they have played clips from the actors shows?  This would have made much more sense.

Drugs

On to things that do not make, sense and that was many of the winners came from out of left field, although none of them were exactly.  I have to wonder if people were high while voting, or if voters finally stopped rubber stamping winners?  Breaking Bad applause also dominated the applause of the evening.

I have to applaud the voters for breaking the mold, in fact none of the winners should have been "surprising" the real surprise is that voters did not follow the trend they typically follow.

Awards

The first surprise of the night came with the Outstanding Comedy Supporting Actress winner Merrit Wever; she was a massive surprise she had 100/1 odd on most sites, and most people predicted her last, or not at all.  Wever's shocked speech proves this with a simple "Thank You."

While some may be surprised Tony Hale won Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, I had him ranked second.  I knew he was a true spoiler, but I thought they would go with a Modern Family guy for sure.  Modern Family only took home two trophies tonight no acting winners for the first time in the shows history which shows its vulnerability for next year, watch out for Veep!  Even though it was an expected win I have to say that Julia Louis Dreyfuss bringing Tony Hale onto the stage was the best inside joke within an acceptance speech, ever!

Another surprise came when they announced Bobby Cannavale the winner in the Outstanding Supporting Actor Drama category.  In my predictions I talked about my hunch he would win, and placed him second in my predictions as well.  Boardwalk in the Drama Series category but won the most Emmy Awards with 6 wins.  Cannavale is a truly respected actor, and had a previous win, I had a hunch, but for some reason bet against him.

Jeff Daniels was the next big surprise winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, if there was going to be a spoiler I thought it was going to be Spacey, but my guess is that voters were over the moon with Daniel's speech at the beginning of the Pilot for Newsroom, which was a great soliloquy on the problem with our society.

The Colbert Report finally toppled The Daily Show in Variety Show Writing, and Outstanding Variety Show.  The Amazing Race was taken down for only the second time in the history of Outstanding Reality Show/Competition by The Voice.  The Voice has done what American Idol could never do, which was interesting.

Will these wins signify new patterns, or were people expecting voters to be as predictable as they have been in the past few years?  I think that many of the winners were the right choices especially Breaking Bad for Outstanding Drama Series.  I would just caution the people behind this ceremony to let winners talk a little longer, and avoid the terrible "middle" dance numbers.

Predicting the Tony Awards! Not Many Sure Bets

Tonight Neil Patrick Harris is back as the host of the Tony Awards, with an opening number from The Book of Mormon, and lots of live performances from this years new musicals and revivals.  The Tony's always put on the best show, and tonight with NPH in toe I think it will be a fun year.  The other reason the show will be great is because unlike most years the award categories are more unpredictable than ever.

Best Musical
Leap of Faith 
Newsies 
Nice Work if you can Get it
Once 

This is the battle of two former movies, Newsies vs. Once.  Both have a great shot at winning.  Newsies is more likely to be a bigger commercial success while Once is the most nominated show of the night (11 nominations).  This reminds of the race between Wicked and Avenue Q, and the smaller show came out on top.  Newsies does not need to win here to make commercial success it has the shows name.  I think Once has more passionate support as well, and squeak out a win.

Prediction: Once
Very Close Second: Newsies

Best Play
Clybourne Park
Other Dessert Cities
Peter and the Starcatcher
Venus in Fur

From what I have heard every one of these plays has its ardent fan base.  Venus looks to be the biggest long shot, while many like it its a long shot. Peter the prequel to Peter Pan could be a massive spoiler, but the main race is between the other two plays.  While Other Dessert Cities has a strong chance, my money is on Clybourne Park a satire about race relations, and 2011 winner of the Pulitzer prize for drama.

Prediction: Clybourne Park
Very Close Second: Other Dessert Cities
Spoiler: Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Musical Revival
Evita
Follies
The Gershwins Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar

Another two way horse race, this time between Follies and and Porgy and Bess.  Follies did not win during its original run, nor during its abysmal revival in the early 2000s, but this show had great reviews and was one of the best reviewed shows of the season.  While Porgy and Bess has a shot this is one place it seems Follies will clean up its much deserved trophy of the evening.

Predictions: Follies
Second in Line: Porgy and Bess

Best Revival of a Play 
Death of a Salesman
Gore Vidal's The Best Man 
Master Class
Wit

This is one of the sure bets of the evening, the Mike Nichols helmed versions is poised to take this honor with ease.

Best Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein-Follies
Jeremy Jordan-Newsies
Steve Kazee-Once
Norm Lewis-The Gershins Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines-Follies

Raines and Lewis should be honored for their nominations.  This is a tight race between the three other men.  Kazee has a shot being in a best musical nominee, but the other two men in this race are the ones to watch.  Jordan was in two shows and this would be a chance for Tony to honor a new young upcoming talent.  Meanwhile Danny is a Broadway Baby with three previous nominations and no wins.  This is a tight race.

Will Win: Jeremy Jordan-Newsies
Very Very Close Second-Danny Burstein
Spoiler Steve Kazee

Best Actor in a Play
James Corden-One Man Two Guvners
Phillip Seymour Hoffman-Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones-The Best Man
Frank Langella-Man and Boy
John Lithgow-The Columnist

Cordern has a small chance to spoiler, but like in the Best Play category Hoffman moved audiences to tears and reminds the Tony people about the struggles of the working man.  Hoffman is one step closer to that elusice EGOT.

Prediction:Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Spoiler: James Corden

Best Actress in a Musical
Jan Maxwell-Follies
Audra McDonald-The Gershwins Porgy and Bess
Cristin Millioti-Once
Kelli O'Hara-Nice work if you can get it
Laura Osnes-Bonnie and Clyde

McDonald is on her way to becoming part of an elusive club, the 5 winner club, and at a young age this is an incredible feat.  The only spoiler in my mind is Jan Maxwell from Follies who was the best in my book.

Prediction: Audra McDonald
Spoiler: Jan Maxwell

Best Actress in a Play
Nina Arianda-Venus in Fur
Tracie Bennett-End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing-Other Dessert Cities
Linda Lavin-The Other Lyons
Cynthia Nixon-Wit

Nixon who won this award a few years and she is the one already out of the race while the other four women battle out for the prize.  Logic says Bennett is the winner for her portrayal as Judy Garland just seems bound for glory, but my gut has told me that Arianda has such an ardent fan base, and that she is the hip pick.  Channing and Lavin still have a shot and are spoilers.

Predicition: Nina Arianda
Very Close Second: Tracie Bennett
Spoiler Linda Lavin and Stockard Channing

Other categories
Best Featured Actor in a Play-Christian Borle-Peter and the Starcatcher
Best Featured Actress in a Play-Judith Light-Other Dessert Cities
Best Featured Actor in a Musical-David Allan Grier-The Gershwins Porgy and Bess
Best Featured Actress in a Musical-Judy Kaye-Nice work if you can get it
Best Director (Play)-Mike Nichols-Death of a Salesman
Best Director (Musical)-Jeff Calhoun-Newsies
Best Musical Book-Once
Best Musical Score-Newsies
Best Choreography-Newsies

How I Met Your Mother: Does the Identity of the Mother Matter?

Last night How I Met Your Mother broke away from the typical bro humor to deliver one of, if not their most emotional episode ever!  Without giving too much away, the show focused on Robin and used Colbie Smulders (the actress who plays Robin) as the voice over instead of Bob Saget's voice (future Ted).  The episode has divided many fans of the show, but I thought it was a nice departure from the typical direction of the show.  I have also been re-watching all of the rest of the seasons on DVD and came to the realization, I don't know if I care who Ted ends up with.  This can be seen on two levels, incredibly problematic or ingenious.

The show started out focusing mainly on the premise of Ted (Josh Radnor) telling his children the story of how he met their mother.  This show does still come from Ted's vantage point, and the stories are all building to him meeting his future wife, but I have to applaud this show for exploring the concept of friendship well.  The show has had it's ups and downs. Some seasons have been pretty amazing, while other meander as if they have no direction, but this show remains to to have heart, and has brought 5 main characters that viewer connect with.

How I Met Your Mother is not on the level of shows like 30 Rock, Community, or Modern Family, but this show is a unique blend of typical sitcom and a show that takes you outside of that standard realm.  The show is not "smart" humor, but more about relate able humor.  What does that mean?  How I Met Your Mother is about a group of friends, and tells their stories from the triumphs to the failures.  The show uses the day to day scenarios of 20-30 somethings so that people can laugh because they have experience similar situations.

From Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) man whore mentality to Marshall and Lily's (Jason Segel and Alyson Hanngan) romantic love story this show provides a lot of great laugh out loud moments.  Neil Patrick Harris is brilliant as Barney; he has taken a one dimensional man whore and turned him into a character people root for.  The writers and Harris have given Barney more depth throughout the years proving him with his first relationship, and getting him to meet his birth father.  Colbie Smulder's is one of my favorite funny women on television; she plays robin perfectly.  Robin does not represent the typical portrayal of women in the media; she is a gun toting Canadian, who focuses on her career and for the most part is not always seeking to have children; she is shrewd sarcastic and just plain great.  Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan are play the perfect couple so well, their comedic timing and chemistry add the richness of the show.

Then there's Josh Radnor's Ted, who can be the most annoying of the characters (although re-watching the seasons I have found less annoying).  The ironic part of this is that Ted is the central character and the viewers are supposed to care more about his search for his wife.  But do they?  When I talk about this show I always reference Barney and his playbook or many rules to dating or sleeping with people.  I also talk about Robin, her Canadian ways, and her going to the mall or "Sandcastles in the Sand."

The creators behind this show are brilliant.  They started with a simple presence but realized they had more they could do with their other characters and developed some great stories.  I do want to know who  Ted is going to end up with, but I care more about the characters I know and love than gimmick of actually caring about who the mother may be.  I love that this show has developed into something that I watch because I care about the characters not the plot device.  Below is a video as to why this show makes me smile, and why I do not care as much about the mother!