2013 Best Performances in Television (in no Order)

Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black 

This woman was a force to be reckoned with in Orphan Black.  Maslany played a tech geek, a suburban mom, a police officer on the ropes, a young woman fighting to be in her daughters life while pretending to be one of her look a likes, and a crazy Russian woman to name a few.  There are actresses who have played twins before, but Maslany took the concept of playing different characters who look a like to a whole new level.  This girl just earned a Golden Globe nomination today, and won two critics award for this role; she is great.

Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra

Hard to pick just one man in this duo, if I had to pick I would honestly pick Damon because he does so much with a much less showy role.  Yet you can't help not think that Douglas is beyond amazing as the genius musical talent Liberace from the voice, to the mannerisms.  These two men took on one of the most challenging films about a complicated relationship in the spotlight, enraptured with youth.  Liberace was a complicated man, and Douglas played him perfectly.  Damon played the flaws in Scotty better than existed in the book the film was based.  Damon got the innocence, the selfishness, the love, every emotion spot on, something hard to embellish. 

Orange is the New Black Ensemble 

Like with Damon and Douglas, how do you pick just one of these women?  Here are a few to highlight.

Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman

At first glance Piper is the least interesting character, and she is the lead, but as you watch you see this once privileged women become part of a much more complicated world.  As Piper spends more time in prison you feel her pain, anguish, and also see her grow.

Taryn Manning as Tiffany 'Pensatucky' Doggett

Nuts, is as easy way to describe this former meth head turned fundamentalist.  Manning is brilliant, and frightening within this role, you have to hate her, but you almost admire that you hate her.

Kate Mulgrew as Galina 'Red' Reznikov

Red runs the prison, but in her personal life she was a nobody.  As you watch Mulgrew run the show, and lose control you see vulnerability in a woman who does not want to be able to give up power; she is fantastic.

Uzo Aduba as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes Warren

When you first meet 'Crazy Eyes' as she falls for Piper, you assume, well crazy, but as you get to know and understand the complexity to her character you see another deeper more meaningful understanding of a misunderstood person.

Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset 

This is the best representation of transgender identity in popular culture to date.  Cox is a brilliant actress; she knows who she is, and dealing with her trans identity in a prison world is complex  Cox does a great job with this role.

These are just five of the numerous great performances that make up the Orange is the Black Ensemble.

Corey Stoll in House of Cards

Stoll played Representative Peter Russo, a man caught in Francis Underwood's (Kevin Spacey) cross hairs in his master plan to manipulate.  Peter not only navigates the tricky political world but a relationship with a staffer and an addiction to drugs and and alcohol. It's hard to outshine Kevin Spacey, the man is force in everything he does, but Corey Stoll goes toe to toe with him, and while he may not win;  he puts up a good fight.

Allison Janney in Mom/Masters of Sex 

What can't Allison Janney do? Janney is stealing the show Mom on a weekly basis as Bonnie a grandmother, mother, and recovering alcohol and drug addict.  Janney's timing is perfect, and she makes this show better week after week.  Janney is not just about the laughs her recurring guest role on Masters of Sex has provided a richer context to show, and the development of a woman's sexual awakening in the 1960s.  This woman is a chameleon, and its hard to ignore her greatness.

Dean Norris in Breaking Bad 

While Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are the obvious choices, the standout of the the last season of Breaking Bad was Hank.  From the moment Hank sees the abbreviated intitals on the toilet, to the intense confrontation in the garage with Walt, and tries to make things right for his family you sit of the edge of your seat.  Norris was great as Hank, and while the character had moments of being one note throughout most of the earlier seasons, this season added to his depth, and a lot of credit goes to Norris' acting.

Josh Charles in The Good Wife 

Wow, just wow! Josh Charles grabbed a Golden Globe nominee today, he also has an Emmy nomination for this role from a couple of seasons ago, man has he knocked his emotional journey out of the park this year.  Will was "betrayed" by Alicia the woman he loved at one point leaving their firm as he now refers to as LG, and he is on a tear sleeping with the anti-Alicia trying to be there for clients to way Alicia was, this guy just knocks every moment of of the park, if you aren't watching this show, start. 

Breaking Bad, and Orange is the New Black lead Writer's Guild Award Nominations (Television)

It should come as no surprise that Breaking Bad score 4 nominations at the Writers Guild Awards (WGA) more than any show this year.  Freshmen Netflix series Orange is the New Black, also received 4 nominations. which received 3 nominations.  Returning series Modern Family and The Simpson both received the next highest total with 3 nominations each.  This is a great slate of nominees, they picked the episodes and series with the best writing this past year.

DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad
The Good Wife
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men

COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation
Orange Is the New Black
Veep

NEW SERIES
The Americans
House of Cards
Masters of Sex
Orange Is the New Black
Ray Donovan

EPISODIC DRAMA
“Buried” (Breaking Bad), Written by Thomas Schnauz
“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison
“Episode 101” (House of Cards), Teleplay by Beau Willimon
“Granite State” (Breaking Bad), Written by Peter Gould
“Hitting the Fan” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King
“Pilot” (Masters of Sex), Written by Michelle Ashford

EPISODIC COMEDY
“Career Day” (Modern Family), Written by Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh
“Farm Strong” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko
“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock
“Lesbian Request Denied” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Sian Heder
“Leslie and Ben” (Parks and Recreation), Written by Michael Schur & Alan Yang
“Pilot” (Orange Is the New Black), Teleplay by Liz Friedman and Jenji Kohan

ANIMATION
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen
“Game of Tones” (Futurama), Written by Michael Rowe
“Hardly Kirk-ing” (The Simpsons), Written by Tom Gammill & Max Pross
“Murder on the Planet Express” (Futurama), Written by Lew Morton
“Saturday Morning Fun Pit” (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone
“Yolo” (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Nobori

Tune In or Tune Out:Orange is the New Black (Netflix)

Orange is the New Black

Created by: Jenji Kohan (Weeds)

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Natasha Lyonne, Kate Mulgrew, and Jason Biggs

Netflix is at it again, this is their fourth original series, and this ranks as another creative success, so far. I am about four episodes in, and I feel as though this series hits all the right elements.  Before I put the cart before the horse, let's talk about Netflix, and then get into the series, and what makes this show work.

Some people are on board with the Netflix model, while others view this "binge" watching as counter intuitive to the water cooler aspect of television.  With Arrested Development, I binge watched, and wish I had stretch out the episodes a little longer.  I was so excited for the show to be back, and just needed to watch and watch and watch.  Arrested Development is a show I can watch over and over again, most of the shows fans do this.  With House of Cards I watched the series within a week or two week span, I paced myself a little better, but the pacing of the show kept me wanting to go back for more, and I could when I wanted.  The subject matter, and emotional intensity of Orange is the New Black has created a different pace for me.

Orange is about Piper Chapman (Schilling) is former wildling turned suburbanite who is engaged to her fiance Larry (Biggs), runs her own business, shops at Whole Foods, and lives in the world of white privilege.  Before her life with Larry, Piper was in a relationship with Alex (Prepon) who ended up being a drug smuggler.  Alex pulled Piper into her world, and this eventually caught up with Piper as the show follows her in jail interacting with her fellow inmates, and through flashbacks of her own life.

The show works on so many levels, Kohan who created Weeds, imbibes her snark, but also lays on the emotional weight of what prison is like for Piper, who is much like Nancy Botwin.  Schilling is great as Piper; she is terrific with her naivete, and sarcasm, but sells the dramatic moments well.  The true strength in this show is that this is a great ensemble, and explores the other inmates just as well.  In the first few episdoes the show explores heavy concepts like race, and gender identity well.  I almost cried in episode three as they explored gender identity, beings transgender, and the changes that occur.  Don't get me wrong this show is not all drama, while it is a drama with hilarious undertones. Red (Mulgrew) and Nicky (Lyonne) are two of the best characters on the show, and they have some of the best lines.

This show explores being a women better than many shows I have seen on television, most of the characters are true to form, fleshed out characters.  While these women are all in prison that takes nothing away from the identity they have developed, and you see this development within the flashbacks.  I love that this show is not afraid to show men as secondary, and also within their piggish nature.  Some will argue this is a one sided representation, while I argue, that things can't always be about the men!  Kohan has created yet another representation which shows so many layers within female characters.

Back to Netflix.  Does their model work?  I have talked to a lot of people who powered through this show the way I did with House of Cards.  I think there are flaws, but I disagree that this eliminates the buzz factor.  More and more people are signing up for Netflix, and more people are starting to watch their shows including this one because they have heard great things.  I like Netflix's "choose your own adventure" viewing style, and I think it fits with this new generations viewing patterns.  This show is is a winner!

Tune In!  Be careful you don't get shanked