Dream Emmy Ballot 2015: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Uzo Aduba as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in Orange is the New Black

Watching 'Crazy Eyes' get manipulated by 'Vee' was not fun.  In her flashback episode Suzanne is a young woman who's innocence shines through; she has a heart of gold, but can become easily attached.  Uzo Aduba nailed this character's need for a prison mother who could bend her to her whim.

Carrie Coon as Nora Durst in The Leftovers

In a show that was so polarizing, and overwrought, there were performances like Carrie Coon's that made this show strong.  What happens when your entire family just disappears?  As Nora Coon navigates this existence, going from being a living shell of a human to raging against this experience.  One of the strongest performances this year.

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway in Mad Men

In the final season of Mad Men, I loved watching Joan stand up to the establishment.  Joan sold her body to become a partner a few years ago, but in this season she refused to sell herself to prove her worth again.  Christina Hendricks captured so many brilliant aspects of this character over the year, but she nailed her curtain call.

Elizabeth Marvel as Heather Dunbar in House of Cards

In an uneven season Elizabeth Marvel was the stand out in House of Cards.  Watching Heather Dunbar rail against Francis and the political system was master acting, but was even better was when she colluded to become part of those dark dealings.  I loved watch Marvel nail the humble politician who evolved into her own person, the stand out of the third season.

Maura Tierney as Helen Solloway in The Affair

I have always worshipped at the alter of Maura Tierney, from News Radio to ER, and I am glad she has gotten another fantastic role to sink her teeth into.  Helen Solloway could have been a thankless part, but Tierney's acting nails every aspect of this woman, from her old free spirited nature rebelling against her rich parents to the privilege she loves (down deep).  Tierney deserves to be honored for fleshing out this character.

Lorraine Toussaint as Yvonne 'Vee' Parker in Orange is the New Black

One of the darkest television characters, most irredeemable I ever encountered on television.  'Vee' blew into Litchfield with guns blazing, a former inmate she was a master manipulator used to running the show, but she had to reestablish her turf.  Watching Toussaint take down and manipulate, especially Suzanne was difficult, but there are so few female characters that are created in this light, and I loved the way Toussaint played this; she has always been fantastic, and this role showed her talent on a whole new level.

Runner Ups: Lena Headey-Game of Thrones, Danielle Brooks-Orange is the New Black, and Amy Landecker-Transparent

Dream Emmy Ballot 2015: Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series

I like the range you get from the contenders for Guest Actor and Actress in a Comedy series.  The range on these nominees goes from John Hamm a cult reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt  to those that straddle the line of hilarious and heartbreaking like Becky Anne Baker in Girls.

When you look at the silly in this category you still see the immense talent, Hamm's Richard Wayne Gary Wayne is one of my favorite guest roles in a comedic series ever.  Susie Essman falls into this category as well, and boy was she fantastic as Ilana's mother; she has been great in so many other things, but this role made her stand out in a way she hasn't before, without cursing as much.  Essman is a comedic genius.  It was also fun to see Kyra Sedgwick let down her hair and take on a role that was straight comedy; watching her try to nail Holt, in more ways than one was epic.

While many of these roles are all about the laughs, many walk the tight rope, and delve in the darker or more realistic realms of humor that do not just tickle the funny bone, but rather make you laugh in a different way.  Pamela Adlon has always walked this line on Louie, but it was her performance in "Bobby's House" that flipped gender roles in many interesting ways, her performance made you laugh and think a little bit deeper.  Zachary Quinto's guest turn in Girls also made you look at relationships with a different lens, and gave one of the strong performances from Girls this season.

Watching each of these 12 performances hit different comedic notes, and they each deserve a nomination in their perspective category this year!

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

John Hamm- The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Laurence Fishburne-Black-ish

Chris Parnell-Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Michael Rapaport-Louie

Ben Schwartz-Parks and Recreation 

Zachary Quinto-Girls

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Pamella Adlon-Louie

Becky Anny Baker-Girls

Julia Duffy-Looking

Susie Essman-Broad City

Kyra Sedgwick-Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jennifer Lewis-Black-ish

Dream Emmy Ballot 2015: Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress in a Drama Series

I like the new rules for the guest categories, it allows short run characters, and characters who  appear in only one episode to shine brighter in these categories.  The rule change is that a person must be in less than half of the season's episodes.

There are a few actors who just make the cut off for their shows half way mark, like the strong work from David Hyde Pierce, as Frank Prady, the man from running against Alicia for States Attorney in in The Good Wife.  Julianne Nicholson started her arc as Dr. Lillian DePaul midway through last season of Masters of Sex, but it was performance this season that fleshed   out this character.  Nicholson gives one of the bravest performances of this whole Emmy season, and her work as a women fighting for her life and profession should not be ignored.  These two actors were in just about half the season.

Then you had wonderful recurring guest stars who popped up a couple times throughout a shows season like Mel Rodriguez as Jimmy's PIC (partner in crime) Marco.  Linda Lavin has also been proving her dramatic chops in theatre and in television; she was great as the by the book Joy Grubick in The Good Wife.

Shonda Rhime's shows are the master of the one shot gut punch guest performance. Courtney B. Vance was heartbreaking in the episode "The Lawn Chair" where he played Clarence Parker, a man whos; she only broke her daughter's heart. Each of these one shot guest performances present do what it takes some actors five episodes, and that's impressive!

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Scott Glenn-Daredevil
Sam Elliot-Justified 

David Hyde Pierce-The Good Wife

Mel Rodriguez-Better Call Saul

Courtney B. Vance-Scandal

Bradley Whitford-Transparent

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Linda Lavin-The Good Wife

Courtney Love-Empire

Julianne Nicholson-Masters of Sex

Diane Rigg-Game of Thrones

Lois Smith-The Americans

Cicely Tyson-How to Get Away with Murder 

Dream Emmy Ballot 2015: Outstanding Directing and Writing in a Comedy Series

Comedic television about women, and gay men (plus Louis C.K.) rule!  I have an odd feeling

 that my dream ballot for writing and directing in a Comedy series will look nothing like the Emmy nominations, but dare to dream.  

This year The Comeback made well, a comeback to HBO.  In the final episode we see Valerie Cherish get "what she really wants."  Cherish represents different aspects of women working in the industry today, and it was in this final episode we got to see every level of her humanity.  This character's journey had a perfect climax (I hope), and the last episode of the season, maybe series, was easily the best written episode of comedic television this year.

Women were represented better than ever in comedic television this year, just look at the range of great performances that could compete in Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.  Yet there was one show that represented women better any television series this year, Jane the Virgin.  Jane and its female characters represent the depth and breadth of a variety of cultures and personalities.  There are few shows with perfect first years, but but Jane is one of them.  This show's wit, and heart channel and energy that is often missing in television.  

On a closing note Parks and Recreation was the only network television show to make this list, and not many on network TV hold a candle to this series.  Network television has made a jump in quality on the dramatic  side, but many outside of CBS have left comedy in the dirt.  Network television needs to step up their game if they would like to compete.

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

The Comeback-Valerie Gets What She Really Wants -Michael Patrick King

Jane the Virgin-Chapter One-Brad Siberling

Getting On-The 7^th Annual Christmas Card Competition-Becky Martin

Looking-Looking for a Plot-Andrew Haigh

Parks and Recreation-Leslie and Ron-Beth McCarthy-Miller

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt-Kimmy Goes to a Party! – Nicole Holofcener

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Broad City-In Heat-Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer

The Comeback-Valerie Gets What She Really Wants -Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow

Jane the Virgin-Chapter One-Jennie Snyder Urman

Louie-Bobby’s House-Louis C.K.

Parks and Recreation-Leslie and Ron-Michael Shur

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt-Kimmy Goes on a Date-Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock

Dream Emmy Ballot 2015: Outstanding Directing and Writing in a Drama Series

Breaking Bad left a void that needed to be filled, and it seems like another final season 

from an AMC show was up to the task.  While the first two or three episodes of Mad Men's final season were a bit off, the home stretch was of the best television this year.  Jared Harris played Lane Price in front of the camera for a few seasons, but it was his work off camera that began the major shift in tone for this season.  "Time & Life" ushered in the end the agency, and the beginning to closure for this show.  In the writing department Person to Person credited solely to series creator Matthew Weiner was one of the best series finales of all time with more closure than expected.  The finale drove me into the place I wanted to be when this show came to a close, their was heart, humor, and Don as a vulnerable human.  This show was a masterpiece, and these two episodes are shining examples of brilliant television.

As one show ends, many new shows found their groove, Better Call Saul (AMC), Empire (FOX), Daredevil (Netflix), The Affair (Showtime), and Transparent (Amazon).  This is the most new blood (show wise) I have included in my dream ballot since the year 24, Alias, Six Feet Under, and The Shield premiered.  Each of the new shows this year were special in their own way, but the show that struck the largest cord with me was Transparent.

Before I delve deeper into the emotionally complex show, about about a person fully realizing their identity, I will state that I consider Transparent a drama.  Like Orange is the  New Black last year, I will buck Emmy category placement, and say that Transparent has some funny moments, but in the in end it should be placed in the drama categories, but that's my person opinion.  Transparent is a brilliant show starring Jeffrey Tambor as Maura.  Tambor was born male with body parts, but over the course of his life starts to identify as a woman.  Tambor's journey as this character allows audiences to see the heartfelt struggle of coming out trans, while dealing with other aspects of life, like family, friends, work, love, and many other things.  I can't wait to continue this journey with Maura.

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Daredevil-Daredevil-Steven S. DeKnight

Empire-Pilot-Lee Daniels
Game of Thrones-The Dance of Dragons-David Nutter

Mad Men-Time & Life-Jared Harris

Orange is the New Black-Thirsty Bird-Jodie Foster

Transparent-Pilot-Jill Solloway

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Transparent-The Wilderness-Jill Solloway

The Americans-Stingers-Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg

The Affair-1-Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi

Mad Men-Person to Person-Matthew Weiner

Orange is the New Black-We Have Manners, We’re Polite-Jenji Kohan

The Good Wife-Oppo Research-Robert and Michelle King