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| The Emmys are coming, and even the host is disappointing. |
"If I've offended you, Mr. Bullock, I've accomplished the opposite of my intention, which would not be an unprecedented result." - Otis Russell, Deadwood, S01E11.
Probably my favorite thing in life is good television. That or beautiful women... or perhaps delicious food... but you know what? Television has me covered there. HBO has all the naked beautiful women I want, and while watching them I can gorge myself upon delicious food. All good things really sprout from television in the end. So, naturally, when a huge budget awards show comes along each year to celebrate my favorite thing - television - I am quite excited. However, the Emmys, the huge budget awards show, is remarkably flawed. Not only do they seem to not know what a miniseries is, but they also seem lost when it comes to what a comedy is. Though I understand that it is the networks themselves that submit under these categories, it should not be up to the networks. If HBO nominated Veep as a drama, would those managing the Emmys simply concur with the network and nominate it for the Best Drama category? Sometimes it feels as though those running the most important Television awards show haven't even watched the television that they celebrate so much.
The first and most obvious flaw with this year's Emmys are the category nominations themselves. HBO's True Detective is an eight episode long saga of two dark police officers following a seventeen year long case. At the end of the eight episodes, the story ends. The case is solved. The characters, at least to the viewers perspective, have taken solace in finally finishing their life's case. From that point, there is not more story to tell. Don't just take it from me though, Nic Pizzolatto, the genius behind this show has confirmed that the saga of Martin Hart and Rustin Cohle is over. Therefore, it should be obvious to every viewer of True Detective that the show is, in fact, a miniseries, NOT A FUCKING DRAMATIC ONGOING TELEVISION! Okay, great then, we're all on the same page right? True Detective should be competing against the likes of FX's Fargo and FX's American Horror Story... because they're all the same type of show.
NOPE!
Apparently, according to the big wigs managing the Emmys, Pizzolatto's miniseries is an ongoing drama. But unfortunately, the confusion doesn't stop there.
December of 2013, David Simon, creator of the fabled show The Wire released the final season to his newer drama, Treme. Though a very well done show, the final season was cut back to a mere five episodes, giving limited time to finish all of the many character arcs created in the first three seasons. That being said, the ending was satisfying, and even if Treme doesn't go down in history the way that The Wire has, it will be looked upon fondly by those who stuck with it. Just as True Detective was eight episodes that stood alone, Treme was four seasons that had continuity. So, it should be obvious that Treme would be nominated for best drama, not best miniseries right? Because it's obviously not a miniseries!
NOPE!
While the obvious miniseries True Detective was nominated as a drama, the obvious drama was nominated as a miniseries. So, one can see the point, that the Emmys seem to nominate directionless. Though it would be quite easy to go into this topic further, asking the question of why forty five minute long prison drama Orange is the New Black is nominated in the comedy category, for the sake of time we will move on.
This year, AMC's critically acclaimed masterpiece, Breaking Bad came to a close. It finished with some of the most gripping episodes ever to grace television, and actually managed to satisfy viewers, unlike many of its counterparts (I'm looking at you Dexter). But, above all else, the sixth episode of the final season, Ozymandias, stood out. This episode had it all, even garnering the fabled 10/10 rating from IMDB, a feat that almost no other show has ever had. Additionally, in the final season, one actor, aside from Bryan Cranston, the lead of the show, stood out above all the rest. This was Dean Norris, portraying the role of Cranston's brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. Longtime Best Supporting Actor Nominee Aaron Paul's character, Jesse Pinkman, although an integral part of the season, had much less screen-time and relevance to the conclusion of Breaking Bad than Hank. So, when it is up to those in charge of the awards celebrating television, one would think that after watching the conclusion of Bad, they would realize these two points, right?
NOPE!
Felina, the final episode of Bad took the best directing nomination over Ozymandias, while Aaron Paul took the best supporting actor nomination over Dean Norris.
Why, in this modern day and age of television, when shows have seemingly never been better, do those who are supposed to be in charge of television awards not seem to realize what the average Joe has? Are they watching the same shows as us or are they reading AV club's recaps and deciding solely based on reviews they read? Sometimes it feels as though we as viewers know more about the television we watch than the "esteemed" award givers that lead the Emmys. Maybe I am nitpicking, but I don't think so. Sure, Breaking Bad's finale was amazing, but to all of us who actually watched the entire season, it was less enthralling than Ozymandias. Sure, Aaron Paul was great in the final eight episodes, but was just utilized less than Dean Norris, who didn't receive the same nod. It seems as if the Emmys merely take an outside perspective of "the finale is always the best", or "we nominated Aaron before, so let's just keep doing that!" It's ridiculous.
So, when August 25th roles around, and shows that should not be in their category and nominations that make little sense are broadcast all over the America, take a moment to think.
Are these truly the masters of television knowledge that they claim to be?
Is the "Academy" really who should be making these huge decisions?
Not to sound like a patriot on the eve of Lexington and Concord, but I don't think so. I think it's time for a change.
Labels: Aaron Paul, AMC, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, Emmys, Fargo, HBO, Nic Pizzolatto, Orange is the New Black, Television, Treme, True Detective, Vince Gilligan