If We Had an Emmy Ballot: The Best TV of 2009 to 2010

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Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Alexander Skarsgard in True Blood
Alexander Skarsgard in True Blood
Photo credit: HBO

Henry Ian Cusick, “Lost”
Tate Donovan, “Damages”
John Lithgow, “Dexter”
Terry O’Quinn, “Lost”
Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
Alexander Skarsgard, “True Blood”

Two great character actors, John Lithgow and Terry O’Quinn, are likely to fight for the trophy in this category and it would be stunning to see either of them not announced on nomination morning. They both practically stole their individual shows and defined evil on television in the last year.

Three of last year’s nominees - Christian Clemenson and William Shatner of “Boston Legal” and William Hurt of “Damages” are ineligible and it seems likely that O’Quinn will take the spot from last year’s winner, Michael Emerson of “Lost.” Aaron Paul of “Breaking Bad” will certainly repeat and it wouldn’t be much of a mistake at all for John Slattery to repeat for “Mad Men.”

But there are better choices than Slattery. First, a replacement for Hurt is likely to come from “Damages” with guest stars Campbell Scott and/or Martin Short being frontrunners. The actual best supporting performance on that show this year? Tate Donovan, who perfectly sold the arc of a man caught between personal and professional obligations. Whether or not “Damages” returns, this is the Academy’s last chance to nominate Donovan and they should take it.

“True Blood” had a slightly down season overall from the first but Alexander Skarsgard is slowly starting to steal every scene he’s in on that show. The Academy mostly ignored HBO’s water-cooler hit last year but I have a feeling it may pop up in a few major categories this year. Skarsgard is a great choice.

Finally, the cast of “Treme” provides a few great choices, but we’re going back to “Lost,” largely because it’s the last time we can. As Desmond, Henry Ian Cusick anchored the “sideways” portion of the show with a remarkable, zen-like presence. His underrated work carried the audience through to the emotional climax. They nominated him in 2006. Give him one before we say goodbye, brother.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

Khandi Alexander in Treme
Khandi Alexander in Treme
Photo credit: HBO

Khandi Alexander, “Treme”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Jennifer Carpenter, “Dexter”
Ginnifer Goodwine, “Big Love”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Regina King, “Southland”

Now this is a tough one. Elizabeth Mitchell wasn’t on the last season of “Lost” (and “V” is not good), “In Treatment” wasn’t on the air, Cherry Jones (last year’s winner) took herself out of the running for “24,” and we’ll never understand the love for “Grey’s Anatomy.”

That leaves a lot of empty slots. Rose Byrne for “Damages” (or the less-deserving Lily Tomlin) sure seems possible as does at least one of the “Grey’s” ladies, but let us make a few other suggestions.

“Dexter” had its best season to date and we’d love to see it represented in as many categories as possible. Jennifer Carpenter did her best work yet and deserves consideration. “Mad Men” obviously has one of the strongest ensembles on the air and Christina Hendricks has delivered a stronger overall supporting performance every season. She deserves a nod.

“Big Love” was down this year from its brilliant third season but Ginnifer Goodwine’s arc as she started to become financially independent and even fell for what was technically her stepson was the strongest of the year for that up-and-down HBO program.

Christine Baranski has delivered solid supporting work for years, no matter where she goes, and it seems likely that “The Good Wife” could be a multiple nominee on Emmy morning. She’s deserving.

Even more deserving is the spectacular Regina King, a woman who keeps adding depth to one of the most accomplished ensembles on television in “Southland.” Remind TNT that they’ve done a great thing by renewing this great program and nominate King.

Finally, there’s arguably no better ensemble on television right now than the folks on “Treme.” The whole season isn’t eligible, as it overlaps with two Emmy eligibility periods that run from June to May but the cast is so good that even half a season’s work deserves mention. With a cast of great choices all around, Khandi Alexander stood out from episode one. Give her the nod and, HBO, schedule this next year so the WHOLE season is eligible. You’ve had enough trouble getting David Simon’s programs nominations. Why make it more difficult?

Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Timothy Olyphant in Justified
Timothy Olyphant in Justified
Photo credit: FX

Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Nathan Fillion, “Castle”
Matthew Fox, “Lost”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Timothy Olyphant, “Justified”

Once again, this category is remarkably crowded. Some voters may feel a need to nominate Kiefer Sutherland for his last horrible day on “24,” Hugh Laurie is an annual choice, Denis Leary might pop up, and it’s not hard to see Simon Baker making a repeat appearance for “The Mentalist,” although there are better choices than all four gentlemen.

Jon Hamm isn’t getting kicked out of this category until the show is canceled and Bryan Cranston has won two years running for “Breaking Bad” and he has to be the odds-on favorite to win again. Although he’ll face some stiff competition from a former nominee, two new ones, and a last chance choice.

The former is Michael C. Hall, who has been nominated twice before but never won. The most recent season of “Dexter” featured his best work and he’s neck-and-neck with Cranston when it comes to handicapping who will actually win much less be nominated.

As for the new ones, Nathan Fillion improved every week on “Castle,” making a better serial mystery choice than Baker and Timothy Olyphant found the role that he had been working toward his entire career with his spectacular work on “Justified”. In weaker years, he’d be a great choice to win, much less just be nominated.

Finally, after six spectacular seasons, Matthew Fox deserves his first and last nomination for “Lost.” Don’t miss this opportunity to nominate the face of one of the best shows of the current era of television.

Best Lead Actress in a Drama

Juliana Margulies in The Good Wife
Juliana Margulies in The Good Wife
Photo credit: CBS

Glenn Close, “Damages”
January Jones, “Mad Men”
Stana Katic, “Castle”
Juliana Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Anna Paquin, “True Blood”
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”

All six of last year’s nominees returned in seasons that could bring them back to the dance in a rare full-category repeat. But that’s not going to happen. Someone needs to make room for who we suspect will win — Juliana Margulies for her career-best work on “The Good Wife”. The first one to go can be Holly Hunter, who is good on “Saving Grace” but the show is not.

As for the other five, bring back last year’s winner in Glenn Close, even if that show was definitely down this season, and Kyra Sedgwick is a perfectly worthwhile annual nominee for “The Closer.” She carries that hit show week in and week out. The Academy loves Sally Field in “Brothers & Sisters” and Mariska Hargitay in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”. We think both are good but not as interesting as some deserving alternates.

January Jones should have been nominated for the last two seasons of “Mad Men”. Let’s make up for that mistake this year. Elisabeth Moss is great but show January some love. Someone else who should have been nominated last year and might the second time around is Anna Paquin, who carried “True Blood” from moderate hit to cult phenomenon and deserves recognition.

Finally, Stana Katic makes up half of the most charismatic duo on television right now. If you must nominate a sexy detective, forget Hargitay. We’ll take Katic without question.

Best Drama

Dexter
Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

“Dexter”
“The Good Wife”
“Justified”
“Lost”
“Mad Men”
“True Blood”

It’s time to shake things up in a category that has been stale for years as the Academy has overlooked obvious, great choices like “Battlestar Galactica” or “The Wire.” Bringing new blood like “Breaking Bad” and “Big Love” into the category last year was a great start. Sadly, “Big Love” was way down in its truncated season, so it should wait till next year, but “Bad” will almost surely return.

“Dexter” and “Lost” had above average seasons that are almost sure to be nominated and “Mad Men” seems like it will own a nomination slot until the day it’s canceled. If those three shows are NOT nominated, someone miscounted the ballots.

That leaves three slots that last year went to “Big Love,” “House,” and “Damages”. The latter had a weak enough year that it should be replaced and CBS’ spectacular drama “The Good Wife” is a better legal choice. Instead of a weak year for “Big Love,” jump on the vampire bandwagon and recognize “True Blood” for creating riveting genre television that’s a lot harder to pull of than it looks.

Finally, there’s been very little as entertaining as FX’s “Justified” on any channel over the last year. You really want to break out of the Academy comfort zone? Replace “House” with a cable show about white supremacists and a modern cowboy. It really is a new era for television.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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