guest blog: dave's emmy picks

Over the course of the 2008-2009 TV season I monitored/watched at least 29 shows. I felt this was pretty impressive, until I tried to make my own Emmy ballot. I reviewed each of the major network lineups (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) and I probably follow 1/3 of what's out there. I have no idea how TV critics keep up considering they also chronicle shows on A&E, AMC, FX, HBO, Lifetime, Showtime, TNT, TBS, USA, and then a whole bunch of stations that have reality programming.

My ballot for leading actors and actresses seemed a bit thin because I discovered that most of the shows I really enjoy aren't carried by one person. There were a lot of memorable characters/actors but maybe not enough "Best" in the shows that I watch. One last note: some shows I watched had good individual performances, although the show itself may have stunk. Anyhow, here's my ballot. What do you think and who would you nominate?

Supporting Actor in a Comedy (toughest category)

1. Fred Armisen (SNL) Primarily for his impersonation of Boy George
2. Ray Wise (Reaper) This show is not for everyone but his take on the devil seems spot on
3. Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation) I fear that if I stay a government employee this will be me in 20 years
4. Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) He hits it out of the park every scene
5. Neil Flynn (Scrubs) This might be a lifetime achievement nomination because he was awesome as Janitor and overlooked throughout the 8 year run

Other characters I loved but probably not award worthy

1. Tyler Labine (Reaper) Perfect hipster slacker
2. Mikey Day (Kath & Kim) The show was awful, but he was great as a doofus
3. Aziz Ansari (Scrubs/Parks & Recreation) I don’t think he’s really acting since every character is so similar but he’s hilarious
4. Jonathan Slavin/Malcolm Barrett (Better Off Ted) They’re the new Turk & JD

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

1. Amy Ryan (The Office) I don’t care that she was only in a few episodes—she was the best part of this season
2. Andrea Anders (Better Off Ted) Nobody pulled off a fake hairy back better
3. Eliza Coupe (Scrubs) This is mostly for Emily since she loved her as the tough new intern
4. Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) I had to nominate somebody from this show for something since every other episode is killer—and Robin Sparkles is my Canadian Idol
5. Rashida Jones (Parks & Recreation) I had to round out this category with somebody and she’s a good straight woman to Amy Poehler

Lead Actor in a Comedy

1. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) He’s prolific
2. Zachary Levi (Chuck) I love this show and want everyone to know it
3. Kyle Bornheimer (Worst Week) Although the story lines were often improbable it was fun to watch him sell them
4. John Krasinski (The Office) I know Steve Carrell is the lead, but Jim is the most genuinely funny part of the show. Michael mostly makes me cringe.
5. Jay Mohr (Gary Unmarried) Because I love the “Slam Man” and I needed a fifth

Lead Actress in a Comedy

1. Kristen Wiig (SNL) I think she wins in a landslide. The first Lawrence Welk sketch is a classic
2. Portia De Rossi (Better Off Ted) She’s playing a far more driven form of Lindsay Bluth Fünke
3. Jenna Fischer (The Office) Who doesn’t love Beasley?
4. Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl) “Oh snap!” is tremendous when uttered by her
5. Tina Fey (30 Rock) 30 Rock is the best comedy and she keeps the engine going

Supporting Actor in a Drama

1. Shawn Hatosy (Southland) He and his wife’s crazy arguments might be my favorite part of the show
2. Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights)
3. Michael Emerson (Lost) Who plays a better villain?
4. Jeremy Davies (Lost) I love his odd delivery and cadence
5. John Noble (Fringe) The king of non-sequiturs; he steals every scene

Honorable Mention

1. Adam Goldberg (The Unusuals)
2. Joshua Jackson (Fringe)
3. Michael Imperioli (Life on Mars)

Supporting Actress in a Drama

1. Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) If she were a dude we’d call her Mal Hombre
2. Gretchen Mol (Life on Mars)
3. Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) She plays the southern chick so well, and don’t hate her because the writers never let her consider starting college at a safety school/community college and then transferring to UT
4. Luke (The Amazing Race) I can’t imagine there exists a bigger drama queen
5. (I couldn’t think of a 5^th, and the 3^rd and 4^th are a stretch)

Lead Actor in a Drama

1. Terry O’Quinn (Lost) He’s the heart and soul of the best show on TV
2. Damian Lewis (Life) It’s unfortunate that we lost the best cop on TV this year
3. Tim Roth (Lie to Me) Maybe because he’s British
4. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) He communicates a lot by saying a little
5. Christian Slater (My Own Worst Enemy) The show wasn’t great but he made two very contrasting characters seem very believable

Lead Actress in a Drama

1. Ana Torv (Fringe) Maybe I just really love the weird, sci-fi, supernatural shows but I’m pretty sure she’s a good actress. I also think she’s a two face, but not quite as bad as Jerry’s girlfriend in the Festivus episode.
2. Regina King (Southland) When is she not great? The finale was incredibly intense, and primarily because I didn’t want her to die.
3. Evangeline Lilly (Lost) On the strength of one episode (The Little Prince)
4. Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) Her timing is impeccable
5. (I couldn’t come up with a 5^th so there must be some great women on cable)

Best Reality Show/Game Show

1. The Amazing Race:This is the only one I watch, although I watched the end of Wipeout with my boys and we all seemed to love it

Best Comedy

1. 30 Rock
2. Better Off Ted: The whole show is well written but the Veridian Dynamic commercials are as good or better than any fake commercial on SNL.
3. Chuck
4. Reaper
5. How I Met Your Mother: Every episode is over the top crude, but every other episode is hilarious, and unlike on Friends the characters haven’t become caricatures of themselves

Best Drama (You and I are probably both out of time so no comments here)

1. Lost
2. Fringe
3. Friday Night Lights
4. Southland
5. Numb3rs
   

Best Ending

1. Life: Without knowing for certain that this was a series finale they brought some closure to the overarching storyline, and Crews’ death blow to Roman was so phenomenal I had to watch it like 3 or 4 times
2. Friday Night Lights: I can’t wait for Coach Taylor to go against Joe McCoy and Buddy Garrity, and having Coach Taylor move to East Dillon was a genius way to create some more diverse and interesting storylines.
   

Worst Ending

1. Life on Mars: I loved this show until the last scene. So disappointing. It made the entire season moot.
2. Heroes: They only have like 3 scenes and they recycle them over and over again. Emily is finished with show, but I’m an optimist so maybe they’ll finally fix the show in season 4.
   

Worst Actors

1. Chris Gauthier (Harpers Island) I don’t know much about acting, but I know what I don’t like.
2. Yunjin Kim (Lost) Once she got back to the island she forgot how to act, or maybe they just didn’t give her good material.

I hate to end on a down note but RIP to Life, The Unusuals, Life on Mars, Reaper, My Name is Earl, and the original Scrubs.

I won't end on a down note; I'm pumped that executives are giving Chuck (thanks Subway) and Better Off Ted each another season.