Image Credit: TNT; Randy Holmes/ABCToday, my hard-working colleague Michael Ausiello offers his predictions across 10 major categories for the 2010 Emmy Awards nominations (slated to be announced tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT). And while it’s encouraging that Scoopy McScooperstar is prognosticating good news for The Good Wife, True Blood, Modern Family, and Glee – all of which would be neophytes for a Best Series nod — I still can’t help but soldier on in my naive belief that Vanessa L. Williams will finally take home her statuette a few out-of-left-field programs will make the final ballot. To that end, let’s all get totally honest and name two series — one Comedy, and one Drama — that, in a perfect world, would beat the odds and wind up alongside perennial nominees like 30 Rock and Mad Men. I’ll get the party started, then you hit the comments section with your own longshot favorites. Be sure to explain your choices, too — we’ll pick your best-argued eventual snubs as nominees for EW.com’s third annual EWwy Awards later this summer. [Related: Michael Ausiello Predicts the 2010 Emmy Nominees; 2010 Emmys: Which longshots deserve nominations in the Supporting Actor/Actress categories?]
Best Drama: Men of a Certain Age. When TNT first aired ads for this dramedy about a group of middle-aged buddies, I couldn’t have been less interested. But fueled by terrific, specific writing and a uniformly excellent cast (who knew Ray Romano could hold his own with the amazing Andre Braugher?!), this sometimes somber, sometimes uproarious series quickly reeled me in. I don’t think there’s a drama on TV today that offers a lovelier, more contemplative look at the pressures of juggling career, family, and friendships in our modern times.
Best Comedy: Cougar Town. Okay, so maybe it doesn’t make me get all misty-eyed the way its brilliant lead-in, Modern Family, manages to do every time Ed O’Neill gives one of his gruffly moving end-of-episode monologues. But when it comes to making me howl with delight — which is the main point of comedy, yes? — this terrific ensemble comedy about a group of bitchy, wine-swilling neighbors is definitely one of TV’s finest. And frankly, a much-deserved nomination for Courteney Cox is not reward enough on its own.
Your turn!
Best Drama: I’m absolutely with you on “Men of a Certain Age” for all the reasons you stated. (I also wouldn’t be mad if Andre Braugher got a nomination.)
Best Comedy: “Ugly Betty” The show had a VERY nice comeback in its final season, and its series finale was as good as a wrap-up as I can recall in recent history. (I liked it almost as much as I liked the “Scrubs” finale with Zach Braff.)
YES, Ugly Betty. Screw TV politics! Cancellation doesn’t mean it didn’t end on a brilliant, beautiful high. It was a hilarious and touching season and so much funnier and more poignant than the popular and supposedly “smart” series that will be nominated.
For your consideration: Community. Episode to be viewed: Modern Warfare. Best 22 minutes of television this season bar none.
UGLY BETTY for lovable longshot.
For longshot drama,
SUPERNATURAL
By far the best drama on TV for writing acting and must-see-ness this year was
FRINGE
I believe it was even in EW’s Best of 2009… but it’s Sci-Fi. Is it a longshot?
Yes I would love to see SPN get some credit for the excellent, creative, and thrilling show that they have brought to us every week for the last five years.
Best Drama: Lost. It seems like everyone keeps leaving it off the list of expected nominees.
Best Comedy: I can’t decide between Better Off Ted and Parks and Rec. Both brilliant, both with great casts, both extremely underrated. I’m going to miss Better Off Ted so, so much.
Huh? “Lost” been in everybody’s critics list from what I’ve seen. Which website do YOU go to? lol.
Better Off Ted!! YES!!
Best Drama: Lost
Best Comedy: Glee
Lost and Glee? Where exactly do you think left field is?
Hahaha! This.
Best Drama: Sons of Anarchy
Amen
I’ll second that Amen. Nothing was better than “Sons’ masterpiece of a second season and if Katey Sagal is left off the nominations than this whole production remains a farce as it is each year.
I’d also like to suggest “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” as a Drama contender because the acting is fantastic on the show, the Drama is good hang on your seats drama, and “Kill Them All”, the first season finale was the most awesome season finale in about 15 years of all television shows. It actually wrapped up many of its loose season plot threads in the most satisfying way possible. It should be shown to every creative mind behind all new television Dramas to show them how a finale should be done. It also proved that Steven DeKnight has stepped into his own and is now a more visionary television player than his former colleague Joss Whedon. All you have to do is come up with a good idea and find a cable network with intelligent non invasive powers that allow you to create your own vision; that doesn’t make you pander to the ever increasing stupidity of the American public.
This is such a longshot since this show was canceled, but I would just like to state for the record that I thoroughly enjoyed the show 10 Things I Hate About You. It’s not deserving at all, I’m just pointing out that I was consistently entertained by it when most people weren’t.
I don’t watch a lot of television but of the shows I do see I would say:
Best Drama: Fringe
Best Comedy: Big Bang Theory
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see John Noble be nominated in the best supporting actor category and win it!
I DO watch a lot of TV and I agree on all counts!
agreed!
I’ve never watched Fringe, but I agree whole heartedly about Big Bang Theory. Nerds can be funny too.
Best Drama: Friday Night Lights!
This is the absolute best show on TV.
Best Drama-Friday Night Lights hands down. I don’t understand a show that all critics love and with a die hard fan base cannot get any Emmy love.
Best Comedy-Big Bang Theory
Better off Ted was too dense, too far out there, too impenetrable, like Arrested Development. The comedy that NEEDS to be on that final ballot tomorrow morning is Party Down. Quality radiating from every nook and cranny, even if it was criminally underappreciated by viewers. For drama, Parenthood.
Might I remind you that Arrested Development won the Best Comedy Emmy for it’s first season.
“Party Down” was the best comedy on television with a budget that was trifling compared to overrated garbage like “30 Rock” “The Office” “How I Met Your Mother”. Even FX’s new cartoon “Archer” was more genius and funny than most of CBS, ABC, and NBC’s garbage.
Lost! No show has taken the risks or changed the TV landscape as much.
That is such BS. You really read this magazine too much. What exactly did it change about the TV landscape? What “risks” did it take? On “Sons of Anarchy” this season, the lead female character played by “Lost” grad Katey Sagal was gang raped in a brutal episode which reverberated throughout the entire season. Kurt Sutter did that to his wife and brought out brilliance in her riveting performance. That is courage.
When did “Lost” ever do anything that brilliant or well written? Uh, never…..
Best Comedy: 2 and 1/2 Men
Best Actor: Kyle Chandler
Best Show on TV: Friday Night Lights
you appreciate the underrated FNL but you think best comedy should go to 2 and a Half fracking Men??? My mind is officially boggled.
Party Down. Do I really ne to say any more than that. No, but I will. Party Down was it’s own brand of humor and it is a shame to see it go. This show was better then most of the nominated comedy, and I’m not the only one standing alone when I say that.
Best Drama: Friday Night Lights
BETTER OFF TED
If only to embarrass ABC for how shamefully it treated the show.
Better Of Ted deserves a nomination on its merits alone, but yes, it would be great to embarrass ABC this way. There cannot possibly be enough shame for BOT’s treatment by this network.
I would add to that a Best Supporting nod to Portia Di Rossi. That woman can do more with the arch of her eyebrow than most actress can do with their whole bodies. She also has great comic timing and some serious power hair. She was overlooked for Arrested Development, I hope she gets the ultimate “outsider” bid on Thursday. Yeah. And monkeys might fly out of my butt… sorry, not enough caffeine yet…
Best Drama: Dexter
Best Comedy: Modern Family
Both are pretty much guaranteed to be nominated.
Modern Family? No one is talking about that show. No TV critics like it. It has to be considered the longest of long shots.
L O L! People can’t read these days. #kanyeshrug
Two of my favorite shows but not exactly Emmy long shots.