Victimless Emmys – Crime TV In 2012

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The thing one must always keep in mind with industry awards is, aside from a marketing perspective, they mean exactly nothing.  Less than that, even.  If a show I particularly enjoy can move a few more DVD sets on the after-market by slapping an “Emmy winner!” sticker on it, or if that little gold statuette helps convince the suits upstairs that said show should be renewed for another few seasons, then that’s just hunky-dory.  But if the Academy of Television Arts(?) and Sciences(!) doesn’t see fit to acknowledge certain shows or actors for their fine work, that certainly should be no skin off anyone’s nose.  The Emmys are like whipped cream: Great as a nice topping, but if you eat them right out of the can, you’re likely to get a stomach ache.

That being said, crime television had a pretty nice representation going on this year.  Of course, not everyone can win, and many writers, actors, and shows went ignored.  But even a passing glance at the list of nominees and winners shows what we’ve been saying this whole time: the people want crime TV, and they want it well done.

Homeland is a phenomenon that has largely passed me by.  I gave it a go for the first couple episodes back when it premiered, hoping for another Sunday night show in the wake of Boardwalk Empire‘s second season.  But it just didn’t do it for me, a warmed-over Manchurian Candidate.  I will say it’s definitely the best thing Claire Danes has ever done, but that’s because I wasn’t a 15-year-old girl when My So-Called Life was on the air.  So while I certainly feel Danes deserved her Emmy for Best Drama Actress (not that her competition was all that stiff, except for Glenn Close on Damages, maybe), I am scratching my head a bit as to how Homeland beat out Boardwalk Empire this year.  Even if the show is better than I give it credit for, it’s still very much a freshman, and Boardwalk made some huge strides in television, not just as far as production and casting, but simply how a serial drama is told.  Show me a program with the balls to kill three of its top-billed actors this early on in the run, and I’ll show you a program that shoulda walked home hunched over from all the Emmys it’s carrying.

I mostly feel the same way about Damian Lewis and his Best Drama Actor win for Homeland, in that his work is definitely top-notch despite my tepid interest in the show itself.  The guy was up against some major, major competition: Buscemi, Hall, Cranston, Hamm, and your girlfriend’s favorite, Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville.  Even when I consider that I much prefer the work of (most of) the other actors listed here, I also like an upset as much as anyone.  Michael C. Hall still hasn’t brought one home for his work on Dexter, but I’ll bet dollars to more dollars that he’ll get one before Dexter’s carved up his last victim.  Jon Hamm has also long been a bridesmaid (har), but again, no way that handsome buck won’t be rolling in Emmys by the time he retires.  Bryan Cranston, on the other hand, has almost got enough for each day of the week, and Steve Buscemi is Steve Buscemi.  If there’s a guy on this list who couldn’t care less either way, it’s ol’ Steve.  So yeah, let Lewis have it.  I hope I’m wrong, but it’ll probably be the only thing he’s ever remembered for.

If I had even the slightest cross word for anyone associated with Breaking Bad, my cohorts down here at the Complex offices would be sure to slip me a hot shot with my afternoon “coffee” break.  So rest assured, I am in no way implying that Aaron Paul doesn’t heartily deserve his award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.  But again: what about Boardwalk?  Michael Pitt was definitely the heart of that show (a fact that is becoming sadly too obvious early on here in season 3).  His character of Jimmy Darmody was caught between more rocks and more hard places than Wile E. Coyote on a bad day.  I would hate to think the Academy would give him a consolation prize just because his character met his grisly end this last year, but not even a nomination?

And while we are on the subject of grievously ignored shows/actors, how Boss didn’t get a single mention is also beyond me.  Kelsey Grammer got himself a Golden Globe, which is well and good, but his supporting cast on that show should also be showered with garlands and blow-jobs.  Martin Donovan absolutely killed it as Ezra Stone, Grammer’s right-hand man, although the way season 2 here is cracking out, he’ll be just as eligible for a nod next year, despite his character no longer being on this mortal plane.  And hey, Academy, you’re gonna nominate Ashley Judd for that lousy Missing show (under the Miniseries category; frankly, I’m surprised that turd made it to its first commercial break without getting yanked off the air), but you’re going to ignore Kathleen Robertson as Kitty O’Neill?  Explain to me how that works, please and thanks.

Okay, so I guess I’m not as cool with how these Emmys cracked out as I thought.  I suppose I could see Boardwalk Empire getting a bit shafted, since it would just be too easy to hand all the awards over to everybody on that show (clearly, I’m a bit biased).  But Boss being completely and entirely ignored, that’s just crazy.  The good news on that front is that Boss is even better this current season, and the show is still the critical darling it should be.  I know that doesn’t preclude any further indignities on the Academy’s part, but it does seem to lower the odds.

Either way, Kathleen Robertson will take home the Callaway Emmy this year as Best Actress in a Drama Whom I Also Want to Hug and Kiss.  Kathy, your award can be picked up at my place any weekday after 6, Saturdays after 5, and anytime Sundays, depending on if the Chargers game is blacked out.

9 Comments

1. 

   Jay Tomio

   September 24, 2012 at 8:13 pm

   Downton Abbey got robbed about 16 times, though Maggie Smith, rightfully, took home hardware.

   Reply
2. 

   Ernie

   September 24, 2012 at 8:41 pm

   I love Homeland & was very glad to see Ashley Judd get a nomination for Missing!

   Reply
3. 

   Matt

   September 25, 2012 at 12:44 am

   I hadn’t even thought about Boss, but you are completely right. I can’t believe that it didn’t get any kind of nomination; it is such a good show and a bit of recognition would have been appropriate. I was glad to see Louis C.K. walk away with a few, even though I think he should have won Best Actor in a Comedy Series. I was talking to a coworker at Dish about that award, and she thinks it was Hollywood politics in play. It was like the Academy was giving him a pat on the back and saying, “thanks for weathering that fiasco last year”. I had completely forgotten that the Emmys were last night and missed it, but luckily my Hopper automatically recorded it for Primetime Anytime. I love how I don’t have to set any timers or worry about having space on my hard drive and I can still keep up with everything. Overall I would say it was ok, but I would have liked to see less popular shows get a little more recognition.

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     Jimmy Callaway

     September 25, 2012 at 12:56 am

     Couldn’t agree with you more, chief. I’ve always liked Cryer, even though I hate that show, and the fact that they were giving him a consolation prize hadn’t occurred to me, but makes complete sense. Had they ignored Louie’s writing, that would have been a grave insult, so at least there’s that.

     Reply
4. 

   John

   September 25, 2012 at 4:27 am

   ‘Boardwalk’ probably shouldn’t have even been nominated. Talk about warmed over. It’s pretty much an insipid mix of every gangster movie/show cliche. It has no business even being spoken about in the same breath as Homeland, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. BTW, a couple of episodes is hardly enough to properly judge an entire season of any show, especialyy a show that constantly evolved like Homeland did in its first season.

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     Jimmy Callaway

     September 25, 2012 at 12:12 pm

     As cliched as you might find it, Boardwalk had enough action and generated enough interest in me as a viewer to keep tuning in. For one thing, though, the gangster show/movie “cliches” are what heighten my interest: this article was, after all, written under the “Criminal Complex” subsidiary of Boomtron, so that might explain my bias (which I also directly addressed within the article itself). For another, though the show may utilize the same tropes and archetypes often found in other gangster fare, the way last season shook out was anything but cliche, so much so that this season so far has really paled in comparison. As far as Homeland goes, I understand some shows need time to simmer, to evolve as you put it, but that does me little good from week to week. Perhaps once the show is finished, I’ll revisit it and see this overarching quality to it. Then again, if pompous dickheads like yourself are gonna insist it shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath as other shows, maybe I’ll give it a pass altogether.

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       John

       September 25, 2012 at 12:42 pm

       I really do apologize for coming off the way that I did, as I’ve been contending with asshole-y Breaking Bad fans for years that insists it’s the greatest thing ever and everything is shit compared to it. (Great show. An often horribly juvenile fanbase). As a Scorsese and ‘Sopranos’ fan, BE was just such a big disappointment for me. I’m still watching as season two was an improvement over the first. But I still think the show is rather soulless. They use their gangster talk. Look at the how expensive this show is. Someone gets killed. End credits. There doesn’t seem to be any creative passion behind the camera, just the ambition to make a “Prohibition Sopranos”. It looks beautiful. It’s cool. But it always leaves me cold. There are other issues I have with it: The stories rarely feel connected in anyway, not even in theme. And Nucky remains an uninteresting lead, while Buscemi still feels awkward in the role. It’s an admirable show, but it wasn’t even one of my top eight or nine dramas from this past season. And not to bring critics into this, but the second season didn’t even make TV critics’ top twenty shows of 2011 when all the lists were added up, so a drama series win is not likely in its future. I’m also not a fan of Boss beyond Grammer’s performance. (insert smiley face)

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         Jimmy Callaway

         September 25, 2012 at 5:05 pm

         Well, obviously, we likely won’t be seeing eye-to-eye anytime soon on Boardwalk, but I will concede that the addition of Bobby Cannavale’s character certainly lends credence to your claim of gangster cliche (a notion I discussed in my piece from last week). I maintain that season 2 broke some real boundaries as far as serialized TV drama storytelling goes, but it looks like we’ll just have to agree to disagree. Same with Boss, but even though I’ve said the supporting cast is worthy of accolades, you and I definitely agree as far as Grammer goes, as I said in another piece a few weeks ago that I think it’s his best work ever (early Sideshow Bob appearances aside).

         Reply
5. 

   Jay Tomio

   September 25, 2012 at 9:00 am

   Do the Emmys usually run against Sunday Night Football? Seems like a bad decision.

   Reply