Critics' Choice Television Awards Winners

On Friday, the TV awards season ramped up with the Emmy ballots being due and the critics giving us their picks for the best of the past TV year. Since this was only the fourth year of the Critic's Choice Television Awards, it's hard to take stock in how predictive they are with regards to Emmy nominations/winners. What is evident is the critics' willingness to champion shows and performers that might be too new or too niche for Emmy voters and I for one love that. My quick thoughts on the nominees and winners...

BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Americans
BREAKING BAD
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Masters of Sex
True Detective

Breaking Bad winning for its brilliant final season was expected and yet totally well-deserved even with the REALLY tough competition as it competed against shows I've loved the past year. I haven't seen True Detective and I don't question its quality. But I do question its placement here and not in Best Miniseries. I wholeheartedly believe that TV anthologies, especially with different actors featured each season, should not compete in Best Series. More on that later.

BEST COMEDY SERIES
The Big Bang Theory
Broad City
Louie
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Silicon Valley
Veep

This is what I mean by the critics championing shows. Is Broad City and Silicon Valley even in the conversation? And as much pop culture and critical buzz winner Orange is the New Black has, I wouldn't be surprise if the TV Academy largely ignored them. I hope they don't. They would be damn stupid if they did. Though the critics are as bad as the Emmys. Four years in and Parks and Recreation is still awards-less with this group (though at least Amy Poehler won a couple years ago). Just FYI, previous winners were Modern Family, Community, and Big Bang Theory.

BEST MINI-SERIES
American Horror Story: Coven
Bonnie & Clyde
Dancing on the Edge
FARGO
The Hollow Crown
Luther

Oh look, it's the category True Detective should be in. Of course Fargo won and the race would've been far more interesting if it was pitted against True Detective, but whatever. I'm over it (no, I'm not).

BEST MOVIE
An Adventure in Space and Time
Burton and Taylor
Killing Kennedy
THE NORMAL HEART
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Trip to Bountiful

It pleases me SO MUCH that An Adventure in Space and Time was nominated here (and got a few more nominations in other categories). Of course, this category went to The Normal Heart directed by Ryan Murphy who the critics decided to give EXTRA love this year by giving him the Genius Award. I don't actually care enough to debate whether or not Murphy deserves such an honor. What I do care about is how they completely ignored Popular (his first TV show) in his tribute. Fact: Mary Cherry is the greatest character has done and will do.


BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Dancy, Hannibal
Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel
MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, True Detective
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Michael Sheen, Masters of Sex

Sure, I'm slightly upset that Rhys and Sheen and even presumed frontrunner Cranston didn't win because everyone loves to award movie stars, especially ones who has been winning a lot lately. Not to say that McConaughey didn't deserve to win (I haven't seen the show so I wouldn't know), but at the very least he could've been place in the right category. I'm a broken record and there's nothing to do about it now, but I just had to get that off my chest. I'll shut up about it now.

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
TATIANA MASLANY, Orphan Black
Keri Russell, The Americans
Robin Wright, House of Cards

I would've been happy to see any of the ladies here win, but I truly love how the critics adore and respect what Maslany has done on her show. Note that she is now a two-time critics choice winner while the likelihood she'll be nominated for an Emmy is slim to none. I hope to be proven wrong, but for now let's just celebrate her well-deserved win.

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Louis CK, Louie
Chris Messina, The Mindy Project
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
JIM PARSONS, The Big Bang Theory
Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation
Robin Williams, The Crazy Ones

Only two men have won this award the past four years. Parsons won on its inaugural year while Louis CK won this the next two years. Even with fun inclusions like Messina and a deserved winner staring them in the face (Scott), this category has always been so dull to me at least relative to who the winners has been not only here but at the Emmys. Let's shake it up, people! Calling Andy Samberg, Jonathan Groff!

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ilana Glazer, Broad City
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, Veep
Wendi McLendon-Covey, The Goldbergs
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Emmy Rossum, Shameless

Here's a category whose winner is pretty spot on. I love Veep a lot and what Louis-Dreyfus is doing is too amazing for words. And yet, I also would prefer for the love to be spread around more. This year, I'm really pulling for Rossum as she has just been a revelation. Of course, the show's decision to campaign in the comedy categories during their bleakest and more dramatic season will not help them at all, but I do believe her performance should be awarded no matter where she's slotted.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Walton Goggins, Justified
AARON PAUL, Breaking Bad
Peter Sarsgaard, The Killing
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan
Jeffrey Wright, Boardwalk Empire

The critics have done an impressive job awarding people in this category. Past winners include John Noble, Michael Cudlitz, and Giancarlo Esposito. This year they decided to award Paul in their last opportunity for his viscerally heartbreaking role in Breaking Bad. I probably would've preferred a tie with him and Charles (who did career-best work this season in The Good Wife). I wonder how close Dinklage came to being nominated?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Annet Mahendru, The Americans
Melissa McBride, The Walking Dead
Maggie Siff, Sons of Anarchy
BELLAMY YOUNG, Scandal

No such luck for Gunn, but maybe she'll be right back here next season with Gracepoint. As for Young, I don't watch the show but from the reactions online, it seemed this was also deserved. Baranski hasn't won yet, which is a crime, but she wins at life so there's that.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
ANDRE BRAUGHER, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Keith David, Enlisted
Tony Hale, Veep
Albert Tsai, Trophy Wife
Christopher Evan Welch, Silicon Valley
Jeremy Allen White, Shameless

When I heard that Tsai was nominated, I jumped up for joy. If only the Emmys were as enterprising with their decisions! I also jumped for joy when Braugher won though I wished it had been a three-way time with him, Tsai, and White. With regards to the latter, him and Rossum were the MVPs of their show this past season so to see them both recognized by the critics with nominations at least in VERY TOUGH categories is heartening.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black
Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory
ALLISON JANNEY, Mom
KATE MULGREW, Orange Is the New Black
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie

When they announced that it was a tie, I really was hoping that it would be for Mulgrew and Cox. Instead, Janney won along with Mulgrew. It's pretty difficult to be angry with this. Mom isn't the best show and Janney should be doing work that's slightly more rewarding/challenging (see next category), but she's a hoot, isn't she? As for Mulgrew, I've loved her since her Kathryn Janeway days and she's perfection in Orange is the New Black. So happy for her!

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES
Beau Bridges, Masters of Sex
Walton Goggins, Sons of Anarchy
ALLISON JANNEY, Masters of Sex
Joe Morton, Scandal
Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones

JANNEY! She was my pick in the category equivalent in my own year-end awards and it's amazing she won here as well. I literally can't find the words to describe how wonderful she was in this small role. Her co-star Bridges also did great work as did Preston and Rigg (as they always do).

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES
UZO ADUBA, Orange Is the New Black
Sarah Baker, Louie
James Earl Jones, The Big Bang Theory
Mimi Kennedy, Mom
Andrew Rannells, Girls
Lauren Weedman, Looking

AND THEN Aduba wins and I think I was even happier! Actually I think Aduba won before Janney and that 1-2 punch of awesomeness was the highlight of the awards ceremony for me. Aduba though had far less imposing competition, but her win regardless was something she and her fans probably couldn't have fathomed just last year.

And now the rest of the categories, presented without commentary:

BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
David Bradley, An Adventure in Space and Time
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
BILLY BOB THORNTON, Fargo

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor
Minnie Driver, Return to Zero
Whoopi Goldberg, A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Holliday Grainger, Bonnie & Clyde
JESSICA LANGE, American Horror Story: Coven
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
MATT BOMER, The Normal Heart
Warren Brown, Luther
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Colin Hanks, Fargo
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Blair Underwood, The Trip to Bountiful

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Amanda Abbington, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Coven
Ellen Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic
Jessica Raine, An Adventure in Space and Time
Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart
ALLISON TOLMAN, Fargo

BEST REALITY SERIES
COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY
Deadliest Catch
Duck Dynasty
Mythbusters
Top Gear
Undercover Boss

BEST REALITY SERIES – COMPETITION
The Amazing Race
Project Runway
SHARK TANK
Survivor
Top Chef
The Voice

BEST REALITY HOST
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Carson Daly, The Voice
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Gordon Ramsay, MasterChef
RuPaul, RuPaul’s Drag Race
NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

BEST TALK SHOW
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Colbert ReportConan

BEST ANIMATED SERIES
ARCHER
Bob’s Burgers
The Simpsons
Family Guy
Phineas and Ferb
Adventure Time