End-Of-Year: 2015 TV Winners

Slightly behind schedule, because I'm me, but after nearly two weeks since I posted my favorite TV shows, here are my picks for my favorite performances of 2015! Starting with my pick for best ensemble...

BEST ENSEMBLE: Sense8
Runner-Up: Orange is the New Black
Other Nominees: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fargo, Fresh Off the Boat, Game of Thrones, Jane the Virgin, Mad Men, Parks & Recreation, Veep

The cast of each of these shows are fantastic and so picking a favorite from among them is actually quite ridiculous. But I gave it Sense8 which made use of its globe-spanning cast to such unique effect that even though they were mostly separated from each other by long distances, it all still gelled together as a whole. My runner-up is of course the wonderfully female-skewed ensemble of Orange is the New Black which somehow just keeps getting better and better every season. The rest of the shows I've singled out are not to be lumped as honorable mentions since all of them really take pride in creating an overall sense of community with their casts.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA: Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Runner-Up: Justin Theroux, The Leftovers
Other Nominees:Charlie Cox, Daredevil
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans

The Hannibal boys were my top two picks last year which is probably why I decided to leave them off my list in spite of a final season that really got into their twisted relationship. Instead, I opted for newcomer Malek whose approachable strangeness is a perfect fit for the show, both giving off a coldness that's tempered with real beauty. Runner-up went to Theroux who anchored his own share of crazy (he literally died and went to limbo twice) in the bravura sophomore season of his show. Mazel tov to Hamm's final season, Cox's ability to act in those tight costumes, Odenkirk's new spin to a familiar character, and Rhys' chameleon-esque talents.

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA: Krysten Ritter, Jessica Jones
Runner-Up: Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Other Nominees:
Hayley Atwell, Agent Carter
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

I honestly didn't know Ritter had it in her, which is my fault because her previous work most notably Apartment 23 and Breaking Bad showed she's more than capable at caustic realness and depth of emotion, which she deploys to brilliant effect in her show. Henson, in the meantime, gleefully plays one of the breakout characters of last year and is consistently the best part of her show. Shout out to Davis' courtroom dramatics, Maslany's TV-defying sister act, Moss' heartfelt goodbyes, and Atwell's ability to snark/fight in perfect hair and makeup.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY: Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
Runner-Up: Adam Scott, Parks & Recreation
Other Nominees:
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Jonathan Groff, Looking
Randall Park, Fresh off the Boat
Joshua Sasse, Galavant

This was an interesting category for me, because it's usually such a BUMMER category when it comes to traditional award shows. It's gotten better with the recent Amazon 1-2 punch of Jeffrey Tambor in Transparent and Gael Garcia Bernal in Mozart Jungle (both NOT on my list because I haven't seen their sophomore seasons), but still lacking. My list, of course, shows what COULD BE and I wish more people would branch out a bit. My pick this year goes to Middleditch, whose show is popular and yet he hasn't been able to break through himself even though he's SO GOOD at the awkward-bumbling-genius role. Of course there's perennial favorite of mine Scott who, like most of the members of his cast, whisked into the sunset with absolute skill and class. Big props to Sasse's mad singing skills, Park's unrecognized hilarity, Ansari's delightful meanderings, and Groff's adorable cluelessness.

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Runner-Up: Aya Cash, You're the Worst
Other Nominees:
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation
Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat

Unlike its male counterpart, this category is ALWAYS SO DAMN COMPETITIVE to the point that two years running and I still haven't made room for the AWESOMENESS of the Broad City ladies. But looking at my final short list and you can see the immense talent on display. Rodriguez was my runner-up last year, but she was certainly THE breakout actress of 2014 and has only solidified her status as one of the best actresses working today this past year. Meanwhile Cash catapulted herself in runner-up position by deftly handling a depression story arc that could've been made a mess if it weren't for her excellent performance. Give it up also for Louis-Dreyfus gut-busting intensity, Wu's pitch-perfect line deliveries, Kemper's unabashed positivity, and Poehler's presidential exit.

Now comes to Supporting/Limited categories for which I've decided to shortlist 10 people per category as opposed to just 6 with the Lead. This is #PeakTV people and there are A LOT of people doing amazing work. Rather than seeing this as a Everyone Gets a Trophy, see this as a Look at How Fantastic A Lot of People Are. And go...

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA: Miguel Angel Silvestre, Sense8
Runner-Up: James D'Arcy, Agent Carter/Broadchurch
Other Nominees:
Aml Ameen, Sense8
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Burn Gorman, TURN
Joshua Jackson, The Affair
Matt McGorry, How to Get Away with Murder
Ari Millen, Orphan Black
Jussie Smollett, Empire
Martin Wallström, Mr. Robot

First, a bit of housekeeping. I'm considering all the main Sense8 characters as "supporting" the same way the Modern Family cast consider themselves that for awards. It's a bit of category fraud in my part, but I can live with it. With that said, Silvestre as the hot-machismo-soap-opera-stud on the outside but hot-mess-of-a-hopeless-sweetheart on the inside Lito is my top pick. Second place goes to D'Arcy playing two polar opposite characters in two very different shows (well they're both two GOOD shows). Also loving McGorry's dance moves, Millen's ability to keep up with Maslany, Banks' quiet intensity, Jackson's fiery arc, Gorman's unexpected redemption, Ameen's ridiculous smile, Smollett's coming out, and Wallström's own brand of crazy.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA: Maura Tierney, The Affair
Runner-Up: Jamie Clayton, Sense8
Other Nominees:
Calista Flockhart, Supergirl
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Regina King, The Leftovers
Charlotte Rampling, Broadchurch
Molly Parker, House of Cards
Lana Parrilla, Once Upon a Time
Jean Smart, Fargo
Holly Taylor, The Americans

There were SO MANY choices in this category that I actually forced myself to not give one show more than two nods (or else you'd see more Sense8 ladies probably). Speaking of that show, Clayton was my runner-up invoking such genuine realness and vulnerability to her character. Tierney was my top pick since in a show that's all about The Acting, she seems to really play it in such a natural and effective way even when she's going Big and Dramatic. Big props as well to Flockhart's boss-level attitude, King's strong presence, Rampling's ball of pain and regret, Parker's combativeness, Headey's shame shame shamefulness, Taylor's revelatory story line, Smart's wisecracks, and Parrilla's unexpected Savior Moment.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY: Titus Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Runner-Up: Andre Braugher, Brooklyn 99
Other Nominees:
Jaime Camil, Jane the Virgin
Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin
Lamorne Morris, New Girl
Timothy Omundson, Galavant
Jeremy Allen White, Shameless
Bokeem Woodbine, Fargo
Zach Woods, Silicon Valley
Steve Zissis, Togetherness

This was a fun list to put together, because with every name I just start smiling or laughing. Certainly the top spot was a no-brainer as Burgess came out, so to speak, with all the glitter and pinot noir that he deserves and more. My winner two years ago and runner-up last year Braugher isn't too shabby as his Holt character gets more and more in touch with his ridiculous side. Shout out as well to Camil and Dier's endlessly fun bromance, Morris hot mess hijinks, White's brooding intensity, Woods' uncomfortable cadness, Zissis' confidence in his schlubness, Woodbine's unspoken threats, and Omundson's glorious hair.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY: Taryn Manning, Orange is the New Black
Runner-Up: Yael Grobas, Jane the Virgin
Other Nominees:
Donna Lynne Champlin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Kether Donohue, You're the Worst
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Allison Janney, Mom
Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Adrienne C. Moore, Orange is the New Black
Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Lauren Weedman, Looking

The top two spots are held by actresses playing messed-up hard-to-love (actually VERY easy-to-love) women who keeps strong despite their circumstances. Manning in particular, thanks to her show's writers as well, has been able to really delve deeper into a character that was honestly intolerable just a couple of seasons ago. Grobas' meanwhile could've easily been stuck in such a one-note role and yet the show is able to take advantage of her great presence to make her such a complicated and fascinating character. All the love as well to Dunst's Minnesotan accent, Krakowski's TV comeback, Moore's touching Jewish conversion plot-line, Peretti's everything, Weedman's soulfulness, Champlin's voice of conscience, Janney's ability to hit funny/sad so effortlessly, and Donohue's line delivery of "New Phone, Who Dis?"

BEST LIMITED ROLE, ACTOR: BD Wong, Mr. Robot
Runner-Up: Alfonso Herrera, Sense8
Other Nominees:
Raul Esparza, Hannibal
Noel Fisher, Shameless
Hugh Laurie, Veep
Ki Hong Lee, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Lars Mikkelsen, House of Cards
Nick Offerman, Fargo
David Hyde Pierce, The Good Wife
Conrad Ricamora, How to Get Away with Murder

Wong had two very short scenes in the entirety of the show's first season run and yet he made such a huge impact to not only the mythology of the show, but also to its overall strangeness. Then there's Sylvestre's (see above) other half and yes I couldn't not single him out in this small way. Shout out to Ricamora's ability to stay alive, Offerman's Reagan reactions, Laurie's unassuming appeal, Fisher's touching coming out, Esparza's face-twisting role, Lee's clueless adorability, Pierce's one-on-one with Margulies, and Mikkelsen's dark presence.

BEST LIMITED ROLE, ACTRESS: Freema Agyeman, Sense8
Runner-Up: Rosario Dawson, Daredevil/Jessica Jones
Other Nominees:
Tovah Feldshuh, Walking Dead/Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Kathryn Hahn, Parks & Recreation
Eréndira Ibarra, Sense8
Margo Martindale, The Americans/The Good Wife
Cristin Milioti, Fargo
Lois Smith, The Americans
Liv Tyler, The Leftovers
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away with Murder

Agyeman has been a favorite of mine ever since her Doctor Who days and I was so happy to see her on TV again and her character in Sense8 is in line with all of the other wonderful, kick-ass ladies she is known for. Dawson in the meantime is playing double-duty as one character in two shows and excelling in both. Let's give her a starring role soon, okay Marvel? And finally much love to Hahn's absolute disgust, Martindale's professionalism, Feldshuh's whiplash of two roles, Ibarra's penchant for gay porn, Milioti's AND Smith's grace in death, Tyson's age-defying presence, and Tyler's violent transformation.

And scene. So now all that is left is my ranked list of my Top 35 TV Shows of 2015. Based on my picks above and last week, it's easy enough to figure out my favorites.

Equality and Pride

This week has been quite eventful in terms of LGBT rights with the historic SCOTUS ruling making same-sex legal in all 50 states that I really haven't had time to process it all except to say finally and thank goodness for everyone who fought the fight so valiantly.

I did go to the Gay Pride Parade in New York City today and the emotions ran high. Don't really have much else to say so I'll leave y'all with two tumblr posts below I reblogged today:

http://sortaryan.tumblr.com/post/122689615494

http://sortaryan.tumblr.com/post/122726517017/elevatorisntworthy-so-today-im-marching-for

End-Of-Year: Favorite 2014 TV Shows, Part 2

Happy Monday! So, I already picked my favorite TV performances as well as listed Part 1 of my TV rankings. As we head into the second month of 2015, I can now present to you...

My Top Fifteen TV Shows of 2014

15. The Americans - Everything I loved about the show in its freshman season--the cool Cold War spy stuff, the subtle period stylings, the interplay between work and family--was still around in its sophomore season. But this time around the actors are even better with even crazier, more emotionally hefty storylines that revolved around family and what that actually entails when lies and secrets take over. I would also be remiss if I didn't praise the phenomenal work that Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are both doing, in and out of their ridiculous wigs.

14. The Leftovers - This unique post-apocalyptic tale based on the novel of the same name seemed like a tough sell. It dealt with a world suffering from the effects of the disappearance of 2% of the world's population. It's a tough sell, because it's undeniably bleak and its initial focus on one small town created the added sense of claustrophobia. Weirdly, all of that worked for me and while it wasn't a perfect show by any means I was still awestruck by the imaginative storytelling and the commitment of the cast to bring this world alive in their small ways. This show wasn't for everyone, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

13. In the Flesh - Its first season was a top 10 pick for me last year and while this second season didn't reach the emotional high of the previous season, it still packed a wallop. The ebb and flow of the town's feelings to the PDS (or rotters) among them was still a great source of drama as we continue to see this world through Kieran's eyes. A little bit of romance and a little bit of a tragic end makes me even more disappointed that we're not getting a third season.

12. Faking It - This MTV show was a pleasant discovery via Tumblr and I'm so glad I tuned in. It revolves around two girls who are best, best friends who pretend to be lesbians to gain popularity at their super liberal high school only for one of the girls to realize she actually is a lesbian and is in love with her best friend. The concept is ridiculous befitting the show's mostly irreverent, sarcastic tone and yet most of its storylines, including the complicated relationship between the two leads, are handled with surprising deft and heart.

11. Parks and Recreation - I'm writing this in the midst of the series' final season (spoiler alert: they are killing it), so I may be biased but I still thought the latter half of season six was damn good. Maybe it's because no matter what I just enjoy hanging out so much with this show and its cast so even a weak episode or plot line here or there doesn't matter much. Plus the two-part finale was one for the ages with the Unity Concert, Ben and Leslie's trip to San Francisco, the Michelle Obama cameo, and of course the now infamous time.

10. Fargo - The movie is an all-time best so it was pretty brave of them to try and adapt it for television. Thankfully they just took the feel of the place and the characters and made it work for television to fantastic results. The technical stuff like directing/writing/cinematography are all top-notch, but I think it's the cast that really made this show work anchored by Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, and Martin Freeman making all of its quirky characters and dark comedy quite accessible.

9. The Comeback - Even though I'm a HUGE Lisa Kudrow fan, I admit that I didn't watch the first iteration of The Comeback a decade ago until this past year in preparation to see, well... its comeback. And both seasons are truly remarkable in chronicling every cringe-worthy misadventures of an older actress trying to get her mojo back. Kudrow and company don't miss a beat in the most recent season keeping the tone consistent with the first, but also displaying different and evolving stakes. The finale was a thing of beauty and, if we don't get any more of Valerie Cherish, a perfect series finale.

8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - One of my favorite new shows last season maintained its high quality through the end of its freshman season and into this new season. The cast is still wonderful together and separately and it was enjoyable seeing some of the evolving characters and relationships. The handle on Boyle's character is especially inspired taking his early obsession with Rosa and segueing it with a thing with Gina. They also are giving Andre Braugher more to do as befitting his awesomeness. "BOOM! Did it both ways! No regrets!"

7. Veep - This group of potty-mouthed misfits continues to make me howl with laughter headlined by the always wonderful and game Julia-Louis Dreyfus. That bathroom scene alone with Tony Hale was one of the funniest things on TV all year. How this show does what it does in ten half-hour episodes per season is amazing to me and its brand of political satire is just going to be that much more needed in the years to come. I can't even imagine what they have in store next.

6. Shameless - I'm fine with this show changing its categorization to comedy especially if it means people are paying more attention to this lovely gem of a show. I do find it amusing that they did this during the emotionally bleakest season they ever had with Frank suffering from liver disease, Fiona going to jail, Lip struggling at college, and Ian spiraling. There are darkly comedic moments throughout, but drama/comedy really doesn't matter. This underrated show is simply great TV filled with a superbly talented cast. Everyone should watch it.

5. The Good Wife - Oh boy, all of us thinking that this show was just going to rest on its laurels had a shock coming in early 2014 when they unexpectedly (understatement) killed one its lead actors in dramatic fashion sending not only fans reeling but the characters as well--a harder Alicia, a lonelier Diane, a lost Kalinda, etc. This most recent season isn't kidding around either with Alicia running for state's attorney, Cary in jail, Diane leaving her own firm, and Kalinda... well it's the beginning of the end for her sadly. Perhaps the show is biting more than it can chew, but it's still been a thrilling ride.

4. Game of Thrones - I was excited to see what the post-Red Wedding season of this show would look like and it's pretty much more drama and more death! From Joffrey's Purple Wedding death to the epic battle on the Wall, it was a season of chess pieces moving and getting their heads smashed in, literally. Like every season of this show, there are new characters and new plot threads which could feel overwhelming. Taken as a whole though, it's still one of the most beautiful and ambitious shows on the small screens today. It helps that the actors are just as great as the locales they shoot in.

3. Hannibal - *BEST DRAMA* I respected, more than love, this show's first season, but something just clicked for me in the second season. Perhaps it was Hugh Dancy's Will going toe to toe with Mads Mikkelsen's brilliant portrayal of the title character and it all finally feeling like a fair (and bloody) fight. The deadly chess game these two played on each other as well as on the mostly oblivious people around them was a joy to witness and this isn't even mentioning the strong supporting characters and superb technical aspects of the show. With regards to the latter, no show has displayed food and crimes scenes in a more beautiful, grotesque way.

2. Jane the Virgin - *BEST NEW SHOW* There's always one show every season that just pleasantly surprises and for me this was it. I just didn't have any high hopes about a telenovela-inspired show on the CW about a virgin who gets accidentally pregnant. Its strong pilot sold me. It's hard to put into words my love for this small show. It's like someone mashed up everything that is wonderful about Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and Gilmore Girls and cast an amazing leading lady surrounded by a talented cast who can handle both the sudsy overdramatics and the sweet, quiet human moments. It also has, hands down, the best voice-over narrator in the history of television.

1. Orange is the New Black - *BEST COMEDY* It's hard to argue that this show broke ground when it debut in 2013 and last year it took advantage of all of that buzz to deliver an excellent sophomore season making my previously favorite new show to my favorite show overall. The diverse and large predominantly female ensemble was a continued highlight including a lead character who felt more at home, a new villain that really rocked the boat and added real stakes, and the many, many supporting and background characters that were duly given plenty of moments to shine and grow.

Final Note: In terms of the tally of my top 35, HBO comes out ahead with 6 shows including 4 in my top 15. Showtime and ABC tie with 4 a piece while FOX and FX has 3 each. Also in my list are shows from the following networks: Comedy Central, the CW, BBC America, History, PBS, AMC, and NBC. New shows, not including The Comeback, number at 12 while 2 shows have been canceled (Enlisted, In the Flesh) and another 2 will be ending their runs this year (Mad Men, Parks and Recreation).

Screen Actors Guild Nominations

Meant to write about the SAG nominations much, much earlier today but didn't have the time. So in an effort to be complete, here's a few quick thoughts on the nominees even though all everyone will be talking about tomorrow are the Golden Globe nominees. Oh well!

BEST ENSEMBLE

• Birdman
• Boyhood
• Grand Budapest Hotel
• Imitation Game
• Theory of Everything

Both Boyhood and Birdman have been a favorite in the awards circuit so far and it's pretty much a two-movie race for now and this guild did little to rock the boat. Birdman does lead with 4 nominations, but Boyhood is right behind it at 3 including this ensemble nod consisting of only its four leads. Thrilled to see Grand Budapest show up here and Imitation Game makes sense. I did love Theory of Everything, but I really thought it would've been replaced by Gone Girl, Selma, or Into the Woods. Those latter two films though were hurt by their late release. But whither Gone Girl? It's lack of awards momentum so far has left me confused.

BEST ACTRESS

• Jennifer Aniston, Cake
• Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
• Julianne Moore, Still Alice
• Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
• Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Jennifer what now? I mean in the back of my head she was going to get a Golden Globe nod, but that's it so this surprise nomination is just that. Can she go all the way or is the TV-dominated SAG just voting for their old pal Rachel Green? The rest seem set for Oscars. It'd made sense for critics favorite (so far) Marion Cotillard to get left off here. Would've loved to have seen someone like Gugu Mbatha-Raw or Jenny Slate though.

BEST ACTOR

• Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
• Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
• Michael Keaton, Birdman
• Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything

Even before "awards season" began this category has always been about Keaton vs. Redmayne vs. Cumberbatch so it makes sense to see them here and they'll most likely take this fight to the Oscars as well. They'll most likely go up against not nominated David Oyelowo and perhaps Timothy Spall. If so, Keaton would be the lone American... food for thought. Is it just me or is Carell and his film slowly fading from people's mindset? I didn't particularly enjoy the film so I'm okay with that.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
• Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone, Birdman
• Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
• Naomi Watts, St. Vincent

Even with Watts surprise nomination, I thought this was pretty much expected, but I had expected Watts to have been nominated for her work in Birdman NOT St. Vincent. How she vaulted past Jessica Chastain for her work in either Interstellar or A Most Violent Year is pretty crazy. I was also banking on a Tilda Swinton or Carrie Coon nod, but it's not to be. With that said, I love all of these actresses so I'm all good.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Robert Duvall, The Judge
• Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
• Edward Norton, Birdman
• Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
• J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

So enough people actually saw The Judge and liked it enough to nominate Duvall? I'll take their word for it. Then again the next best choice was who? Andy Serkis for Apes? Josh Brolin for Inherent Vice? Tyler Perry for Gone Girl? For all the talk about the Best Actress field being "weak," I think this category could use some more options.

BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE, FILM

• Fury
• Get On Up
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• Unbroken
• X-Men: Days of Future Past

I had been banking a nomination for those two awesome Marvel films this year, Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy, but alas. Get On Up though? Really? Again, I'll take their word on it.

With Breaking Bad not eligible this year and the nominating committee finally recognizing streaming networks, there were a lot of new shows and faces. It's not perfect, but it's not bad overall.

BEST COMEDY ENSEMBLE

• Big Bang Theory
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• Modern Family
• Orange is the New Black
• Veep

I'm really, really happy to see Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Orange is the New Black, and Veep on this list. When the first two weren't nominated last year for their outstanding freshman seasons I was livid so nice to see them make right. I get that Big Bang and Modern Family are two of the biggest comedies on TV right now, but man we get it. How about some love for Parks & Recreation and Shameless? Maybe next year? I won't hold my breath.

BEST DRAMA ENSEMBLE

• Boardwalk Empire
• Downton Abbey
• Game of Thrones
• Homeland
• House of Cards

I bet all of these shows are relieved to not have to compete with Breaking Bad this year. I'm hoping this means Game of Thrones win, because that cast is just ridiculous. I have nothing negative to say about the other nominees, but it is hard to take this list seriously with such obvious snubs as The Good Wife, Mad Men, Masters of Sex, The Americans... I can go on and on.

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

• Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
• Julie Bowen, Modern Family
• Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
• Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep
• Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

If we must nominate someone from Modern Family, can we at least nominate Sofia Vergara? She, Falco, and Louis Dreyfus were nominated last year, so whatever (though yay Veep). I am glad to see Poehler back in the mix after missing out last year and MY GIRL EMMY-WINNING UZO ADUBA! YES! To be perfectly frank, I would've been 100% okay if all five nominations went to Orange is the New Black here.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

• Ty Burrell, Modern Family
• Louis C.K., Louie
• William H. Macy, Shameless
• Jim Parsons, Big Bang Theory
• Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

God, this is the worst category. Two actors from Modern Family? Parsons... again? I don't doubt their talents, but the lack of new nominees here year in, year out bugs me. Where's Adam Scott, Andre Braugher, Adam Driver, Chris Messina, Nick Offerman, Andy Samberg, and on and on and on.

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Claire Danes, Homeland
• Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder
• Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
• Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
• Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
• Robin Wright, Homeland

If they had to add another nominee to make sure to honor Maslany then I'm all for it. She's now won 2 Critics Choice Awards and been nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG award. Fuck you, Emmys. But hey, real talk now... Maggie Smith? Doesn't care if she wins or gets nominated. So stop it. Keri Russell, Lizzy Caplan, Elisabeth Moss, and plenty of other actresses would love to take her wasted spot.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

• Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
• Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
• Woody Harrelson, True Detective
• Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
• Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

The more distance I get from True Detective, the less positive things I have to say about it. With that said, however, I still think those two guys were pretty great so I guess I'm okay with their double-dipping here and plenty thankful they didn't nominate the show for Ensemble. That said, hey SAG committe Mad Men does still exist you know. Jon Hamm, Matthew Rhys, Matt Czuchry are guys who exist.

BEST ACTRESS, MOVIE/MINISERIES

• Ellen Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic
• Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman
• Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
• Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart
• Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

No big surprises here though it's worth to note that the Gyllenhaal siblings have bookend nominations so it's a good awards season for the household! I wish Alison Tolman had been nominated though.

BEST ACTOR, MOVIE/MINISERIES

• Adrien Brody, Houdini
• Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow
• Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge
• Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
• Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

They do love them some Cumberbatch. Were there any snubs? The only two I can think of is Martin Freeman for either his work in Fargo or Sherlock and Matt Bomer for The Normal Heart.

BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE, TV

• 24: Live Another Day
• Boardwalk Emppire
• Game of Thrones
• Homeland
• Sons of Anarchy
• The Walking Dead

I mean sure. What is there to say really? Maybe Agents of SHIELD especially with so many more fight sequences this season, but whatever.

Emmy Nominations and Predictions: Comedy

The Creative Arts Emmy were last Saturday. Fantastically, Allison Janney and Uzo Aduba picked up wins for Guest Actress for their amazing performances in Masters of Sex and Orange is the New Black respectively. I told myself that if those two wins actually transpired, I would be fine with whatever happens during the Emmys proper. But really, I have my favorites. So before the ceremony this coming Monday, I'm going to share with you my thoughts and predictions for the big categories. Today, I'll tackle the comedy categories and tomorrow the drama ones.

BEST COMEDY SERIES
The Big Bang Theory
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep

The Emmys really showed their love for the little Netflix show that could, Orange is the New Black, and I'm super happy for it. It might actually be the favorite to finally unseat 4-time Emmy champ Modern Family, which would just be amazing. With that said, I'd also be tickled to see Veep win after such a strong third season. I am shocked to see Silicon Valley in this shortlist especially over the more buzzed HBO show Looking or Golden Globe winner Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But the Emmys just doen't love Mike Schur shows of late (sigh Parks and Recreation). Also RIP Enlisted and Trophy Wife.

Prediction: Orange is the New Black
Alternate: Modern Family
Should Win: Orange is the New Black
Should've Been Nominated: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks & Recreation, Shameless

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Louis CK, Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Ricky Gervais, Derek
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
William H Macy, Shameless
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

This category just makes me so depressed, but maybe it's because I've only seen two of the performances here. But also because they just keep picking the same names over and over again. What does Adam Scott have to do to get noticed? Or newcomers Jonathan Groff and Golden Globe winner Andy Samberg? Macy is a "new" name, but not really. His show made the switch from Drama to Comedy this year and he benefited from a weaker field. And Gervais? In Derek? Seriously? Parsons is the favorite probably, especially this year with his show as popular as ever and being double nominated (The Normal Heart).

Prediction: Jim Parsons
Alternate: William H. Macy
Should Win: I don't even care
Should've Been Nominated: Adam Scott, Jonathan Groff, Andy Samberg

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black

I was really hoping that Emmy Rossum would breakthrough here after her show's category switch, but alas the only fresh name is Schilling and that's because her show is quite beloved as I already mentioned (and could help her cause to pull off an upset win). Another person I was hoping to be nominated was Mindy Kaling, but maybe next year if more people actually watches her show. Louis-Dreyfus is the favorite here and not undeservedly so, but I'm rooting so hard for Poehler to win her first Emmy since she didn't win last week for hosting the Globes. I love Louis-Dreyfus, but Leslie Knope CANNOT go un-rewarded like Michael Scott and Jenna Maroney.

Prediction: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Alternate: Amy Poehler
Should Win: Amy Poehler
Should've Been Nominated: Emmy Rossum, Mindy Kaling, Malin Akerman

BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR
Fred Armisen, Portlandia
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Adam Driver, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Tony Hale, Veep

Modern Family is slowly loosening its grip on this category, so there's that. But actually this year I'm not too disappointed with their picks. The fact that they nominated Braugher is just stupendous and I'm hoping the 2-time Emmy winner will come out on top even if his show didn't get more love from the TV Academy. His biggest competition is last year's winner Hale (who has a great submission episode or, should I say, scene) and probably the Modern Family guys. Of course, I wish they showed more love to Parks and Recreation and Shameless or to two breakout actors from departed shows, Parker Young (Enlisted) and Albert Tsai (Trophy Wife).

Prediction: Tony Hale
Alternate: Andre Braugher
Should Win: Andre Braugher
Should've Been Nominated: Albert Tsai, Jeremy Allen White, Parker Young, Reid Scott

BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Allison Janney, Mom
Kate Mulgrew, Orange Is the New Black
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Last year's winner, Merritt Wever, isn't nominated so it's a pretty wide open race. Mulgrew (aka Captain Janeway forever) might be the slight favorite just because her show seems poised to have a great night, but Janney is an Emmy favorite and could win a second Emmy this year. It also seems likely that before their respective shows end that Bialik and Chlumsky will pick up hardware, so who knows? Despite a less than optimal final season, I really was hoping for Cristin Milioti from How I Met Your Mother to make it in since she was the best thing ever. Was also hoping for more Orange is the New Black and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Prediction: Allison Janney
Alternate: Kate Mulgrew
Should Win: Kate Mulgrew
Should've Been Nominated: Cristin Milioti, Danielle Brooks, Chelsea Peretti, Stephanie Beatriz

So in summary, the field isn't as heinous as in previous years mostly because Orange is the New Black is around. There's still a lack of fresh picks especially in the male actor categories, but at least some of the people I'm rooting for aren't complete long shots. Here's looking to you Braugher and Mulgrew. Join me tomorrow as I discuss the drama categories.

Happy Pride!

Happy Pride everyone! This weekend many cities around the country and the world (New York, San Francisco, Paris, London, and many more) are celebrating pride events. To commemorate this on the blog, here are just a few of the LGBT characters from TV shows I watched the past year...

In order, the characters are... Captain Ray Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Oberyn Martell (Game of Thrones), Simon Monroe and Kieran Walker (In the Flesh), Patrick Murray and Richie Donado (Looking), Poussey Washington and Sophia Burset (Orange is the New Black), Felix Dawkins (Orphan Black), Nolan Ross and Patrick Osbourne (Revenge), and Mickey Milkovich (Shameless).

Hope there are more characters I can list next year! Who were some of your favorite LGBT TV characters this year?

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.

Thoughts on Shameless, Girls, and Other Recent Finales

It's been a few weeks since I talked about anything TV related and that was me talking about the divisive How I Met Your Mother series finale. But that wasn't the only show I watched that ended its run this season during the past month, so I'd like to say a few words on them.

Shameless is one of my recent favorite TV shows so when I realized that its season finale was last week and I still hadn't watch any episodes from the past season, I had to get myself together and finally watch what new shit the Gallagher family was up to. For the past week, I watched and with every episode I kept being more and more impressed. Certainly the cast, especially its younger members, has been quite good since the beginning but they all seem to be better. Emmy Rossum and Jeremy Allen White in particular were this season's MVPs with Rossum expertly handling Fiona's descent to rock bottom and White balancing Lip's new collegiate life with his family's troubles back home. Even usually odious Frank had a storyline that enabled William H. Macy to play his character with a bit more humanity than usual. Apparently the show has decided to submit itself as a Comedy this year rightly thinking that the Drama category is way too packed, but it's strange it's also doing this with its most dramatic season yet. But if there was a show (other than The Americans) that deserve all the awards and praise it can, then this would be it.

Girls actually had its finale earlier in March, but I only saw the finale just a couple weeks ago. In any case, I thought it was a pretty solid season in terms of seeing the next evolution of Hannah as a person--stable relationship with Adam, working a corporate job--which of course couldn't last. In terms of getting all of the "girls" together, it was a mixed bag. Apart from a few instances like Hannah's birthday and the Hamptons episode (a stand out), the girls were mostly isolated from the others which makes sense in the real-life sense of these people not having that much in common, but also makes for a disjointed show. As it is we didn't get much of Zosia Mamet until the very end, which was a bit disappointing. I'm intrigued to see how next season will play out.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been an absolute delight and while I wished it hadn't ended early, we still had a full season of laughs with minimal breaks. To say I'm excited about what they'll bring next season would be an understatement. For me, every single character is just so fleshed out as well as how they relate to everyone else making it so that there's rarely a weak scene in the show. It's a show of surprises for me. Andre Braugher in a sitcom? Andy Samberg as the lead character? Gina becoming one of my favorite characters? Rosa and Charles' friendship not creeping me out? Jake and Amy's relationship giving me FEEEEEELS? Just talking about the characters is making me miss them so much.

Teen Wolf is not a perfect show by all means. The pacing of its season-long arcs are oftentimes frustrating and most of that is because a lot of the characters who should know better don't bother sharing key information with each other that would solve everything in a day or so. Fortunately, the cast is not just MTV-approved good-looking, but also quite talented so it's not such a drag watching the show even when the plots are. Dylan O'Brien was definitely the season's MVP playing a Stiles that was possessed by an evil spirit giving the actor something completely different to do and it was simply a joy to watch. The heartbreaking ending with Allison was just that and with the knowledge that the actress was leaving the show all along, I now wished they had given the dark spirit story to Crystal Reed as much as I love O'Brien's work. That also would've given that nogitsune storyline more weight since that ending was slightly anti-climactic (Stiles is fine after all of that? I guess.).

Walking Dead split its latest season in two with the latter part focusing on what everyone has been up to since the Governor's raid on the prison forced the group to splinter off into smallers groups. It enabled the show to highlight different sets of characters, locations, and stories for each episode and the variety quite effective after a couple of stagnating seasons. All of the different stories were tied towards their one goal of going to Terminus, a self-proclaimed haven where all the train tracks meet. And while the reunion was brief and incomplete in the last couple of episodes, it was still well worth the wait (who didn't squee with joy when Glen and Maggie finally saw each other again?). Obviously answering what exactly Terminus is will be the focus on next season, but I'm also looking forward to our heroes reconnecting and seeing how they've all changed after being separated. For example, Rick has given in to his darker instincts while Darryl seems to have grown feelings for Beth. There's also the harrowing journey that Carol and Tyreese went through plus the new "save the world" characters to address.

End-Of-Year: Favorite 2013 TV Shows, Part 2

Sensing a pattern here as I posted Part 1 of my TV rankings more than two weeks ago, which I posted more than two weeks after I picked my acting winners. And it's already the middle of February, so without further a due...

My Top Fifteen TV Shows of 2013

15. Trophy Wife - Like Cougar Town, the title of this little-seen sitcom hides the gem within. Malin Akerman plays Kate, the titular wife to Bradley Whitford's Pete, his third wife to be exact. His relationship with his previous two ex-wives (with kids) are friendly enough that he still keeps in constant contact with them and it's this hilarious and awkward family unit that is on full display. The cast is uniformly wonderful from little show-stealing Albert Tsai to the deadpan genius of Marcia Gay Harden.

14. Doctor Who - I'm probably ranking this show a bit higher than I really think it deserves as a whole mostly because I was quite impressed by the 50th Anniversary episode, which really was the moment the show has been working towards for the past couple of years. The rest of the episodes, including the Christmas finale, ranged from meh to good to no fault of the departing Matt Smith who was game for so many things in his last few episodes.

13. Shameless - The last season aired more than a year ago and I still can't get certain scenes out of my head such as Fiona fighting to get legal guardianship of her siblings in court or Kevin having sex with Veronica's mother in an attempt to get a baby or Mickey's dad finding his son making out with Ian and the violence that follows. But it less about these unforgettable moments, which the show has in spades, and more about this talented ensemble of mostly young actors led by an exquisite Emmy Rossum that I find most worthy of praise.

12. Broadchurch - This is a perfect example of a show that was a slow and steady burn with a tight script, wonderful cast, and breathtaking production values. The whodunnit aspect  may have been the hook for the show, but it's the deft way the show handled the complexity of its grisly plot (a young boy's murder in a tight-knit small community) that impressed me. The emotionally gratifying resolution was simultaneously shocking and organic, a rare combination. It's no wonder a US remake is on the way.

11. Masters of Sex - Who knew adapting the real life work and personal lives of famed sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson would make for some compelling TV? It certainly helps that Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan are both so good as leads with the latter doing some career-best work. But as great as they both are, the show's supporting characters really does elevate the show from the heartbreaking story arcs of the elder Scullys to the more lighthearted situations with Teddy or Jane.

10. Orphan Black - Tatiana Maslany was the breakout TV star of last year for me and she is the main reason why this BBC America sci-fi show became a crossover hit. The obvious hook was seeing one actress playing multiple characters, which Maslany deftly handles, but the show also goes deeper forcing viewers to examine their notions and preconceptions of identity, family, privacy, individuality, free will, and spirituality. Oh, plus lots of bonus ass kicking.

9. In the Flesh - This three-episode British miniseries about a post-zombie apocalypse world is definitely one of the smartest and most affecting show of its kind that I've seen. Newcomer Luke Newberry is brilliant as Kieren Walker, one of the millions of former "undead" who've been rehabilitated and allowed to resume their "normal" lives. Seeing the world, in this case Kieren's family as well as everyone in his small village, react to his return was something to behold. Plus I truly loved all of the various emotional twists and turns the story took leading up to a engrossing finale I couldn't have even imagined.

8. Parks and Recreation - If the entire year just consisted of Leslie and Ben getting married, it probably would've still been in my top 10, but thankfully the show is still doling out great episodes after another featuring one of the least celebrated ensembles on TV. I've quite enjoyed seeing Leslie go through the wringer this year--fighting with her fellow representatives, going through a recall vote, working with Eagletonians, accepting the fact that Ann is leaving--as well as seeing all of the other characters grow and evolve.

7. The Americans - I thought the pilot was quite good and it just got better and better as we got more entrenched in the lives of these two KGB agents, played magnificently by Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, living in secret as a married couple with kids in the height of the Cold War. There's much to love about the show such as its superb cast, its subtle period stylings, and its rocking musical score. But it's its ability to balance the cool spy stuff with its fake wigs, assassination attempts, and crazy gadgets, with the family/personal lives of the characters that really elevate the show for me.

6. Veep - My pick for my favorite new show of last year moves up the ranking delivering a sophomore season that was just as funny and crazy, if not funnier and crazier, as its first brilliant outing. This time around I wasn't as shocked at the insane things the show would have the cast, especially a game Julia-Louis Dreyfus, do but I still couldn't help but laugh. I'm just really looking forward to seeing what off-the-wall stuff they try to do next season.

5. Game of Thrones - With its sophomore season, I feared the show was already spreading itself too thin. Thankfully, the show came roaring back with its strongest season yet last year doing a much better job of juggling and mixing its myriad characters, locales, and stories. It wasn't perfect (Theon's unending torture), but a season that brought us the infamous Red Wedding with its jaw-dropping development is something to be celebrated. And that's just one of a dozen or so plot developments the show unveiled this past season that made me so excited to know what's to come that I *almost* considered starting to read the books!

4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - A sitcom about cops on FOX starring Andy Samberg? What in the hell? Thankfully, I listened to the critics on this one and gave it a shot, because if I didn't I would've definitely missed out on such a hilarious show. Samberg plays a cocky detective who butts up against the new gay captain with a penchant of deadpans reactions played by Andre Braugher. They work SO well together, but the genius of this show is how every character and every relationship/interaction seem fully realized and most importantly for a sitcom, funny.

3. Orange is the New Black - *BEST COMEDY* *BEST NEW SHOW* I went back and forth on this and Brooklyn Nine-Nine for my top new show/comedy, but I had to give this show the edge both for breaking new ground (along side House of Cards) with its Netflix debut and for its predominantly large female ensemble. And what an ensemble it is (my favorite of the year) consisting of mostly unknowns or newcomers brimming with talent and charm. The actors and the writers together make it nearly impossible to pick a favorite character, which is a sign that you're doing something good.

2. The Good Wife - Everything I love about the show is still present--the interesting court cases, the superb ensemble, the envious roster of guest stars, the interplay between work and home--but their decision to pit Alicia and Cary against Will and Diane catapulted the show to whole new levels of awesome shifting everyone's relationships and allegiances and giving new energy to many of the characters and thus the show. The episode when Will found out about Alicia leaving the firm is one of the best, and most tense, hours of TV all of last year.

1. Breaking Bad - *BEST DRAMA* This was almost too easy. How could I not give one of my favorite shows the top spot especially after it delivered an almost pitch perfect final season? From the get go with Walter threatening Hank, you knew the last eight episodes would take no prisoners and thankfully it all lived up to the deafening hype and buzz. I watched the final season finding myself holding my breath or on the edge of my seat as Walter's and everyone else's situations got worse and worse. And yet the ending was pretty much what it should have been and I still can't believe the cast and crew of the show pulled it all off in the end. TV will have big shoes to fill.

Final Note: Netflix has 3 shows in my top 35 including one in my top 3 while other new networks on my list include FX, History, MTV, and Pivot. The network with my most shows is CBS with 5, but it only has one show in my top 15 while BBC America is second with 4 shows, all of them in my top 15, but in terms of British shows there are a whopping 6 in my list. The big winner, however, are freshman shows with a tally of 15 overall and 8 in my top 15. The future looks good!