I know you may be wary of my opinion, as I've yet to prove myself as any kind of TV (pseudo-)authority, so I'll just put this out there: I have an amazing track record of converting people to my shows. I'm probably at least somewhat responsible for 1/3 of my high school's The Office-watching population, and just this year I bagged four Mad Men enthusiasts. It may be that, like Andy Bernard, I possess the ability to slowly -- and painfully -- wear someone down, but I'd like to think that I have good taste in TV. So hopefully you'll bear with me on this break with blog tradition, for I'm proud to present KMDB's 2009 (kind of) Emmy ballot!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Neil Patrick Harris, or NPH as he is affectionately known, is pretty much perfection personified. (How do you like that alliteration?) He's not only musically and magically talented, but unbelievably funny. And I mean unbelievably. Just listening to Barney's excited giggle in "Sorry, Bro" had me dying, so let's not even get started on the Naked Man or his depicted rave outfit. I know I've previously declared Dev Patel the world's most adorable person, but NPH is a very close second -- even when he's playing the world's biggest skeeze.
Chi McBride - Pushing Daisies
It isn't easy being a gruff PI in such whimsical outfits. I mean, shit, Chuck Bass would envy some of this guy's patterns (though Chuck still holds the distinction of creating what I desperately hope is the new official uniform of the NBA). That said, Chi McBride makes it work. He's a necessary and wonderful foil against all the chipper Pushing Daisies characters who still has his fair share of aww moments. For evidence, see the entire "Water and Power" episode. He's just a big teddy bear! In all honesty though, two of the things I'll miss most about this tragically deceased show are his antagonistic relationship with Dead Girl and hearing the name Emerson Cod enunciated with relish by Jim Dale.
Honorable Mention: Bill Hader for Saturday Night Live
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Michael Emerson - Lost
Because it's been four seasons, and I still never know what the hell Ben is up to. He tricks me into thinking he might not be pure evil every damn time. Also, as Dan Hopper at the Best Week Ever blog points out, he got beat up a lot this year. The least we can do is give him an Emmy.
Jeremy Davies/Terry O'Quinn/Josh Holloway - Lost
Clearly I don't watch as many dramas as comedies. Still, each of these guys had dynamic seasons. Sawyer shaved and lost some sass, Daniel Faraday manically tried to fix the island's time jumping and Locke dealt with that whole being dead thing. None easy tasks, but these three excelled. As much as I'm pulling for them though, I would be happy with any nods for the exceptional Lost cast. That even includes the non-stop bitchfest that is Matthew Fox.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
The picture says it all. While the Pushing Daisies cast is far from weak, Kristin Chenoweth is hands down the funniest of the bunch. Whether hanging out in a nunnery, pondering Ned's use of the double negative or singing "Hello" by Lionel Ritchie, she always finds a way to make you smile...even when she's pitifully pining over Ned.
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
Alright, confession time: it took me a very long time to get into 30 Rock. Even after the entire first season I still wasn't completely sold, but I was always a fan of the supporting cast, especially Jane Krakowski. In fact, the first time I really remember laughing was when Jenna told Liz how she was going to "use her sexuality" to evade unemployment. This season was probably her best yet, and she was the star of my favorite subplot: the disastrous Janis Joplin biopic (eventually dubbed "Jackie Jormp-Jormp" due to copyright issues). Her delusions and desperation were as wild and hysterical as ever, as evidenced by...well, here, see for yourself:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Many people maintain that Elisabeth Moss got her SAG nomination solely for her emotional scene with Vincent Kartheiser in the Mad Men season two finale. That mesmerizing encounter may be enough to clinch her an Emmy nod, but her amazing work all season long makes it a near necessity. Though each and every Mad Men character is endlessly fascinating, Peggy is probably the most interesting one (well, apart from Don Draper, of course). I’m never quite sure what’s going on in her head. This season put her in a bunch of unusual situations, ranging from a promotion to some ambiguous encounters with a priest (no, not in that way). Moss rose to the occasion in each of them, channeling everything from shame to smug satisfaction to barely restrained devastation.
Christina Hendricks - Mad Men
I know, I know. Two Mad Men shout-outs in a row? Seems like overkill, especially after my Lost double-header. Trust me though, this show really is as incredible as all the critics say. What especially impresses me is the great roles this show writes for women, and the remarkable actresses who embody them. Joan has always been a character whose confidence and -- let's be honest -- bitchiness was just fun to watch, yet she showed a completely different side this season in light of her engagement. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say this: Joan's most crucial scene this season makes Peggy's tearjerker look like a picnic in the park.
Look out for part 2, featuring the lead actors, sometime in the not-so-distant future!
1 comment:
NPH FTW.
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