VMA Nomination Reaction

Hello everyone! In case you haven't heard, the nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards were announced today. Of course, this show is less about the awards and more about the performances, but it's always fun to see what MTV thinks is hip and worthy of a nomination. This year, Drake and Rihanna lead the nominations with five a piece, and defending Video of the Year winner Katy Perry scored four nominations. Lord of the Teen Girls, Justin Bieber, and his protege, Carly Rae Jepsen, were each given a healthy dose of recognition as well. Here's some analysis:

Video of the Year:
Wide Awake - Katy Perry
Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye feat. Kimbra
We Found Love - Rihanna
Take Care - Drake feat. Rihanna
Bad Girls - MIA

Katy Perry's nomination comes a year after her win for the Firework music video, so can she repeat? Gotye's single had the most chart success out of these nominees, but the simple video may not be enough to warrant a win. Rihanna's dance anthem was a huge success, but the video is very dark and revealing. Can she win for a video that is very sad and personal? Maybe she'll have better luck winning for Drake's video, an elegant work that also was criticized for not being very "hardcore," (of course, I don't think of hardcore when I think of Drake). Finally, I've never seen MIA's video, nor do I have any desire to, but she's up against some huge names, and it'd take a miracle for her to win. I'm predicting a win for Rihanna with "We Found Love."


Best New Artist:
We Are Young - Fun. feat. Janelle Monae
Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen
Swim Good - Frank Ocean
What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
Glad You Came - The Wanted

What a battle! A lot of big songs here. Fun. has a huge hit and the video is really good, so they're definitely in the race. Call Me Maybe, the song of the summer, has a really fun video and this award could cap the beginning of Carly's career. Frank Ocean recently came onto the scene, but he's still a little underground. One Direction, the band that could fart into a microphone and teenage girls would call it "art," stand a great shot at taking the award with a fun video (just to be clear, I like One Direction, and I'm sure even teenage girls would realize farting = great music). Finally, The Wanted, that other British pop band, have a slight chance, but this is a fan-voted category. Teenage girls love One Direction, but Lord Bieber did sign Jepsen and could command his fans for their votes. In the end, I'm thinking 1D is taking home their first VMA.


Best Male Video:
Boyfriend - Justin Bieber
Swim Good - Frank Ocean
Take Care - Drake feat. Rihanna
Turn Up the Music - Chris Brown
Climax - Usher

This one seems like a given. While Frank Ocean has fans, he's still growing as his album only came out a few weeks ago. Drake's video could take the award and the Rihanna feature certainly helps his chances. Girls still love Chris Brown (even though I've never been able to fully forgive him for that mess with Rihanna) and it could garner him a lot of votes. People are more familiar with Scream than Climax, and Usher's popularity amongst youngsters isn't as big as Drake's and Brown's. But it doesn't matter. Lord Bieber has basically got this one in the bag.


Best Female Video:
We Found Love - Rihanna
Part of Me - Katy Perry
Love on Top - Beyonce
Starships - Nicki Minaj
Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez

Although Katy and Rihanna are the only nominees here that also have a Video of the Year nod, it doesn't mean one of them is guaranteed to take this race (remember in 2008 when T. Swift beat Beyonce for a smaller award, but Queen B took the grand prize?). That being said, Perry has a different video nominated here, one I think is still weaker than the video for Wide Awake, but there's a strong female empowerment tone, and that could get her votes. Beyonce's video is vintage and a lot of fun, with great choreography, and if she wins, she could be beckoned back into the spotlight after giving birth. No one may ever understand what the heck is actually happening in Nicki's video, but it's still fun! I actually really liked Selena's video, I thought the color scheme and art direction was really great, but I'm not sure she'll win this. I'm thinking the Barbz will send Nicki Minaj to the stage with a win here.


Best Pop Video:
What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
We Are Young - Fun. feat. Janelle Monae
We Found Love - Rihanna
Boyfriend - Justin Bieber
Payphone - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa

This is the battle to end all battles, the war to end all wars: One Direction vs. Lord Bieber. Sure, the videos for We Are Young and We Found Love are really great, and the video for Payphone is probably the most "epic" out of them all, but when it comes down to it, these are fan-voted awards and Lord Bieber and 1D have the biggest fan bases out there. The question is, whose is more powerful? The winner of this award could answer that question once and for all. And since we're discussing fan bases, let's predict the winner by looking at who has the largest fan base on the biggest social networking site of them all, Twitter. The official One Direction Twitter has 5 million followers, with each member averaging around the same number. Lord Bieber? 25.8 million.


For a full list of categories, visit the official VMA website. You can also cast your ballot there! Want others to know who you're predicting? Comment below!

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

CATEGORY: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

NOMINEES: Ty Burrell for Modern Family, Jesse Tyler Ferguson for Modern Family, Max Greenfield for New Girl, Bill Hader for Saturday Night Live, Ed O'Neill for Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet for Modern Family

ANALYSIS: One of my favorite categories. I had previously seen every tape! I watch each of these shows and I love all of these actors, so I'm excited to see who can take it. Of course, the odds are in Modern Family's favor, with four actors from the show nominated, but newcomer Greenfield and SNL all-star Hader are so deserving of recognition. As I mentioned in my analysis of Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, when multiple actors from a show are nominated, voters get to see each actor's performance in all the tapes submitted by the actors of that show. This is true here as Burrell, Ferguson, O'Neill and Stonestreet have each submitted different episodes, but voters will be able to see four performances, which could sway the voting. That means, watching these episodes, I had to analyze the performances of all four actors in four different episodes. Yikes! Before it gets confusing, let's analyze Hader and Greenfield, the non-Modern Family actors. Hader is SNL's MVP now that Kristen Wiig is gone, and he's great. The episode he selected, Katy Perry as guest host, was just okay though. He's not in it a lot; he does two impressions that each only last about thirty seconds, but they are good, and of course his major highlight is his most famous character (and my favorite), Stefon. He's hilarious, but that's all he really has. His nomination is truly his reward as he is the first male actor from SNL to be recognized in this category. Greenfield was the male comedy breakout this year, and I was so happy to see he had been nominated. His episode was one of my favorites this season and it's definitely his strongest. His character, Schmidt, is very uptight and a neat freak, but in this episode, he is taught to let that all go, and it's hilarious. He owns the episode and he's really funny. It would be considered a front-runner tape, but this is a whole different kind of category. Immediately, the four Modern Family actors have a (some might say, unfair) advantage, and I'm not sure if Greenfield can really compete with that. It's a shame, but this is only his first year of contention, so he could come back and be a huge competitor in the next couple years. Now it's time for the Modern Family comedy hour! First, let's start with Ty Burell's tape, Lifetime Supply. In this episode, Phil (Burrell) goes to the doctor and gets an unsettling call, leading him to believe he is dying. It's a really funny episode for him and he gets some great moments. It's a strong individual tape if we're to believe voters will only judge the actor in their own episode. Also in this episode, Jay (O'Neill) deals with his wife's ex-husband coming back to town and stealing his thunder. It's a funny storyline, but O'Neill doesn't contribute much to it. Mitch (Ferguson) and Cam (Stonestreet) have a funny storyline about competing trophies and each actor does a good job. The next episode is Treehouse, Stonestreet's episode. Cam makes a bet with Mitch that he can convince a woman he is straight, but later feels guilty about it. He has great chemistry with guest star Leslie Mann, and it's a really funny storyline. Mitch does a lot of reacting to Cam but it's also pretty funny. Elsewhere, Phil builds a treehouse with his son and has some good physical comedy, and Jay learns how to salsa dance, also some good physical comedy. Leap Day is Ferguson's tape, and concerns his character throwing together a birthday party for his partner. There's a great Wizard of Oz joke, hilarious physical comedy, and a touching ending, a pretty great submission. The focus is off of Cam until the end of the episode when the party falls apart and he has a funny breakdown about turning 40. Meanwhile, Jay has a pretty boring storyline about defending his wife, and his screen wife Sofia Vergara shines brighter, but Phil has a hilarious storyline about his love of leap day and his wife and daughters having their menstrual cycles on the same day. The "Satan's trifecta" line alone could win an award. Finally, O'Neill's tape is the season finale, Baby on Board. In the episode, he has to take care of his granddaughter and go to her dance recital. His shining moment comes toward the end of the episode when he has a touching talk with Lily, and he gets a laugh-out-loud moment when he is last seen dancing on stage with her. It's a very sweet tape, not a whole lot of laughter, though. Phil teams up with his wife Claire when they meet their younger daughter Alex's prom date, but more importantly, when they try to convince older daughter Haley not to move in with her boyfriend. He's pretty funny. The biggest storyline, and the one that Emmy voters will recognize most, is Cam and Mitch's storyline. They go to the hospital, believing they are going to get a baby boy, but by the end of the episode, the baby is no longer theirs. They have a great emotional scene where Mitch says he is tired of being teased with an adoption, and Cam proposes they stop looking for a child for a little bit. If the voters are watching the other actor's performances in each episode, this is going to boost Stonestreet and (to a larger extent) Ferguson's chances. In terms of best individual submission, Ferguson and Burrell probably have the best ones, followed by Stonestreet, and then O'Neill. But taking every performance from each episode into account, it looks like Burrell has a really good shot at being a repeat winner.

WHO SHOULD WIN: After not being a total standout in the first two season, Ferguson really stepped up to the plate this season, and he has a great range in each of the four episodes. With Stonestreet and Burrell already having their own Emmys, why not reward Ferguson this time and make Modern Family the first show to win three Supporting Actor Emmys for different actors?

WHO WILL WIN: I really think people love Modern Family because of Burrell and Julie Bowen, and I have a feeling he's the frontrunner to take this award again.

RANKINGS:
1. Ty Burrell - Modern Family
2. Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Modern Family
3. Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family
4. Max Greenfield - New Girl
5. Ed O'Neill - Modern Family
6. Bill Hader - Saturday Night Live

What do you think? Which Modern Family actor would you like to see take the Emmy this year? Or maybe Hader or Greenfield are more deserving? Let me know what you think below!

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

CATEGORY: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

NOMINEES: Mayim Bialik for The Big Bang Theory, Julie Bowen for Modern Family, Kathryn Joosten for Desperate Housewives, Sofia Vergara for Modern Family, Meritt Wever for Nurse Jackie, Kristen Wiig for Saturday Night Live

ANALYSIS: Previously, I had seen Bowen, Vergara, and Wiig's tapes. First, I rewatched Wiig's tape. It starts off incredibly strong with my favorite Wiig character, Junice, and continues with her Secret Word airhead Mindy Grayson. But then it kind of stalls. She plays the background in a karaoke skit, disappears toward the middle of the episode, and then comes back again in an unfunny skit about a fake  soap opera. She's one of the only good things about that particular skit. But then comes the final skit; set up as a fake graduation ceremony, Mick Jagger, the host of the episode, highlights Kristen who is heading on to bigger and better things (in real life, this is Wiig's final episode of Saturday Night Live), and the band comes together to play "She's a Rainbow" as Wiig strips off her graduation garb for a nude colored dress and dances with all of her castmates. As a Wiig fan, I teared up watching it the first time, second time, and every time after. There is no acting needed here, she's funny when doing silly dances, but very real and emotional when saying goodbye to castmates like Bill Hader and Jason Sudekis. The whole cast comes together to sing "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday" but all eyes are on Wiig. It's a big, emotional punch. After the success of Bridesmaids, Wiig became a household name and her departure from SNL will leave a big hole in the show next season. She's got two really funny skits, a stall in the middle, but a powerful moment at the end, and combined with this being her last opportunity to win an award for SNL, she is a serious frontrunner. Before I talk about Bowen and Vergara's tape, I should mention that when multiple actors from a series are nominated in the same category, voters will see the performances of all the actors. In the case of these Modern Family ladies, that means voters will get to see two episodes from each actress. I watched Vergara's actual tape first. She has funny moments in the tape, but she's not a standout. She gets to have fun playing quiet when her husband says she has a tendency to be loud. She's solid. In this episode, Bowen criticizes her brother-in-law and his parenting skills. Bowen's character is kind of high maintenance, but she comes off a little mean at times. She's still funny though. In Bowen's actual tape, she has a fun night out when her children and husband are all out of her way. She gets a lot of funny moments, including an awkward confrontation outside her friend's house with a man she thinks is gay and a misunderstanding of Gone with the Wind. It's a really good tape for her. In Bowen's tape, Vergara is worried that her son is...well, doing "man" things (read into this as you can). She worries a lot which can be pretty funny, but she's not anything very special in this episode. Of the two Modern Family actresses, Bowen's chances look better than Vergara's. Bowen is the returning winner, which could be an advantage or a disadvantage. Next, I watched Wever's tape. Having only seen one episode of Nurse Jackie before (Bobby Canavale's tape for Guest Actor), I didn't know a lot about Wever's character, but instantly in this episode, you can tell she's a quirky spitfire. She's really funny throughout the episode, from acting tough in her first scene, to gushing about her new roommate, complaining about new scrubs, and finally a dance attack in her kitchen. It's a really funny tape, but I don't think it's strong enough for her to win. Besides, she wasn't even considered a frontrunner for a nominee. But one of the Supporting Emmy categories also throws a surprise winner, so it's possible. Next, I watched Bialik's tape. I recently watched the first four seasons of The Big Bang Theory (in about two weeks, I was addicted), but I haven't seen a lot of this fifth season. But Bialik's work was pretty good in the fourth season when her character joined the show. My cousin had mentioned a "tiara moment" this season that was really funny, and I found out Bialik's tape was the episode containing this moment, so I expected a really good tape. It's not. Now, don't get me wrong, the "tiara moment" is really really funny, but that's all she has in this episode. She has only one other scene, but the focus is mostly on her scene counterpart, Jim Parsons, for storyline purposes. Unfortunately, one funny minute won't be enough, but overall love for The Big Bang Theory could win her some votes. Finally, I watched Joosten's tape. Joosten passed away a few weeks before Emmy nominations were announced, and many believe that, heartless as it may sound, it helped her earn a nomination. The most ironic part of her final season storyline was that her character was battling cancer, in the same way the actress was. It is not clear yet whether Joosten is submitting both halves of the finale, or just the first or second half. I have watched both and can say that Joosten gives a great performance. In the first half, she realizes the sisterhood of her neighborhood and sacrifices herself for the well-being of her friends. It is very touching, and Joosten also has a great time with the material. Her character has always been very snarky, and although it has been a few years since I watched Desperate Housewives, she has always been one of my favorite parts of the show. The second half gives her a little less material, but *SPOILER ALERT* her character passes away, and it is very emotional, considering Joosten herself also recently passed away. It is a good performance, and voters may choose to recognize the actress one last time. She's definitely got a shot at this. This is a hard category to predict, for sure.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Kristen Wiig came to the rescue of a failing Saturday Night Live and reinvigorated the stage. She carried the weight of the show on her shoulders for seven years, and she is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars of the show. A final reward for her work would be well-deserved.

WHO WILL WIN: Wiig, Bowen, and Joosten all have an incredibly good chance of winning this award, but right now I'll give the edge to Wiig. Bowen and Joosten, though, could easily take this award. This is a category to watch on Emmy night.

RANKINGS:
1. Kristen Wiig - Saturday Night Live
2. Julie Bowen - Modern Family
3. Kathryn Joosten - Desperate Housewives
4. Sofia Vergara - Modern Family
5. Meritt Wever - Nurse Jackie
6. Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory

What do you think?? Should the Academy give a final "congrats" to Wiig or Joosten, or will a Modern Family lady take the award once again? Or could the award go to an unrecognized nurse or nerd? Sound off below!

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

This category will be announced at the Creative Arts Emmy Ceremony on September 15th.


CATEGORY: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

NOMINEES: Dylan Baker for The Good Wife, Jeremy Davis for Justified, Ben Feldman for Mad Men, Michael J. Fox for The Good Wife, Mark Margolis for Breaking Bad, Jason Ritter for Parenthood

ANALYSIS: Previously, I had seen Baker, Fox, and Ritter's tape. At first, I could not remember this episode of Parenthood to save my life, and I'm still not sure I remember it. Regardless, it's an okay tape for Ritter. He has a good amount of scenes for a guest star, and he's good in what he does. There's nothing spectacular about the storyline or the performance, it's exactly what you would expect on a quality TV show. I really do love Parenthood, and I love the relationship between Ritter and Lauren Graham's characters, and this episode explores Ritter's character's past (a reunion with high school friends) and his future (having a family with Graham's character). His final scene is pretty good and I'm personally not sure if there was any episode this season where he was miles better. Regardless, it's a major nomination for a show that does not nearly get enough praise, but Ritter won't be winning. Fox, as I mentioned earlier, is a competitor in both guest acting races this year, and he has a very strong chance of winning both. Here, he plays Louis Canning, a conniving lawyer whose relationship with Julianna Margulies' Alicia Florrick is quite witty. Fox is fast and slick with his delivery and his character is one of the best recurring characters on the show. In this particular episode, we get to see a different side of Canning, a caring, helpful side to a would-be enemy. It's peculiar, but at the end of the episode, we find out it's not exactly true. Regardless, it's a strong episode for Fox, but he has certainly had better, maybe in seasons past, and sometimes the Emmys like to arrive late to the party. After not giving him the award last year, maybe the Emmys will recognize his strong work in both television genres this year with a win here. But his strongest competition might be a guest actor from the same show. Baker is also back with his second nomination for The Good Wife, and with good reason. He's amazing at making you laugh and making your skin crawl at the same time. His chemistry with Margulies, like Fox's, is perfect, and his storyline is intriguing. For the better part of the episode, it's even hard to figure out what side of the conflict his character is on. He completely owns the character and the episode, and he's a frontrunner for the award. Next, I watched Davies' tape. I've heard a lot of great things about Justified and this performance, and I can definitely see why some people would say he deserves the award. He's kinda schizo the whole episode, going seamlessly from humor to horror, and the arc has an edge-of-your-seat climax, and I thought it was a good performance. If he were to win the award, I probably wouldn't be surprised, and it would be deserved. Feldman on Mad Men was a lot better than I was anticipating. He seemed like a very formidable match against strong actors like Elisabeth Moss and Jon Hamm, but he seemingly held his own as a man looking for the credit and attention in the ever-growing ad world. Compared to his fellow nominees, Feldman is younger and less experienced, which could be held against him, especially in a category that loves rewarding veterans. Speaking of veterans, the oldest nominee is Mark Margolis. His character on Breaking Bad is a mute, and he must communicate through face, body movements, and a bell. It's intriguing, but the character is really angry the entire episode, so it's kind of a one-note performance. With no speaking lines and little to do, it doesn't seem like this is an Emmy-winning performance. But because of his age and the Academy's overall love for Breaking Bad, do not be completely shocked if he does end up taking this award.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Dylan Baker's dynamite performance cannot be missed by voters, especially if his character should never make an appearance again. He deserves the award and recognition.

WHO WILL WIN: If I were a betting man, I'd say this category is going to an actor from The Good Wife. It doesn't even really matter which one wins, both are deserved and would be very good choices. But there are dark horses here, so this category could have a shocking result.

RANKINGS:
1. Dylan Baker - The Good Wife
2. Michael J. Fox - The Good Wife
3. Jeremy Davies - Justified
4. Ben Feldman - Mad Men
5. Mark Margolis - Breaking Bad
6. Jason Ritter - Parenthood

Got something to say about this category? Let your voice be heard in the comments section!

Evan

Awkward Recap: My Love is a Black Heart

Welcome to my first Awkward recap! Last night's episode was titled "My Love is a Black Heart" and it was all about the most opinion-splitting holiday of the year, Valentine's Day. The show had it's fair share of laughs and heart, as any good episode of this show does. Let's get started.

We start with a character named Tony have a mental breakdown over his ex-girlfriend Amy and her new boyfriend Levi, showing his disgust for the holiday. On the other hand, Jenna has Jake this Valentine's and she's on cloud nine. Then she gets hit by a paintball...AWKWARD.

Matty asks Jenna for advice for a good Valentine's date and Jenna thinks he's getting intel for Jake. Jake gives Jenna a lovebug for Valentine's Day, but Jenna is too distracted by Matty and his new lady friend. Jake says it's nothing right now, but Jenna is still worried. Personally, I am Team Jake, I think Matty was pretty bad to Jenna in the past but Jake always makes her feel good about herself.

Sadie begins the night with a line everybody thinks but no one says, "I hate skanks...and sentimentality." She's not a fan of V-Day, and she's taking the anger out on Lissa. I don't understand why Lissa puts up with it. Regardless. Sadie is not in the mood to be around people tonight.

Tamara and Ming are convinced that Jake has a great night planned for Jenna, even though T thinks the holiday is "totally racist against single people." In one of my favorite exchanges in this episode, Tamara tells Jenna "[Jake] probably commissioned a portrait of you completely made out of Skittles" before Ming horrifiedly responds "Who wants to eat their own face?!" and T, naturally, responds "Uh, I do!" But Ming has another surprise - she'll be attending the Black Hearts Party, the bash for single people on V-Day. Ming says Tamara shouldn't come because her ex-flame Ricky Schwartz will be there. Just the mention of his name puts Tamara in a downward spiral, not to mention that Ricky is now apparently "in love." Tamara says the only thing that brings out the L word for Ricky is "tacos and lesbian porn." On a change of subject, Jenna's friends say that Matty's new girl is attractive and Jenna gets a little jealous.

Naturally, she talks it out with the world's worst guidance counselor/vice principal. In true Val fashion, she thinks Jenna's jealousy is aimed at her, after Val and Lacey have dinner and start a friendship. Val assures Jenna she's "always got shotgun" in her car of friendship. While funny, I think the relationship between these two women is actually very sweet and one day Jenna will recognize that. But not today, she has to get ready for her date. Val slides Jenna a candy heart reading "Kiss me" but then realizes that one was meant for her boyfriend. The actual candy heart for Jenna reads "BFF." Aw.

Lacey hears Kevin drop Jenna off and there is an awkward encounter between the strained couple. Lacey stuffs her bra and has Kevin's gift on hand, but when Kevin says a V-Day date for Mom and Dad are a no-go, she throws it all out the window and flaunts a new social life, which Kevin knows isn't really true. Jenna tells her mom that there should be a Lifetime marathon she can watch, but Lacey fires back demanding Jenna home by ten.

Jake is really nervous for his Valentine's date. The waiter says he has the perfect table, but when he directs the couple to the table, it's right next to Matty and the freshman! AWKWARD. Regardless, Jake and Jenna take their seat and Matty introduces everyone to Courtney, the freshman. Jenna is not a fan, but we know it's purely out of her jealousy. Ashley Rickards' acting was aces in this scene, especially when Courtney asks for an extra napkin.

At the BHP, Tamara is absolutely obsessing over making Ricky jealous, especially after Ricky says hi to her. Back at the restaurant, Matty is stealing Jenna's food because she's allergic, something that Jake didn't know, plus he is feeding it to Courtney, who has no complaints. Someone is stepping a little far over the line! Jake offers to buy Jenna a bouquet of roses, but Jenna insists it's just a waste, but her ex buys his new girl a bunch. Poor Jake is just trying to have a perfect date. Courtney tries to talk to Jenna, but it doesn't win her any fans.

Tamara tries talking to a party guest with this classic line: "Normally, I think guy-liner is totally fem, but yours makes me feel emo-sexual." When he leaves, she screams "Whatever Twilight, choose a gender!" This girl must always feel like she's right, but we still love her! Realizing this is Ming's first red cup party, she asks a tall Asian to take a picture. When Tamara runs away, the tall Asian, named Fred, takes a picture with Ming and she is veeeeery interested.

Jenna catches Matty and Courtney holding hands under the table. Shocked, she hits her head on the table. When she looks up, Matty and Courtney are now holding hands above the table. Jenna just can't win! Jenna leaves the table to call Tamara when Matty sneaks up behind her with a napkin full of ice. Matty tells Jenna he asked for that advice because he didn't wanna screw things up with Courtney like he did with her. So he's not trying to make her jealous? As T would say, "I call shenanigans."

Speaking of Tamara, she's spending too much time obsessing over Ricky, she can't even see that her best friend Ming is getting some action with Fred! Is this a first for Ming? Regardless, Tamara is surprised, but says she has to pee and then they are leaving. Cutting to the front of the line, Tamara bangs on the door asking the couple she assumes to be in the bathroom to et out. When she opens the door, she finds Ricky making out with a girl. She's devastated. The girl turns around. It's Sadie! Tamara is mortified and...yep, she pees herself. Sadie giggles, and I don't expect her to let this go easy. Also, it looks like we're escalating toward a big Sadie-Tamara fight, which should be hilarious.

Jake is dropping Jenna off at home and he says the date went pretty bad, but she tries to reassure him. On the front doorstep, Kevin has left Jenna the same lovebug Jake got for her. Jenna regards the flowers, and Jake tells him they are "strong and beautiful...they reminded me of you." Voiceover Jenna then realizes Jake didn't have to ask Matty for intel because he already knew how to make a perfect night. This makes Jenna have a whole new appreciation for the night. Just as she calls it "the best day ever," Jake says "I love you." AWW!!! After a passionate kiss, Jenna whispers "Awesome," but Jake is clearly upset that Jenna didn't return the favor. Still, how cute!

When Jenna goes inside, she decides to be nice to her mom and give her the gift her dad left for her. Lacey is really happy about the gesture. In her bedroom, Jenna finds Tamara crying in her bed. She laments that "it's just really hard when someone you care about moves on before you do." Jenna comforts Tamara before asking why she's wearing her pants. T responds, "I peed in mine," and the gigglefest ensues.

Next week, the sex episode! Maybe. The previews are sure leading toward it. Tamara convinces Jenna she won't know if she loves Jake unless they have sex, and when Jenna suggests it to Jake, she accidentally sends the message out to the entire school. And, quite frankly, that's AWKWARD.

Evan

Coming Tomorrow...

Hello everyone, it's late Thursday night and I wanted to let you know that I have two posts coming up tomorrow. First, I'll be recapping tonight's episode of the MTV series Awkward. It's a personal favorite of mine and I hope there are some readers out there that share the same passion! Also, I have a few more tapes to watch but then my Emmy Nomination Analysis for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series should be up tomorrow. Hopefully this is all finished by late afternoon so that I can kick back and enjoy the opening ceremony of the Olympics! I'm not a huge sports guy but the Olympics are a must-watch at my house. Then it's off to a busy weekend but I'll try posting as often as possible, as long as the content is there. Check back tomorrow :)

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series

This award will be announced at the Creative Arts Emmy Ceremony on September 15th.


CATEGORY: Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series

NOMINEES: Joan Cusack for Shameless, Loretta Devine for Grey's Anatomy, Julia Ormond for Mad Men, Martha Plimpton for The Good Wife, Jean Smart for Harry's Law, Uma Thurman for Smash

ANALYSIS: Previously, I had send Devine, Plimpton and Thurman's episodes. I rewatched these episodes first. To begin, Thurman's arc on Smash was pretty good, considering that the show itself did not live up to high expectations. In this particular episode, Thurman's character fights fear of making her stage debut despite being a successful actress, and also begins an affair with the director of the show, whose intentions are not clear. Thurman does a good job of juggling the superior air of an accomplished actress and the terror of resting a musical production on the shoulders of one woman. She doesn't do anything completely outstanding in the episode, but she does a very good job with what she is given (something that could be said for a lot of actors on the show). She's certainly the biggest name in the category and that could help her get some votes. Next, I watched Devine's episode. Let's not forget she is the defending champion in this category so she already has a slight advantage. The storyline, the same one that got her the award last year, is absolutely heartbreaking, and most of that is coming from James Pickens Jr. and Devine's performances. The storyline has a complete start-to-end finish, Devine's character having a few mishaps due to her Alzheimer's, visiting nursing homes, relapsing, but ultimately realizing her illness and asking her husband to be placed in a home. The only problem is the short amount of time she is on screen. She's only really got about three scenes, but they are very powerful, especially the last scene. A repeat is certainly not out of the question for the lone acting nominee for Grey's Anatomy. Finally, I rewatched Plimpton. Her character is one of my favorite guest stars on The Good Wife, a show that is very familiar with recurring characters the audience loves (or loves to hate, as is the case here). Unlike Devine's arc in her tape, Plimpton does not experience any kind of "change of heart," but it doesn't seem to hurt her here. She plays evil like no other, which is why it's surprising that she also plays sweet dimwit so great on Raising Hope (where she was snubbed for a nomination this year). The juggle between the evil, conniving smirk and the loving, adoring mother flips so seamlessly for Plimpton and the final twist in the storyline is right in line with the character. She's got good screen time and she's definitely a contender. Next, I checked out Cusack's tape. The show itself kinda seemed a mess, but I guess an outsider cannot really judge. As far as Cusack goes, this is an excellent tape. She's got range like no other; her big scene is a hilarious wedding toast gone awry, but she has gentler moments toward the end when she recognizes her shortcomings. I find it a little hard to categorize the show as a drama, but she gives a great, memorable performance. As was my question  with Dot-Marie Jones in the Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series analysis, I wonder if the fact that Cusack's performance is comedic will detract from the reaction she'll get from voters. Regardless, she's a frontrunner. I never really got into Mad Men, and from watching Ormond's scenes in her episode, I'm still not sure I see what is so "brilliant" about it. Ormond's character does a whole lot of nothing except hook up with another man, but other than that she just kind of sits around and complains about her daughter. There's no real storyline, so I kind of think she's nominated because of her name, which is a shame. Maybe I'm missing something, but I wasn't very impressed. Ormond does just fine, but the lack of a storyline really kills her chance of winning this award. Finally, I watched Smart's tape. To say this is a "bait tape" is an understatement. It just seems like this episode was written for Smart to win the Emmy. With more than enough screen time, she delivers a handful of powerful monologues with great conviction. She gets to have funny, sarcastic moments, in addition to raw emotional scenes. This was meant to win her an Emmy, and I have a pretty good feeling she'll get it.

WHO SHOULD AND WILL WIN: In a category with actresses who do pretty good jobs, Smart trumps them all with her episode. I think she's got a pretty good grip on the award.

RANKINGS:
1. Jean Smart - Harry's Law
2. Joan Cusack - Shameless
3. Martha Plimpton - The Good Wife
4. Loretta Devine - Grey's Anatomy
5. Uma Thurman - Smash
6. Julia Ormond - Mad Men

Evan

Song of the Week - July 26th - Some Nights by fun.

Hello everyone, welcome to my first edition of "Song of the Week," a weekly special where I'll be sharing a song that's been stuck in my head all week, a recent musical discovery, or a song I think should gain some attention. This week, my pick is...

Some Nights by fun.


If you haven't heard this song by now, it's the follow-up single to the band's single We Are Young. This title track is my personal favorite on the album (which, by the way, is one of my favorites of the year) and it's slowly making it's way up the charts (currently, it is #4 on iTunes and #14 on the Billboard Hot 100). In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, band member Andrew Dost said the band "sort of knew where the song was going in our heads, but when we recorded it, it wouldn't make any sense until it was completely done." Indeed, the song is a roller coaster, equal parts foot-stomping anthem, passionate ballad, and Auto-Tone falsetto riffing. The song is perfect for rolling down the windows in the late summer and screaming into the sky, or for analyzation of powerful lyrics, including "My heart's breaking for my sister/and the con that she called love/and then I look into my nephew's eyes./Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from some terrible lies." If you aren't already in love with this song like I am, give it a listen and check out the official video posted above. Already a fan of the song? Check out the rest of fun.'s second album, Some Nights, available on iTunes and in stores, it is definitely worth a listen.

Evan

What's Coming Up?

Sorry it's been a little while since my last post. My friend just left for a study abroad program in Australia, so my friends and I went to the park yesterday and sent him off at the airport this afternoon. However, have no fear, more is on the way! I'm just finishing up the Emmy Nomination Analysis for Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series, and I'm hoping to post my Song of the Week tonight. Come back and visit!

Evan

The Glee Project Recap: Tenacity

Welcome to my first recap of "The Glee Project"! This reality show is my summer guilty pleasure and I'm more obsessed with it than the actual series "Glee", but I'm sure I am not alone on that one. This week's episode, as warned by the contenders on Twitter, was definitely the most intense one of the season, so let's begin.

The episode starts with the remaining contenders (quick recap, that's Abraham, Ali, Aylin, Blake, Lily, Michael, and Shanna) chatting about how close to the end we are getting. Right away, I'm lamenting the lack of Nellie time. Nellie, eliminated last week, was my absolute FAVORITE contender this season and I really wish she was still here. Regardless, there are still some very talented singers here. Moving forward, the contestants respond with enthusiasm to this week's theme: tenacity. Ali says tenacity is "a very familiar word to me," because of her paralysis. The homework assignment is Survivor by Destiny's Child, definitely a great pick to go with this week's theme (unlike last week's rap disaster). While rehearsing in the dorms, Lily says they were "flat," and I can't tell if it is directed to Aylin or not. Clearly, the two do not get along and I'm itching for a cat fight.

On the day of the homework assignment, Amber Riley, who plays Mercedes, struts into the chorus room, sending the contestants into a whirlwind of never-ending happiness (although, to be fair, the guy who plays the piano for every song could walk in and these kids would go nuts). Shanna is happy to see Amber, saying she's another girl who can "belt to Jesus." Robert Ulrich points out Amber's tenacity by fighting through stress fractures in her feet. So, Amber = tenacity. Got it? Good. Amber apparently sang this song on Glee (which I don't remember), but the contestants start anyway.

In the homework assignment, Blake's acting seems on point, Shanna stuns with her voice and her attitude, Lily seems way too forced, Michael sings about "chillin'" and apparently does just that, Aylin sounds very good, Abraham is very dance-y and flamboyant and not at all keeping with the theme, and Ali is fierce, using her whole body. Overall, it goes great. Amber says Lily did not connect with the song, and she loves Ali's movement and picks her as the homework winner. This is two in a row for Ali, further proving her dark horse status in this competition. Next, her and Robert announce that the homework assignment is Survivor's Eye of the Tiger, which will be done in one single, continuous shot. Abraham says he will "hate the bitch that messes us all up," which leaves me thinking maybe he'll be the one to keep messing up.

It's time for vocals with Nikki, who admits to the mysterious Ryan Peterson, the studio engineer, that this song is not really comfortable in anyone's range. She is happy with Aylin and Ali's vocals, and I have to agree, given the small snippets we're shown. Abraham sounds very pitchy and he cannot hit it to save his life. Shanna impresses Nikki once again, and admits that she loves working with Blake and that he is "the one to beat...for the guys." Michael sounds very rough. Poor Michael, he really cannot catch a break in the studio week after week! Nikki says "Blake hit it," and I slowly see the battle lines being drawn between best buds Michael and Blake. In group sessions, Lily belts higher than everyone else...and she's off-key. Lily says this makes her insecure, and the rivalry between Aylin and Lily becomes even more drawn out. It's time for these two to go at it!

At the video shoot, we are taken step-by-step through the shoot. Ali's faces in the interview crack me up. It is crazy how much each of these kids has to do, and I can't imagine being a part of this shoot. I don't understand why they're making Ali take the last shot with the basketball, given that she is wheelchair bound. Her mentoring session with Amber is a lot of the same old, same old, but it gets Ali motivated. The first take is off and it takes about six seconds for something to go wrong. More emphasis on the Blake--Michael friendship, leading me to think it's about to come crumbling down. Lily falls after clumsily getting out of her pants. Zach asks Aylin to help Lily and she complains about having her enemy help her. I want to reach through the screen and yell "Welcome to show business!" Soon, we're at the jumprope section of the shot and it's a mess. Lily, Aylin, Abraham, and Michael are all having difficulties. Zach says they all look "defeated" and no one is taking control. Soon, the jumprope section is no longer double-dutch, just a single rope, and everything starts going well. Shanna takes a pretty funny fall, but Abraham upstages it by taking a similar spill seconds later. He says he twists his left ankle and says "if that's not tenacity, I don't know what is, baby." Commence my eye roll.  After the twenty-somethingth take, Shanna runs outside and gets sick into a trashcan but doesn't let it slow her down. On the contrary, Abraham forces his injury upon Erik and the rest of the contestants. Aylin comments that "Abraham [is] worrying about playing up his ankle" and it's "messing him up today." She adds, "that was rude...but true," and I have to laugh and agree. On take 29, Ali almost makes the net and we see that she is getting frustrated. After take 33, Ali suggests the other six contestants lift her chair up so she can dunk it and Zach and Robert comment on how great she is doing. Still, Ali gets emotional and cries "Why can't I get it?" but Shanna and Blake are there to ensure that she will do it. It seems to help because after take 34, we finally have a finished video.

So, about that video. The single take comes off great and it's clear how much work went into this video, the contestants and the crew too. Blake, Shanna, Aylin, and Ali are my favorites in this week's video. I spy Abraham loosing focus and forgetting to sing multiple times. Lily's faces are truly frightening at some points, and I can't tell if it's the best acting choice. Michael does a pretty fair job, but isn't totally memorable (although I am curious how he got through that tire in the beginning of the video, I could never do that). I predict a bottom three of Abraham, Lily, and Michael.

The judges commend Ali, Shanna, and Blake's performances and they are the first three through to the next round, rightfully so. The entire jumprope crew is left, but one of them will be safe. Zach calls the jumprope section "an utter failure." Nikki says Michael struggled the most out of all the contenders and Abraham also had some flat notes in the studio. Robert says Lily has some great moments in the video, but Nikki says Lily has to blend. Zach commends Aylin for not tipping over a hurdle in any of the 34 takes. With that, the bottom three is announced and it's...surprise surprise, my predictions are true...Abraham, Lily, and Michael. Robert says "[Ryan] has asked us that you try to be yourself and not kiss up to him." OUCH! I laugh out loud at my TV, it was very indirectly harsh. In rehearsal, Michael and Lily seem focused, but Abraham sounds throaty and very emotional.

We get a very confusing insert about jockstraps, but Ali's concluding face is HILARIOUS. I really love her personality.

The first Last Chance performance is Michael, and before he's even on stage, Nikki tells Ryan he is not as good as Blake. We are really getting smacked in the face with this new Blake--Michael rivalry. Michael sings a song called Brick that I've never heard before, and he sounds good, but even I worry that it may not be "showy" enough to convince Ryan to keep him around, but it appears Ryan is smitten by Michael's charm. Ryan says "Blake never would have stumbled" if he was a part of the "jumprope fiasco," which I find kind of rude of Ryan to say, but subtlety has never been Mr. Murphy's strong suit.

Abraham is next, singing Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. He sounds okay, but I've never really been a big fan of Abraham's voice. Also, let's talk about those platform maroon knee high boots. Yowza, for someone who says he's not an androgynous performer, he really makes it hard for us to be convinced he's telling the truth. Abraham and Ryan have an awkward moment when Abraham says he is not using his injury as an excuse, and Ryan snipes back with this zinger: "Anyone who says "I'm not using this as an excuse" is using it as an excuse." Abraham says he fought through the shoot and the potential battle escalates no further.

The last performance is Lily singing I'm The Greatest Star from the musical Funny Girl. It's easily my favorite performance from Lily, whose personality has always kind of turned me off, and I know almost instantly she won't be eliminated. Ryan and Lily have a bit of a gossip session about Aylin's comment about Lily in vocals, and it's like watching two middle-aged women gab about a woman they both pretend to be friends with.

Ryan says he can see all three of the final contenders on Glee, proving to him that the competition is getting harder. Suddenly, Abraham is walking back out on stage. ...What?! The mentors and Ryan are kinda stunned when Abraham apologizes for his performance and calls it his "worst," but says he is not leaving the stage "until I win this competition or you write a role for me on Glee." Bold, and a bit pretentious. Ryan says he was turned off by the fact that Abraham used his injury as reasoning, rather than Abraham just admitting he had a bad week. It's an awkward confrontation and Abraham's limp becomes more and more exaggerated. Oh boy.

The mentors comment about all three finalists and I think it's pretty obvious that Abraham is the one headed home as Ryan is smitten with Michael and Lily. Robert comes into the dorm, looking like he just ran over his wife's favorite cat, and announces the callback list is up. Lo and behold, Abraham is sent home, and says, through his tears, that he is "a little surprised to be leaving." Cue the elimination song and our look at the final six: Ali, Aylin, Blake, Lily, Michael, and Shanna.

Next week's theme is Romanticality! A fun one! The mentor is Darren Criss, and the pairs are Aylin and Shanna, Michael and Lily, and Blake and Ali. From the preview, we can see that someone forgets the words during a Last Chance performance, and one pair, left unidentified, struggles, leaving Robert to question "Should we put them both in the Bottom Three?" With Abraham gone, there is really no weak link in this cast. Below are my power rankings:

1. Shanna
2. Blake
3. Ali
4. Aylin
5. Michael
6. Lily

Of course, this is all conjecture and we have to wait and see who shines and who falls next week. Until then, comment on this week's episode in below and let me know who you think will rise and crumble next week. Thanks for reading my first "The Glee Project" recap, I know it's a little lengthy, but hopefully I've provided some great insight :)

Evan

Movie Review: The Watch

MOVIE: The Watch

STARRING: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Rosemarie DeWitt, Will Forte

RATING: 4 out of 5

ANALYSIS: This mid-summer action comedy is a strong one! The film is R-rated, but not an over-the-top raunch fest. The plot is comfortably paced, with a few minor twists that average filmgoers should recognize. Stiller's character, Evan, is the lead of the film, and in the beginning, is a bit uptight, but that is purely the writing. When Evan loosens up, Stiller really shines and carries the film. Vaughn is pure fun at all times, adding a child-like charm to the film. Hill, one of Hollywood's newest stars, provides a majority of the film's laughs. His character Franklin is pretty strange, but that is Hill's strong suit. He's a lot of fun and his glazed-over look when he's not in the forefront is priceless. Finally, Ayoade, the unknown of the film's leads, fits right in with this well-known group of character actors. His humor is so understated and I'm predicting his role here will get him a lot of attention for future roles. Smaller roles like Stiller's husband (DeWitt) and the local police sergeant (Forte) add to the fun and drive the story. This is not a "thinking" movie. When you think of fun summer cineplex froth, this is exactly the movie you're looking for. With equal parts laugh-out-loud moments and edge-of-your-seat action sequences, The Watch is a very good summer movie!

EVAN SAYS: See it!

About That Title... (And Some Special Announcements!)

Just in case anyone was really curious...

The title of this blog, EMC, is based on my initials. Props to my mom for coming up with that ;)

In more exciting news, my cousin and I are attending an advanced screening of the new comedy The Watch tonight. I've been loving Jonah Hill's recent work, and I'm excited to see Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller in their element once again. I'll be posting a review tonight or tomorrow. I also plan on seeing The Dark Knight Rises again this week, and I'll be posting a second-time-around review for that movie as well!

I am a HUGE fan of The Glee Project, the Oxygen reality series that picks the newest Glee star, and I will be posting a recap of tonight's episode either late tonight or tomorrow. If you love the show like I do, come check out my recap and see who I'll be cheering for!

I'm also thinking about starting a new feature, "Song of the Week," where I'll be selecting a song I'm currently loving (it may be new old, mainstream or indie) and posting the link for you all to listen. I also would love to do an "Artist of the Month" feature, but I can't promise anything too extensive. As much as I would love to do interviews with these artists, I am only just starting :) Maybe if things get rolling, I will have more opportunities and exposure. For now, I hope you can enjoy what I can offer! Thank you to anyone out there reading this and liking what they're seeing. I am really liking the blogging experience thus far.

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

This award will be announced at the Creative Arts Emmys Ceremony on September 15th.


CATEGORY: Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

NOMINEES: Will Arnett for 30 Rock, Bobby Cannavale for Nurse Jackie, Jimmy Fallon for Saturday Night Live, Michael J. Fox for Curb Your Enthusiasm, Jon Hamm for 30 Rock, Greg Kinnear for Modern Family


ANALYSIS: Before watching the tapes, I had seen four of these six nominees: Arnett, Fallon, Hamm, and Kinnear. First, I rewatched Fallon's episode which was one of my favorite of the past season. As was the case with Maya Rudolph, Fallon, a previous SNL cast member, fell right back into place on the show and the transition was flawless. Even in big ensemble pieces like Michael Buble's Christmas Duets album, Fallon stuck out with his many celebrity impressions, most pretty spot-on. Even weirder skits like Mirror Jimmy and Beethoven worked mainly because of Fallon's committal to the writing. The highlight of the episode, the Weekend Update Joke-Off which reunited Fallon with his WU co-host Tina Fey and current WU anchor Seth Meyers with his counterpart Amy Poehler, really stood out this season, no doubt due to Fallon's involvement. Fallon is also nominated in the competitive category of Best Variety Series, and as he is not a favorite to win there, Emmy voters may choose to recognize his work on his old TV show as a reward. Next, I found Hamm's guest-star spots on both the East and West Coast versions of the 30 Rock live episode. While funny, his part was so brief and only allowed for a limited amount of laughs. In guest categories, it is so important to make such a big impact in one episode, and where some guest stars have whole episodes centered around their character, Hamm made two small appearances in an episode packed with the entire 30 Rock ensemble and other big-name guest stars. While Hamm is a big name actor, it may not be enough to garner him a win here, but don't worry; he's got a nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series where he could be very competitive. Keeping with 30 Rock, I next rewatched Arnett's episode. I have always really liked Devon Banks, Arnett's character, but I have felt he has been stronger in season's past, yet Arnett has never won this award. Having worked with the cast many times in the past, Arnett seamlessly fit in and his snark fit in line with the episode. However, at times, Arnett's character seemed forgotten, especially with his counterpart, Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy, playing a big role in another storyline in the episode. His screen time is much better than Hamm's, and his material is perfect for Arnett, well known for playing mischievous characters. He could be considered a dark horse here. Finally, I rewatched Kinear's episode of Modern Family. I remembered the storyline fairly well, a grown man who kisses family and friends on the lips. It was funny the first time I watched it, but watching it the second time around, knowing what was coming, I chuckled. There really wasn't much else to the part, although whether that's the writer's fault or Kinnear's is pure conjecture. His character has a funny quirk, but isn't exactly "funny." Therefore, I do not consider him a real contender for the prize. Next, I watched the two episodes I hadn't seen before. I started by watching Fox on Curb Your Enthusiasm. I should preface this by saying that the storyline was pretty offensive and sometimes the jokes came off very wrong. That doesn't really have anything to do with Fox's performance, which was very funny. He was very good at playing the line between right and wrong, and there were even times I wasn't sure what his intentions were. The overall worship of Fox in this episode was also very funny, and the way he soaked it up was very cynical but made for a good laugh. As evidenced in this episode, everyone loves Fox and it's no surprise he racked up two nominations for his guest starring roles this year (he is also nominated for his role on The Good Wife). He certainly has potential to win here, especially if the Academy wants to reward Curb Your Enthusiasm for having a good season, but not giving it the Comedy Series or Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series awards. Finally, I watched Bobby Cannavale's episode of Nurse Jackie and, quite frankly, I was underwhelmed...a lot. He had maybe three scenes in the whole episode and his character was just kind of...there. His character didn't have a storyline, and he was kind of funny when he was on screen. Apparently, his work on Nurse Jackie actually was very good this season, but this episode did not showcase that. While it can be unconventional, actors can change their episode submissions if they decide they have better episodes to showcase. Perhaps Cannavale will do this, but for now, he is not a threat for the award if he stays with this episode.


WHO SHOULD WIN: This category is not nearly as competitive as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series with really two clear frontrunners for the award. Personally, I would give this award to Fallon, one of my favorite SNL hosts this season. He is the only actor in this category who really owned his episode (that includes Fox).


WHO WILL WIN: This is a tough one to call. I really think it could go to Fox or Fallon, but the only thing holding me back from giving it to Academy favorite Fox is his frontrunner status for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his work on The Good Wife. Could the Academy give him both awards? It's quite possible. Do I think it will happen? Something tells me no. Maybe it's my inner optimistic, but I think Fallon will join McCarthy and SNL will win both guest acting categories, a pretty big feat.


RANKINGS:
1. Jimmy Fallon - Saturday Night Live
2. Michael J. Fox - Curb Your Enthusiasm
3. Will Arnett - 30 Rock
4. Bobby Cannavale - Nurse Jackie
5. Jon Hamm -  30 Rock
6. Greg Kinnear - Modern Family


Disagree? Wanna voice your opinion? Lemme know in the comments section!


Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

This award will be announced at the Creative Arts Emmys Ceremony on September 15th.


CATEGORY: Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

NOMINEES: Elizabeth Banks for 30 Rock, Kathy Bates for Two and a Half Men, Margaret Cho for 30 Rock, Dot-Marie Jones for Glee, Melissa McCarthy for Saturday Night Live, Maya Rudolph for Saturday Night Live

ANALYSIS: The only performance I had not previously seen was Bates' on Two and a Half Men, so I made it my first episode to watch. Knowing a little background on the Charlie Sheen incident made this situation a little funny, and seeing such a respected actress play a total scumbag made for some laughs. Bates played a reincarnation of Charlie Sheen's old character, who had been killed off in the beginning of the season. He comes back to persuade his ailing brother Alan to move out of his house, only to appear later, once Alan has moved into an awful new house, to tell Alan he was playing a prank on him. Personally, I found some of the humor a little over the top and was surprised at how much the writers were able to get away with on a broadcast network, especially CBS. However, Bates was completely game for the raunch, and it really made this role work. Jones is the sole actor/actress nominated for Glee, which used to be a perennial Emmy favorite, but I was so glad she was nominated this year (although I was really pulling for a nomination for Naya Rivera in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category). The major problem here is that Jones' performance is dramatic, which begs the question of whether this is an award for best performance in a comedy series or best comedic performance in a comedy series. If it's the latter, Jones doesn't have a shot, she only makes a joke or two the whole episode. But if it's the best performance on a show that just happens to be categorized as a comedy, then Jones is a worthy nominee and a real contender for the award. Side note: I do have a bit of trouble categorizing Glee as a comedy series, and I am a proponent for the Academy to creative a dramedy category). Jones' character deals with spousal abuse in this episode, a topic that, for a comedy series, is not handled lightly, nor should it be. On a show like Glee with such a large ensemble, it is very hard sometimes to stand out, and this storyline was not even the big story of the week. Still, Jones did a very good job and the final scene, split between cuts of a beautiful version of Florence + The Machine's "Shake It Out" and Jones' character Beiste returning to her abusive husband made for a heartbreaking conclusion to the episode. I spy a dark horse in this race. Banks and Cho submitted the same episode for Emmy consideration this year, an episode in which Banks' character, Avery Jessup, returns to the United States after being captured by North Korea and Kim Jong Il, impersonated here by Cho. These performances are from different sides of the spectrum, in my opinion. I had no idea Margaret Cho was the person playing Kim Jong Il, given the different sex and how small the role was. Cho only appears in three very short scenes in this episode, and a lot of the acting is very over the top, but when parodying someone like an obsessive, oppressive leader, that can make for good television. The character made for some great laughs, but I found myself wondering if it was Cho or the jokes that were making me laugh, and with a performance so tiny, can she really compete? On the other hand, Banks walked into this episode knowing it was time to make her entrance. Having been missing for a whole season, this was the first time we had seen Banks since her character was abducted in last year's season finale, yet she fell right back into the pace of the show. This time, she seemed to fit perfectly into the story and made for quite a compatible partner to Alec Baldwin, no small feat. Her snark was delivered perfectly, and I was more impressed the second time around than I was originally. She is certainly a frontrunner. Finally, I rewatched the two nominated guest actresses for Saturday Night Live: McCarthy and Rudolph. After originally watching these episodes earlier this year, I knew these two actresses would be nominated for their work, hosting the best episodes of Saturday Night Live this year. While some say the show itself has had a bit of a tumble in recent years, these two episodes stuck out as highlights, no doubt thanks to the hosts. McCarthy's episode gained quite a lot of attention when it aired in early October, and as a huge Bridesmaids fan, I was ecstatic to see her host. There is no shortage of memorable characters from this episode: Arlene, the sexed-up office employee; Gloria, the Hidden Ranch Valley enthusiast; and the fifth, butch sister of the Laurence Welk Show's favorite singing group. The writing was good, but McCarthy's commitment to the work was unmatched. I said it back in October and I'm saying it again now: there is no way McCarthy doesn't win this award. Her biggest match might just be the other SNL host, Rudolph, who returned for her first hosting gig after leaving the show. Having this experience, Rudolph fits in some seamlessly with the cast, and having worked with a lot of them before, it's no surprise she seems so in her element. Standout skits like Bronx Beat and Beyonce and Jay-Z's baby greeting played to her strong suits: impressions and accents. While I was hoping for a Whitney Houston impression, it seemed fitting not to do one this time around, as the singer had passed away a little over a week before Rudolph's episode. Regardless, there is no shortage of strong work here, and Rudolph would be a very deserved winner. But when it comes down to it...

WHO SHOULD AND WILL WIN: ...this is McCarthy's award. She is such a tour de force, it will be hard for voters not to recognize her hilarious work, especially if she does not win the award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

RANKINGS:
1. Melissa McCarthy - Saturday Night Live
2. Maya Rudolph - Saturday Night Live
3. Elizabeth Banks - 30 Rock
4. Dot-Marie Jones - Glee
5. Kathy Bates - Two and a Half Men
6. Margaret Cho - 30 Rock

Leave your comments for this category below!

Evan

Emmy Nomination Analysis: Overview

Hello everyone! As you may be aware, Emmy nominations were announced last Thursday, July 19th, and the Academy is now watching tapes and voting. In case you are unaware of how the Emmy voting system works, each nominee must submit an episode from the past season of their show for voters to watch. Voters in each category must watch each episode and judge the actor's performance in that episode and then pick their favorite. Therefore, these episodes (called "tapes") are very important and could decide just who the frontrunner in the race is. Slowly, networks and actors/actresses are announcing the episodes they are submitting and I will be watching (or, in some cases, rewatching) these episodes and posting my own analysis, including who I think should win and who I think will win. I'll try to do each category before the Emmys in September, but I can't promise how fast they will be up. Stick around! Until then...

Evan

Welcome!

Hi everyone! I'm not quite sure who's reading this or if anyone is ever really going to read this, but I've been mulling over the idea of making an entertainment blog for some time now, so here I am! Welcome  to EMC - Everything Music and Cinema (although I will also be covering other topics in the world of entertainment)! My name is Evan, and I will be a freshman at Penn State University this fall! I've had such a passionate love for movies, television, music, and books since I was four years old, and they have been such a big part of my life. I will be pursuing a degree in Telecommunications, so I cannot wait to have my love for the entertainment industry become a part of my everyday life. If you decide to follow this blog, I look forward to sharing this experience with you and getting familiar with you, I want to really interact with other people just like me. Let me know if there are things you wanna see, and I'll try and do my best. I'm just starting but we'll see where this may lead! Thank you so much for checking out the website and check back soon for updates. My first project is an Emmy nomination analysis I have just started working on for all you TV buffs. Until then...

Evan