NOMINEES: "Episode 7" for Downton Abbey (directed by Brian Percival), "Face Off" for Breaking Bad (directed by Vince Gilligan), "The Other Woman" for Mad Men (directed by Phil Abraham), "Pilot" for Homeland (directed by Michael Cuesta), "To The Lost" for Boardwalk Empire (directed by Tim Van Patten)
ANALYSIS: I had not previously seen any of these episodes. Although I have complained about Downton Abbey in the past (the lack of screentime for its' stars, multiple storylines, etc.), my complaints really work in its' favor here. Directing a show like this, particularly an episode like this with so many important plotlines that so easily intertwine, is no easy feat, so a win is possible, especially since the Emmys just really love Downton Abbey. Face Off didn't have visually grand shots or anything, but the intensity of the show mainly relies upon the show's directing. Love for Breaking Bad and Vince Gilligan could lead to a win here. The Other Woman was a very good episode of Mad Men, but nothing really stood out about it, except for the final scene with Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss. It's got a much better shot at winning Best Writing. Pilot is a fantastic episode, and it's a first episode, which Emmys love rewarding. It sets up the storyline well and gets the story rolling, all while really digging into the grittiness of real life, not to mention the fantastic shots throughout the episode. It's a frontrunner. Finally, To The Lost is visually very entertaining, total eye candy. If it's winning any Emmys, it has the best chance here.WHO SHOULD AND WILL WIN: Pilot has been hailed as one of the best TV pilots in years, and that is certainly deserving of an Emmy award. The only caveat: will it win Best Directing or Best Writing? Or (cue gasps) can it win both?
RANKINGS:
1. Pilot - Homeland
2. Face Off - Breaking Bad
3. To The Lost - Boardwalk Empire
4. The Other Woman - Mad Men
5. Episode 7 - Downton Abbey
NOMINEES: "Commissions and Fees" for Mad Men (written by Andre and Maria Jacquemetton), "Episode 7" for Downton Abbey (written by Julian Fellowes), "Far Away Places" for Mad Men (written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner), "The Other Woman" for Mad Men (written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner), "Pilot" for Homeland (written by Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, and Gideon Raff)
ANALYSIS: Again, I had previously not seen any of these episodes. Starting once again with Downton Abbey, the same argument that could be used for a Best Directing win also occurs here. With so many different plotlines to juggle and trying to fit in all under one roof with mingling of plots, it's really a feat to make it all work as well as the show does. Plus, this episode was written by the man behind the whole show, so that adds some brownie points. As I've already stated, the pilot for Homeland is amazing and the confidence in it's writing is something truly remarkable. While the story is great, it's the smaller, quieter moments that pack the biggest punch. This category has not one, not two, but three Mad Men nominations, but which one stands out above the rest. Far Away Places is interesting, dealing with hot topics like female dominance and LSD. It's certainly intriguing and I can see why it's nominated, but it's up against two much stronger episodes of Mad Men, not to mention the choppy segmentation of the episode (the first third deals with Elisabeth Moss' character, the middle third deals with John Slattery's, and the last third deals with Jon Hamm's). The Other Woman is written by the same team that wrote Far Away Places, and it is a far superior episode that relies on simple scenes between two or three characters left with nothing but the words. Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men, co-wrote both of those episodes, yet he's not behind the third Mad Men nominee, Commissions and Fees. While this episode does deal with the normal office drama, it really becomes one of the most excellent character studies in recent history, dealing with the downfall of a man after he is fired. I already expressed my feelings about Jared Harris' superb performance in this episode, but the writing definitely elevates him. The scene in the beginning of the episode when he is fired is awesome, and it's just him and Jon Hamm in a closed office. It's a very good episode, and it was written by previous nominated husband-and-wife team Andre and Maria Jacquemetton.WHO SHOULD WIN: While I have a bias towards the pilot episode of Homeland, I think three nominations for Mad Men (plus three previous wins in this category) gives it the edge, although some may argue that votes could cancel out and lead to a Homeland or Downton Abbey victory. If a Mad Men episode deserves to win, it's Commissions and Fees, just a great episode of what I've seen as an overrated series (sorry!).
WHO WILL WIN: Emmy voters love giving this award to Mad Men, but specifically Matthew Weiner. He's nominated twice here, but The Other Woman is the stronger episode, thus gaining the edge.
RANKINGS:
1. The Other Woman - Mad Men
2. Commissions and Fees - Mad Men
3. Pilot - Homeland
4. Far Away Places - Mad Men
5. Episode 7 - Downton Abbey
What do you think? Will double nominated episodes Pilot (for Homeland), The Other Woman (for Mad Men), and Episode 7 (for Downton Abbey) make an impact in these categories? What about the loved Breaking Bad or the eye candy of Boardwalk Empire? Will Emmy love for Matthew Weiner continue or can the Jacquemetton's take their first Emmy? Let me know what you think in the comments section below!
Evan
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