In an era of comedy where funny ladies don't have to be front and center to steal attention, the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category is stacked with veterans, Emmy favorites, and one interesting newcomer. Let's analyze below...
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory (episode: "The Indecision Amalgation")
Julie Bowen - Modern Family (episode: "The Feud")
Anna Chlumsky - Veep (episode: "Detroit")
Allison Janney - Mom (episode: "Estrogen and a Hearty Breakfast")
Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live (episode: "Host: Anna Kendrick")
Kate Mulgrew - Orange Is the New Black (episode: "Tit Punch")
Bialik has a knack for submitting episodes where she has one great scene, but does not have an overall great performance throughout the episode. In a season where she had two standout episodes that I can think of off the top of my head (the Christmas and Valentine's Day episodes come to mind), she went for an episode that does have the most memorable scene for her character all season, but has her largely absent or not making an impact to the story. The scene in mind has her feeding into her boyfriend Sheldon's self-obsession in a hilarious manner with a twist ending that delivers huge laughs. Bialik acts it perfectly. However, the rest of the episode doesn't focus on her character and ends with her going with Sheldon to buy a new gaming system, and acting as the voice of reason. She doesn't get a lot of laughs, so she's really riding on one scene to get her this award. Of course, that's not the only factor. Bialik is a three-time nominee in this category, so she might be seen as overdue. Additionally, Bialik is lovable and empathetic, but also sarcastic and funny. That weird combo might work in her favor. One lady who is no stranger to the hardware is Bowen, who has won this award twice for her "Modern Family" role. Unfortunately, Bowen didn't have a standout storyline (or even episode) this season, so she already didn't have great odds going into this race. Her submission, "The Feud," doesn't have her at the forefront. Instead, she gets a story with some physical comedy where she contracts lice from her niece on the day of an important business meeting. The story has some potential, and Bowen definitely does the best with what she's given, but it's not a lot. She isn't the driving force behind the episode, doesn't have range, and it doesn't make an impact. Given that she's already won this award twice, there's no motivation to give it to Bowen for a three-peat. Chlumsky is a two-time nominee for her role on "Veep" as, essentially, the straight woman. That's a hard task in such a wacky ensemble, but this season did give Chlumsky's character, Amy, a chance to shine with her initial loss of the campaign manager position for her boss, Vice President Selina Meyer. She has a great episode where, before she is passed over for the position, she invites the rest of the staff over to gain their support and ultimately fails at being a good host. She also has a drunk scene at the end of the episode when she finds out she has lost the job. It's a slam dunk submission...if Chlumsky were to actually submit it. Instead, we get a background episode where Chlumsky is a supporting player to bigger stories going on around here. She gets a few laughs, but doesn't even really have a story to herself. It's a poor submission for a character that really needs an episode with a central storyline if the actress wants any chance at the Emmy.
Janney, an Emmy winner this weekend for her guest-starring turn on "Masters of Sex" is up for another award at the main ceremony next Monday, and this time for a completely different role. Janney plays the outrageous mother of Anna Faris, and while she seemed to be a scene-stealer in the beginning of the season that popped in and out casually, the show's first season eventually became centered around the odd couple duo of this mom-daughter team. As a result, both actresses received praise and Janney an Emmy nomination (Faris, one could argue, was snubbed). Janney is mostly known for her dramatic work, but in smaller feature films over the years, she has expressed a comedic side that is fully on display on "Mom," and in her submission episode, she gets to go all out. The episode finds her dealing with a comedic trope for "older" actresses: menopause. Of course, Janney gets to be over-the-top, but she's downright hysterical. There are moments when she's front and center, but she also weaves in and out of the episode's other main storyline, which finds her defending the honor of her granddaughter. She gets a lot of laugh out loud moments and is easily the most memorable part of the episode. She doesn't get a lot in terms of range (no quiet, emotional moments), but with a raucous performance like this, it doesn't hurt her chances. Plus, you know, the whole "I'm Allison Janney" thing. McKinnon snagged a surprise nomination here, and it's not hard to see why she's often called the standout of the current "SNL" cast. In her submission episode, she gets a few moments to shine, particularly the cold open and a skit during Weekend Update, where she gets to be over-the-top with a thick accent. She's just funny, and she's reminiscent of another "SNL" Emmy favorite, Kristen Wiig. Of course, we know Wiig never won an Emmy during her "SNL" tenure, and given that McKinnon is just in the beginning of her career on the show, I am inclined to think she won't be able to go where no "SNL" cast member has gone before. Compared to tapes Wiig submitted in years past (including her absolutely dynamite final episode that still didn't win her the hardware), McKinnon's tape is just okay. She isn't consistent in appearances, and her impact isn't too big by episode's end. The most impressive performance comes from host Anna Kendrick. The good thing is that Emmy voters have clung onto McKinnon, so she's likely to have many more chances at a win in the future. The final nominee, Mulgrew, comes from "OITNB," a show that, as has been discussed, is much different from all of the other nominated comedies. This is something that may work in Mulgrew's favor. To boot, she's got an episode that has her front and center including flashbacks, which give some context to her character. Where Janney lacks range, Mulgrew has it in spades. She's funny, cold, threatening, outrageous, over-the-top, reserved...she displays it all. In present day, she's showing new prisoner Piper who is the boss by starving her when she insults the food. She's scary and intimidating, and shows off an impressive stare. By contrast, her flashbacks show her reserved and shy around a group of "cool friends," from whom she aims to earn trust and respect. Here, she gets to be funny, but most importantly, she gets the audience's empathy. That is definitely going to help garner her some votes, and she's a serious threat for the win.
Rankings based on strength of tapes:
1. Allison Janney - Mom (episode: "Estrogen and a Hearty Breakfast")
2. Kate Mulgrew - Orange Is the New Black (episode: "Tit Punch")
3. Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory (episode: "The Indecision Amalgation")
4. Julie Bowen - Modern Family (episode: "The Feud")
5. Anna Chlumsky - Veep (episode: "Detroit")
6. Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live (episode: "Host: Anna Kendrick")
Janney's tape has a purely comedic performance where she gets to steal the show and score major laughs. It's easily the funniest tape of the bunch and it's a comedic performance through and through that begs to be noticed. The episode screams Emmy bait. Mulgrew gets a much more layered episode with a bigger range and more empathy, and it couldn't be a more different episode from Janney. I have Janney ahead, but arguments could be made that would put either lady on top. It's really just whatever voters are in the mood for voting. Bialik gets one really great scene, but not much else. Bowen is good, but nothing standout about her performance at all. The same can be said about Chlumsky to a lesser extent, and McKinnon is fun, but doesn't have enough impact to come close to winning the Emmy.
Rankings based on likelihood of winning:
6. Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live
5. Anna Chlumsky - Veep
4. Julie Bowen - Modern Family
3. Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory
2. Kate Mulgrew - Orange Is the New Black
1. Allison Janney - Mom
McKinnon, Chlumsky, Bowen, and (to a lesser extent) Bialik are out. This is a two-horse race, and the problem lies in that it's two entirely different beasts competing for the title. On one hand, Janney is a comedic powerhouse, making every line hit with but-gusting laughs. She has the most memorable character of the bunch and she has moments throughout the 21-minute episode that let her shine. She's an Emmy darling (of seven previous nominations, she has only lost twice) and in a category that loves over-the-top actresses (think of recent winners from this decade like Megan Mullally, Jaime Pressley, and Jane Lynch), Janney has a great shot. On the other hand, Mulgrew plays a breakout character on a new hit show with an episode that puts her in control. She gets flashbacks that give her range and impact, as well as the all-important empathy from voters. She hops around, and while her performance isn't anywhere as laugh-out-loud funny as Janney's, she gets laughs, and shows off her dramatic skills as well. Two different performances, but only one trophy...it's not hard to see why these actresses tied at the Critics Choice Awards. But since only one can win at the Emmys, I've gotta go with Janney, whose tape is the funniest and whose Emmy history proves they can't get enough of her. If Janney loses to Mulgrew, at least she's already picked up an award this year for Guest Actress in a Drama Series. But if any other actress walks away with this award, we might need to start questioning the picks of the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series panel (because I'm still flabbergasted by Merritt Wever's win last year).
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