Emmy Nomination Analysis: Best Directing for a Comedy Series

Another day, another category. This time, we're talking Best Directing for a Comedy Series. The nominees are...

Hogcock!/Last Lunch for 30 Rock (directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller)
On All Fours for Girls (directed by Lena Dunham)
Diva for Glee (directed by Paris Barclay)
New's Year Eve for Louie (directed by Louis CK)
Arrested for Modern Family (directed by Gail Mancuso)

30 Rock's finale is the only episode to make it in both the writing and directing categories. That would make a lot of people think it's chances are much greater to win, but that's not exactly the case. While it is wonderfully directed, tying up all loose ends and making it a real treat to the audience, there's not much here that differentiates the series finale from any other 30 Rock episode, at least direction wise. 30 Rock has never won a directing Emmy before, and like I said earlier, it's more likely we'll see the show pick up a writing Emmy than a victory here.

The nominated episode for Girls contains two of the season's most talked-about moments. While I don't think this is the best directed episode of the season for Girls (I'd give that honor to the bottle film "One Man's Trash" directed by Richard Shepard), it doesn't mean it's not worthy. The episode is definitely dark, and that could easily turn some voters off, but it doesn't shake the fact that, along with Louie, it's the most brutally honest episode here, and that rawness is on full display, especially during awkward scenes like Marnie's ballad version of Kanye West's "Stronger" or the questionable sex scene between Adam and Natalia. If voters are looking to honor Lena Dunham, they might do it here, but there's a pretty good chance it might be too divisive to result in a win.

Glee's nomination here and in other categories this year might seem odd, considering the show came off what many consider to be it's weakest year. The show won Ryan Murphy an Emmy for directing the pilot, and also earned another nomination that year for Paris Barclay. Barclay returns with his second nomination for Glee this year, and my theory is that it might have something to do with the fact that he was just named the newest president of the Directors Guild of America. That theory makes more sense when you take into consideration that Glee doesn't have much of a chance at a win here. Sure, it's got flashy musical numbers that the other contenders don't, but there's nothing too out of the normal that warrants a reward. As someone who stuck it out with Glee this year, this episode doesn't even rank in the top five of the season, and some of the material is hard to watch (not because it's awkward, but because it's bad). That alone might make people hesitant to reward the show. If Glee wins this award, it is only because of Barclay's name.

As someone who has only seen Louie through Emmy tapes, I remember championing a win for Louis CK in this category last year. He instead won the writing award, which I deemed him less worthy of a win. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that my wishes will actually come true this year and CK will win the directing award, which he is again worthy of. The episode is pretty interesting, as it really focuses on Louie and his deteriorating sadness, and there are long spans where the direction really shines through because it's just the setting and CK. It's wonderfully shot, and the technique brings out humor that would've otherwise been missed. The first scene of the episode alone should guarantee that Louie is in good position to take this award.

After losing this award to fellow competitor Glee during its freshman season, Modern Family has won the directing award two years in a row. Can it make it three? The good thing is that it is nominated for one of the strongest episodes of the season. The direction flows seamlessly from storyline to storyline, and the story never drags. There are some great moments, and it would make a worthy winner, certainly better than Modern Family's win in this category last year, which I didn't think was the best in the category.

My predictions are:
1) New Year's Eve for Louie
2) Arrested for Modern Family
3) On All Fours for Girls
4) Hogcock!/Last Lunch for 30 Rock
5) Diva for Glee

I really hope Louie gets recognized here, because while I think he would make a suitable winner in both the writing and directing categories, he is much more suited for a win here. I do think Modern Family would also make a very worthy winner, they are lucky their nominated episode is one of the standouts of the season. Girls' win would be very divisive, but there's no denying that Dunham knows what she's doing and deserves recognition for it. 30 Rock could win here, but I still think it has a better chance in the writing race. And Glee really shouldn't even be nominated, so it's a non-contender. I'm picking Louie for now.

Evan