As another television season nears kick-off, it is time to say farewell to the 2013-2014 TV season in the most honorable way possible...and no, I'm not talking about the Emmys. The Evannies (awards handed out by yours truly) are my way of recognizing what I loved on TV this year. I hope to honor the best writers, directors, actors, actresses, producers, etc., and while these are all based on personal opinion, I do hope to provide some insight on what I found truly extraordinary on television this year. It's been said for a while now that we're living in the Golden Age of television, and I full-heartedly believe that. Picking nominees for these awards was hard, and picking winners was an even harder task, but I'm now ready to reveal my winners for the 2014 TV Evannies. Today, I'll be revealing winners in the writing and directing categories. Read on!
Best Writing for a Drama Series
WINNER: Hitting the Fan for "The Good Wife" (written by Robert and Michelle King)
2nd Place: The Crocodile's Dilemma for "Fargo" (written by Noah Hawley)
3rd Place: The Last Call for "The Good Wife" (written by Robert and Michelle King)
The Decision Tree for "The Good Wife" (written by Robert and Michelle King)
A Weird Year for "The Good Wife" (written by Robert and Michelle King)
Form and Void for "True Detective" (written by Nic Pizzolato)
Much has been said about the fifth season of "The Good Wife" and the season's fifth episode, "Hitting the Fan," and I could add to the chorus of critics and fans who called it not only the highlight of the season, but the series as a whole. Undoubtedly, it was the episode that defined the next chapter in Alicia's journey, yet it was the contributions by those she is surrounded by including her new partner Cary, her husband Peter, her boss/ex-flame Will, her mentor Diane, her co-workers Kalinda and Robyn, and her children Zach and Grace, that made the episode work. Starting the episode at 100 mph and maintaining that urgency for forty-four minutes was a heavy task, but with storytelling bouncing faster than a jackrabbit, characters zipped in and out of the screen, yet every detail tactfully placed at the right moment. Big moments like Will's swipe of Alicia's desk were also met with smaller, and lighter, moments like Will reprehending Alicia, and then informing her of Grace's call to get a signature for a school field trip. Robert and Michelle King topped themselves with an outstanding episode that defined not only "The Good Wife," but dramatic television this season as a whole. That should not discredit the other nominees. "The Crocodile's Dilemma" takes bold leaps for the pilot of a ten-episode season, with brave twists and intriguing, edge-of-your seat action that leaves viewers clueless as to what will happen next after only the first episode of the season. Dangerous? Yes. But rewarding? Oh, absolutely. Next, if "Hitting the Fan" is too fast-moving for you, "The Last Call" is a subdued, slow-burning companion piece that wraps around the second major event of the show's fifth season. Dealing with death on television is a land mine for emotion, yet the show made the delicate decision to show different ways of dealing with grief and misery to effective results. Additionally, scenes like Alicia's confrontation with her daughter about the existence of God are the kind of boundary-pushing writing that a network series usually shies away from. You don't need nudity or the F-word to stand out, just truthful, honest writing. Two other "TGW" episodes, "The Decision Tree" and "A Weird Year" round out four nominations in this category for "The Good Wife," which essentially proves its status as the best-written show on television, period. Finally, "Form and Void," the finale of "True Detective" season one, brought a satisfying conclusion to the season and the characters we'd seen develop over eight episodes, but posed intriguing questions about the world and our existence that, if studied carefully, go further than what any philosophy textbook might teach. That's the kind of writing that shows TV is breaking down important barriers in our culture.
Best Directing for a Comedy Series
WINNER: Iron City for "Shameless" (directed by James Ponsoldt)
2nd Place: Las Vegas for "Modern Family" (directed by Gail Mancuso)
3rd Place: Basic Intergluteal Numismatics for "Community" (directed by Tristram Shapeero)
Beach House for "Girls" (directed by Jesse Peretz)
Flo for "Girls" (directed by Richard Shepard)
Crate for "Veep" (directed by Chris Addison)
Being defined as a "comedy series" does not mean what it meant ten to fifteen years ago. That's why, when "Shameless" made the move to comedy categories at this year's Emmys, there was understanding about it being considered a comedy series. However, this past season of "Shameless" went dark, much darker than previous seasons. After bingeing the first three seasons earlier in the summer, I caught up on the most recent season of "Shameless" and finished in about three weeks, thanks to compelling storylines that took the show to new heights, but also thanks to my adoration for the Gallagher family and their friends. The best combination of both of those qualities can be found in "Iron City," an episode that finds family faux-matriach Fiona in prison for a mishap with major consequences, while her sinking family does their best to keep their head above the water. Director James Ponsoldt (director of the wonderful 2013 film,
The Spectacular Now) had a major challenge in bringing the brutal honesty of a fish-out-of-water story to life with having Fiona incarcerated. He succeeds with brutal honesty and a raw vision. The episode's standout scene in which Fiona is strip-searched is devastating, and Ponsoldt's lingering shots on Fiona's face make viewers' hearts break. Ponsoldt also expertly crafts the stories of Fiona's siblings, all affected by her jailing, and carries the dark overtones of her story to theirs. It's a steep challenge to go this dark for a comedy series, but with a director like Ponsoldt, who expertly visualizes these honest stories, the result is outstanding. On the opposite side of the spectrum, traditional comedy "Modern Family" had a standout season, with great episodes including runner-up, "Las Vegas." The direction is the true star of this episode as Gail Mancuso choreographs a circus with interweaving stories and sight gags that need to be hit on the right beat to make an impact. Just watching the episode is exhausting watching the action move at breakneck speed. "Community" had a good season with a couple of standout episodes including the brilliant "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics," a direct parody of modern dark crime thrillers, specifically the works of David Fincher and the bleakness of the "Dark Knight" trilogy. By expertly nailing the cliche shots, tone, color palette, and mood of these films, the parody can be taken completely seriously, leading to some serious laughs. Without a director who can expertly re-craft these movies, the episode would've been a bust. Now, it's the highlight of the fifth season of "Community." The other nominees include two standout episodes of "Girls," "Beach House" and "Flo." The strength of "Beach House" is certainly its script, but the direction is extremely important as the episode takes place in an unfamiliar setting for the show. The delicate balance of the girls' point of view is especially important during the episode's climax, a major kitchen fight. "Flo" also features a new location for the show, but tackles a dark subject with light and honesty. Finally, "Crate" features some of the biggest moments on "Veep" yet, and the direction lands these moments perfectly, including the hysterical bathroom scene with Selina and Gary that, although planned out ahead of time, feels entirely improvisational and spur-of-the-moment, giving an authentic feel that the show sometimes needs to level out the outrageous antics of Selina and the crew.
Best Directing for a Drama Series
WINNER: Who Goes There for "True Detective" (directed by Cary Fukunaga)
2nd Place: The Crocodile's Dilemma for "Fargo" (directed by Adam Bernstein)
3rd Place: Chapter 14 for "House of Cards" (directed by Carl Franklin)
Anslo Garrick for "The Blacklist" (directed by Joe Carnahan)
The Children for "Game of Thrones" (directed by Alex Graves)
Hitting the Fan for "The Good Wife" (directed by James Whitmore, Jr.)
Now, more than ever, drama series are just as cinematic as the films winning at the Academy Awards, and the show (and episodes I have selected here) are proof that they could easily contend at the same ceremony as the big-screen films. The most impressive episode, from a director's point of view, is "Who Goes There" from "True Detective." This is an episode that starts pretty strong with some great sequences, but the highlight has got to be the last ten minutes of the episode. It's a great episode that just gets elevated by a final sequence that sees Matthew McConaughey's character running through a ghetto shoot-out, all in one continuous tracking shot. "Who Goes There" is defined by this final scene, the standout moment of the season. The choreography of the chaos flows beautifully with the camera, and yet, it never feels like the characters are actors going through the motions. The camerawork is intense and tight, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat, letting them in on secrets around the corner, but still surprising them with twists and turns. It feels like a personal experience, like you are lurking behind the shoulder of a man escaping a dangerous fate, and it's thrilling and impressive all at the same time. Fukunaga's direction throughout the entire season of "True Detective" (he directed every episode) was impressive, but it's undeniable his best work is in this episode. Likewise, Bernstein was responsible for a handful of "Fargo" episodes this year, yet the show's tone is set from the first episode under his tutelage. The script throws twists like rapid-fire, yet the direction keeps the audience guessing where the episode is going. At times light, and at others quite scary, "The Crocodile's Dilemma" stands out because of the heightened sense of importance that the direction informs. Finally, of all of these shows, "Chapter 14" feels most like a big-screen film. That might have to do with the inspiration from pilot episode director David Fincher (who is also an executive producer on the show), but it carries over to the season premiere where director Franklin makes a number of wise choices that keep the show's dark tone running from the end of season one to the beginning of season two. It's just a great effort, and with a script that not only keeps up the pace, but runs faster than season one, Franklin's direction is commendable. The other nominees are just as impressive; "Anslo Garrick" feels like a big-screen action film that shows like "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" can't compare to at all. "The Children" delicately balances multiple storylines, but underlies them all with an urgency of uprising. "Hitting the Fan" hits the ground running at 100 mph and doesn't stop, and Whitmore's direction keeps the episode moving along without ever losing the audience.
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
WINNER: Beach House for "Girls" (written by Jenni Konner, Lena Dunham, and Judd Apatow)
2nd Place: The Quarterback for "Glee" (written by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan)
3rd Place: Crate for "Veep" (written by Armando Iannucci, Simon Blackwell, and Georgia Pritchett)
Cooperative Polygraphy for "Community" (written by Alex Rubens)
How Your Mother Met Me for "How I Met Your Mother" (written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas)
You've Got Sext for "The Mindy Project" (written by Mindy Kaling)
Moving Up for "Parks and Recreation" (written by Aisha Muhararr and Alan Yang)
Debate for "Veep" (written by Armando Iannucci, David Quantick, and Tony Roche)
As evidenced by the eight nominees in this category, it was no easy task narrowing down the field of outstanding comedy episodes from a writing standpoint. However, these eight episodes stand out as the best of the year. Starting with the non-ranking nominees, "Cooperative Polygraphy" is the rare comedy piece of writing that leaves the viewer critically thinking rather than laughing, but it's delightful to see that a show, in its fifth season, can still have an episode with concentration around the basis of the relationships between its main characters without feeling overdone. "How Your Mother Met Me" was the defining episode of the final season of "HIMYM," yet not its finale (that is entirely different story). After eight seasons of stories about the elusive mother, this important episode finally put the pieces of the puzzle together that viewers have been piecing together since 2005 and it did not disappoint. "You've Got Sext" is the easy standout of the much-improved "The Mindy Project," my pick for most improved show of the season. Kaling's witty writing blends in perfectly with the romantic comedy tropes she teases at and easily combines real-world humor with the unlikely happy ending. "Moving Up" takes many risks that shake up "Parks and Recreation" leading into the final season, not limited to the episode-ending three year time jump. However, the real highlight of "Parks and Recreation" is delivering a classic, just plain well-written episode. With the focus around a unity festival, it matches previous classic "P&R" episodes like "Harvest Festival" and "Lil Sebastian" with its focus on a single event that pulls the whole department together. The highlight, easily, is the meta reference to Tupac's hologram performance at Coachella with a similar hologram of Lil Sebastian, a true laugh out loud moment. Finally, "Debate" is a "Veep" episode that veers eerily close to real life, but by adding in a few key elements, has the unique "Veep" feel. However, that is not the best episode of the season. That honor belongs to "Crate," an episode that fundamentally shakes "Veep" to its core while still maintaining the crude humor that makes "Veep" the meanest and funniest show on TV. The outrageous humor is matched with heartwarming moments of victory, and after three years of getting to know these characters, "Crate" feels like the big reward. The episode highlight, involving Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale, and a bloody nose, goes down as one of the best scenes of this television season. By contrast, the runner-up in this race is not even close to funny, yet its definition in this race is here because of the classification as a comedy series. Yet the "Glee" episode "The Quarterback," a tribute to the series' late star Cory Monteith, is an absolutely important episode from the past season that demands recognition. While delicately balancing being too preachy, too sad, and too overwrought, the script manages some light moments and highlights the many different fashions of struggling with loss. The episode gives each character their time to process the death of their friend, with audiences easily relating as fans of the show and of Monteith. On a somewhat lighter note, though, the best written comedy episode of the year (another episode that doesn't exactly border on comedic) is "Beach House" from "Girls." "Girls" is the episode viewers didn't know they were waiting for after three seasons. A weekend getaway finds the four main characters finally confronting their problems with each other, the best part about this episode is the brutally honest language Konner, Dunham, and Apatow use that not only has an effect on the audience watching the foundation of their four friends' relationship crumbling, but causes many, like myself, to think "This could happen to me." A full-fledged fight that airs honest feelings makes for hard-to-watch television, but leaves audiences reflecting on their own unstable friendships, and I think the best kind of writing can make a person reflect on their own life. The charm of "Girls" runs throughout the script, but the episode's dark conclusion runs the spectrum of what makes "Girls" one of the most realistic shows on television.
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