Raina Deerwater ‘16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or painful, depending on how TV fans view the beginning of award season. At the crack of dawn Thursday morning, nominations were announced for the 66th annual Emmy awards. At slightly past the crack of dawn, the internet went crazy. This year’s nominations definitely had some glaring omissions, and here are five of the most prominent ones.
5. Lead Actress in a Comedy: Emmy Rossum, Shameless
Emmy Rossum in Shameless. Photo Credit: Cliff Lipson/Showtime.
The only nomination for Showtime’s Shameless was given to William H. Macy for Lead Actor. Though he may be the titular lead of the show, Rossum is most definitely the anchor of the ensemble dramedy. As Fiona Gallagher, she has to deal with family crisis upon family crisis, with her own fair share of personal drama. Rossum does a fantastic job of managing to fill the role, without ever taking it over the top. She has also mastered the balance of comedic and dramatic acting, and though Shameless is technically in the comedy category, her talent deserves recognition.
4. Best Supporting Actor/Actress: Various, Parks and Recreation
Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Retta, Jim O’Heir, Amy Poehler and Adam Scott in the Parks and Recreation episode “Moving Up.” Photo Credit: NBC.
Though many may argue that season six was not the strongest season of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, it is still without a doubt one of the best network comedies currently airing. This can be highly accredited to it’s fantastic ensemble cast. Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Retta and Aubrey Plaza give some of the most laugh – out – loud hilarious performances out there. As an ensemble, the cast of Parks and Recreation manages to perfectly time jokes as well as strike genuine emotion into our hearts. The supporting cast of the show has not had a single Emmy Nomination in the entire six years Parks and Recreation has been on the air, and with it’s seventh season being the last, they deserve some love.
3. Outstanding Comedy Series: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Photo Credit: FOX.
FOX’s freshman cop comedy has already gained a large amount of critical acclaim, not to mention a Golden Globe. It also gained a globe for lead actor Andy Samberg, who was additionally snubbed. The reason for this success is that this ensemble comedy is simply one of the funniest shows on TV. It is additionally the most racially diverse comedy on network television, with a cast that completely disregards the notion of having the “token” minority. From former football player Terry Crews to newcomer Melissa Fumero, every cast remember of Brooklyn Nine Nine contributes their own sense of humor and they all work flawlessly in tandem. The show has perfected ensemble comedy in just one season on the air.
2. Outstanding Drama Series, The Good Wife
Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife. Photo Credit: David M. Russell/CBS.
This season of CBS’s The Good Wife took an already phenomenal show to the next level. With a major game changer in the middle of the season, the show’s already strong ensemble had to take it to the next level, and they did it with excellence. The loss of a major character just heightened the intensity of the show, and showcased the broad talent that the The Good Wife exudes. The exciting thing about the The Good Wife is that it combines the elements of courtroom drama that leave you guessing, with the intense characterization and serial plot lines of many beloved cable dramas. This makes The Good Wife one of the most interesting and constantly improving shows on television, and it is an absolute shame the academy did not recognize this.
1. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs.
Sarah Manning. Alison Hendrix. Cosima Niehaus. Helena. Rachel Duncan. Jennifer Fitzsimmons. Tony Sawicki. All those names sound like a great cast of characters for a new exciting ensemble sci-fi drama. Those names are just that. Also all of those characters happen to be portrayed be the same actress within one season of television. Sometimes, it takes years for the world to see the multifaceted nature of an actor, with each role giving the actor time to explore their range. This is not the case with Tatiana Maslany. The two years that BBC America’s Orphan Black has been on the air, have show Maslany playing a housewife, an uptight business woman, a mentally scared Ukrainian, a transgender man, and many others. She brings commitment and heart into every role she plays and can create beautiful character dynamics between different characters all portrayed by herself. The playful inner child that she puts into the murderous Helena, or the mothering need she puts into protagonist Sarah Manning alone would be enough for Maslany to warrant an Emmy nod. The fact that she does them all at once is something else. Truth be told, Maslany doesn’t need an Emmy, for she already has the most impressive performance on television today.
