Predicting the Emmy Award Nominations: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

All this week I'll be predicting who will receive Emmy Award nominations, based on the Top 10 lists that were revealed by theenvelope.com. Stay tuned for more categories!

*Who will be nominated
+Who should be nominated

*Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
+Justin Kirk, "Weeds"
*+Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
*+John Krasinski, "The Office"
Jack McBrayer, "30 Rock"
+Tracy Morgan, "30 Rock"
*Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Fred Willard, "Back to You"
*+Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

Horrible oversights:
Donald Faison, "Scrubs"
Richard Chavira, "Desperate Housewives"

PREDICTING THE EMMY AWARD NOMINEES: ALL CATEGORIES

Predicting the Emmys: Best Comedy Series

I'm still giving my predictions for the 2007 Emmy Awards. Who was overlooked? Who should win? And who's gonna win?

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty

Overlooked:
Desperate Housewives
Weeds

Should Win: The Office

Will Win: Ugly Betty

Potential Spoiler: 30 Rock

Two and a Half Men doesn't stand a chance (I hope!) and Entourage didn't have it's strongest season last year, which makes this a three-way race between newbies Betty and Rock and last year's champ The Office. The folks from Dundler-Mifflin deserve to win again, in my opinion, but Betty has charmed so many I'm guessing the ABC dramedy will go home with the award (if for no other reason than to get Salma Hayek onstage to accept). If the voters think giving America Ferrera the Best Actress trophy is enough recognition, however, don't be surprised if 30 Rock sneaks into the winner's circle.

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Entourage Finale: That's a Bummer for Vince

I have such fond feelings for Entourage, and all of the boys, that I've tried to resist the feelings that this season has been just-okay. It's not been painful, just sorta dull -- not too funny, not too sharp, basically not too engaging. I was hoping that the season finale would redeem the season, and at least send Vince and the boys off on a good note.

Not so much.

First there was the totally bizarre Johnny-falls-in-love storyline. It was too ridiculous to be sweet, and too drawn out to be funny, so, um, what was the point? It also left Turtle without a sparring partner for much of the episode, although Jerry Ferrara was, as always, lovably always-around. Watching Ari spin his wheels and try to create buzz for Mediian was fun, and Constance Zimmer is a perfect sparring partner for Jeremy Piven, but there was one major thing missing -- a happy ending.

Not every show needs to have a happy ending, of course, but Vince has had it rough now for a few years, and if we are to believe in this guy's artistic instincts, he needs to produce something worth watching. Supposedly he was pretty good in Aquaman and Queens Boulevard, but he ruined his chance to be in the sequel to the former and the latter got screwed up in editing, and it looks like Mediian is a piece of dung. I love Vince, and I love Adrian Grenier, but I'm having difficulty rooting for him. It's like watching a sports team that keeps losing -- at some point it's not so fun to watch anymore.

So, I'm disappointed Mediian didn't turn out to be an artistic triumph for Vince. Hopefully next season he'll get back on the horse. Hey, it worked for A-Rod...

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HBO Renews Entourage and Flight of the Concords

Even though Entourage is not having it's strongest season ever, I still love it -- and so does HBO!

The cable network has decided to keep Vince, Turtle, E, Drama and Ari around for another season, renewing Entourage for a fifth go-round. It also gave a second season pickup to Flight of the Concords, an often hysterical look at a pair of New Zealand folk singers.

Hug it out!

Idol Thoughts on the Emmy Nominations - Friday Night Lights Snubbed!

Every year I get excited for the Emmy nominations, and every year I am disappointed. Damn Television Academy!

Here are my thoughts on this years nods:

The Very Good
- Sally Field and Rachel Griffiths picking up nominations for Brothers & Sisters
- Denis Leary grabbing a Best Actor nomination for Rescue Me
- TR Knight, Chandra Wilson, Sandra Oh, and Katherine Heigl dominating the supporting categories from Grey's Anatomy
- Neil Patrick Harris getting a first time nomination for How I Met Your Mother
- Wade Robson and Mia Michaels getting recognized for their stellar work on So You Think You Can Dance

The Good
- Entourage as a contender for Best Comedy, and Kevin Dillon joining Jeremy Piven in the Best Supporting Actor race
- Jenna Fisher making her debut in the Emmy hunt for The Office
- The Starter Wife's surprisingly strong showing, including nods for Debra Messing, Joe Mantegna, and Judy Davis
- Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List receiving a second consecutive nomination
- Mary Louise Parker grabbing 2 nominations -- one for Weeds and one for the TV movie The Robber Bride

The Boring
- All of the Boston Legal love. Gimme a break!
- Two and a Half Men instead of Scrubs?
- Tony Shaloub for Monk? Mariska Hargitay for Law and Order: SVU? Patricia Arquette for Medium? Been there, done that.

The Egregious
- No Friday Nights Love? Unacceptable! Where's the Best Drama nomination? Where is Kyle Chandler? Connie Britton? Zach Gilford? I'm livid.
- Where is Lost's Best Drama nomination? Where are Matthew Fox, Elizabeth Mitchell and Dominic Monaghan? (Although it's good to see Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson get recognized for their work)
- What about The Shield? Walton Goggins? CCH Pounder?
- Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham snubbed again!
- Weeds' Justin Kirk missing out on a nomination, despite nods for co-stars Mary Louise Parker and Elizabeth Perkins
- The Wire, the best show on TV, once again completely ignored

Emmy Nomination Top Ten Finalists Revealed

Theenvelope.com has revealed, rather scandalously, the top 10 finalists for the Best Drama and Comedy Series Emmy nominations. The top 5 nominees, which will be chosen using a formula that combines a juding panel with an academy wide "popular vote," will be revealed on July 19.

The finalists are:

Best Drama
Boston Legal
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
House
Lost
Rome
The Sopranos
24

Best Comedy
Desperate Housewives
Entourage
Extras
My Name is Earl
The Office
Scrubs
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

Notable shows missing from these lists include Brothers & Sisters, Gilmore Girls, The Shield, Rescue Me, and The Wire.

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Summer TV Midterm Report Card

So, it's been about a month since the crowning of Jordin Sparks as the new American Idol signaled the end of the regular television season. Summer TV is always a mixed bag -- there are some unexpected gems, and also some high-profile stinkers. With that in mind, here's my midterm report on Summer TV.

Lovin' It

So You Think You Can Dance
Obviously. Love this show. Sometimes I think I love it even more than Idol (scandalous, I know). I haven't fallen for anyone quite as hard as I fell for Travis last season, but the overall talent pool is so deep that it's a blast to watch. Love, love, love it.

Rescue Me
There is nothing else like this show on television. Brutally funny, and then scarily moving, and then just scary, this show deals in extremes -- and I love it. If Denis Leary doesn't wind up with an Emmy nomination next month, something is seriously wrong with the television academy.

The Starter Wife
This show is the equivalent of a good beach read -- light, fluffy, and totally entertaining. Sure, it's a little ridiculous, but Debra Messing is luminous, and the hour flies by. How about making this into a weekly series next summer, USA?

The Closer
This show could so easily be CSI: Los Angeles, but Kyra Sedgwick totally saves it from the land of humdrum procedurals. She's brilliant! The cases this season so far have been strong, as well, particularly the season opener featuring Veronica Mars' Kyle Gassner. No wonder this show is breaking records -- it's freakin' good!

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
I'm not a huge fan of stand-up comedy, but this bitch makes me laugh and laugh and then laugh some more. She's hysterical! Last week's episode, in which Kathy's beloved father passed away, caught me off guard, but it handled the serious subject manner in a uniquely moving (and real) way. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw such honest emotion about the loss of a parent on any tv show. Just another dimension to the red-headed wonder.

Top Chef
The formula works -- and I'm hooked. The only thing wrong with this show is that I can't taste the food!

Good -- but not obsessed

Entourage
I love this show -- I love Vince, I love E, I love Ari...heck, I love them all. So why aren't I that into this season? The first episode's documentary feel was clever, but not particularly funny, and this past week's episode was also noticably missing in laughs. Here's hoping the boys get their mojo back soon.

Army Wives
Ok, this is a little white lie, because I am kind of obsessed with this show, I just don't think I should admit it. It's on Lifetime, people! But I'm three episodes in, now, and I can't stop watching. I'm lovin' Kim Delaney and the girl who plays Roxie, but I could do without Joan (the tortured soldier) and Catherine Bell (the victim of domestic abuse by her son). Still, I'm kinda hooked.

Making the Band 4
Watching Danity Kane's creation last season was pure pleasure -- so far, the boys are providing a little less excitement. But I trust P Diddy (and the fierce Lori Ann) to amp up the drama as the season goes on, so I'm stickin' with it.

Traveler
The premise is genius. The boys (especially the delectable Matthew Bomer) are gorgeous. So why aren't I obsessed? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I know there is 0% chance of this show returning, making it a little hard to get invested. Still, watching cute boys run around is not a terrible way to spend an hour.

Still Watching and I Don't Know Why

On The Lot

This show had so much promise -- and is so painful to watch. What went wrong? Just about everything, quite frankly. The host is terrible, the judges are worthless, the contestants don't seem to have much talent, and the show is produced in an almost embarrasinly sloppy fashion. For some reason I'm still watching...but I don't know for how much longer.

Tivo'ed -- but haven't watched yet

John from Cincinnatti (the buzz is so bad, I'm not sure this one is gonna get watched)
The 4400 (I still have a couple of episodes from the end of last season to catch up on)
Heartland

Tivo'ed -- then deleted
(These are shows I had been looking forward to, but then lost interest in, and never got watched)

Pirate Master
The Flight of the Concords (watched the first episode -- just didn't get it)
Meadowlands
Armed & Dangerous

Still Looking Forward To...

Big Brother

Burn Notice

Hey Paula
Weeds
Saving Garce
Damages
Californication

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Predicting the Emmy Nominations: The Comedies

There's still about a month until this year's Emmy Award nominations are announced, but since the 2006-2007 television season has come to an end, I thought it would be fun to try and predict who will and won't make the cut.

This list actually includes two sets of predictions -- who I think should be nominated, and who I think will be nominated. Last week I looked at the Drama prizes, now it's time for the comedies -- the prizes for Best Comedy, Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy. Here goes...

Best Comedy Series
Which of NBC's stellar comedy line-up will make the cut? Will Desperate Housewives sneak onto the list, despite a creatively uneven season? Will Entourage snag a nod?

Should Be Nominated:
30 Rock
Entourage
The Office
Scrubs
Ugly Betty

Will Be Nominated:
30 Rock
Desperate Housewives
My Name is Earl
The Office
Ugly Betty

Best Actor in a Comedy
I would love to see Entourage's Adrian Grenier snag a nomination, but is it really likely to happen? Multiple winner Tony Shaloub, last year's champ Steve Carrell, and tabloid magnet Alec Baldwin's nominations seem like foregone conclusions, but will Extra's Ricky Gervais or Scrubs' Zach Braff make the cut?

Should Be Nominated:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Zach Braff, Scrubs
Steve Carrell, The Office
Ricky Gervais, Extras
Adrian Grenier, Entourage

Will Be Nominated:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Zach Braff, Scrubs
Steve Carrell, The Office
Jason Lee, My Name is Earl
Tony Shaloub, Monk

Best Actress in a Comedy
America Ferrera has to be considered the frontrunner in this category, although you can never rule out a Desperate Housewives onslaught (in my opinion Eva Longoria and Felicity Huffman are the worthiest contenders). I think we can also expect a first-time acting nod for Tina Fey, and a return nomination for Mary Louise Parker and last year's winner Julia Louis Dreyfus.

Should Be Nominated:
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria, Desperate Housewives
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds

Will Be Nominated:
Julia Louis Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy
This category is packed full of deserving fellows, including the boys from Entourage and most of the cast of both The Office and Scrubs. With all of the competition, will Neil Patrick Harris get recognized for his hysterical work on How I Met Your Mother?

Should Be Nominated:
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
Donald Faison, Scrubs
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Justin Kirk, Weeds
John Krasinski, The Office

Will Be Nominated:
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Justin Kirk, Weeds
John Krasinski, The Office
Jeremy Piven, Entourage

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Several of the ladies from Ugly Betty could hear their names called on July 19th (Vanessa Williams, Becki Newton, and Rebecca Romaijn, among them), but will Nicolette Sheridan get her first-ever nomination? How about Scrubs' hysterical Judy Reyes, or The Office's Jenna Fischer and Melora Hardin?

Should Be Nominated:
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Becki Newton, Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Judy Reyes, Scrubs
Nicolette Sheridan, Desperate Housewives

Will Be Nominated:
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Jamie Pressley, My Name is Earl
Nicolette Sheridan, Desperate Housewives
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

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