Considering the Emmy's have come and gone away, here are the winners to my personal television awards! Enjoy and let me know who you thought was the best and what would your selections be for the greatest TV shows this past year.
Best Drama Series:
Gold: The Americans [FX] ("Martial Eagle")
Silver: Hannibal [NBC] ("Mizumono")
Bronze: True Detective [HBO] ("Who Goes There")
I definitely don't understand all the hate online going towards True Detective when it was actually one of the best shows of the past season. Hannibal catapults it's way into the runner up position when last year it was well outside the top 10 (that finale was BRUTAL!) The Americans take the gold, however. How this show hasn't gotten more Emmy nominations (besides the infallible Margo Martindale) is 1000 light years beyond me!
Best Comedy Series
Gold: Veep [HBO] ("New Hampshire")
Silver: Girls [HBO] ("Beach House")
Bronze: Looking [HBO] ("Looking Glass")
Leave it to HBO to monopolize the comedy department! Not only does the network provide us with some amazing dramas, but hilarious comedies as well. Being a gay man myself, Looking is exactly the type of show I wanted to be made and have immensely enjoyed watching. Lena Dunham just keeps upping the ante on Girls, developing "Hannah Horvath" and her world into something very personal and layered, connecting with each of us. No show though made me laugh harder than Veep. After a pretty good sophomore season, the third season was pure comedic gold.
Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series
Gold: Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings [Mischa] on The Americans ("Martial Eagle")
Silver: Demián Bichir as Det. Marco Ruiz on The Bridge ("Take the Ride, Pay the Toll")
Bronze: Matthew McConaughey as Det. Rustin Spencer "Rust" Cohle on True Detective ("Who Goes There")
I'm sorry, but if anyone denies Matthew McConaughey's performance in True Detective, then shame on you. The episode selected for him above is AMAZING and the fact that he so wholly disappears into the situation he's placed himself in, is insanely great. Demián Bichir takes the silver for unleashing an excellent torrent of anger and sadness over the death of his character's son on The Bridge. The gold though, must go to Matthew Rhys. Never before has the character of "Philip Jennings" been as deeply tormented by his actions as he has in the episode selected above. Rhys shows us this with every fiber of his being, and then some.
Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series
Gold: Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates on Bates Motel ("Plunge")
Silver: Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings [Nadezhda] on The Americans ("A Little Night Music")
Bronze: Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison on Homeland ("The Star")
You still can't deny the genius of Claire Danes on Homeland. While the third season (still GREAT) didn't live up to the past two season's excellence, Danes gave us a home run with her work in the episode mentioned above. From watching her former lover executed, to tearfully discussing the plans she has for her unborn child with her father and sister, Danes was nothing short of devastating. Keri Russell takes the silver for allowing us an even closer look at how "Elizbaeth Jennings" thinks and feels. Russell captures the emotion and steeliness "Elizabeth" needs to survive and protect her family. Speaking of protecting family, "Norma Bates" will do anything to make sure "Norman" is safe and that allows Vera Farmiga to take the gold with her portrayal on Bates Motel. "Norma's" fractured psyche is a bewildering mess, and Farmiga plays every emotion to the hilt, fearlessly diving into the madness.
Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series
Gold: Jonathan Groff as Patrick Murray on Looking ("Looking for a Plus-One")
Silver: Robin Williams as Simon Roberts on The Crazy Ones ("Simon Roberts Was Here")
Bronze: Will Arnett as Nathan Miller on The Millers ("Walk-n-Wave")
Will Arnett continues to be comic dynamite on The Millers, a show I do find quite funny despite all the cliches of a multi-cam sitcom on CBS. Hopefully the second season ups the funny even more. I was a big fan of The Crazy Ones and Robin Williams (rest his soul) was excellent on it. Not overloading "Simon Roberts" with the usual ticks of a typical character was a smart choice, and Williams provided the right amount of emotion and hilarity. His chemistry with the ensemble was great too. Shame on CBS for cancelling it. The gold must go to Jonathan Groff, on Looking, though. Providing us with an open soul/wound of a person such as "Patrick Murray", internalizing while also laying out all of his emotions at the same time, Groff was fascinating to watch.
Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series
Gold: Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer on Veep ("New Hampshire")
Silver: Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath on Girls ("Role-Play")
Bronze: Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs ("Stop Arguing and Start Thanking")
Wendi McLendon-Covey gives a hilarious performance as the overbearing matriarch "Beverly Goldberg" on The Goldbergs. "Beverly" is a little nuts, but it's all in service to the love for her family and McLendon-Covey does a beautiful job of showing us that. Lena Dunham takes the silver for forwarding "Hannah Horvath" in a way that made her more childish, but also forced her to confront that problem in hilarious ways. Dunham always makes us ache for "Hannah" and that is a testament to the authenticity of her show. Going for broke is what gives Julia Louis-Dreyfus the gold however. Louis-Dreyfus will do anything for a laugh (evident here, and in her hilarious turn as "Christine Campbell" on The New Adventures of Old Christine, a hilariously underrated show), and her falling down in a hysterical scene of clarity with a nose-bleeding "Gary" is no exception. It's the glimpses of humanity we see in this hilariously cold and efficient Veep that really sell the character though.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Gold: Peter Sarsgaard as Ray Seward on The Killing ("Six Minutes")
Silver: Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones ("Mockingbird")
Bronze: Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody on Homeland ("One Last Thing")
With being sidelined for the good part of the third season, and eventually being written out of the series entirely, Damian Lewis was still able to put forth a staggering performance on Homeland. Having "Nicholas Brody" become addicted to heroine, while not being able to leave the sprawling "Tower of David" he's gotten himself into, gave Lewis some amazingly scary scenes to play out. The final heartbreaking confrontation between him and his daughter "Dana" though, is what drives the performance home. Having only binged watched Game of Thrones in the past couple of months, it allowed me to include it in these awards. Peter Dinklage deserves all the awards he's gotten so far for his fierce performance as "Tyrion Lannister", and the episode after his big trial is the cherry on top of the sundae. Top prize, however, must be awarded to Peter Sarsgaard. The Killing's third season was a vast improvement over the second, and gave Sarsgaard the best role of his career in "Ray Seward."
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gold: Lana Parrilla as The Evil Queen/Regina Mills on Once Upon a Time ("Save Henry")
Silver: Allison Pill as Margaret "Maggie" Jordan on The Newsroom ("Unintended Consequences")
Bronze: Bellamy Young as First Lady Melody "Mellie" Grant on Scandal ("Everything's Coming Up Mellie")
"Mellie Grant" is a train-wreck of a FLOTUS on Scandal, but underneath all the drinking and emotional outbursts, hides a woman who ultimately just yearns to be loved and accepted by her husband and family, but also by the public as well. Bellamy Young is able to show us that perfectly, and while sometimes her rash decisions infuriate us, they ultimately make us stand behind her as well. A little switcheroo happened with the ladies of The Newsroom this year. Olivia Munn graced this category last year, but this time it's Allison Pill's turn. Pill stood out in the first season for her turn as "Maggie Jordan", but this season is when her arc definitely came full circle. Sporting quite the different hair, it was only a matter of time as to why "Maggie" decided to change her hair was revealed. Pill was absolutely heartbreaking in her scenes, lending immense gravitas to "Maggie's" situation changing our perception of her once again. The top prize must go to Lana Parrilla for her work on Once Upon a Time. Placing third last year, I knew that if she knocked it out of the park in the third season, she would easily take my top prize. It's not easy to love "The Evil Queen," but since the beginning of the show Parrilla has worked her ass off to show us that "The Evil Queen" is most assuredly not all evil. From watching her struggle to believe she could be a good mother to newborn "Henry", to desperately trying to save him from "Peter Pan", Parrilla was heart wrenching. Plus, she has the best zingers!
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Gold: Reid Scott as Dan Egan on Veep ("Special Relationship")
Silver: Adam Driver as Adam Sackler on Girls ("Two Plane Rides")
Bronze: Troy Gentile as Barry Goldberg on The Goldbergs ("A Wrestler Named Goldberg")
"Barry Goldberg" might seem like a naive lunkhead sometimes on The Goldbergs, but Troy Gentile was successfully able to show us that there is more to his character than just that. He was also able to show the innocent, and ultimately caring brother "Barry" could be while trying to achieve some funny goals. Adam Driver saw a HUGE uptick in development for his character of "Adam Sackler" on Girls. Last year Driver was definitely not near the top of the finalist list, or even the runner up list. However, with "Adam's" sister visiting, him getting a job as an actor, and trying to keep his relationship with "Hannah" together, Driver did a complete 180. He got me to care about "Adam" like I never have before and proved me wrong about where I thought how his arc would develop. Tony Hale secured a nod from me last year, and this year as well, but the Veep man who stuck out for me most is Reid Scott. Being "Selina Meyer's" campaign manager could not be an easy job and Scott hilariously portrayed "Dan's" eagerness to land the position as well as his increasing anxiety and irritation in trying to succeed. Seeing him crumble from all the pressure was funnily poignant also.
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Gold: Margo Martindale as Carol Miller on The Millers ("Mother's Day")
Silver: Zosia Mamet as Shoshanna Shapiro on Girls ("Two Plane Rides")
Bronze: Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett on Mom ("Estrogen and a Hearty Breakfast")
Allison Janney is quite amazing isn't she? I haven't started watching Masters of Sex yet (trust me, it's on my list!), but I am sure she's as wonderful as everyone says she is. Plus that Emmy must not have been a fluke right? I can say without a doubt that her second Emmy for her role on Mom was just as deserved. Janney is able to balance that delicate act of comedy and drama, and that is why we all love her so. She is absolutely hilarious as "Bonnie Plunkett" and her chemistry with Anna Faris and the rest of the cast is dynamite. Zosia Mamet replaced Jemima Kirke in the category this year, and rightfully so. Kirke had a great mini arc at the start of the season that kind of flamed out by the end, while Mamet's "Shoshanna" continued to develop throughout the season culminating in the finale where she puts her feelings all on the line. Bonus points for the "Beach House" episode, where a drunken "Shoshanna" rightfully puts everyone in their place with her bitter, but truthful words. However, the gold must go to the ever amazing Margo Martindale who can be quietly scary on The Americans to absolutely hilarious on The Millers. Everybody loves the "overbearing mom" role, but Martindale is able to take the silliest jokes and spin them into gold. Some people may think she's wasting her time, but if you can be that funny with typical jokes we've come to see over and over, you're an ace in my book.
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Gold: Matthew Lillard as Daniel Frye on The Bridge ("Old Friends")
Silver: Michael Pitt as Mason Verger on Hannibal ("Tome-wan")
Bronze: Joe Morton as Rowan Pope on Scandal ("It's Handled")
Joe Morton deservedly won the Emmy over the weekend for his powerful performance as "Rowan Pope" on Scandal. The only person that can put "Olivia Pope" truly in her place would be her father and Morton definitely showed us that, relishing those lengthy monologues where we realize that "Papa Pope" will do anything, and step on whoever he wants, to protect his daughter. You can always count on Michael Pitt to provide the crazy whether he's in a movie (Murder by Numbers or Funny Games) but nothing can prepare you for the batshit, nutso performance he gives as "Mason Verger." I won't spoil anything here, but the last ten minutes of his performance in that episode is some epic craziness to behold. Leave it to "Shaggy" this year, to take the gold. Matthew Lillard is everyone's perfect Shaggy (probably one of the most realistic of cartoon to live-action transfers, ever), but I don't think anyone expected him to have this type of performance in him. "Daniel Frye" is a broken soul of an addict on The Bridge, and Lillard palpably made us feel the struggle to stay sober, while allowing a new friend to make their way into his life. It's an astounding piece of work and no doubt the best acting he has ever done. My heart broke for him and tears fell from my eyes.
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Gold: Gillian Anderson as Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier on Hannibal ("Sakizuki")
Silver: Patti LuPone as Joan Ramsey on American Horror Story: Coven ("Head")
Bronze: Kate Burton as Vice President Sally Langston on Scandal ("No Sun on the Horizon")
Kate Burton makes for a formidable opponent to the President of the United States as "Vice President Sally Langston" on Scandal. Burton always gives it her all whether it be playing this woman, or "Ellis Grey" on Grey's Anatomy. We've seen "Sally Langston's" dirty plays on Scandal, throwing her religion around as a weapon and being able to succeed with that. This season saw her weapon turn against her, allowing for the rage to bubble over and consume the soul she constantly prays to be cleaned. The aftermath was fascinating to watch, and Burton sold every minute of it. Speaking of religious fanatics, Patti LuPone's "Joan Ramsey" was just as crazy on American Horror Story: Coven. Refusing to believe the witchcraft presented before her, LuPone brought forth "Joan's" fears with great clarity and revealed herself to be a scared woman, who hasn't the most stable mind to make the right decisions. Bonus points also must go to LuPone for playing a very funny, exaggerated form of herself on Girls. Gillian Anderson, though, was able to pull the biggest hat trick on all of us this season on Hannibal. As "Hannibal Lecter's" psychiatrist "Bedelia Du Maurier," Anderson played the right amount of cool, sophisticated and mysterious. Having the guts to stand up to "Hannibal," and ending their therapist-patient relationship was a riveting power move to watch and made us fear for her life. However, "Dr. Du Maurier" may be the smartest person on that show, and leave it to Anderson to constantly make us guess where her loyalties truthfully lie. I can't wait to see where they take her character in the third season.
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Gold: Brad Garrett as Gordon Lewis on The Crazy Ones ("Love Sucks")
Silver: Andrew Rannells as Elijah Krantz on Girls ("Beach House")
Bronze: Nate Torrence as James on Super Fun Night ("The Set Up")
I wish that Super Fun Night had been more successful and allowed Rebel Wilson to shine like the star she is, but we will just have to settle for the best part of the show who I believe was Nate Torrence. His character of "James" won me over from the very first moment he came on screen. Funny, charming and undeniably cute, we were all able to see why "Kimmie" falls for him right away because we had just been put under his spell. It's always nice to "Elijah" pop up on Girls and his hilarious cocaine bender with "Hannah" at the beginning of the second season was hilarious! Suffering a fallout over a situation pertaining to him and "Marnie," it was only a matter of time before we saw him again and "Beach House" was the perfect opportunity. Rather spending more time with him then "Marnie," "Hannah" invites him to the aforementioned "Beach House" and Rannells brings forth all the quick wit and sincerity we have come to expect from "Elijah." The gold this year, goes to Brad Garrett though, for his very funny performance on The Crazy Ones. Being the partner to Robin Williams' "Simon," gave Garrett some great material to chew on. His character's fading love life, and the efforts to gain it back, hilarious to watch.
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Gold: Gaby Hoffmann as Caroline Sackler on Girls ("Only Child")
Silver: Becky Ann Baker as Loreen Horvath on Girls ("Flo")
Bronze: June Squibb as Varla Pounder on Getting On ("If You're Going to San Francisco")
Funnily enough, all three of the ladies mentioned above all guest starred on Girls this season. June Squibb, though, was I think given more to do on HBO's other great comedy Getting On. As "Varla Pounder," Squibb is given more nasty and hilarious lines to spew out then she did in Nebraska, as the Getting On nurses try to quell the foul language, and keep her character from leaving the hospice. Her chemistry with the ensemble too, is fantastic. Becky Ann Baker plays a fantastic mom to Lena Dunham's "Hannah Horvath" on Girls. She is able to counter her daughter's childish ways with some tough-love words of her own. The speech she gives "Hannah" at the end of the episode mentioned above is nothing short of devastating. The perceptions of her daughter not always accurate, but containing enough truth to show us she does care, the opposite of what "Hannah" tends to believe sometimes. "Adam Sackler" didn't warm up to me as a character until this season and I believe part of the reason as to why I grew to love him this past year is the addition of his sister, "Caroline Sackler," played by the wonderful Gaby Hoffmann. The crazy doesn't fall far from the tree, and Hoffmann was able to authentically portray "Caroline's" aloofness, as well as the hilariously brutal honesty she tends to let go. Having her hook up with "Laird" at the end desperately makes me want to see more of her in the upcoming season.
Best Directing for a Drama Series
Gold: Cary Joji Fukunaga - True Detective ("Who Goes There")
Silver: David Slade - Hannibal ("Mizumono")
Bronze: Alik Sakharov - The Americans ("Martial Eagle")
Best Directing for a Comedy Series
Gold: Chris Addison - Veep ("Crate" and "New Hampshire")
Silver: Andrew Haigh - Looking ("Looking for the Future")
Bronze: Armando Iannucci - Veep ("Clovis")
Best Writing for a Drama Series
Gold: Oliver North & Tracey Scott Wilson - The Americans ("Martial Eagle")
Silver: Bryan Fuller & Jeff Vlaming - Hannibal ("Sakizuki")
Bronze: Alex Gansa & Meredith Stiehm - Homeland ("The Star")
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
Gold: Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche - Veep ("New Hampshire")
Silver: Mark V. Olsen & Will Scheffer - Getting On ("Nightshift")
Bronze: Murray Miller - Girls ("Only Child")
