We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you an important announcement...it's Emmy season!
Most persons are probably unaware that I have a tumblr site dedicated to TV, called "Mad Man looking for a Good Wife". I started it 3 years ago, but I've been neglecting it as of late. Since television is virtually indistinguishable from film nowadays though, I decided that it would make sense to incorporate it into Film Actually. So the title of this post refers to this special week of purely TV coverage here, as well as the fact that TV is usurping cinema as the more exciting medium for American "filmmaking".
Around this time of year, you'll see many writers listing their "Best Films of the Year so far". I on the other hand, haven't seen enough of this year's releases to do so. And you know what? I'm perfectly fine with that. Instead, I've spent more of my time consuming television and foreign films, rather than Hollywood fare, and I don't feel like I've missed out on much. You may have heard that we're in The Golden Age of Television and from my experiences, it's hard to dispute that.
Apart from the exceptional quality of the best TV shows, the small screen is also wiping the floor with cinema when it comes to diversity. Consider that in the same year that AMPAS was accused of racial bias and misogyny...
- An infamous Deadline article complained about too much diversity on television.
- Female directors made a clean sweep of the TV categories at the DGA awards.
- Lead Drama Actress and Supporting Drama Actress are set to be the most cutthroat acting race at the Emmys due to the large number of strong female roles and performances, with 3 black actresses in serious contention for the nomination/win in the former.
The evidence is clear. People want to see more diversity on screen and TV is giving it to us. This past season, 3 of the highest rated shows centered around black actors - "Scandal", "How to Get Away with Murder" and the juggernaut "Empire", whose success can only be compared to that of "Jurassic World" in movie terms. For us TV aficionados, going from typical Hollywood films to popular television has been like switching from McDonald's to a more wholesome meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. The former is satisfying enough, but the latter provides much more variety and complexity. Simply put, if you're not watching TV, you're doing it wrong.
So join me as I celebrate another fine year of television. Over the next nine days I'll be presenting my full Emmy Ballots in the following categories:
- June 26th - Guest Actor Comedy & Guest Actress Comedy
- June 27th - Guest Actor Drama & Guest Actress Drama
- June 28th - Casting Comedy & Drama
- June 29th - Supporting Actor Comedy & Supporting Actress Comedy
- June 30th - Supporting Actor Drama & Supporting Actress Drama
- July 1st - Lead Actor Comedy & Lead Actress Comedy
- July 2nd - Lead Actor Drama & Lead Actress Drama
- July 3rd - Comedy Series
- July 4th - Drama Series
I'll also be wrapping up with my picks for the Top 10 TV Programs and Performances of the season. I hope you'll follow along and share your own faves in the comments!