Golden Globes – TV Nominations

Look for newcomers and surprises 
because the Globes are usually daring    

     The Golden Globe TV nominations are usually pretty cool because they’re a little ahead of the curve.  The Emmys are always behind it and they generally reward the same shows and performers year after year as if nothing new was ever put
on the air.  Again, we’re going through the nominations without underlining titles because there are too many of them.  Here are the categories and our selections:

Drama – Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Homeland, The Newsroom

     Homeland won last year for its first season and it’s still hot.  It’s Breaking Bad’s last season so it may get some love, though not from me.  Downton Abbey may not be tough enough, The Newsroom is a lukewarm Aaron Sorkin leftover, and Boardwalk Empire has cooled.  Homeland will repeat.

Musical or Comedy – The Big Bang Theory, Episodes, Girls, Modern Family, Smash

     Everyone has a fave sitcom that flies under the critical radar and doesn’t see the awards’ light of day.  Ours is The Middle with Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn.  Nashville was overlooked, though it’s a strong musical. Take out Matt LeBlanc and Episodes falls apart, while Big Bang is almost too commercial and Modern Family hogs the limelight.  That leaves Girls, which is hot, and Smash, which is not.  Girls wins.

Miniseries or Movie – Game Change, The Girl, The Hour, Hatfields & McCoys, Political Animals

     The Hour was drab and The Girl was piffle and Political Animals shouldn’t have been nominated.  It’s between Game Change and Hatfields & McCoys, which will win.

Actor in a Drama – Steve Buscemi, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Daniels, Jon Hamm, Damian Lewis

     Cranston is excellent, but Lewis will have a repeat win.

Connie Britton in Nashville

Actress in a Drama – Connie Britton, Glenn Close, Claire Danes, Michelle Dockery, Julianna Margulies

     A great category, though Dockery is part of an ensemble and not the lead, while Close’s show has ended.  Margulies is consistently excellent without ever having a big scene.  It’s between Danes, who could repeat, and Britton, who’s exec producing and has a warm, relaxed vibe, but she’s not a strong singer.  Even so, it’s more likely to be Britton.

Amy Poehler on Parks and Recreation

Actress in a Comedy or Musical – Zooey Deschanel, Lena Dunham, Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Amy Poehler

     I think Deschanel and New Girl is ho-hum.  Fey’s wonderful, but does she need another award for the rest of her career?  Louis-Dreyfus can do just about anything as a performer, but Dunham writes and produces as well.  However, Poehler deserves the love this year.  She’s our Mary Tyler Moore, though her show isn’t as popular.

  

Louis C.K. on Louie

Actor in a Comedy or Musical – Alec Baldwin, Don Cheadle, Louis C.K., Matt LeBlanc, Jim Parsons

     Cheadle is an actor’s actor, but C.K. is the zeitgeist and he writes, produces, edits, and could probably cater his show.

Actor in a Miniseries or Film – Kevin Costner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Woody Harrelson, Toby Jones, Clive Owen 

     Harrelson is a personal favorite in anything and Owen nailed Hemingway, but Cumberbatch is the living embodiment of Holmes.  It’s a definitive performance.

Actress in a Miniseries or Film – Nicole Kidman, Jessica Lange, Sienna Miller, Julianne Moore, Sigourney Weaver

     A wonderful group of performers, though I think it’s between Kidman and Moore.  It’s too close to call for me, but I bet they go with Moore.

Supporting Actor in anything – Max Greenfield, Ed Harris, Danny Huston, Mandy Patinkin, Eric Stonestreet

     Please, please, please choose Harris.  I’m still ticked he didn’t win the Oscar for Pollack twelve years ago.

Supporting Actress in anything – Hayden Panettiere, Archie Panjabi, Sarah Paulson, Maggie Smith, Sofia Vergara

     Panjabi brilliantly plays one of the most frightening characters on TV, but Panettiere has taken a selfish vixen and transformed her into someone sympathetic because she’s trapped by celebrity.  She can also really sing.

Watch the Golden Globes Sunday, January 13 on NBC at 8PM ET with Hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.