Friday, May 31, 2013

Emmy Musings: Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series


Now that the 2012-2013 TV season is almost over, it’s hardly too early to start thinking about the Emmy nominations, which will be announced in July. Consider these preliminary thoughts rather than official predictions – look for those at the beginning of July. As always, chime in with your reactions and predictions in the comments, and don’t hesitate to let me know if I left any strong contenders off the list!

Last year’s ineligible nominees: Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Last year’s eligible nominees:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
I shouldn’t be as disgruntled as I am about the fact that Baldwin is eligible for yet another Emmy since this isn’t the SAG Awards, where Baldwin triumphed a horrifying seven years in a row. Baldwin only actually has two Emmys, for the show’s second and third seasons, and he’ll undoubtedly be back to contend for the last time for this role and probably to take home the award again.

Louis C.K. (Louie)
Everyone is predicting once again that “Louie” will make the cut for Best Comedy Series, something I still don’t think is going to happen. More importantly, C.K. will surely be nominated again. After earning a Golden Globe nod and a SAG nod for the first time this past year, C.K. is back on his home turf. Last year, he netted seven total Emmy nominations and took home two trophies for writing. I still don’t think he’s a frontrunner in this race, but he’ll be a nominee for sure.

Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
Last year, Cheadle was the lone representative of Showtime’s freshman ratings hit which never earned too many positive reviews from viewers. Cheadle took home a Golden Globe for his performance in January, which doesn’t mean much for his Emmy chances considering he couldn’t win last year. There’s little to suggest he will or won’t be back, since his show isn’t new and fresh anymore but it seems like he was the only part of it people liked anyway, which means that it shouldn’t matter if voters still love Cheadle.

Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
I’ll never comprehend why people love Cryer so much. Cryer won on his fourth try in the supporting race and then returned for two more nominations before being promoted last year to this category and surprising by winning that trophy too. Clearly, those who adore him outweigh those who hate him, and all evidence points to Cryer being a nominee again this year, since his show is still watched by millions and continues to succeed despite the replacement of its star and the impending exodus of its half man.

Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Parsons bounced back from the Golden Globe snub last year following his win the previous year that put his status in jeopardy with a new Golden Globe mention and his first-ever solo SAG bid. Parsons has been nominated four times now, winning in 2010 and 2011, and his show continues to do well, putting him at the top of the list to return as a nominee this year.

Past nominees:
Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)
I have no idea how Netflix will fare with Emmy voters, but if something is going to do well, it’s this show. Bateman earned one nomination in this category out of a total of three years that his show competed for Best Comedy Series. His chances therefore should be just as good as ever, and I suspect that voters will want to enthusiastically welcome back one of their favorite series, bringing along its lead actor for the ride.

Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
Galecki was nominated along with his costar Jim Parsons two years ago in this category, and last year got left off the list while both Parsons and supporting actress Mayim Bialik made the cut. Galecki scored a Golden Globe nod in 2012 in place of Parsons, but this past year, Parsons returned to take his spot again. I see no reason why Galecki would return after his snub last year, and I think he was just the benefactor of enthusiasm for the show at its Emmy peak two years ago.

Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
LeBlanc was nominated for this show’s first season and won a Golden Globe, but the series didn’t air in 2012. After a highly successful and well-received second year, which managed the not insignificant feat of scoring repeat Globe nods for LeBlanc and for Best Comedy Series, it’s likely that LeBlanc will be back again for his self-portrayal, as long as voters haven’t forgotten the series in its absence from the airwaves.

New contenders:
Matthew Perry (Go On)
Perry has not had the same luck as former costars LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow in earning Emmy love for the series he’s starred in following “Friends.” After one nomination for playing Chandler Bing, in 2002, Perry has been back three times as an Emmy nominee, twice for his guest-starring role on “The West Wing,” and once for the TV movie “The Ron Clark Story.” Perry got good marks for his latest part, but his show’s cancellation and his Golden Globe snub don’t bode well for his chances.

Other possibilities:
Jake Johnson (New Girl)
Last year, FOX’s new comedy fared decently at the Emmys, earning acting bids for Zooey Deschanel and showy costar Max Greenfield. This year, Johnson made the move from the supporting race to the lead category as his character took a more prominent role in the show. Voters demonstrated their enthusiasm for younger actors last year with Greenfield’s nomination, so maybe Johnson can follow.

Adam Scott (Parks & Recreation)
It’s perplexing to me that Emmy voters are not fans of the best TV comedy currently on the air, giving it a grand total of eight nominations in all categories over four years. Amy Poehler is still the only performer nominated, and Scott’s charming husband would make for a much more solid choice than the equally compelling Rob Lowe, who is great but doesn’t belong in this category. He’s a longshot at best with sadly low chances.

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