'Bates Motel' - Great performances and smart writing make this mysterious and fun show worth watching

I’ll admit, when I first heard that a TV series prequel to 1960’s ‘Psycho’ was being developed, I was extremely skeptical.    But I decided I would give it a chance.  I’m really glad I did. Not only is this drama filled with great acting performances, but the writing is very sharp and smart.  The series was created by Anthony Cipriano, and comes from Executive Producers Carlton Cuse (Lost), and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights), quite an impressive resume. 

The series chronicles the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma, prior to the events portrayed in Alfred Hitchcock's big screen adaptation, but adapted to modern day.   Norma purchases the rundown motel located in the coastal Oregon town of White Pine Bay so the family can start a new life after the death of her husband.

As the series unfolds, we learn that the town of White Pine Bay has many secrets, and many strange and intriguing characters.  The creepy goings-on in the lives of the Bates family aren’t the only weird things in this town. 

Now, you would think that the character of Norman Bates would be the focal point of the series, but Norman’s mother is the real star of this show.  Played so brilliantly by actress Vera Fermiga (The Departed, Up In The Air).  Norma steals virtually every scene she appears in.  Fermiga really deserves an Emmy nomination for her work here. 

Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory), plays Norman.  He’s perfect in the role.  He’s exactly as you would imagine Norman Bates to be as a teenager, teetering on the brink between sanity and insanity. 

From Nestor Carbonell (Lost) as the very mysterious Sherriff Romero, to Max Theriot (House at the End of the Street) as Normans stepbrother, Dylan, the show boasts a great cast of supporting characters as well. 

Not a horror fan? Don’t be scared off.  This is hardly horror.  While there are some creepy aspects to it, the show is much more in the mystery/suspense genre than in the horror category.

‘Bates Motel’ just finished its first season on A&E, airing Monday nights at 10pm, and it has been renewed for a 2^nd season.  Do yourself a favor and try and catch up with it in rebroadcasts or On Demand.  You won’t be disappointed.

Today is the Golden Age of TV Drama, Thanks to Cable!

I hear people discuss the “Golden Age of TV” in referring to TV of the past.  They refer to shows like Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, and M*A*S*H, all great shows to be sure.  But they came at a time when shows like that were few and far between.  

                In these days of hundreds of channels, TV viewers are not restricted to NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX, to find good quality TV Drama.  I argue that TODAY is the TV’s Golden Age.    With basic cable channels such as FX, AMC, TNT, A&E, and USA, to name a few, the choices have never been more plentiful.  The same goes for high-quality dramas.  25 years ago, you may have had 2 or 3 excellent dramas on the air in any particular TV season.  Now it’s not uncommon to have that many on in a given week or maybe even a given night.  Don’t get me wrong, broadcast television does offer some quality programming.  In fact I would say that when it comes to comedies, the broadcast networks do it better.    But cable TV is the place to go for drama.

                Shows like The Shield, Breaking Bad, Rescue Me, Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Justified, The Americans, Damages, Southland, The Wire, Homeland, Game of Thrones,  and The Sopranos all have a couple of things in common.  All of them are critically acclaimed, award-winning, highly respected programs, and all of these shows aired or still air on a cable network.  The list of these cable dramas goes on and on.

                But why does cable offer much better original drama than network TV does in this era?  There are several reasons.  Cable offers less restrictions than broadcast networks do.  Cable allows for more sophisticated and intricate storylines with decidedly adult themes and language.  Cable offers you the feel of watching the quality of a big screen film with every episode.  Groundbreaking shows like The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, or The Walking Dead would never have seen the light of day if it weren’t for cable TV.

                Cable drama series also have seasons of much shorter length.  Whereas a broadcast network drama show such as NCIS produces anywhere from 20-24 episodes a season, cable shows only produce 10-13.  That means less “filler” episodes, episodes that do not really push the story forward but are there merely to fill a quota because the storyline isn’t enough to stretch an entire season.  Cable TV seasons run 3-4 months.  This means that reruns are basically non-existent, and every episode is important.  CBS needs to stretch 24 episodes of NCIS over an 8 month period since the broadcast networks seasons start in September or October and run until May.  That leaves plenty of time for reruns.

                My guess is that you will see the major broadcast networks start following cables lead and give shows 13 episode seasons instead.  This will give them the flexibility of adding more original programming, and more quality writing for each drama series.  Overall, cable drama series provide a much more enjoyable, and satisfying experience for the discernable TV viewer than broadcast networks offer. 

                With the viewing choices growing every day, the broadcast networks will need to step up their game in order to compete for our time and attention, and TV will be better for it.

85th Annual Academy Award Nominations announced!

Here is the complete list of the 85th Academy Award Nominations

Best Picture
“Amour” Nominees to be determined
“Argo” Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney, Producers
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald, Producers
“Django Unchained” Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers
“Les Misérables” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh, Producers
“Life of Pi” Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark, Producers
“Lincoln” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
“Silver Linings Playbook” Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon, Producers
“Zero Dark Thirty” Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison, Producers

Best Director
“Amour” Michael Haneke
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Benh Zeitlin
“Life of Pi” Ang Lee
“Lincoln” Steven Spielberg
“Silver Linings Playbook” David O. Russell

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper in “Silver Linings Playbook”
Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln”
Hugh Jackman in “Les Misérables”
Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master”
Denzel Washington in “Flight”

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin in “Argo”
Robert De Niro in “Silver Linings Playbook”
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones in “Lincoln”
Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained”

Best Actress
Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook”
Emmanuelle Riva in “Amour”
Quvenzhané Wallis in “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Naomi Watts in “The Impossible”

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in “The Master”
Sally Field in “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway in “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt in “The Sessions”
Jacki Weaver in “Silver Linings Playbook”

Best Animated Feature
“Brave” Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
“Frankenweenie” Tim Burton
“ParaNorman” Sam Fell and Chris Butler
“The Pirates! Band of Misfits” Peter Lord
“Wreck-It Ralph” Rich Moore

Cinematography
“Anna Karenina” Seamus McGarvey
“Django Unchained” Robert Richardson
“Life of Pi” Claudio Miranda
“Lincoln” Janusz Kaminski
“Skyfall” Roger Deakins

Best Adapted Screenplay
“Argo” Screenplay by Chris Terrio
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
“Life of Pi” Screenplay by David Magee
“Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner
“Silver Linings Playbook” Screenplay by David O. Russell

Best Original Screenplay
“Amour” Written by Michael Haneke
“Django Unchained” Written by Quentin Tarantino
“Flight” Written by John Gatins
“Moonrise Kingdom” Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
“Zero Dark Thirty” Written by Mark Boal

Costume Design
“Anna Karenina” Jacqueline Durran
“Les Misérables” Paco Delgado
“Lincoln” Joanna Johnston
“Mirror Mirror” Eiko Ishioka
“Snow White and the Huntsman” Colleen Atwood

Best Documentary Feature
“5 Broken Cameras”
Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
“The Gatekeepers”
Nominees to be determined
“How to Survive a Plague”
Nominees to be determined
“The Invisible War”
Nominees to be determined
“Searching for Sugar Man”
Nominees to be determined

Best Documentary (Short Subject)
“Inocente”
Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
“Kings Point”
Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
“Mondays at Racine”
Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
“Open Heart”
Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
“Redemption”
Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill

Film Editing
“Argo” William Goldenberg
“Life of Pi” Tim Squyres
“Lincoln” Michael Kahn
“Silver Linings Playbook” Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
“Zero Dark Thirty” Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Best Foreign Language Film
“Amour” Austria
“Kon-Tiki” Norway
“No” Chile
“A Royal Affair” Denmark
“War Witch” Canada

Makeup
“Hitchcock”
Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
“Les Misérables”
Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Best Original Score
“Anna Karenina” Dario Marianelli
“Argo” Alexandre Desplat
“Life of Pi” Mychael Danna
“Lincoln” John Williams
“Skyfall” Thomas Newman

Best Original Song
“Before My Time” from “Chasing Ice”
Music and Lyric by J. Ralph
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from “Ted”
Music by Walter Murphy; Lyric by Seth MacFarlane
“Pi’s Lullaby” from “Life of Pi”
Music by Mychael Danna; Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”
Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
“Suddenly” from “Les Misérables”
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Production Design
“Anna Karenina”
Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
Production Design: Dan Hennah; Set Decoration: Ra Vincent and Simon Bright
“Les Misérables”
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Anna Lynch-Robinson
“Life of Pi”
Production Design: David Gropman; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Lincoln”
Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Best Animated Short Film
“Adam and Dog” Minkyu Lee
“Fresh Guacamole” PES
“Head over Heels” Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly
“Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”” David Silverman
“Paperman” John Kahrs

Best Live Action Short Film
“Asad” Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
“Buzkashi Boys” Sam French and Ariel Nasr
“Curfew” Shawn Christensen
“Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)” Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
“Henry” Yan England

Sound Editing
“Argo” Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
“Django Unchained” Wylie Stateman
“Life of Pi” Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
“Skyfall” Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
“Zero Dark Thirty” Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing
“Argo”
John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia
“Les Misérables”
Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
“Life of Pi”
Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill and Drew Kunin
“Lincoln”
Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins
“Skyfall”
Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson
Achievement in visual effects
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher White
“Life of Pi”
Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott
“Marvel’s The Avengers”
Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick
“Prometheus”
Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill
“Snow White and the Huntsman”
Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

The awards will be handed out February 24th.

My 10 Best Shows of 2012

Another year has come and gone, and it's been another year of great TV.  As always, I'm not able to watch everything.  So I know I will leave some great shows off the list.  But out of the many shows I watch, I have narrowed that down to what I think are the 10 best shows of the year.  So here we go.

10.  Veep (HBO) - Even if you don't care about politics, this show will give you many laughs.  Smart writing, and an a fun cast.  Great to see Julia Louis Dreyfus back on TV too.  Glad she has a good vehicle like this to show her comedic skills.

9.  The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - One of the few network shows on my list this year.  While it has moved down my list from recent years, the show still provided enough laughs to remain as one of my picks.

8.  Southland (TNT) - Easily TV's best cop show, the series continued to impress in 2012.  The addition of Lucy Liu to an already stellar cast, combined with great storylines, and gritty dialogue made Southland an easy pick for me.

7.  Parenthood (NBC) - I have said it before, but it bears repeating.   There is no other show on TV that has more heart than NBC's Parenthood.  The show never fails to tug at your heartstrings, but does it with such skill, and such believability, that it doesn't feel forced or fake.  For those of you who don't watch it, and are tired of the normal TV fare, and want something that you can watch with your entire family, Parenthood is the show for you.  Peter Krause and Monica Potter have been having tour-de-force seasons among network TV's most stellar cast.

6.  Modern Family (ABC) - Easily TV's funniest sitcom.  It never fails to provide several laugh out loud moments every week.  Ty Burrell's Phil is the funniest character on TV, hands down.  The Matthew Broderick episode this season gave us some of the shows funniest moments.  For a show with such a large cast, to give each of the actors a showcase is no small feat, and Modern Family does it perfectly.

5.  Mad Men (AMC) - AMC's signature drama series had perhaps it's strongest season yet in its 5th year. The show returned from a 17 month layoff and didn't miss a beat.  Christina Hendricks and Jared Harris really stood out this year among an incredible group of actors.

4.  Boardwalk Empire (HBO) - Boardwalk Empire's 3rd season was where the show really hit it's stride.  It had a great villain in Gyp Rosetti, memorably played by Bobby Cannavale.  But more than anything, Jack Huston's performance as disfigured war veteran Richard Harrow was the show's high point this year.

3.  The Walking Dead (AMC) - For those of you who do not watch The Walking Dead, then it is probably hard for you to understand how a show about the zombie apocalypse can be among the years best series.  I would have agreed with you... until I watched it.  Putting aside the incredible blood and guts special effects and edge of your seat action, the shows has rich character driven storylines about survival, friendship, and loss.  A top notch cast and a great villain propelled season 3 of this series into my top 10.

2.  Homeland (SHO) - Now in it's second season, the Emmy winner for best drama series, returned this year determined to show that it's incredible first season was no fluke.  Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, and Damien Lewis continue to amaze with their performances each week.  While many critics would have you believe the show tested it's fans with some implausible storylines, the bottom line is that the show has succeeded in giving us a nail-biting thrill ride every episode.

1.  Breaking Bad (AMC) - In the first half of it's final season (The final 8 episodes will air next summer), Breaking Bad continued to demonstrate the qualities that have made it TV's best drama series, and one of the best series ever.  Watching the character of Walter White evolve into the villain he has become has been riveting.  While Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul remain the series greatest assets, giving Jonathan Banks more screen time this season was a stroke of genius.  The mid-season cliffhanger left everyone wondering what will happen next, and I for one can't wait to find out.

Complete List of Emmy Winners!

Well another Emmy night has come and gone.  Overall it was a pretty good show.  I was disappointed that 'Breaking Bad' didn't win more, but I love 'Homeland' as well, so it was easier to take.    Here is the complete list of winners from last night.

— Drama Series: "Homeland," Showtime.

— Actress, Drama Series: Claire Danes, "Homeland," Showtime.

— Actor, Drama Series: Damian Lewis, "Homeland," Showtime.

— Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad," AMC.

— Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey," PBS.

— Writing, Drama Series: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff, "Homeland," Showtime.

— Directing, Drama Series: Tim Van Patten, "Boardwalk Empire," HBO.

— Comedy Series: "Modern Family," ABC.

— Actor, Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men," CBS.

— Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep," HBO.

— Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Writing, Comedy Series: Louis C.K, "Louie," FX Networks.

— Directing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Miniseries or Movie: "Game Change," HBO.

— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Julianne Moore, "Game Change," HBO.

— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys," History.

— Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story," FX Networks.

— Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Tom Berenger, "Hatfields & McCoys," History.

— Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Jay Roach, "Game Change," HBO.

— Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Danny Strong, "Game Change," HBO.

— Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," CBS.

— Host, Reality-Competition Program: Tom Bergeron, "Dancing With the Stars," ABC.

— Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

— Writing for a Variety Special: Louis C.K., "Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theatre," FX Networks.

— Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Special: Glenn Weiss, 65th Annual Tony Awards, CBS.

It's Emmy Night! My Picks!

The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards are being presented tonight and I thought I would weigh in on who I think will take home the honors tonight, or maybe I should say who I think DESERVES to take home the gold.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Lots of tough categories tonight.  In this one I'm going to go with Julie Bowen from 'Modern Family'.  She will be up against her own castmate in Sofia Vergara, but I think Bowen wins here.  Kristen Wiig from 'Saturday Night Live' will have a very good chance as well.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

The supporting categories, I think, will be belong to 'Modern Family'.  In this one, I think Ty Burrell takes home the trophy.  His portrayal of Phil Dunphy is probably the best and funniest part of the show.  Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Ed O'Neill are all also nominated here, I think only O'Neill has a shot at beating Burrell.


Best Actress in a Comedy Series

Another tough one, but I think Amy Poehler is the winner here.   Julia Louis Dreyfus also has a good shot, but Poehler's role in 'Parks and Recreation' seems to be the obvious choice here.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

While Jim Parson of  'The Big Bang Theory' seems to be the odds-on favorite here, I'm going to go out on a limb and shoot for an upset.  I'm going with Louis C.K. to pull out the win here.  There is just a building buzz surrounding 'Louie' and C.K.'s comedic performance has drawn rave's.  It would be quite a surprise if C.K. pulls this out, but he deserves it.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

In my opinion this category is between 2 people.  Christina Hendricks of 'Mad Men' and Anna Gunn of 'Breaking Bad'.  I know everyone is touting Maggie Smith for 'Downton Abbey' but I'm going with Hendricks here.  Hendricks had a breakout year this year as her character of Joan Holloway became a focal point of several key storylines on 'Mad Men'.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

This category, I hope, will be one of many won by 'Breaking Bad'.  In my opinion, this is down to Aaron Paul or Giancarlo Esposito.  Paul is a past winner, but I think Esposito wins this one.  His performance as Gus Fring on 'Breaking Bad' was one of the best of the last 10 years and one of the greatest villains in TV history.  He should win here.

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Never before has there been such a slam dunk in a category.  No actress has ever been more of a sure thing than Claire Danes will be tonight.  Danes portrayal as bi-polar CIA Agent Carrie Mathison is clearly the performance of the year in 'Homeland.'  If she doesn't win, there should be an investigation.

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Tough one here as well.  Jon Hamm and his portayal of Don Draper on 'Mad Men' have long been overlooked in this category, mainly because of Bryan Cranston on 'Breaking Bad'.  Unfortunately, for Hamm, I think he gets overlooked again.  Bryan Cranston should be the winner here.  The transformation of Walter White from good guy to bad guy has been riveting television, and Cranston should win his 4th Emmy for this role.  In any other year, Damian Lewis might be the favorite and could still pull off the upset.


Best Comedy Series

I think this category is pretty easy to predict as well.  'Modern Family' is far and away the best comedy on network television and should win easily here.


Best Drama Series

Toughest category of the night.  With nominees like 'Breaking Bad,' 'Mad Men,' 'Boardwalk Empire,' and 'Homeland' as well as 'Game of Thrones' and 'Downton Abbey' the makings of an upset are there.  However, I think the best series on TV is 'Breaking Bad' so thats what should win.  I love 'Mad Men' 'Homeland' and 'Boardwalk Empire' too, but 'Breaking Bad' is the king.  Hopefully it goes home the big winner tonight.

That's it.  Those are my picks.   What do you think?  Agree?  Disagree?  What are your picks?  Let me know here or on my Facebook page.  Enjoy the show!

'Survivor: Philippines' Premiere draws 11.2 million viewers

The 25th season of Survivor, this time in the Philippines, debuted last night to 11.2 million viewers.  Up 7% from last September's premiere, and the series best premiere audience in 2 years.

Fans of the show are really going to enjoy this edition. It features a good mix of personalities along with 3 returning favorites, all of whom were medically evacuated at one time and are being given a 2nd shot at the ultimate prize.  

Primetime Emmy Nominations announced!

The Primetime Emmy nominations were just announced.  As usual there were some snubs.  No love for Parenthood or Southland.  No surprises really.  Check out the nominees below.    The awards will be handed out on Sunday, September 23rd, 2012.

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Girls • HBO • Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Veep • HBO • Dundee Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Girls • HBO • Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath

Mike & Molly • CBS • Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. and Warner Bros. Television

Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn

New Girl • FOX • Chernin Entertainment in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber, A Caryn Mandabach Production

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

Parks And Recreation • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions, Fremulon, 3 Arts and Universal Television

Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

Veep • HBO • Dundee Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Larry David as Himself

House Of Lies • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Crescendo Productions, Totally Commercial Films, Refugee Productions, Matthew Carnahan Circus Products

Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan

Louie • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. in association with FX Productions

Louis C.K. as Louie

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television

Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler

Desperate Housewives • ABC • ABC Studios

Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber, A Caryn Mandabach Production

Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Kristen Wiig as various characters

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker

New Girl • FOX • Chernin Entertainment in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Max Greenfield as Schmidt

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Bill Hader as various characters

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • Ryan Murphy Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Shannon Beiste

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Maya Rudolph, Host

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Melissa McCarthy, Host

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Elizabeth Banks as Avery Jessup

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Margaret Cho as Kim Jong-il

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television

Kathy Bates as Charlie Harper

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Michael J. Fox as Himself

Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television

Greg Kinnear as Tad

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber, A Caryn Mandabach Production

Bobby Cannavale as Dr. Mike Cruz

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Jimmy Fallon, Host

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Will Arnett as Devon Banks

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television

Jon Hamm as Abner and David Brinkley

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO • Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Game Of Thrones • HBO • Bighead, Littlehead, Generator Productions,

Television 360, and Grok Television in association with HBO Entertainment

Homeland • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Damages • DirecTV • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK

Productions

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

Harry's Law • NBC • Bonanza Productions in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television

Kathy Bates as Harriet Korn

Homeland • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21

Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO • Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Bryan Cranston as Walter White

Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Devilina Productions

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham

Homeland • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21

Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Anna Gunn as Skyler White

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Joanne Froggatt as Anna

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway Harris

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo 'Gus' Fring

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Brendan Coyle as John Bates

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production

Jim Carter as Mr. Carson

Game Of Thrones • HBO • Bighead, Littlehead, Generator Productions,

Television 360, and Grok Television in association with HBO Entertainment

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Jared Harris as Lane Pryce

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Martha Plimpton as Patti Nyholm

Grey's Anatomy • ABC • ABC Studios

Loretta Devine as Adele Webber

Harry's Law • NBC • Bonanza Productions in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television

Jean Smart as D.A. Roseanna Remmick

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Julia Ormond as Marie Calvet

Shameless • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson

Smash • NBC • Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television and Madwoman in the Attic

Uma Thurman as Rebecca Duvall

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Mark Margolis as Tio Salamanca

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions

Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning

Justified • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television

Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Ben Feldman as Michael Ginsberg

Parenthood • NBC • Imagine Television and Universal Television

Jason Ritter as Mark Cyr

My Emmy Wish List!

It's that time of the year again everyone.  The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced tomorrow.  Every year I like to go over who I would like to see be recognized for their work.  In most of the categories, the nominees are pretty easy to predict.  But this is who I would like to see nominated in each of the major categories.  So here we go!

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Ty Burrell - Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family, Ed O'Neill - Modern Family, Nick Offerman - Parks and Recreation, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Modern Family.

My Wish to be nominated:  In this category, I would love to see Kunal Nayyar from the Big Bang Theory get nominated.  His portrayal of Raj has gotten to be the best part of this very funny network comedy.  Jason Segel from How I Met Your Mother would also be a nice surprise to see get a nomination here.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Who I think will be nominated:  Julie Bowen - Modern Family, Sofia Vergara - Modern Family, Betty White - Hot In Cleveland, Kristen Wiig - Saturday Night Live.


My Wish to be nominated:  The 5th nominee in this category is up for grabs.  It could be Cheryl Hines for Suburgatory, or Alison Brie from Community.  However, I'm hoping for Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother.  HIMYM had one of its best seasons this year and Hannigan proved to be Emmy worthy with a great comedic performance.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory, Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock, Louis C.K., - Louie, Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm.

My Wish to be nominated:  A very long shot here, but I would really like to see Tim Allen from Last Man Standing get a nominated.  A very underrated show and in my opinion a very underrated comedic actor.  Will Arnett from Up All Night would also be nice to see here.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation, Tina Fey - 30 Rock, Julia Louis Dreyfus - Veep, Melissa McCarthy - Mike and Molly, Laura Dern - Enlightened.

My Wish to be nominated:  Kat Dennings from 2 Broke Girls.  Yes the show is crude, but its also very funny.

Best Support Actor in a Drama Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones, Giancarlo Esposito - Breaking Bad, Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad,  John Slattery - Mad Men, Mandy Patinkin - Homeland.


My Wish to be nominated:  My wish nominee here is truly just a wish, because I would be very surprised if any of the above actors are NOT nominated.    But my wish here is Jonathan Banks for Breaking Bad.  His character of Mike is my favorite character on the show.  His performance is just perfect in every way. I've been a fan of Banks from his days as McPike on Wiseguy and i'm so glad to see him back on TV's best drama.

Best Support Actress in a Drama Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Christina Hendricks - Mad Men, Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey, Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad, Christine Baranski - The Good Wife, Archie Panjabi - The Good Wife.

My Wish to be nominated:  Erika Christensen - Parenthood.  Parenthood is the most underrated drama on television and one of the best.  Christensen's performance as Julia was so heartfelt, as are all of the performances on this show.  Her scenes at the end of the season where her character realized that the adoption she had been planning all season was not going to happen were truly heartwrenching.

Best Actress in a Drama Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Claire Danes - Homeland, Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men, Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife, Glenn Close - Damages.

My Wish to be nominated:  Another category where the 5th nominee is very hard to predict.  My wish nominee is Mireille Enos from The Killing.  Her rock solid performance as Detective Sarah Linden was the glue that held this series together.  The show lost its way at times, but Enos was always on target.

Best Actor in a Drama Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad, Jon Hamm - Mad Men, Damian Lewis - Homeland, Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire, Kelsey Grammer - Boss.

My Wish to be nominated:  Easily the toughest category of the night.   I'd be very surprised if Bryan Cranston doesn't walk away with his 4th Emmy.   But, just look at the names that will most likely miss out on a nomination here.  Hugh Laurie, Dustin Hoffman, and Kiefer Sutherland, to name a few.  I actually have 2 wish nominees here.  My first one is Peter Krause from Parenthood.  As with Erika Christensen, Krause performance as Adam Braverman was never better.  His character struggled with being the parent of a child with Aspergers, while fighting to save his new business at the same.  Krause was funny, touching, and tough all at the same time.  My other wish nominee here is Denis Leary from Rescue Me.  It really is a shame that Leary never won and Emmy for his role as Tommy Gavin, the very troubled, alcoholic firefighter who battled his demons throughout the series, all the while dealing with the memories of 9/11.  This will be the Academy's last chance to nominate Leary for this role.

Best Comedy Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Modern Family, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, The Big Bang Theory, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

My Wish to be nominated:  My wish nominee here is How I Met Your Mother.  In my opinion the show had its best season this year.  It was every bit as good as likely nominee Big Bang Theory this season and it boast one of the best casts of any comedy on television.

Best Drama Series


Who I think will be nominated:  Breaking Bad, Homeland, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey.


My Wish to be nominated:  My wish nominees here are the same as in the Best Actor category.  Parenthood and Rescue Me.  Parenthood is one of the best and most overlooked dramas on network television.  No series has more heart and the top notch cast delivers week after week.   Rescue Me is a show that I didn't think I would say should get a nomination.  It really faltered in its middle seasons, but its final season was one of its best and made us remember why Rescue Me was once one of TV's best dramas.

'Cougar Town' renewed, moves to TBS

'Cougar Town' has been renewed, but not by ABC.  Cable network TBS has ordered a 4th season of the show to begin airing in early 2013.

TBS has also purchased the rights to the first 61 episodes of the show that originally aired on ABC.

"Cougar Town is a smart, whimsical sitcom that draws its humor from likable, relatable characters." said Michael Wright, President, Head of Programming for TBS.  "We are thrilled to have Cougar Town moving to the TBS neighborhood as the network continues to expand its slate of original comedy series."

The program, which made its third-season debut in midseason, has been adequate in a Tuesday timeslot following "Last Man Standing" but was not expected to be part of ABC's 2012-13 plans.

Fox renews 'Touch,' cancels 'Alcatraz' and 'The Finder'

Fox has announced that is has renewed 'Touch' for a second season, but has cancelled 'Alcatraz' and 'The Finder.'

'Touch' is being given a chance by Fox despite so-so ratings.  Fox has a long relationship with the shows star Kiefer Sutherland from his days on '24,' so this likely played into the decision.

The show, about a widower who struggles to connect with his mute son who has unique abilities, seemed enough to propel the drama into a hit for Fox.    The series previewed in January after 'American Idol' and drew 12 million viewers.   It seemed to retain much of the viewership when it returned 2 months later in its regular Thursday time slot.  But it has since seen its numbers fall.

The 10 Best Shows of 2011

TV had its ups and downs in 2011.  It had it's failures, like 'Pan Am,' 'Charlies Angels,' and Charlie Sheen.  But it also had its success stories, the welcome return of Tim Allen to prime time TV in 'Last Man Standing' and the continued dominance of cable TV as a provider of top notch television.  2011 was a great year for TV.    Here are, in my opinion, the 10 best shows of the year:

10.  Men of A Certain Age - TNT - I was extremely disappointed to see this show go.  A well written, well acted comedy-drama about 3 middle-aged friends expertly played by Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and Andre Braugher.  One of the most underrated shows of the last few year.  Sadly TNT cancelled it after its 2nd season concluded.


9.  How I Met Your Mother - CBS - I'm not sure why this show doesn't get as much appreciation from the critics.  In my opinion, it is still one of TV's strongest comedies.  Consistently funny and a great cast.  With all of the Charlie Sheen nonsense that went on earlier this year, this show became overlooked for the steady performer that it is. 


8.  Rescue Me - FX - This very dark, often hilarious show ended its 7 year run with a superb season.  Denis Leary's 93 episode turn as Tommy Gavin, a NYC Firefighter whose life was forever changed by 9/11 stands as one of the best and most underrated performances in the last 10 years.


7.  Curb Your Enthusiasm - HBO - Larry David took his act to New York for season 7 and the laughs just kept on coming.  From Michael J. Fox as Larry's newest adversary, to the Palestinian Chicken episode, Larry David showed this show still has a lot of life left in it.  


6.  Southland - TNT - Nothing has been done more on TV than cop shows.  But every once in a while once comes along that has staying power.  Over the years we've seen shows like 'Hill Street Blues,' 'Wiseguy,' '24,' and 'The Shield' as unique drama series that left a lasting mark on TV.  'Southland' still has a way to go before it matches the status of the aforementioned series, but right now it is hands down the best cop show on TV.  


5.  Parenthood - NBC - Now in it's 3rd season, this family drama keeps getting better and better.  It boasts the best ensemble cast on the 4 major networks.   Peter Krause and Monica Potter's attempts to connect with their autistic son give this show a healthy dose of realism and heart.   It's so rare for a show to evoke such emotion week after week, but Parenthood succeeds on every level.


4.  Modern Family - ABC - In just it's 3rd season, Modern Family has become the gold standard for TV comedy.  The show never fails to produce laughs, each and every episode.    Ty Burrell continues to amaze and has become the best comedic actor on TV.  


3.  Boardwalk Empire - HBO - This series started as a show about bootlegging and corruption in Prohibition era Atlantic City, but is has evolved into a study of what people will do to survive and the ways that they will justify their behavior.  This series has grown better as each season has progressed and ended season 2 with a big shock that few shows have the guts to make.


2.  Homeland - SHO - Easily TV's best new drama, this riveting series became Sunday night's must watch show.    What makes this show so good, among other things, is that viewers  are initially unclear about who is telling the truth.  Damien Lewis and Mandy Patinkin's performances are among the years best. But it's Claire Danes turn as bipolar CIA agent Carrie Mathison that is the most amazing performance of the year.  If Danes doesn't walk away with a Best Actress Emmy there should be an investigation.


1.  Breaking Bad - AMC - As good as 'Homeland' was, 'Breaking Bad' was even better.  Honestly, did any show have as great a season as this show did?  One of the best seasons of any show in recent memory, ended with one of the best season finales of all time.  In it's 4th season this show has never been better. The amazing performances of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul were almost overshadowed by Giancarlo Esposito's incredible and terrifying performance as Gus, TV's best villain.  We can't wait to see where this show goes next and wherever it goes, we know it will continue to be the most riveting hour on television.