Emmys: For once, the right shows and people won
I cannot remember an Emmy awards shows in which so many of the shows and people who deserved to win actually went home with trophies.
Start with AMC's Mad Men and the series creator, Baltimore-native Matt Weiner. Weiner won for best writing in a drama beating such competition as that of David Simon and Ed Burns of HBO's The Wire.
Then take Tina Fey and the series she created, NBC's 30 Rock. She won for best comedy writing, best comedy show and best lead actress in a comedy. Alec Baldwin won for best lead actor in a comedy series. Quite a sweep -- and a fine face-saving effort for all of network TV in a night otherwise largely dominated by cable.
And most of all, consider the historic accomplishment of the HBO miniseries John Adams becoming the most honored program in TV history surpassing Angels in America, Roots and Eleanor and Franklin, a 1976 miniseries about FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, in Emmys. As my story in Monday's Sun says, it was a night for the record books -- even if the telecast itself was one of the sorriest ever.
And all three productions speak to the way in which great TV not only entertains, but also connects with the most important forces in American life. Just as Roots and Angels in America spoke to such powerful historical and social concerns as slavery and AIDS, so did John Adams arrive last spring just as the nation was starting to grapple with the question of what kind of president we want to try and lead us through one of the most challenging periods in our history.
(Please make sure and check out the previous post -- the first part of an interview with Mad Men staff writer and Baltimore native Robin Veith who was nominated with Weiner for another episode, "The Wheel." Veith was onstage with Weiner at the end of the night when Mad Men took top honors. I'll have more of my interview with her throughout the week here. But she really was kind enough to take us inside the show.)
Beyond the series and writers listed above, here are some other most deserving winners:
Dianne Weist as best supporting actress in a drama for In Treatment (HBO). Glenn Close as best lead actress in a drama for Damages (FX). Kirk Ellis for the teleplay of John Adams (HBO). Tom Wilkinson as best supporting actor in a miniseries as Benjamin Franklin in John Adams (HBO).
Jeremy Piven as best supporting actor in a comedy for Entourage (HBO). Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti as best lead actress and actor in a miniseries as Abigail and John Adams in John Adams (HBO). The Colbert Report for best writing in comedy or variety series and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for best comedy or variety show, respectively.
Now, look at those shows and performers and tell me that TV is a boob tube or the "vast wasteland" blah, blah blah -- or whatever else uninformed snobs want to call it. I think this year's Emmys make the case that TV is not only America's primary storyteller, but thanks to cable, it has become home to the best and brightest talents in all of popular culture. This year, the Emmys did the medium proud.
And one last thought. How about this comment reported at The Envelope Web site involving Weiner and his feelings about the fact that none of his cast members were asked to be presenters even though it was the drama with the most nominations:
Mad Men creator Mathew Weiner caused gasps back in the press room when he answered a journalist's question about what it felt like being the first basic cable show ever to win best series, the Los Angeles-based Envelope reported.
"I'm surprised that there is such segregation and caste system at the Emmys," he said. "I have this amazing cast, and none of them was asked to present awards tonight."
I could not agree more. What, Jon Hamm and January Jones aren't glamorous enough for the Emmys? Good for Weiner.
(Above: NBC Photo of Tina Fey)
Comments
It does not surprise me that "John Adams" shattered records last because it is the right show at the right time. We are now in a time where the country is falling a part and we are trying to figure out who to turn to. This country wants another John Adams to put the pieces back together, and what better way to tap into this idea then show how the pieces were arranged to begin with.
Hi Jason, Thanks for the comment. I think you are absolutely spot on in terms of this series connecting with a deeper national anxiety -- or maybe just a search for what qualities make for a great president at this crucial time when we are about to elect a new one. Looking back to one of the American originals as a touchstone for comparison -- ar at least a reassurance that America can produce great leadeers in perilous time. Z
Posted by: Jason Baskin | September 22, 2008 9:30 AM
It is amazing to me how the shows with controversy and political content have consistently been the most popular this year. Television has always seemed to me as a response to "get away" from everyday debate with the dumbed down primetime comedies not requiring much thought. However, with the current state of our nation it does not suprise me that directors/ producers are capitalizing on political debate in their shows, and people are tuning in. The shows spin critical issues in a way that the viewer can relate, often in a simplistic manner. It is a very interesting tactic, at the right timeline of events, producing results because of the unnerving state that America is in.
Posted by: Chris Herting | September 22, 2008 2:08 PM
What I think is interesting and terrific is that the Emmys recognizes and hands out awards to those shows that aren't necessarily pulling in a big audience. A good number of the shows on TV with the highest ratings may connect on some level with society, but not all of them have the same integrity and talent as shows that are often overlooked by the mass audience, such as Mad Men and 30 Rock. It's great that the industry recognizes the talent and contributions of these shows despite what their ratings may be.
Posted by: Quinn S. | September 22, 2008 11:20 PM
Good for Weiner. I mean, Lauren Conrad gets to present, but not Hamm or Jones? Absurd. I do think that next year, Mad Men's actors will be duly recognized during the ceremony, both with awards and presenting gigs. Hamm and John Slattery were robbed, but at least they were nominated. It's a shame that Christina Hendricks, Elizabeth Moss and January Jones weren't recognized at all.
Posted by: Julie | September 22, 2008 11:30 PM
I'm very pleased that "John Adams" won best teleplay. I watched it for a few of the days, and it was amazing. I have not seen Entourage, Mad Men, Treatment, or Damages, so I cannot really comment on those. I'm glad Tina Fey won best actress in a comedy series. She was one of the leading people in the writer's strike, and it's nice to see that the strike has passed and that she still got an Emmy.
Posted by: Sarah Lehmberg | September 23, 2008 8:20 PM
Truthfully, I feel as though "John Adams" stole something from those phenomenal miniseries listed. Yes, it was a good show despite the minor inaccuracies. And yes, John Adams was a decent president, but it was his work before and after the Oval Office that was so revolutionary.
"Angles in America" even seems more politically relevant, if only because it presents an ensemble of people forced to reexamine their everyday lives and personal beliefs when faced drastic changes. America can't go back to it's foundation. We've been there, and now it's time to build off of that. Our next president is going to either be a black man who's built his platform on hope or a woman who believes men and dinosaurs once co-existed (let's face it, McCain won't survive all four years, if any). John Adams was brilliant, his miniseries was not, and those monumental miniseries should not be punished because of that.
Great stuff here. I will get back to it later today. I especially want to explore the "minor inaccuracies." Can you elaborate? Thanks. Z
Posted by: Xia P | September 23, 2008 9:18 PM
I agree that this Emmy's this year, more so than in recent years, truly showcased and rewarded the best shows on television right now. Hopefully, the interest in "John Adams" is indicative of the nation's shifting interests, as a record number of Americans continune to become aware, and interested in, what's going in in politics, and what it means for them. We can only hope they will all make it to the polls in November. Along with "John Adams," "Entourage," and "In Treatment" are made with the kind of superior quality I have come to expect from HBO. I am not familiar with "Mad Men," but having heard so much about it lately, I feel like I should check it out.
Posted by: Claire | September 24, 2008 3:38 PM