I'm firmly on Team "The Bear should not be up for Comedy", so it would not (and will not, because I'm an Emmy voter) be getting my vote there. I would consider putting it in Program of the Year, because it was remarkable, but Shogun took the cake for me this time around. Here's how I would vote:
Program: Shogun
Comedy: Hacks (* I still haven't watched Lady Parts - either season - but I intend to one day)
Drama: Shogun (honorable mention to Fallout)
Miniseries: Fellow Travelers (but am fine with the inevitable Reindeer win)
New Program: Fallout
Performer, Drama: Anna Sawai, hands down (where's Walton Goggins, though?)
Performer, Comedy: Jean Smart (verrry interesting to me that only one male performer is in there - I would consider voting for him, but he isn't doing comedy)
I agree with your rants and soapboxes, and it's a loophole they really ought to fix somehow, rather than putting critics in a position to say, "I really loved that, but it doesn't fit in this category." "Best New Program" ought to be for the beginning of something ongoing. Of course, it's likely to get more confusing as shows that complete their source material in the first season--that could end at the end of the source material and be a miniseries--end up going onward, like The Leftovers, The Handmaid's Tale, and now, apparently, Shogun.
And then these cross-categories seem like they're stacking the deck. It seems from this list that someone's got a feeling about Baby Reindeer... and now I'm thinking, did I really love Baby Reindeer? It was a cultural moment, and I am glad I watched it... but can I imagine any world where it was the best thing on TV this year?
Me not really understand how ongoing series Fargo end up in miniseries, but limited series Shōgun not make cut. But it not would be awards show if every category made sense. Still better than Grammys!
Me wonder if that sign that TCA voters leaning towards Fargo. Personally, me loved that season, thought it was best season of already consistently-great show, but me would still go with Shōgun.
Anthologies like Fargo are usually classified as miniseries for awards.
Shōgun is no longer a limited series, because they're working on (but haven't greenlit) two additional seasons, presumed to be a continuation of Blackthorne and Toranaga's story.
I haven’t really been keeping up with modern TV lately to have too many strong opinions on the main categories- aside from loving Shōgun and The Bear, although I’m with the majority who agree that the latter is not a comedy- but the bulk of my blog is dedicated to winners for the Heritage Award. There’s a few series that I’d like to see finally make it, but the most egregious snub to date has to be The Twilight Zone, right? Still one of the most engaging and impactful series ever, but it never seems to make it far here.
I think that’s right, I Love Lucy only got inducted a couple of years ago, but if any other black and white show would pass the vibes test, you’d think it would be TZ. I wouldn’t hold my breath for Honeymooners or even Andy Griffity, however.
I have strong feelings about you voting for something based on how many times the other contenders have already won. That should be completely and utterly irrelevant. Vote for what you think is the best, not based on some made up, arbitrary standard of fairness. How Canadian of you...... :-)
After last year, when it felt like the Very Good first season of The Bear was winning awards because the Excellent second season of The Bear was fresh in everyone's minds, it'll be interesting to see how it fares against Hacks, who squeaked in the entire season at the end of the eligibility window rather than the beginning.
Shōgun is the best show I've seen this year, and Hacks is pretty close to the top of the list, so I'll pretty much be supporting those. (I'd be fine with either actor winning but agree I'd prefer Sawai.) Smart deserves the win for Hacks, too. (I do want to add that while Einbinder wasn't nominated, she really has gotten better and better and rises to the occasion of being Smart's equal in some crucial scenes this season.)
Girls5eva was good, too. Abbott Elementary was uneven this season.
Telemarketers was very good and I'd be happy to see it win its category.
Mulaney winning would be fun, too.
I don't think I've seen any of the other nominees.
To push for an underdog, considering that many shows I like are strong contenders, I would push for We are lady parts, which is truly spectacular and definitely a comedy 👌
Shogun for all its categories where it's not up against Rez Dogs. And to be clear: ANNA SAWAI
Conan for reality (last season of TAR was awful and the producers of The Traitors need to get out of their own way).
Out of the News/Info category, I've only seen The Jinx. Liked it. Only seen The Sympathizer and Fargo from the Miniseries category, liked Sympathizer more.
I only have strong opinions about two of the categories, and neither of them is really about who should win.
1. The Bear is not comedy. It's funny sometimes, but it's not about being funny. Best program? Absolutely. Best comedy? Nah.
2. Family is the category that ties me in knots because it's such a catch all. Percy Jackson is in my opinion the best example of what the category should mean and on that basis should probably win. But Heartstopper is certainly a show that can and should be enjoyed by people of all ages and it's the one that gave me as they say "all the feels". And I really want to see Doctor Who recognized both because it's Doctor Who and because it's been a genuinely strong season. But I don't think family show is the right place for it, even though it's not not that. Is a three-way tie too much to hope for?
As is often the case with this sort of thing, I feel wary of weighing in when I haven't seen all the nominees in a given category. (I liked Shōgun a lot. Can I honestly say it's more deserving of the title Program of the Year when I haven't seen the other five shows that it's up against?)
If negative opinions are allowed, I feel very strongly that Abbott Elementary does *not* deserve a comedy award for the most recent season, which wasn't nearly as strong as years past. And I feel similarly about Fargo in the various drama categories. On the other hand, I know that awards like this are often more about an entire body of work than necessarily the most recent one technically nominated, and those shows have both been better in previous seasons.
It's pretty telling that when you wrote in Outstanding Achievement in Drama "it’s dumb that no fewer than three limited series are nominated in both Drama and Miniseries" I didn't know which ones you meant without looking at the specific miniseries nominees. So many shows are returning brands after many years like Fargo or True Detective, or new shows that might have future seasons, like Ripley or Shogun, or I guess even Mr. and Mrs. Smith in a different category. I personally don't know how to characterize them. Just a weird combination this year I guess.
My votes for all the categories you listed would be:
Shogun
The Bear
Shogun
Baby Reindeer
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Andrew Scott
Renée Elise Goldsberry (the Bear folk and even Jean Smart have too much "drama" for me)
N/A don't know enough to vote
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Top Chef
N/A didn't watch any
Bluey (not that I've watched but feels inevitable)
I'm firmly on Team "The Bear should not be up for Comedy", so it would not (and will not, because I'm an Emmy voter) be getting my vote there. I would consider putting it in Program of the Year, because it was remarkable, but Shogun took the cake for me this time around. Here's how I would vote:
Program: Shogun
Comedy: Hacks (* I still haven't watched Lady Parts - either season - but I intend to one day)
Drama: Shogun (honorable mention to Fallout)
Miniseries: Fellow Travelers (but am fine with the inevitable Reindeer win)
New Program: Fallout
Performer, Drama: Anna Sawai, hands down (where's Walton Goggins, though?)
Performer, Comedy: Jean Smart (verrry interesting to me that only one male performer is in there - I would consider voting for him, but he isn't doing comedy)
News: don't know enough to vote
Variety/Talk: Mulaney
Reality: Traitors
Family: Doctor Who
Children's: don't know enough to vote
I agree with your rants and soapboxes, and it's a loophole they really ought to fix somehow, rather than putting critics in a position to say, "I really loved that, but it doesn't fit in this category." "Best New Program" ought to be for the beginning of something ongoing. Of course, it's likely to get more confusing as shows that complete their source material in the first season--that could end at the end of the source material and be a miniseries--end up going onward, like The Leftovers, The Handmaid's Tale, and now, apparently, Shogun.
And then these cross-categories seem like they're stacking the deck. It seems from this list that someone's got a feeling about Baby Reindeer... and now I'm thinking, did I really love Baby Reindeer? It was a cultural moment, and I am glad I watched it... but can I imagine any world where it was the best thing on TV this year?
Me not really understand how ongoing series Fargo end up in miniseries, but limited series Shōgun not make cut. But it not would be awards show if every category made sense. Still better than Grammys!
Me wonder if that sign that TCA voters leaning towards Fargo. Personally, me loved that season, thought it was best season of already consistently-great show, but me would still go with Shōgun.
Shogun is competing in Drama Series after FX confirmed plans for additional seasons.
Anthologies like Fargo are usually classified as miniseries for awards.
Shōgun is no longer a limited series, because they're working on (but haven't greenlit) two additional seasons, presumed to be a continuation of Blackthorne and Toranaga's story.
I haven’t really been keeping up with modern TV lately to have too many strong opinions on the main categories- aside from loving Shōgun and The Bear, although I’m with the majority who agree that the latter is not a comedy- but the bulk of my blog is dedicated to winners for the Heritage Award. There’s a few series that I’d like to see finally make it, but the most egregious snub to date has to be The Twilight Zone, right? Still one of the most engaging and impactful series ever, but it never seems to make it far here.
I simply think that the membership of the organization is not connected enough to actual classic TV for that to manifest, but we’ll see.
I think that’s right, I Love Lucy only got inducted a couple of years ago, but if any other black and white show would pass the vibes test, you’d think it would be TZ. I wouldn’t hold my breath for Honeymooners or even Andy Griffity, however.
I have strong feelings about you voting for something based on how many times the other contenders have already won. That should be completely and utterly irrelevant. Vote for what you think is the best, not based on some made up, arbitrary standard of fairness. How Canadian of you...... :-)
After last year, when it felt like the Very Good first season of The Bear was winning awards because the Excellent second season of The Bear was fresh in everyone's minds, it'll be interesting to see how it fares against Hacks, who squeaked in the entire season at the end of the eligibility window rather than the beginning.
Shōgun is the best show I've seen this year, and Hacks is pretty close to the top of the list, so I'll pretty much be supporting those. (I'd be fine with either actor winning but agree I'd prefer Sawai.) Smart deserves the win for Hacks, too. (I do want to add that while Einbinder wasn't nominated, she really has gotten better and better and rises to the occasion of being Smart's equal in some crucial scenes this season.)
Girls5eva was good, too. Abbott Elementary was uneven this season.
Telemarketers was very good and I'd be happy to see it win its category.
Mulaney winning would be fun, too.
I don't think I've seen any of the other nominees.
To push for an underdog, considering that many shows I like are strong contenders, I would push for We are lady parts, which is truly spectacular and definitely a comedy 👌
Rez Dogs for all the categories it's up for!
Shogun for all its categories where it's not up against Rez Dogs. And to be clear: ANNA SAWAI
Conan for reality (last season of TAR was awful and the producers of The Traitors need to get out of their own way).
Out of the News/Info category, I've only seen The Jinx. Liked it. Only seen The Sympathizer and Fargo from the Miniseries category, liked Sympathizer more.
No strong opinions on the rest.
I only have strong opinions about two of the categories, and neither of them is really about who should win.
1. The Bear is not comedy. It's funny sometimes, but it's not about being funny. Best program? Absolutely. Best comedy? Nah.
2. Family is the category that ties me in knots because it's such a catch all. Percy Jackson is in my opinion the best example of what the category should mean and on that basis should probably win. But Heartstopper is certainly a show that can and should be enjoyed by people of all ages and it's the one that gave me as they say "all the feels". And I really want to see Doctor Who recognized both because it's Doctor Who and because it's been a genuinely strong season. But I don't think family show is the right place for it, even though it's not not that. Is a three-way tie too much to hope for?
As is often the case with this sort of thing, I feel wary of weighing in when I haven't seen all the nominees in a given category. (I liked Shōgun a lot. Can I honestly say it's more deserving of the title Program of the Year when I haven't seen the other five shows that it's up against?)
If negative opinions are allowed, I feel very strongly that Abbott Elementary does *not* deserve a comedy award for the most recent season, which wasn't nearly as strong as years past. And I feel similarly about Fargo in the various drama categories. On the other hand, I know that awards like this are often more about an entire body of work than necessarily the most recent one technically nominated, and those shows have both been better in previous seasons.
It's pretty telling that when you wrote in Outstanding Achievement in Drama "it’s dumb that no fewer than three limited series are nominated in both Drama and Miniseries" I didn't know which ones you meant without looking at the specific miniseries nominees. So many shows are returning brands after many years like Fargo or True Detective, or new shows that might have future seasons, like Ripley or Shogun, or I guess even Mr. and Mrs. Smith in a different category. I personally don't know how to characterize them. Just a weird combination this year I guess.
My votes for all the categories you listed would be:
Shogun
The Bear
Shogun
Baby Reindeer
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Andrew Scott
Renée Elise Goldsberry (the Bear folk and even Jean Smart have too much "drama" for me)
N/A don't know enough to vote
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Top Chef
N/A didn't watch any
Bluey (not that I've watched but feels inevitable)