Welcome back to round two of the covid era Marco Awards. If you read last week’s blog, you’ve seen the big winners in the Movies category. (If not, go check them out here.) Sincere thanks to those of you who have already let me know my recommendations have intrigued you enough to watch and enjoy some of films we discussed. Today, more of the same as we move on to the honors for covid year Television (and it was a lot!), sadly on the one year anniversary of the day New York became the first state to close down, followed by the rest of the country a year ago tomorrow.
The rules for TV are a little more complicated because, unlike movies, the medium is not a one-time event, but ongoing and evolving. I am still the nominating committee and voting body and have declared that a TV series will be eligible if it aired a new season on in-home streaming between March 12th and January 31st, and I watched it. If I have previously watched the series up til this season, only the current season and cast members are eligible for nomination. However if I have never watched it, all previous seasons and cast members are eligible as my first viewing. Also, like in the Movies category but with a slight modification, anyone who won an Emmy for a role in 2020 is ineligible, just to keep things from being repetitive, but anyone who has won for a current role from 2019 prior is included. (The only major show this effects is Schitt’s Creek, which swept every major category at the Emmys, so congratulations Levy and company, and now everyone else has a chance here.) Again, I’m just making this up as I go, like the 31st is a purely arbitrary date set by the nominating committee (me) giving the voting body (me) enough time to catch up and tabulate the results for release sometime around the anniversary of covid shutdowns (now).
So, with that, welcome to the first annual Marco Awards for Excellence in Television that appeared all day every day in your living room. I’d like to think that these awards are a replacement for the absolute garbage ceremony the Emmys threw together, or at least way more fun (which is a low bar because that was literally the worst awards show ever). Again, I’m your host, Mark Briner, and may the best shows win. The nominees are:
The First Annual MARCO AWARDS 2020: TELEVISION
BEST DRAMA
Bridgerton—The period bodice-ripper with the contemporary CW feel was the most talked about debut of the year. Dame Julie Andrews voices a scathing gossip columnist who is the period TMZ to the scandalous London court.
The Crown—The highly lauded bio-series about Queen Elizabeth finally ventures from dusted-off history into pop culture with season 4 as the world falls in love with Lady Diana and loathes Maggie Thatcher.
Hollywood—Ryan Murphy scores again in this fantasy tale of what Hollywood could have been in the golden age if not bogged down in racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Hunters—Al Pacino and an all-star cast head this fast-paced adventure series about a group of underground vigilante Nazi hunters in 1970s New York.
The Queen’s Gambit—The sleeper hit of the season, Anya Taylor-Joy stars as an orphan who discovers a love of chess and fights the Russian man’s world of politics and sexism in a quest to become the first female world champion.
War & Peace—Lily James heads a stunning cast of BBC stars in this breathtaking new version of Tolstoy’s opus of sex and war and money and more sex. Think Gone With The Wind: Russia.
WINNER: Hunters. There is not a weak entry in this line-up, but Hunters finds a way to tell an improbable story with historical roots in a fresh and innovative new way. The most star-studded cast on the list all contribute in ways one doesn’t expect. It may feel a little Marvel Universal at times, but if that’s not your thing, push past it for a thrilling chase full of twists and turns.
BEST COMEDY
Dead to Me—Christina Applegate plays against loveable type as a bitter young widow and mother struggling with grief and anger. Befriended by Linda Cardelini playing into her strengths as a neurotic loner with a secret, the strange tale of their intersecting lives guarantees a bona fide cliffhanger every half hour.
The Flight Attendant—Kelly Cuoco is a troubled party-girl flight attendant who has some ‘splaining to do when an alcohol-fueled hookup with a hot passenger culminates with his dead body in her bed the morning after, setting off a dark comic, thrill-filled intercontinental adventure.
Insatiable—This unlikely hit scores on midnight dark comedy as two Southern attorneys, lifelong rivals, take their high school to business feud to a new battleground: teen beauty pageants. The underdog’s secret weapon: a former overweight duckling who lost a significant amount of weight and is now a fabulous swan—but with all the emotional baggage she carried before.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—The tale continues for a young ex-wife and mother who attempts to blaze a career as one of the first female stand-up comics in the Borscht belt male-dominated 50s and 60s. Season 3 takes Midge on the road with a national tour opening for a popular Motown act. The series is based on the actual battles faced by young Joan Rivers before you knew about her.
The Politician—Yet another entry from Ryan Murphy in his wünder-deal with Netflix, starring stage sensation Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen, Pitch Perfect) as an ambitious high school student intent on hitting the fast track from class president to US President. Season 2 jumps ahead and pits him in local New York politics against a variety of experienced sharks, featuring big league hitters Judith Light and Bette Midler.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist—A dicey concept pays off in this offbeat hit about a girl (Jane Levy) who leaves an MRI with a strange and frightening new gift—the ability to hear everyone’s inner thoughts in the form of music, from heartfelt ballads to elaborate production numbers. A very game cast buys into the improbable premise and provides some unexpectedly touching moments in addition to other more Glee-like musical thrills.
Ineligible: Schitt’s Creek and every actor in it after a record-setting Emmy sweep.
WINNER: Dead to Me. Great writing and top-notch performances from its leading ladies keep this series fresh with every episode. Applegate and Cardelini as well as James Marsden as the guy at the center of their drama are all at the top of their games.
BEST ACTOR in a DRAMA
Jason Bateman (Ozark)—Bateman has made a career of playing the straight man at the middle of comic insanity (Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses). Here he flips that formula playing the straight man at the middle of intense, organized crime insanity—in the middle of mountain country, America, hillbilly crime ring insanity. Intensity suits him well.
Hugh Grant (The Undoing)—Britain’s former rom-com king goes for midnight darkness as a posh private school father with sexual secrets and a possible murder under his polished veneer.
Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country)—Majors carries this unlikely hybrid tale of H.P. Lovecraft-ian science fiction and post-war civil rights easily on his broad shoulders, making the most outrageous sci-fi villains and aliens seem as realistic as the most hateful white supremacists he and his party simultaneously face.
Al Pacino (Hunters)—in a career of over-the-top performances that have become completely out of hand, Pacino finally balances the theatrics with restraint as the head of a group of Nazi hunters fulfilling their mission in 70s New York.
Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton)—the unabashed “it” boy of the pandemic, Page is the standout as a sleek, dashing duke with ugly family secrets in the court of Queen Charlotte.
Bill Pullman (The Sinner)—Pullman excels season after season as a complex and disturbed policeman faced with an unending parade of trying, twisted murder suspects.
WINNER: Al Pacino. In a competitive category, Bateman, Grant, and Pullman offer revelations for their second careers, and Majors and Page will certainly have their time to come. But Pacino, the former quintessential actor’s actor, has spent the second half of his career playing cartoonish characters more over the top than his turn as Big Boy Caprice in Dick Tracy, an actual cartoon (what I have come to call the “hoo-wah!” years, after the embarrassing role he actually won a ludicrous makeup Oscar for). But here he goes back to his roots and balances his showy moments with insightful ones in his most moving performance since Michael Corleone (pre-coda).
BEST ACTRESS in a DRAMA
Olivia Colman (The Crown)—Colman finishes her run as middle-aged Elizabeth, the reluctant queen who has embraced her duty, to the chagrin of the immediate members of the royal family who frustratingly decline to.
Shira Haas (Unorthodox)—Hass is riveting in an under-assuming story of a young orthodox Jewish bride whose attempts to flee her marriage and faith for a life of her own are only slightly less fretful and frightful than leaving the Mob.
Lily James (War & Peace)—James, who has conquered everything from period pieces (Downton Abbey, Cinderella) to pop musical stardom (Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again), is yet again stellar as passionate romantic Natasha Rostova, breathing life and elegance into what could have been a drudging Napoleonic soap opera.
Nicole Kidman (The Undoing)—Kidman continues her descent into psychologically complex characters after her Emmy win for Big Little Lies, excelling at each step in another HBO thriller.
Laura Linney (Ozark)—Linney continues the trope of hardened blonde wives who disdain their antihero husbands’ misguided actions, but eventually go all Lady Macbeth on the poor guys. The exception is Linney makes you root for her, not hate her, in the transformation.
Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit)—Taylor-Joy, the newcomer that you don’t realize you’ve seen everywhere before (Emma, Peaky Blinders), unmistakably takes center stage as an emotionally damaged young woman intent on making a name for herself in the anti-American, anti-woman circles of world class Russian male chess. Even with a strong revolving supporting cast, it’s basically a one-woman show for Taylor-Joy.
WINNER: Anya Taylor-Joy. She basically emerged from nowhere and everywhere this year, but solidified her career with a riveting performance that actually made chess sexy again for the first time since “One Night in Bangkok”.
BEST ACTOR in a COMEDY
Christopher Gorham (Insatiable)—After a beginning as hot screen nerds (Ugly Betty, Covert Affairs), Gorham ages hilariously into the resident DILF. He’s finally getting the recognition he should have all along.
Nicholas Hoult (The Great)—Hoult continues to parlay his youthful success into adult stardom, following his acclaimed turn as a pompous court dandy in The Favorite here as pompous king dandy, a decadent Peter the Great.
Ben Platt (The Politician)—Broadway’s golden boy takes center stage here as a morally bankrupt high school student with ambitions of going from class president to the oval office, this season stopping to trade barbs and bribes with city council opponent Judith Light and her shark manager Bette Midler.
Dallas Roberts (Insatiable)—The underdog of the pageant rivalry, Roberts is envious of everything Gorman achieves, and his comic desperation to one-up him makes for the perfect comic foil, when he’s not fighting his demanding contestant’s self-sabotage.
Cole Sprouse (Riverdale)—yes it’s a drama heavy season and the comedies are female centered, but credit the former Suite Life Disney kid for graduating to unlikely leading man in the even more unlikely role of comic book doofus Jughead Jones, now the one voice of common sense that narrates the hilariously dark world of Archie and company.
William Zabka (Cobra Kai)—the most inspired idea of the decade was to flip the wholesome 80s underdog world of The Karate Kid series into a present day “where are they now?” told through the eyes of the movies’ bad boy. Zabka’s jaded hero to zero, Johnny Lawrence, masterfully sends up the clichés and parodies from the old movies while he struggles with present day burnout like the rest of us.
WINNER: Ben Platt. Roberts excels as a comically tragic antihero who can’t get a break in his first major non-supporting role, and it’s a doozy of a showcase for his neurotic talents. And creative shout out to Zabka for the best idea for a comic character this season. But even though Platt is basically playing Platt playing Evan Hansen grown up, Murphy knows how to write to his strengths, and he proves he can volley comedy with some established veterans this season. Plus they let him sing, which is never a bad idea. His “Corner of the Sky” gave the song new life for another generation.
BEST ACTRESS in a COMEDY
Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)—Applegate trades her sunny, popular girl persona for bitter, dark, and angry as an unready widow saddled with single parenthood and survivor’s guilt. She expertly mines the heavy role for unexpected laughs
Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—Always a contender as the former Jewish princess juggling an overbearing family, a divorce, a volatile manager, and a frustrating new career as a pioneer woman in the Borscht Belt world of 50s-60s stand up comedy. The real life shiksa coudn’t be more at home as she trades barbs on and off stage with her comic cohorts.
Kelly Cuoco (The Flight Attendant)—After a decade of being unbearably unfunny in Big Bang pointlessness as the “hot” girl, Cuoco surprisingly shines here as a high-flying party girl whose alcohol-induced antics catch up with her in a huge way, pitching her headfirst into a world of international intrigue and espionage.
Judith Light (The Politician)—The highly under-awarded Light gives another comically deft performance as an incumbent city council member whose slam dunk race against newcomer Platt turns down and dirty when a scandal threatens to unseat her. Light with a strong assist from co-star Midler threatens to hijack the boy’s own series from him with smart comedy.
Linda Cardelini (Dead to Me)—the perfect neurotic yin to Applegate’s hardened yang, Cardelini is hilarious as her sometimes nemesis, sometimes soulmate, always frustrating cohort who has ingrained herself indelibly into Applegate’s fragile world.
Debbie Ryan (Insatiable)—another former Disney kid who turns in a mature, thought-provoking performance as a former “fatty” turned pageant girl favorite. Ryan elevates what could have been just a running fat joke into an insightful look at the complex issues of eating disorders that don’t go away just because one reaches a goal.
WINNER: Christina Applegate. As much as I want to give Light every award because she deserves it, Applegate is unbeatable here. Forever saying goodbye to the pretty girls and dumb blondes that have monopolized her career, Applegate turns a landmark corner and opens a brand new chapter of exciting possibilities here. But thank a strong assist to Cardelini for giving her tons of comic potential to work with.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in a DRAMA
Jon Jon Briones (Ratched)—after what should have been an Emmy-winning role as Darren Criss’ psychotic father in The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Ryan Murphy creates another scenery-chewing prospect for Briones as the head of a shady experimental mental facility in his prequel to the infamous Cuckoo’s Nest. As usual, Briones exceeds his material.
Chace Crawford (The Boys)—the former gossip boy is an oceanic blast as the Deep, an Aquaman derivative with an inflated ego and a predilection for sexual harassment in HBO’s inverted superhero tale. While most of his cohorts are hiding problematic behavior, Crawford’s character fortunately lays his proudly on the table.
Jim Parsons (Hollywood)—Also newly freed from his trademark Big Bang dorkdom, another character-stretching collaboration with Ryan Murphy casts Parsons more against type than ever as a sleazy, nasty gay Tinseltown casting agent who employs his highly utilized couch on a slew of young handsome wannabe stars, most notoriously a very green Rock Hudson.
Tobias Menzies (The Crown)—Menzies provides a quiet, gentle humor as middle-aged Prince Philip, who entertains not only his wife and sovereign’s issues and doubts, but also those of his ungrateful to borderline unbearable offspring.
Josh O’Connor (The Crown)—As a pathetic and spoiled Prince Charles, O’Connor isn’t afraid to give us an unpitying glimpse into why we always liked Diana better. His Charles, like his real-life counterpart, deserves Camilla Parker-Bowles. But at least he’s not Andrew.
Josh Radnor (Hunters)—Forget how he met your mother, Radnor (Mercy Street, the Kennedy Center’s Little Shop of Horrors) scores another offbeat character success post Ted Mosby. Here as a washed up 70s action movie star (think a whitewashed rip-off of Shaft) hungry for a comeback, busy fighting Nazis while he’s waiting, Radnor provides a consistent dose of levity and buffoonery in a dark story line that desperately begs for it.
WINNER: Jon Jon Briones. A master of both character and comedy, Briones always finds a way to blend them both in even his shadiest characters. He should have had a Tony for the Miss Saigon revival, and an Emmy as the father who shaped serial killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace. This award will have to do until the rest of the world catches up and he gets the recognition he deserves.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in a DRAMA
Helena Bonham-Carter (The Crown)—Small doses of Bonham-Carter’s lunacy go a long way, but when channeled into overgrown party girl Princess Margaret, she’s comic gold and an incessant thorn in the side of her more rigid regal sister.
Judy Davis (Ratched)—As the brittle head nurse at the shady mental institution where the titular character begins her career, Davis is either the source of or the inspiration for the nurse we love to hate in the Cuckoo’s Nest. Maybe a little of both, only season 2 will tell.
Lisa Emery (Ozark)—As the brains behind the hillbilly mob, Emery is sinister as an Ozarkan Ma Barker, equally protective of her money, her business, her crops, her family—and her teenaged boyfriend.
Carol Kane (Hunters)—After a lifelong career as quirky sidekicks and loopy costars, Kane emerges with an engaging and sympathetic portrayal as half an elderly couple of concentration camp survivors who 40 years later help hunt the Nazis who persecuted them. With her trademark feistiness intact, Kane steals the spotlight from her talented band.
Patti Lupone (Hollywood)—La Lupone makes an entrance with a bang as a neglected studio wife searching for hot service station lust, as well as other more far-reaching ambitions. Lupone commands all her scenes and has never been better on film.
Polly Walker (Bridgerton)—A welcome return in a role that echoes her past success as Caesar’s status-hungry niece in HBO’s Rome, Walker excels as another social-climbing matriarch with a self-declared rivalry to the favored house, dropping her acid-laced critiques on her lesser daughters with the precision of a younger Maggie Smith.
Ineligible: Likely winner Ozark’s Julia Garner who won the Emmy as backwoods consigliere Ruthie Langmore, a teenaged thug who Bateman realizes is better to pair up with than square off against.
WINNER: Carol Kane. She’s always had a special way with a one-liner, but Hunters gives her equal opportunity to show off her dramatic abilities in a tragic and touching storyline.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in a COMEDY
Skylar Aston (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)—The Pitch Perfect poster boy elevates his game baring his musical soul as the heroine’s best friend ready for more.
Michiel Huisman (The Flight Attendant)—As the hot hookup who sets Cuoco’s wild ride in motion, Huisman provides both the heat and the heart as her personal Jiminy Cricket.
James Marsden (Dead to Me)—Marsden displays a wide range as the guy who comes between Applegate and Cardelini in numerous ways.
Alex Newell (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)—The Glee alum graduates to fascinating costar in a very different and unique spin on the stock character of the wacky next door neighbor. Not only is Newell’s Mo the first regular non-binary character in a major network show, Newell’s vocal chops have multiplied exponentially since his time under Mr. Shue. Check out Newell on YouTube, who was robbed of a Tony nomination as Mother Earth in the 2018 revival of Once on this Island here.
Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—The versatile Shalhoub scores another memorable role as the title character’s perpetually put-upon father.
Michael Zegan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—After a career as sarcastic, smart-mouthed teens (Rescue Me, The Walking Dead), Zegen mines new territory in the grown-up problems of the sarcastic, smart-mouthed, estranged Mr. Maisel.
WINNER: Alex Newell. Shalhoub steals every scene he graces in Mrs. Maisel and has previously won Emmys and Golden Globes for his proficiency, but Newell, who took Broadway by storm the year before, amps up the star power in a landmark performance where he not only provides the biggest vocals in the series, but also blows the barn door off gender casting issues.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in a COMEDY
Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—Veteran character and voice actor Borstein in the role of her life as Suzie, the underground barkeep turned talent manager, who divides her time between supporting Midge’s career and trying not to strangle her.
Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—Hinkle is spot-on perfect as the standard upper East Side Jewish mother who has no comprehension of her daughter who wants to step outside her perfect princess life.
Bette Midler (The Politician)—The always over-the-top Midler scores again as Light’s bombastic campaign manager, both a personal and professional whirlwind.
Alyssa Milano (Insatiable)—Light’s former juvenile costar shows her new cast members who’s the boss as Roberts’ frustrated wife who becomes yet another prize in his competition with Gorham.
Poorna Jagannathan (Never Have I Ever)—Jagannathan drives the laughs in Mindy Kaeling’s unassuming semi-autobiographical comedy as the old-world mom who strives to preserve her family’s Indian culture while her daughter just wants to be a normal American teen.
Mary Steenburgen (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)—While the least impressive vocalist on the show when called upon, she’s the most prolific actress gracing a sympathetic storyline concerning her husband’s debilitating neuro-illness.
WINNER: Alex Borstein. Always a contender as Midge’s volatile agent Susie, Borstein is hilarious enough when dealing with her primary client, but double the laughs when she squares off with new client, a demanding and irrational Jane Lynch.
BEST DOCUMENTARY MINISERIES
Don’t F*** With Cats—It’s hard to imagine another documentary that changes direction so many times in three short episodes, from internet animal abuse to a possible murder and an absurd conclusion, solved completely by a ragtag collection of amazing internet sleuths. Note, the animal cruelty is not shown, but even blurred out and only described, it is still incredibly intense for the sensitive. But if you can get through that, the pay off is jaw-dropping.
The Imagineering Story—An insider’s look at building the Disney theme park empire one park at a time. What stayed, what went, and what almost didn’t happen when regime changes and cultural differences didn’t play out as expected.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich—An incredibly thorough look at the rise, fall, fake suicide, and aftermath of pedophile to the rich and famous Epstein. An anger-provoking lesson in what money can buy. The takeaways: Andrew will now by far be your least favorite royal, and please get the story out of primary accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell before she “commits suicide” too.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez—from hometown hero to college all-star to top NFL draft pick to murder and suicide, an involving look at the only professional athlete to play an entire season while facing murder charges and what brought him there.
The Night Stalker—Engrossing look at the 80s murder spree of Richard Ramirez that kept the entire west coast locked down in terror of where he might strike next.
The Tiger King—Total tabloid TV trash that you can’t turn away from about big money and bigger egos in the private animal preserve world, every episode a Jerry Spriger-esque roller coaster ride of white trash one-upsmanship, culminating with the biggest summer murder question since “Who Shot J.R.?
WINNER: Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich. Cats is masterful storytelling about the unlikely solving of a heinous crime, and The Night Stalker provides constant tension throughout. But the Epstein tale is a cautionary one of utmost importance because of how easily the rich and powerful can sweep his story and their involvement in it under the carpet. Watch it and get as furious as you should.
BEST REALITY COMPETITION SHOW
The Amazing Race—The 20 year series was fortunate to get one last globe trotting adventure game completed before covid shut down international borders.
The Bachelorette—Still utter garbage, outdated, and sexist as can be (while laughably claiming empowerment), but this last season deserves credit for establishing industry standards for filming under covid restrictions, as well as for regrouping and salvaging an otherwise bust of a season when their flaky contestant called the game and ran off with the hot guy in episode 4.
Chopped—Anybody that can open a basket of squid ink, monkey brains, deep fried pork rinds, and a 5 pound gummy bear and turn it into a riveting contest to make a dinner in 90 minutes is still doing something right.
The Great British Bake Off—Honestly the unsung hero of quarantine, this gentle show with a relaxing classical underscore masterfully blends competition with art, respect, and impeccable manners as the single calming influence for audiences when the rest of the world, like this program’s obnoxious American cousins, was a nerve-wracking terror. And yes, it will be referred to as its proper name, not the legally mandated one in this horrible litigious country. Get over it, Dough Boy.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars—Season 5 of the latter provided some of the series’ strongest and most artistic contestants and styles, explaining how a centuries long underground art became mainstage television for the masses. Plus a good drag name is always a hoot.
Survivor—The grandaddy of all reality competitions turned in its 40th season featuring 20 past winners and we still cared, so it’s obvious Burnett & Probst are doing something right.
Ineligible: On a technicality, RuPaul’s Drag Race won the 2020 Emmy, however by definition of the franchise, the Emmy Awards, and IMDb, All-Stars is considered a separate spin-off series, which does change up game play from the parent show. So while the OG and the host are ineligible for the former, they qualify for the latter.
WINNER: RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars. Ironically, perpetual rival Survivor also ran the ultimate all-star version within their series, which are traditionally a let-down as is, but this was 20 highly anticipated previous winners. However, when the most classic fan favorites, all 20 years older now and that much more out of shape, were the first to have their torches snuffed, the series lost steam even before the merge. By contrast, Drag Race All-Stars thrives on the familiar star power and best-of-the-best competition, thus coasting to an easy victory for constant variety, artistry, humor, and backstage shenanigans. Extra credit to the often bitchy but always funny and well-edited confessional commentaries. And the great drag names. Full disclosure: it was also the most watched TV series in our house in the season of covid, as I had never watched an episode before. So Hayley ushered me through 17 seasons combined of Drag Race and All-Stars plus 1 of Drag Race UK. I’m a convert.
BEST REALITY COMPETITION HOST
Ted Allen (Chopped)—The original Queer Eye food guy continues to prove that cuisine can be fascinating as he lords over some of the most unlikely recipes your grandmother never passed down.
Paul Hollywood (The Great British Bake Off)—Although comparatively gentler and more refined, Hollywood is equally as demanding and intimidating as the Simon Cowell of biscuits and breads. His steely blue gaze can unnerve, but the prospect of a rare handshake makes putting one’s baking credibility on the line worth it.
Noel Fielding (The Great British Bake Off)—If Hollywood is the kinder, gentler Cowell, British comedian Fielding is the loopier, quirkier British cousin of Ryan Seacrest as he encourages the contestants along with his goofy humor to effectively alleviate the tension.
Phil Koegan (The Amazing Race)—Koegan has proven that he is more than a floating poor man’s Jeff Probst as he navigates teams through international misadventures. His “You’re the last team to arrive” has become his own climactic catch phrase.
Jeff Probst (Survivor)—after 40 seasons of the tribe having spoken, Probst is the blueprint for a successful host of the genre. He gets recognition for his roles in production, casting, refereeing, and knowing the importance of a good catch phrase or four.
RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars)—There’s no one like Mama Ru who can make wrangling an array of bigger-than-life personalities for 20 combined seasons over three countries (Canada also developed a franchise) seem so easy while looking so fabulous.
Ineligible: By the same ruling above, Emmy winner RuPaul is eligible as host of All-Stars only but not the original Drag Race.
WINNER: RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars)—RuPaul has somehow taken a once subversive and divisive art form and transformed it with humor and flair (and a heavy dose of risqué patter) into Friday night family viewing in your living room. As a host, in drag she is a firm fist with clever puns and bon mots to officiate the contest, and out of drag, he is the most supportive and nurturing den mother to his pack of queens. While some have been more memorable than others, thanks to RuPaul’s strong guidance and vision, this franchise has arguably been the only competition show to never experience a dull season. And I would have never seen this series if it wasn’t for Hayley escorting me through it. Hayley Briner, you may present the award.
BEST GUEST APPEARANCE by an ACTOR
Matt Bomer (The Sinner)—The usually affable Bomer gives a deliciously spooky performance as a murder suspect who shares a bizarre history with the victim.
Charles Dance (The Crown)—Dance lends his strong presence as Lord Mountbatten, a rare voice of reason in the royal family as Prince Philip’s uncle and mentor.
John Lithgow (The Crown)—Not much of a physical resemblance, but it makes no matter when Lithgow takes on Winston Churchill, shining in a side episode struggling with his vulnerability as he unwillingly accepts retirement—and oblivion.
LeRoy McClean (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—McClean scores high notes as a Jackie Wilson-esque R&B artist who selects Midge to open for him (and become his confidante while) on the road.
Chris Messina (The Sinner)—Messina leans into his dark side as a sinister figure from Bomer’s past whose influence still exists.
Tom Pelphrey (Ozark)—Pelphrey is a welcome addition to the sometimes claustrophobic mountain landscape as Linney’s bipolar brother who is a minor concern when on his medicine, and a total wild card when off it.
WINNER: TIE Matt Bomer & Tom Pelphrey. In one of the strongest categories of any of this year’s awards, amongst some pretty huge names, I had to throw this question out to a few trusted friends who had watched both series and, like me, they split down the center 50/50. Bomer excells playing against type and proves he’s more than just the pretty face when he gives us a glimpse of the psychopath behind those ice blue eyes. But Pelphrey is that actor who’s been everywhere blending seamlessly into his surrounding cast, until this character deteriorates into a critical downward spiral and you suddenly stand up and take notice. It may be a cop out to vote a tie, but it will be a treat to watch both of them in the best performances of their careers so far.
BEST GUEST APPEARANCE by an ACTRESS
Gillian Anderson (The Crown)—Anderson is transformative as beleaguered Prime Minister Maggie Thatcher at odds with both the people and her only potential ally, the Queen.
Jessica Biehl (The Sinner)—Producer Biehl knows a juicy role when she sees one, and as a murderer seemingly without a motive until we see a lifetime of religious repression may be involved, she’s all in.
Emma Corrin (The Crown)—Corrin is stunning as a most sympathetic Princess Diana. Even in a show starring the Windsors, we still like her best.
Jackie Hoffman (The Politician)—Broadway vet Hoffman gets comic mileage out of her role as secretary to Light and nemesis to Midler.
Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)—Lynch scores in an expanded role as rival comedienne Sophie Lennon, who dumbs her act down for audience acceptance. The highlight of season 3 is her arc with Borstein, who she hires to spar with while stretching to attempt her Broadway debut.
Janet McTeer (Ozark)—McTeer is just short of terrifying as a legal consigliere sent to protect her mob boss’ interests in the Ozark dealings.
WINNER: Gillian Anderson. Unrecognizable under a master makeup job, Anderson is both hateful and sympathetic as Thatcher, misunderstood enemy of the people.
BEST STAND-UP COMIC PERFORMANCE Filmed for TELEVISION
Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America!—Chieng sheds comic light on the plight of being an Asian actor in Hollywood today.
Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty—the South Carolina native shares the inconsistencies of growing up in a religious family whose after-church dinners took place at Hooters. Add a slew of other comic Southern gothic horror laughs, a sampling of the best of terrifying Southern mothers, and the fact that she was a budding lesbian to the mix and you have a winning recipe for southern fried comedy.
Ken Jong: You Complete Me, Ho—Jong outlines the unlikely route to his success from medical doctor to Hollywood nemesis (an Asian guy with power) via an apparently crucial stop getting out of a car trunk naked in The Hangover.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City—Fan favorite Mullaney scores again with his usual blend of self-deprecating humor and the pains of growing up Mullaney.
Chris Rock: Tambourine—The once up-and-coming bad boy of def comedy has evolved into a slightly gentler Rock (the whole opening third of his new act revolves around how hard it is as a father raising black children in today’s political climate). But by the end he lands back squarely in familiar territory with the most sound relationship advice you’ll never hear from Dr. Phil or Oprah.
Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife—Wong emerges as a rising new comic voice with a unique angle as an Asian-American housewife and comic, kind of a contemporary cross between an early Margaret Cho and an early Roseanne Barr, back when they were both pre-TV, unpretentious, still funny, and likeable.
WINNER: Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty. Mullaney is at the top of his game, Wong is headed there with a bullet, Rock is making a welcome comeback, Chieng is on the way, and Jong just doesn’t care, cuz he’s rich, as he’ll remind you. But the congenial Feimster’s gentle giant delivery is a refreshing breeze of Southern charm in the cold bitter covid world we now inhabit. Her best bit: joining the youth swim team just for the pizza party.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITIONS
Hayley and I also took many breaks between the multitude of new series and specials to revisit some of our classic favorite series of the past, all undervalued for artistic achievement and stellar performances.
Season 1 of the unlikely hit Ugly Betty is one of the most perfectly written series arcs of a TV comedy ever. Rooted in the at-odds twin worlds of rich Mexican-American family tradition and the soullessness of Madison Avenue haute couture, America Fererra is the ultimate underdog as an eager assistant hired by the CEO specifically for her less-than looks so as not to tempt his son’s wandering eye. Eric Mabius has never been better as her playboy boss with a heart of gold, Judith Light is stellar as usual as his devoted but alcoholic mother, and Vanessa Williams devours the role of her life as backstabbing fashionista Wilhelmina Slater. Michael Urie as Williams’ lapdog assistant and Becki Newton as the party girl receptionist own every scene they share with their fast-paced snark. Ferarra and the series won Emmys in season 1, but it’s criminal that Williams never received recognition in a role that only she could master. Skip the later seasons, but enjoy the first into the second (to see how things worked out)
Early seasons of the underrated CW hit Jane the Virgin seem on the surface to be Ugly Betty: Miami. But the similarities end at the telenovela parallels with a Latina family at the center. Gina Rodriguez is winsome as heroine Jane, the daughter of a teen mother who, in order to guarantee she’ll never put her offspring in that path, is saving herself for marriage. But like all good intentions, everything changes when she goes in for a routine GYN exam which her frazzled gynecologist mixes up with the artificial insemination next soor, and….the initial telenovela setup (with some added religious connotations that the Latina Catholic Jane is another pregnant virgin). To complicate everything, the intended mother-to-be is the villainess (Yael Grobglas) married to Jane’s heartthrob boss (Justin Baldoni). One of the best written shows of this millennium (with zero Emmys….fail), look out for Jaime Camil as Jane’s father, a vainglorious telenovela peacock, and Anthony Mendez as the best use of a narrator ever in the history of film, to make the most of the intricate and clever scripts.
A visit to Bon Temps, Louisiana, was in order to check out HBO’s satirical rednecked vampire parody, True Blood. Set in a world where a synthetic blood drink makes vampires no longer dependent on humans sets the stage for a perfect allegory for bigotry and civil rights in America today. The residents of the swampland are pretty perfectly cast on the whole, but special note goes to Alexander Skarsgard as swaggering former Viking turned vampire sheriff, Kristin Bauer-von Straten as his totally over humans deadpan (no pun intended) assistant, and the sadly-missed Nelsen Ellis as an outrageously flamboyant short order cook with Tabasco-laden comebacks.
Then it was back to school with Dan Harmon’s cult hit Community, about a group of adult strangers gaining redemption through a community college study group. Seasons run hot and cold but the supporting characters are the consistent anchor, especially the delightful Yvette Nicole Brown as a single mother working to get a business degree to better herself, Donald Glover and Danny Pudi, one of the best comedy duos on TV this millennium, as a pair of BFF/super-nerds who draw strength as a team, and even Harmon’s behind-the-scenes nemesis, Chevy Chase, as an obnoxious older millionaire who just wants a social life. Harmon’s gimmick of every episode being told in the form of another movie/TV cliché (the inspired stop-action animated Christmas special is the pinnacle) keeps the show fresh and engaging, until the internal politics took over. The season where Chase got Harmon fired is the low point, but the season where Harmon returned and got Chase fired is the beginning of the end.
Showtime’s Dexter is a series that apparently never gets old for my family. Somewhere between the 5th and 10th time we’ve watched it, it gets more unbelievable with each viewing that Michael C. Hall never won an Emmy for his complex and compelling serial killer with an honor code. The first season is slightly slower paced, but the second picks up when a coworker begins to suspect something odd about Hall. But the 4th season is one of the best of its kind ever, with guest star John Lithgow as the season’s murderer elevating everyone to match his game.
Another Emmy-overlooked slight is the darkly comic prequel to Psycho, Bates’ Motel. It is inexplicable how neither Feddie Highmore as young Norman Bates and especially the phenomenal Vera Farmiga as his young, nightmare-inducing mother Norma have never taken home an Emmy. While they play a little loose with the Psycho mythology in the end as we know it, it’s still a satisfying journey of character acting from this pair till the ill-fated finale.
I find it odd that there is one incredibly well-executed series here that somehow avoided any awards attention above. The final season of 13 Reasons Why was a particularly difficult conclusion to an always difficult series. The initial premise dealt with a troubled teen who committed suicide and left a box of 13 cassette tapes, each a story for one classmate who contributed to her unraveling. Seasons 2 and 3 dealt with direct consequences of these actions. But season 4 was simply a recap of how damaged all the survivors were left during their last year of high school together. That was hard enough to watch, but the timing of viewing that particular storyline last spring made reality hit home, because between the time they filmed it and the time they aired it, their senior year became obsolete. There were no graduations, or proms, or hospital visits, or even school for the class of 2020. No landmarks or milestones. In other words, as we grappled with a new way of being, here was a constant reminder that this way of life, this season 4 at this time, would never happen. Dylan Minnette as the platonic boyfriend/de facto narrator, Brandon Flynn as the bad boy in search of redemption, and Ross Butler, who abandoned the prime role of Reggie Mantle in Riverdale to keep his role here as the jock with the deep soul, are the standouts of the key 13. Even though it received zero nominations, I consider this a critical piece through wich parents and teens can open a relevant discussion.
This concludes the segment for Excellence in Television. If you haven’t read the Awards for Movies last week, check the analysis and the winners out here. Stay tuned next week for the final installment, the Marco Awards for Theatre.