Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
The nominations for the 68th Emmy Awards are still a couple months away — July 14th, mark your calendars — but it is NEVER too early to start making sure that voters don’t forget the best shows and performances of the year. For the next few weeks, then, we’re going to make sure that some potentially overlooked accomplishments don’t get missed. The Emmys, more than any other award, can fall back on inertia, nominating the same stuff year-in and year-out. The idea with these posts is to shake up the status quo. And shake it we will.
And yes, we realize that there are only six possible nominees per category. So we’re technically setting the Emmys up for failure by demanding ten. We’re incorrigible that way.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Taking a look at last year’s nominees …
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones(WINNER)
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
… it’s going to be tough to break into the field. All six of last year’s nominees are eligible again, though some (Cumming) had more Emmy-friendly storylines this season than others (Kelly; Mendelsohn). Still, if there’e any wiggle room for new blood, here’s hoping it’s one of these five guys.
Colman Domingo, Fear the Walking Dead
The Broadway veteran was a riveting presence on the second season of Fear the Walking Dead. The show opened up the Strand character, piece by piece, and Domingo’s performance made sure everything hung together. He’s one of TV’s most satisfyingly complicated men.
[Where to stream Fear the Walking Dead]
Jordan Gavaris, Orphan Black
Last year, Tatiana Maslany was finally Emmy nominated for her high-wire act of a performance on Orphan Black. In a perfect world, that feat would be repeated this year for her fantastic co-star Jordan Gavaris. His performance as Felix has kept a string of humanity and humor running through the series, always a necessary counter to the heavy sci-fi happening elsewhere. He’s a scene-stealer in every sense of the term.
[Where to stream Orphan Black]
William Hurt, Humans
There’s an undeniable gravitas that William Hurt brings to every role, but he brings something truly special to his role in Humans. An old man living with secrets and regrets, Hurt’s character carried on the season’s most emotional plot line. His fatherly relationship with his old-model synthetic, Odi, really helped elevate Humans and made us remember what a great actor Hurt has always been.
Freddie Stroma, UnREAL
Last year’s suitor, Adam, was an underrated presence last year on UnREAL. I don’t think the show works as well without him. His blistering chemistry with Shiri Appleby’s Rachel kept things lively, and he was surprisingly sympathetic for a character built to actively resist sympathy.
David Tennant, Marvel’s Jessica Jones
The best villain performance of the year, Tennant’s Kilgrave was sinister, fearsome, and somehow also wildly charismatic, creating one of the most unsettling TV characters we’ve seen in years. A true comic-book villain, placed inthe harsh, dark environs of a very real New York City.
[Where to stream Marvel’s Jessica Jones]
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Here’s how this category looked last year:
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black (WINNER)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Only Christina Hendricks is ineligible this year. The big makeover in this category is likely to come last year, after perennial nominees like Baranski and Froggatt are out of the race. I’d expect them both to be nominated this year, though. Hopefully one or more of the following women can join them.
Regina King, The Leftovers
King won a surprising and much-deserved Emmy last year for American Crime. She’s arguably much better on The Leftovers. As next-door neighbor to Kevin and Nora in Jardin, TX, King projected strength and decency while still reacting to the unbelievable developments of the sudden departure followed by the disappearance of her daughter. The scene between her and Carrie Coon’s Nora at mid-season, neighborly at first but escalating into a confrontation, was the best thing on HBO all last year.
[Where to stream The Leftovers]
Taryn Manning, Orange Is the New Black
It’s such a tough job to pick out the performances worth rewarding from the massive Orange Is the New Black ensemble. So much work that’s worthy of recognition. But Manning took things to the next level last year, as Pennsatucky entered into what started as a cute courtship but turned horrifically into assault. Manning never lost Pennsatucky’s uncomplicated sense of the world even as the world so cruelly changes around her.
[Where to stream Orange Is the New Black]
Artemis Pebdani, Scandal
Scandal‘s rebound this past season is due in large part to the election storyline which saw Pebdani’s Susan Ross running for the nomination. Susan is an oasis on Scandal, pretty much the only decent person in the entire world, and yet rather than let that diminish her or make her boring, Pebdani is smart enough to know that’s what makes her special. She’s a standout.
Rachael Taylor, Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Who knew that Rachael Taylor had this in her? It’s a testament to giving actresses roles with some actual substance to them that Taylor, who’d bounced from failed project to failed project, was able to shine so brightly as Trish/Patsy in the Jessica Jones universe. Projecting strength and vulnerability in a perfectly volatile balance, Taylor was more than just a sidekick.
[Where to stream Marvel’s Jessica Jones]
Constance Zimmer, UnREAL
If I were placing bets on who will take that Christina Hendricks slot, I’d put all my money on Zimmer, whose performance as diabolical reality-TV producer Quinn was the kind of barnburner that Emmys were made for.
