Tag: article

2018 Emmy Awards: Which shows are bound to slip through the cracks?

Outstanding Limited Series

FX’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” and Showtime’s “Patrick Melrose” will undoubtedly lead this category in this year’s limited series nominations. They will most likely stand next to Netflix’s “Godless” and Hulu’s “The Looming Tower.”

Chances are, “Twin Peaks” will not be nominated. Though the haunting revival received grand praise, David Lynch’s awe-inspiring surrealist directing seeping through every scene, the show is not commercial enough to earn a nomination — a disappointing truth when one considers how the series withstood the test of time, capitalizing beautifully on its cult status with a cast of seasoned actors, shocking musical appearances and a series of unimaginable stories.

Steven Soderbergh-directed “Mosaic” will also miss out on a nomination for limited series. The murder mystery is made better by Soderbergh’s signature directing, simmering with suspense. While the show is not Soderbergh’s best work, it has plenty of features to still be considered a contender. Therefore, whether or not its omission from the nominations list is a snub is up to you.

2018 Emmy Awards: Which shows are bound to slip through the cracks?

The 20 Best TV Shows of 2018 (So Far)

T1. The Americans / Atlanta / The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Network: FX

One is a period espionage drama that transposes kin and country until the two become indistinguishable. One is a surrealist horror-comedy about the black experience in America. One is a potent, political, possibly even dangerous reconsideration of what it means to be called “faggot,” and then what it means to become one. That the year’s finest drama, comedy, and limited series to date aired on the same network is enough to suggest FX’s place as the medium’s most fruitful venue for creative expression, besting competitors AMC, HBO and Netflix, to say nothing of the Big Three broadcasters. But in The Americans’ instant-classic final season, in Atlanta’s fairy tale provocations, in The Assassination of Gianni Versace’s bracing quest to queer convention, FX’s brilliant year also reaffirms the importance of leadership, from writers’ rooms to boardrooms and all the places in between: Since the days of The Shield, CEO John Landgraf has quietly emerged as one of the most influential figures in American pop culture, and his network’s unmatched artistic achievements in the first half of 2018 will be remembered as his pièce de résistance. —Matt Brennan

The 20 Best TV Shows of 2018 (So Far)

The 16 best TV shows of 2018 (so far)

Kristen’s No. 1: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

KRISTEN: Honestly, is NoHo Hank TV’s most likable Chechen mobster ever? I hope he and Barry stay friends in season 2. Well, Darren, we’re at my No. 1 show of the year (so far), and it will likely not come as a surprise to you: FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Though named for the famous designer, Versace used his murder to tell the stories of Andrew Cunanan’s earlier victims, and to examine the societal prejudices and neglect that rendered the gay community so vulnerable during Cunanan’s crime spree. Also no surprise: The cast and the performances were remarkable, and if Darren Criss (who played Cunanan) and Judith Light (as the wife of one of his victims, Lee Miglin), do not win big come Emmy season, it will be (ahem) a crime.

Emmy Preview 2018: Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie wishlist; vote for your favorite!

dcriss-archive:

What shows should be nominated for Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie at the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards? We are back with another edition of our annual CarterMatt Emmy Preview Series to answer this very question!

This category may not have more potential nominees than any other that is out there, but we do certainly think that it’s one of the most varied. Effectively, you have performers in here who played a character for a good ten episodes of television competing against some who may have played someone for just two hours. This category is about being economical and figuring out the best way in which to use your time. Our wishlist features actors who truly did that and played memorable people, fictional or not, who we will remember for some time to come.

In addition to sharing both our dream nominees and some other likely possibilities based on current industry projections, at the bottom of this article is a poll for you to vote for your own favorites! We will announce our reader picks on July 11, 2018, one day before the actual Emmy nominations are announced. Hopefully, this is a way to kick off the Emmy campaign period in a fun, super-engaging manner for everyone.

Voting Rules – Vote however many times you like! Voting is open between now and 1:00 p.m. Pacific time on July 11. By voting, you consent to have your vote tabulated in the final result. As a reminder, CarterMatt polls are simply for fun and to help aid in Emmy campaigns. Voting for the Emmys themselves is conducted by members of the Television Academy.

If you are having trouble re-voting, try clearing your site cache or using incognito / private browsing mode. You can also try switching your device.

I can’t see the poll; what do I do? – If you’re on mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page and click to view the non-AMP version. If you still cannot see it, try to either clear your cache or use a different browser or device. Give it time, as with slower internet it may take a moment to load.

Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie – CarterMatt Wishlist

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX) – You can claim that his appearance on Glee was his breakout role, but playing Andrew Cunanan is the role that revolutionizes him as an actor. He was a dark, disturbed, and tortured man with a difficult past, and the challenge Criss faced here was developing him outward into something connectable. While Cunanan may not be worthy of sympathy, you should see the steps that led to many of his actions. Darren plays that journey wonderfully throughout the limited series, leading of course to the oh-so-fateful end.

Emmy Preview 2018: Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie wishlist; vote for your favorite!

Shows, stars the Emmys can’t forget come nomination time

Cody Fern, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” — Darren Criss deserves a nomination for his surprisingly nuanced turn as spree killer Andrew Cunanan in the second “ACS” installment. But Fern, as David, the object of Andrew’s twisted affection, was the kind of quiet revelation that slaps you across the face and you ask for more. Even though we know David’s fate at the hands of Andrew, Fern draws a heartache from his real-life counterpart in a truly moving manner. For the acting novice, it’s a breakout performance.

Shows, stars the Emmys can’t forget come nomination time

Emmys: ‘Howards End,’ ‘The Sinner,’ ‘Patrick Melrose’ Bring Unique Sounds to Small Screen

For FX’s “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” composer Mac Quayle credits producer Ryan Murphy’s love of electronic music for informing the score, but says, ultimately, they were writing a soundtrack to a “creepy serial killer.”

Flourishes abound in the “Versace” music, with nods to the fashion icon’s Italian heritage and that of his sister, or what Quayle, who scored last season’s initial offering in Murphy’s “American Crime Story” series, “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” describes as “classical flavor along with … a tense, creepy, atmospheric bed.” Unlike “O.J.,” which “needed to be very understated, subtle and minimal,” “Versace” demanded something a little bigger and more dramatic, he says.

Emmys: ‘Howards End,’ ‘The Sinner,’ ‘Patrick Melrose’ Bring Unique Sounds to Small Screen

Emmy race for Limited Series is a 3-way race, according to Editors: ‘Versace’ vs. ‘Godless’ vs. ‘The Looming Tower’

“Big Little Lies” ran away with Best Limited Series and any other Emmys that weren’t nailed down in 2017. But there doesn’t seem to be as decisive a favorite in the 2018 race — at least, not according to our Editors who cover awards year-round for Gold Derby. There are only three programs they all agree will be nominated: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” “Godless” and “The Looming Tower.” But they don’t agree on which will win.

As of this writing “Versace” is the front-runner to win with 9/5 odds based on the combined predictions of more than 2,000 Gold Derby users. That includes support from four out of eight Editors: Joyce Eng, Marcus James Dixon, Tom O’Neil and myself. “Versace” is the second season in FX’s true-crime anthology series “American Crime Story” that began in 2016 with “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” which swept the Emmys that year, including Best Limited Series. So the academy has already shown their fondness for the show. It stands to reason voters would rally around producer Ryan Murphy again, right?

Not if up-and-coming streaming services get their way. Netflix’s western “Godless” ranks fourth in our overall predictions with 13/2 odds, but our Editors actually rank it second, with Rob Licuria and Paul Sheehan both predicting that it will upset. Netflix has never received an Emmy nom for Best Limited Series, but there’s a first time for everything, and Netflix has spent years racking up firsts: it was the first streaming service to break through with nominations for Best Drama Series (“House of Cards,” 2013) and Best Comedy Series (“Orange is the New Black,” 2014), and it had the first streaming winner for Best TV 

But Hulu stole some of Netflix’s thunder in 2017 when its breakthrough series “The Handmaid’s Tale” became the first streaming show to win Best Drama Series. Now they’re hoping to make similar history with their limited series “The Looming Tower,” which ranks third in our overall predictions with 11/2 odds and ranks third with our Editors as well with Chris Beachum and Matt Nobleforecasting its victory. “Looming Tower” is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning nonfiction book about the investigations and miscommunications between the CIA and FBI in the years leading to 9/11.

“Looming Tower” boasts a prestigious cast including Emmy winners Jeff Daniels and Alec Baldwin, Emmy nominee Bill Camp and Golden Globe nominees Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg. And true stories are often popular with Emmy voters, as evidenced in the last 10 years by “John Adams” (2008), “The Pacific” (2010), “Game Change” (2002), “Behind the Candelabra” (2013) and the aforementioned “People v. O.J.” That could help “Versace” too, of course. So do you agree with our Editors that this is a three-way race?

Emmy race for Limited Series is a 3-way race, according to Editors: ‘Versace’ vs. ‘Godless’ vs. ‘The Looming Tower’

Best Variety Talk Series – Feinberg Forecast: T-Minus One Week Until Nomination Voting

The charts below reflect how THR’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg believes the Emmy standings would look if voting for the 2018 race ended today. (Work released between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018 is eligible.) These projections are formulated using a combination of personal impressions (from sampling many programs), historical considerations (how shows with similar pedigrees have resonated), precursor awards (some groups have historically correlated with the TV Academy more than others) and consultations with industry insiders (including voters, content creators, awards strategists and fellow members of the press).

Best Limited Series

FRONTRUNNERS

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Godless (Netflix)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Genius (National Geographic)

Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Al Pacino (Paterno)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose) — podcast
Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) — podcast
Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Jeff Daniels (Godless) — podcast
Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower)
Peter Sarsgaard (The Looming Tower)
Bill Camp (The Looming Tower)

MAJOR THREATS

Ricky Martin (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Sam Waterston (Godless)
Scoot McNairy (Godless)
Bill Pullman (The Sinner)
Alex Rich (Genius: Picasso)
Michael Shannon (Fahrenheit 451) — podcast
Hugo Weaving (Patrick Melrose)

POSSIBILITIES

Cody Fern (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Beau Bridges (Mosaic)
Alice Cooper (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Dylan Baker (Little Women)
Robert Forster (Twin Peaks)
Jason Ritter (The Tale)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie

FRONTRUNNERS

Merritt Wever (Godless)
Nicole Kidman (Top of the Lake: China Girl) — podcast
Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Judith Light (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Angela Lansbury (Little Women)
Ellen Burstyn (The Tale)

Best Variety Talk Series – Feinberg Forecast: T-Minus One Week Until Nomination Voting

The Best New TV Shows Of 2018 So Far

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace

The death of Gianni Versace was tragic. In 1997, the fashion designer was shot outside his home in Miami by Andrew Cunanan — and while news outlets reported on Versace’s passing, they rarely mentioned the killing spree Cunanan went on before arriving in Miami.

ACS: Versace works backwards from the fateful day to show the equally tragic stories of people whose lives were taken away by Cunanan, but weren’t famous enough to make the news. Versace’s life works in parallel to each character to emphasise how it’s all equally tragic. Within the context of its late-1980s and early-1990s setting, the show covers the plight of Asian-Americans, class tensions, gun violence and sexuality.

ACS: Versace is far from a trashy true-crime story. The series lays its trap with a dramatic retelling with a cast that includes Penélope Cruz (as Donatella Versace) and Ricky Martin — who can actually act — but then surprises with a stunning examination of American life. Like OJ Simpson, Cunanan is a monster made in America.

Is there more? American Crime Story is an anthology series with each season focusing on a different case. No date has been announced yet but season three will centre on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, based on the book Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink.

Can you watch now? American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace is available on Foxtel Now.

The Best New TV Shows Of 2018 So Far