Dan Fienberg is a TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter and The Fien Print.
In this conversation he discusses the TV shows he thinks should get Emmy nominations and the shows that got nominated by the Television Critics Association (of which Dan is president.) | 28 June 2018
2. THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY (SoHo)
The latest American Crime Story adaptation is a misnomer, as it follows (mostly in reverse chronological order) the life of Versace’s murderer, Andrew Cunanan. But as played in a tour de force and award-worthy performance by Darren Criss, Cunanan’s and Versace’s (Edgar Ramirez) interwoven stories are riveting and revealing, a study of the lives and struggles of gay men in the 1990s. At times difficult to watch, the portrait of the spree killer is gilded and fascinating, gorgeous and off-putting from beginning to end.
Listen to Ryan Murphy’s inspiring extended Trailblazer Honors acceptance speech, where he discusses his career, inspirations, and the people who helped him along the way. | 28 June 2018
To borrow a conceit from Community, we’re living in the darkest timeline. Pick a day and chances are there will be another dystopian-sounding news story. From unsettling meetings with North Korea to reports of children being forcibly removed from their families by our government, 2018 has proven to be a horror show… And the best television of the year has captured that. So far this year’s best shows have been about a serial killer (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story), a dictatorship that imprisons and rapes women (The Handmaid’s Tale), and deeply warped race relations (Atlanta and Dear White People). 2018 has been great for television, and horrible for everyone’s mental health.
Playing a villain in a way that the audience admires isn’t an easy task. Especially, when it’s based on a horrible person like Branch Davidians leader David Koreshin Waco. While the category – Lead Actor in a Limited Series – will most likely go to Darren Criss’ portrayal of Versace’s killer Andrew Cunanan – Kitsch still deserves the recognition.
@PopcornABCNews: “They were like, ‘You are Ricky Martin!’” @RickyMartin247 shares a sweet story on parenting and keeping his young sons grounded and talks the “Assassination of Gianni Versace” on #PopcornABC. #RickyMartin #ACSVersace
7. “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (FX) OK, fine, we can all agree — not as good as “O.J.” But there were many pleasures here, almost all in the craftsmanship. The performances were uniformly good, while lead Darren Criss turned in a superb one — and possibly an Emmy-winning one, too.
1. ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 4: “House By the Lake”
With its fourth episode, The Assassination of Gianni Versace emerged as the show it had been trying to be. Without the gaudy trappings of the Versace family, producer Ryan Murphy and writer Tom Rob Smith turned their narrative eye towards the unbearably tragic murder of David Madson.
Darren Criss (as Andrew Cunanan) and Cody Fern (as Madson) turn in searing performances as killer and victim, respectively, anchoring the episode even as it takes a few flights of fancy. — Joe Reid
ACS news 