Demon Family Comes Together in 'Helstrom'

This new Hulu series is based on a Marvel property, and it looks pretty good, but now that all Marvel properties are owned by Disney, expect this to be the first and only season, even if it gets called their best series yet (Disney doesn’t want to be associated with mature content). I’m going to check it out anyway- it looks like a good horror show and the whole season drops on October 16th, just in time for Halloween.

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant Star in 'The Undoing'

I’m probably going to have to watch this one. Nicole Kidman is reuniting with David E. Kelley after Big Little Lies for this new miniseries based on a different novel, directed by The Night Manager’s Susanne Bier. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Edgar Ramirez and Hugh Grant, who’s hopefully as good here as he was in A Very English Scandal. It’s notable that movie stars of yore now find their best work in TV, isn’t it? This starts October 25th on HBO.

2020 Emmy Predictions, Part 4: Series

Ok, time for the big series awards. I don’t think there’s much suspense in any of these, except maybe variety/talk? That’s a big maybe though. The other categories have clear frontrunners, and not much of a chance for upsets, in my opinion.

COMEDY

I just raced through all six seasons of this show and loved it, so I’m very happy the Roses will finally have their day

I just raced through all six seasons of this show and loved it, so I’m very happy the Roses will finally have their day

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm

  • Dead to Me

  • The Good Place

  • Insecure

  • The Kominsky Method

  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

  • Schitt’s Creek

  • What We Do in the Shadows

There are a lot of new nominees in this category, but with Schitt’s Creek coming in everywhere in the nominations for its final season, I think we have a Fleabag situation where everyone wants to reward it, especially if the alternative is another win for Mrs. Maisel. Even though that show had 20 nominations once again, so it’s still beloved in the TV industry. But with no other shot to recognize the Schitt’s Creek gang after this, I think it’s got it almost in the bag.

Winner: Schitt’s Creek

Alternate: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Dark Horse: The Good Place (also a show on its last season, but it never broke through in nominations completely)

DRAMA

The dysfunctional Roy family will rise to win the top prize in drama series

The dysfunctional Roy family will rise to win the top prize in drama series

  • Better Call Saul

  • The Crown

  • The Handmaid’s Tale

  • Killing Eve

  • The Mandalorian

  • Ozark

  • Stranger Things

  • Succession

All the buzz here lies with Succession, which is beloved by critics and also clearly by the Emmys, or at least the actors branch, which nominated nearly the entire cast. Ozark is one that is also clearly loved by the industry, doing better each season (though not as loved by critics), so that gives it some competition I think- but with HBO firmly behind Succession as its number one pony this year, I think the show clearly has the upper hand.

Winner: Succession

Alternate: Ozark

Dark Horse: The Mandalorian (that is a true dark horse, considering the show didn’t get nominated in key writing/acting/directing categories, but the nomination itself for a show like this implies surprising strength)

LIMITED

Watchmen may as well have no competition this year

Watchmen may as well have no competition this year

  • Little Fires Everywhere

  • Mrs. America

  • Unbelievable

  • Unorthodox

  • Watchmen

Not much of a race here. Watchmen led the Emmy nominations across the board, it is HBO’s other baby in the race, and it was a true critical and mini-cultural phenomenon. It’s going to win lots of other trophies on Emmy night to go along with this one.

Winner: Watchmen

Alternate: Unbelievable

Dark Horse: Mrs. America (also timely and relevant, but didn’t do as well in noms as I’d hoped)

VARIETY TALK

Broadcasting into the void didn’t change John Oliver’s show much

Broadcasting into the void didn’t change John Oliver’s show much

  • The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

  • Jimmy Kimmel Live

  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I happen to be a regular viewer of all of these shows, and I’m wondering if I should go ahead and make what will surely be a big mistake and predict something besides the previous winner of this category to actually take this award. That’s right, I think for the first time in five years, this Emmy could go back to The Daily Show, as Trevor Noah has led the series past all expectations during the pandemic, elevating it beyond what it was before and making his show essential viewing, faring better during quarantine than some of these others. Not better than Last Week Tonight necessarily, which adapted itself to new audience free conditions very quickly as well, but I happen to think the time may be right to move away from John Oliver this year…however. Oliver just won a bunch of Emmys at the Creative Arts ceremony this week, including writing, so I happen to have a bit of a clue that…it’s not going to happen. Last Week Tonight will win this award for ten years (or until the show ends altogether).

Winner: Last Week Tonight

Alternate: The Daily Show 

Dark Horse: Full Frontal (Sam Bee’s shows from the woods have been innovative as well, but as always, she remains a dark horse, not least because her show seems to be sporadically on/off the air with no notice)

REALITY COMPETITION

Not time to change horses in this race yet

Not time to change horses in this race yet

  • The Masked Singer

  • Nailed It!

  • RuPaul’s Drag Race

  • Top Chef

  • The Voice

New additions to this category are Nailed It! and The Masked Singer, but this is one of those that sticks with one winner for many years before switching off, and I don’t think it’s time for RuPaul to give up the crown just yet.

Winner: RuPaul’s Drag Race

Alternate: The Voice

Dark Horse: The Masked Singer

2020 Emmy Predictions, Part 3: Acting in a Comedy Series

This was the year Schitt’s Creek finally exploded at the Emmys, after building buzz for years, and breaking through in some key categories last year. Well, for its final season it got 15 nominations and is highly likely to win- the question is how many actors will it take with it? Could it sweep? I think it could.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY 

Expect Catherine O’Hara to win Emmy gold this year

Expect Catherine O’Hara to win Emmy gold this year

  • Christina Applegate, Dead to Me

  • Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

  • Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me

  • Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek

  • Issa Rae, Insecure

  • Traces Ellis Ross, black-ish

The comedy icon Catherine O’Hara won a writing Emmy way back in the early 1980’s for SCTV- now I think she wins her first acting Emmy for Schitt’s Creek. She was the most outlandish character on the show, always hilarious, always wacky, and you know- she’s an icon. The show is going to win at least one acting Emmy along with series, and she’s the most likely to take it.

Winner: Catherine O’Hara

Alternate: Issa Rae (could perhaps sneak in as a breakthrough)

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

I’m guessing this goes to Eugene Levy, but there are other possibilities

I’m guessing this goes to Eugene Levy, but there are other possibilities

  • Anthony Anderson, black-ish

  • Don Cheadle, Black Monday

  • Ted Danson, The Good Place

  • Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

  • Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek

  • Ramy Youssef, Ramy

This category is harder, but it’s where I start wondering about the Schitt’s Creek sweep. Eugene Levy is as big a comedy icon as O’Hara and though he was kind of the straight man on the show, this is their last chance to honor him. Then again, Ted Danson is a beloved veteran and it was also The Good Place’s last season (but he has won Emmys before, unlike Levy). 

Winner: Eugene Levy

Alternate: Ted Danson

Dark Horse: Ramy Youssef 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

My gut tells me Maisel gets another one for Alex Borstein

My gut tells me Maisel gets another one for Alex Borstein

  • Betty Gilpin, GLOW

  • Yvonne Orji, Insecure

  • Cecily Strong, SNL

  • Kate McKinnon, SNL

  • Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek

  • D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place

  • Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

  • Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Oh boy. How confident am I in the Schitt’s Creek sweep? My instinct says to go with Borstein as a three-peat winner, but I can’t shake the feeling that they might throw everything at Schitt’s Creek this year. Annie Murphy is more lead than supporting (the show has 4 leads) and she was great on it and has been for years. It’d be more exciting to give it to a newcomer than yet another repeat winner, right? But Emmys love nothing if not repeating themselves. 

Winner: Alex Borstein

Alternate: Annie Murphy

Dark Horse: Cecily Strong (this is her first nomination, though I don’t like the SNL actors getting recognized in this category- they need to have a separate one for sketch performers)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

This is a dull prediction but I’m too chicken to go with Dan Levy for this

This is a dull prediction but I’m too chicken to go with Dan Levy for this

  • Mahershala Ali, Ramy

  • Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

  • Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

  • Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

  • William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

  • Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek

  • Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

  • Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

It’s great to see all the diversity in these categories and I hate to predict all white winners. I’d be more bullish on Dan Levy winning here if I didn’t think he was going to surely win in writing, and possibly directing as well. It’s a question of how much is too much- but since again, the show is over and this is really the first and last chance to celebrate it, I don’t think they’re going to think there’s a limit (they certainly didn’t in the final seasons of Breaking Bad, right? Or Fleabag last year). But if not him, who takes it? Probably Tony Shalhoub again, which would be very boring. But Maisel still got a boatload of nominations and was highly praised for its third season, so it will likely win at least one or two acting Emmys. 

Winner: Tony Shalhoub

Alternate: Dan Levy

Dark Horse: Sterling K. Brown (another actor from Maisel if they don’t want to stick with Shalhoub) 

Baby Yoda is Back in 'The Mandalorian' Season 2

Well, obviously people are going to be jazzed about this! The Disney Plus show that became a full blown cultural phenomenon last year (thank entirely to a simple little puppet called Baby Yoda) is back for Season 2 on October 30th. The trailer is cinematic and action-packed, but I wasn’t as crazy about the show overall as other people (and I don’t think they really were either- I think the love of Baby Yoda clouds everyone’s view of what this is), and this looks like more of the same, pretty much. Still, I’m sure that’ll be enough for most of the fans.

2020 Emmy Predictions, Part 2: Acting in a Drama Series

Now we’re on to acting in a drama series, saving comedy for last this year. This is where I will likely feel the need to predict some winners from shows I haven’t seen, so look out for that, but I have my reasons.

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Brian Cox is so dominant here as monster mogul Logan Roy, but faces competition from his more sympathetic son Kendall (Jeremy Strong)

Brian Cox is so dominant here as monster mogul Logan Roy, but faces competition from his more sympathetic son Kendall (Jeremy Strong)

  • Jason Bateman, Ozark

  • Sterling K. Brown, This is Us

  • Steve Carell, The Morning Show

  • Brian Cox, Succession

  • Billy Porter, Pose

  • Jeremy Strong, Succession

So, I think you should know that I feel Brian Cox deserves to win this hands down this year. But he has some real competition from his onscreen son Jeremy Strong, even if his performance isn’t as showy and dominant. He’s a more sympathetic character in some ways and that can matter to people watching the show. They may end up trading off on this award in the future, but for now I think Cox should be crowned the winner.

Winner: Brian Cox

Alternate: Jeremy Strong

Dark Horse: Jason Bateman (Emmys continue to love Ozark)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

I landed on Linney, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if any of these nominees won

I landed on Linney, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if any of these nominees won

  • Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show

  • Olivia Colman, The Crown

  • Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

  • Laura Linney, Ozark

  • Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

  • Zendaya, Euphoria

This one is shaky to me. I doubt Jodie Comer repeats, although they do seem to really love Killing Eve, even nominating it everywhere after this awful season it had. Could Jennifer Aniston win? The Morning Show seems popular, and she’s a longtime TV veteran and former Emmy winner of course. Olivia Colman is possible but more likely to win for her final Crown season next year, I think. Even Sandra Oh has a shot, since Comer won last time. To be honest, I could see any of these women taking it. I think, because the Emmys seem to love Ozark so much, that this could be Laura Linney’s year, so I’m going with her.

Winner: Laura Linney

Alternate: Jennifer Aniston

Dark Horse: Sandra Oh (I don’t know why I have a feeling this could happen, but I do)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

With no Rhea Seehorn it leaves the category open to a repeat winner in Garner

With no Rhea Seehorn it leaves the category open to a repeat winner in Garner

  • Laura Dern, Big Little Lies

  • Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies

  • Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve

  • Julia Garner, Ozark

  • Sarah Snook, Succession

  • Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown

  • Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

  • Thandie Newton, Westworld

Sooo….I don’t know. I feel like the most likely winners here are either a repeat win for Garner, or Shaw (who had her best season in terms of performance) or possibly Snook for Succession. Ugh. This one’s a roll of the dice. I’m still mad that Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn was snubbed here. This award should have been hers easily.

Winner: Julia Garner

Alternate: Fiona Shaw

Dark Horse: Sarah Snook

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Befuddled, put upon Tom is made more sympathetic than he should be, thanks to McFadyen’s portrayal

Befuddled, put upon Tom is made more sympathetic than he should be, thanks to McFadyen’s portrayal

  • Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul

  • Nicholas Braun, Succession

  • Kieran Culkin, Succession

  • Matthew Macfadyen, Succession

  • Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale

  • Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

  • Mark Duplass, The Morning Show

  • Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

I think a Succession guy should win here, but with so many of them nominated, who would take it? My money’s on Macfadyen, who really is great on the show, but Culkin’s hot on his heels. Billy Crudup is also a strong possibility if The Morning Show has to win somewhere, and he was SAG nominated in the winter.

Winner: Matthew Macfadyen

Alternate: Kieran Culkin

Dark Horse: Billy Crudup

2020 Emmy Predictions, Part 1: Acting in a Limited Series

It may hardly seem important these days, but since they’re holding a virtual Emmy ceremony in a couple weeks, I’m going to go ahead and make my predictions. It’s a fun distraction for me. We start with acting in a limited series or TV movie and as usual these days, this category is very stacked. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t favorites to be had, as you’ll see. 

LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Watchmen is the big favorite of the night

Watchmen is the big favorite of the night

  • Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America

  • Shira Haas, Unorthodox

  • Regina King, Watchmen

  • Octavia Spencer, Self Made

  • Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere

So, I really think Watchmen is the heavy favorite this year across the board in limited series. It led the nominations, and that means its lead is very likely to walk away with the trophy, so expect Emmy darling Regina King to win this.

Winner: Regina King

Alternate: Cate Blanchett (an Oscar winner is always a threat)

LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

So, I haven’t seen this movie but I heard good things about Jackman in it

So, I haven’t seen this movie but I heard good things about Jackman in it

  • Jeremy Irons, Watchmen

  • Hugh Jackman, Bad Education

  • Paul Mescal, Normal People

  • Jeremy Pope, Hollywood

  • Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much is True

Now, even with Watchmen the favorite, I don’t think that necessarily gives Jeremy Irons the edge in this category. First of all, he wasn’t really lead. Hugh Jackman has a shot, given he’s a big name and that movie got good reviews, but newcomer Paul Mescal may be the surprise win here, given how much buzz Normal People had. The only question mark is the fact that the show wasn’t nominated in series. 

Winner: Hugh Jackman

Alternate: Paul Mescal

Dark Horse: Mark Ruffalo

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

The other actors should have been nominated along with Collette for Unbelievable

The other actors should have been nominated along with Collette for Unbelievable

  • Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America

  • Toni Collette, Unbelievable

  • Margo Martindale, Mrs. America

  • Jean Smart, Watchmen

  • Holland Taylor, Hollywood

  • Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America

I’d like for one of the Mrs. America ladies to win this, but which one? Could there be vote splitting going on? I imagine Toni Collette is going to take it, as the sole honoree for the very well reviewed Unbelievable, which is also nominated in series. But Jean Smart was terrific too in Watchmen. This is a competitive race.

Winner: Toni Collette

Alternate: Jean Smart

Dark Horse: Tracey Ullman

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

I was not a fan of this makeup or how they chose to make Dr. Manhattan look, but he’ll probably win

I was not a fan of this makeup or how they chose to make Dr. Manhattan look, but he’ll probably win

  • Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen

  • Jovan Adepo, Watchmen

  • Titus Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend

  • Louis Gossett Jr., Watchmen

  • Dylan McDermott, Hollywood

  • Jim Parsons, Hollywood

I have not seen this Hollywood show, and with almost all these slots filled with men from either that or Watchmen, this is kind of a crapshoot (I doubt Titus Burgess wins for the Kimmy Schmidt interactive special). I guess I’m going with Abdul-Mateen, as the flashiest role of Dr. Manhattan, but he’s up against some old Emmy veterans in Parsons and McDermott, so it’s close.

Winner: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Alternate: Jim Parsons

Dark Horse: Dylan McDermott