Showtime’s new miniseries showcases some of the most famous first ladies, played by Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson. Great actresses, but I don’t know what or who Gillian Anderson thinks she’s playing here. That’s Eleanor Roosevelt? Ummm…I don’t think so. Come on Gillian, you just won an Emmy for Margaret Thatcher. Did you even look up footage of the most famous first lady of all time? Doesn’t seem like it. I don’t know if this is meant to be an ongoing anthology series, but if so I’d say the next three should be Hillary Clinton, Jackie Kennedy and Abigail Adams.
Amazon Premieres New 'Lord of the Rings' Teaser Trailer During Super Bowl
And it looks more like the CG mess of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies than it does the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, at least if you ask me. I wonder how many people are going to tune in for this. The LOTR fandom was huge and devoted back in the day- are they still out there, having been waiting for something like this for the last twenty years or so? I’m not particularly enthused, but I was never one of them.
The Final Season of 'Killing Eve' Starts in a Few Weeks
It’s way past time for this thing to end (and an argument could be made that this show never should have been an ongoing series in the first place), but hopefully this last season manages to salvage some of the good notes from the series that launched Jodie Comer into a (hopeful) big screen career. The premiere of Season 4 is Sunday, February 27th.
The Revolutionary War is Finally Here in 'Outlander' Season 6
I think it’s here, anyway. Unfortunately, Outlander is trapped in the middle part of the book series where the war is perpetually “around the corner” but never quite arrived yet. Also this new season of Outlander is only going to be eight episodes (possibly shortened due to Caitriona Balfe’s pregnancy), so expect only the major events of Book 6 to appear onscreen. I don’t mind though- the sooner we get to that damn war, the better.
Oscar Isaac Stars in Disney + Series 'Moon Knight,' Premiering Mar 30
The next Marvel streaming series is the little known superhero Moon Knight, which gets the big screen treatment for the first time on Mar 30- with Oscar Isaac in the lead. He’s a great actor, but what’s with the accent? Seems unnecessary. The show looks, maybe a little darker than their usual fare, but not that much if we’re being honest. I’d be shocked it it was anything close to the tone of the old Netflix shows like Daredevil or Jessica Jones.
'Loki' and 'Yellowjackets' Make WGA TV Nominations
The Writers Guild came out with its TV nominations and it kinda bodes well for some Loki Emmy love this summer, it seems to me. When the writers like it, you know it’s a contender. Not as much so for The Great, which may just miss comedy series again, like it did for its first season, unfortunately.
2022 WGA TV NOMINATIONS
Drama Series
The Handmaid’s Tale
Loki
The Morning Show
Succession
Yellowjackets
Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Ted Lasso
What We Do in the Shadows
New Series
Hacks
Loki
Only Murders in the Building
Reservation Dogs
Yellowjackets
Original Long Form
AHS: Double Feature
Mare of Easttown
Midnight Mass
Them: Covenant
The White Lotus
Adapted Long Form
Halston
Impeachment: ACS
Maid
The Underground Railroad
WandaVision
Comedy/Variety Talk Series
Conan
Desus & Mero
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Problem With Jon Stewart
Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
How to with John Wilson
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
PAUSE with Sam Jay
Saturday Night Live
That Damn Michael Che
Comedy/Variety Specials
43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors
Drew Michael: Red Blue Green
Full Frontal Wants to Take Your Guns
The Tony Awards Presents: Broadway’s Back!
Yearly Departed
SAG Still Likes 'The Morning Show' and 'Squid Game' in TV
SAG acknowledged some good people on the TV side, with a bunch of Succession actors (of course) and the Squid Game ensemble (awesome). But The Morning Show really had an awful second season, so I’m iffy on all the love for that one. They also recognized Margaret Qualley in Maid and some of the White Lotus cast (why is there no ensemble award for limited series by the way?). SAG loves veterans so I’m thinking Steve Martin and/or Martin Short could win here.
2022 SAG TV NOMINATIONS
BEST DRAMA SERIES ENSEMBLE
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“The Morning Show”
“Squid Game”
“Succession”
“Yellowstone”
BEST DRAMA SERIES ACTOR
Brian Cox (“Succession”)
Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)
Kieran Culkin (“Succession”)
Lee Jung-jae (“Squid Game”)
Jeremy Strong (“Succession”)
BEST DRAMA SERIES ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Jung Ho-Yeon (“Squid Game”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Sarah Snook (“Succession”)
Reese Witherspoon (“The Morning Show”)
BEST COMEDY SERIES ENSEMBLE
“The Great”
“Hacks”
“The Kominsky Method”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Ted Lasso”
BEST COMEDY SERIES ACTOR
Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”)
Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”)
Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”)
BEST COMEDY SERIES ACTRESS
Elle Fanning (“The Great”)
Sandra Oh (“The Chair”)
Jean Smart (“Hacks”)
Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”)
Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”)
BEST TV MOVIE/LIMITED SERIES ACTOR
Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”)
Oscar Isaac (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Michael Keaton (“Dopesick”)
Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)
Evan Peters (“Mare of Easttown”)
BEST TV MOVIE/LIMITED SERIES ACTRESS
Jennifer Coolidge (“The White Lotus”)
Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”)
Margaret Qualley (“Maid”)
Jean Smart (“Mare of Easttown”)
Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”)
BEST TV SERIES STUNT ENSEMBLE
“Cobra Kai”
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
“Loki”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Squid Game”
Golden Globes Award 'Succession,' 'Hacks' and 'The Underground Railroad' in TV
The Golden Globes press release/twitter feed awards went for a couple of surprises on the TV side, particularly Hacks over Ted Lasso and The Underground Railroad in limited series (I personally couldn’t think of less of a GG type of show if I tried on that latter one). But the success of Succession should be expected and movie star winners Kate Winslet and Michael Keaton are very Globes-y picks as well. But they also made history in awarding MJ Rodriguez from Pose as the first trans actress to win a television award, which is the kind of thing that’s a shame wasn’t allowed to air on live TV.
2022 GOLDEN GLOBE TV WINNERS
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA – Succession
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA – Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez, Pose
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA – Jeremy Strong, Succession
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY – Hacks
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY – Jean Smart, Hacks
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY – Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION – The Underground Railroad
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION – Michael Keaton, Dopesick
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION – Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION – Sarah Snook, Succession
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION – O Yeong-su, Squid Game
Golden Globes Nominate 'Lupin,' 'Squid Game' Actors and New Comedies
The Golden Globe TV nominations are your typical HFPA obsession with new shows, as well as some others. They still really like The Morning Show for some reason, despite that absolute disaster of a second season. And Succession, Hacks, The Great, and Only Murders in the Building all got love from the HFPA as well.
2021 GG TV NOMINATIONS
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Lupin
The Morning Show
Pose
Squid Game
Succession
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Uzo Aduba - In Treatment
Jennifer Aniston - The Morning Show
Christine Baranski - The Good Fight
Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid's Tale
Mj Rodriguez - Pose
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Brian Cox - Succession
Lee Jung-jae - Squid Game
Billy Porter - Pose
Jeremy Strong - Succession
Omar Sy - Lupin
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Great
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Reservation Dogs
Ted Lasso
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Hanna Einbender - Hacks
Elle Fanning - The Great
Issa Rae - Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross - Black-ish
Jean Smart - Hacks
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Anthony Anderson - Black-ish
Nicolas Hoult - The Great
Steve Martin - Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short - Only Murders in the Building
Jason Sudeikis - Ted Lasso
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Dopesick
Impeachment: American Crime Story
Maid
Mare Of Easttown
The Underground Railroad
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jessica Chastain - Scenes from a Marriage
Cynthia Erivo - Genius: Aretha
Elizabeth Olsen - Wandavision
Margaret Qualley - Maid
Kate Winslet - Mare of Easttown
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Paul Bettany - Wandavision
Oscar Isaac - Scenes from a Marriage
Michael Keaton - Dopesick
Ewan McGregor - Halston
Tahar Rahim - The Serpent
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
Jennifer Coolidge - The White Lotus
Kaitlyn Dever - Dopesick
Andie MacDowell - Maid
Sarah Snook - Succession
Hannah Waddingham - Ted Lasso
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
Billy Crudup - The Morning Show
Kieren Culkin - Succession
Mark Duplass = The Morning Show
Brent Goldstein - Ted Lasso
O Yeong-su - Squid Game
AFI's Top 10 Shows of 2021
The AFI top ten this year is frankly better than the film list. Slightly surprised by Schmigadoon! but pleasantly so. And everything else here was expected as TV continues to have a rich buffet of high quality menu options. Squid Game, not eligible for consideration, was awarded a special honor, so no, they didn’t forget about it. This is one of the few years where I’ve seen everything on the list.
AFI TOP 10 SHOWS OF 2021
HACKS
MAID
MARE OF EASTTOWN
RESERVATION DOGS
SCHMIGADOON!
SUCCESSION
TED LASSO
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
WANDAVISION
THE WHITE LOTUS