Thursday, June 12, 2008

Emmys: Heigl won't be on anybody's ballot, but who'd be on mine?

The above is a picture you won't see again this fall, as Katherine Heigl's name wasn't on the list of performers who submitted themselves for Emmy consideration this year. When Emmy maven Tom O'Neill asked Heigl's people why she didn't put herself up, she replied:
"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention," she tells Gold Derby. "In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."
As if the "Grey's Anatomy" set weren't an already awkward place, that next meeting between Heigl and Shonda Rhimes -- whom Heigl just accused of not giving her anything award-worthy to play -- is going to be just splendid, don't you think?

Meanwhile, the complete list of submitted performers has the usual interesting tidbits about what genres and categories certain shows and people were submitted in. (Keep in mind that the studio and/or producers choose comedy vs. drama, while it's up to the actors themselves to declare whether they think they're a lead or supporting actor.) Matt at Throwing Things has a break-down of some of the more noteworthy decisions, and so after the jump I'm going to do something simpler: based on where people were submitted, I'm going to pick my ideal Emmy nominees in the series acting categories.

First up, I have to say that this isn't as easy as you'd think. Yes, I have an advantage over your average Emmy voter in that I actually watch most of the shows up for consideration, but there are categories where I was hard-pressed to come up with a list of five names (for lead comedy actress, I just gave up), and in others there were at least 10 people who immediately went onto my must-list. So we'll just take it category-by-category, as I try to explain how I got here:

Lead actor in a comedy series

Because there are so few traditional comedies on TV these days -- it seems like half the submitted shows are hour-longs that just have some comedic elements -- there aren't a lot of comedy leads, period, let alone award-worthy ones. Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") is my obvious choice as the winner, and I'd have to put Steve Carell ("The Office") on any ballot, if only for his work in the season finale (he was quite great for most of the season, in fact). Beyond that? I thought about old pros Brad Garrett and Kelsey Grammer (the latter all but guaranteed of a nomination, because he's popular, because he just had a heart attack and because, even though "Back to You" wasn't much, he's great), and other usual suspects like Larry David ("Curb" was terribly uneven and he wasn't close to the funniest performer this time), Jason Lee, Zach Braff, etc., before finally settling on Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement from "Flight of the Conchords," who were so unusual and funny (and you can't nominate one without the other), plus Zachary Levi, who had to do a lot of heavy lifting on "Chuck" and rarely seemed to break a sweat.

Lead actress in a comedy series

Again, can we just pass on this one? Tina Fey ("30 Rock") is the only submitted performer I can endorse wholeheartedly, and I felt okay about choosing Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who"), who's great on a show that doesn't really deserve her. Unless the rules required me to fill out a full five names, I'd be done after that, but if forced to, I guess I'd add Anna Friel from "Pushing Daisies," Mary-Louise Parker from "Weeds" (the show annoys me these days but at least she's interesting on it) and, just because it would amuse me and make some people's heads explode, Miley Cyrus from "Hannah Montana."

Lead actor in a drama series

Such a strong category that I could come up with two completely separate ballots where I wouldn't feel the least bit self-conscious about including anybody. The five who didn't quite make the cut: Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"), Tim DeKay (who was one of the two reasons I watched "Tell Me You Love Me," a show I otherwise despised), Damian Lewis ("Life"), Edward James Olmos ("Battlestar Galactica") and Dominic West ("The Wire"). I really can't give you a good reason to exclude any of them, except that the next five were just a tiny bit better: Gabriel Byrne ("In Treatment"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"), Michael C. Hall ("Dexter"), Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") and Hugh Laurie ("House").

Lead actress in a drama series

It's all-cable here: Ginnifer Goodwin and Jeanne Tripplehorn from "Big Love" (a show I have issues with, but where the performances by several of the actresses, notably these two, are brilliant), Holly Hunter from "Saving Grace" (like "Samantha Who," a performance better than the show probably earns), Ally Walker (the other reason I stuck it through "Tell Me You Love Me") and, my favorite, Mary McDonnell from "Battlestar Galactica."

Other than Hunter, I would be stunned if any of these people were to get an actual Emmy nomination.

Supporting actor in a comedy series

God, there's a lot of good talent here that I couldn't find room to include, whether it's people being hilarious in tiny roles (Leslie David Baker, Rhys Darby) or more multi-layered performances that didn't have the best material this year (Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, John Krasinski). I have to go with Jim Gaffigan (who single-handedly elevates "My Boys" from amusing time-waster to something I really look forward to), Neil Patrick Harris (hilarious and well-rounded on "How I Met Your Mother"), J.B. Smoove (painfully funny in almost every second of "Curb" screen time), Rainn Wilson (who even got some dramatic notes to play after Dwight got dumped on "The Office") and Ray Wise as the perfect Devil on "Reaper."

Supporting actress in a comedy series

The "Saturday Night Live" actors are now eligible in these categories, and so I have to give some love to the current cast's MVPs, Kristin Wiig and Amy Poehler. Jenna Fischer didn't have anything as blatantly award-baiting on this season of "The Office" as she did last year but was still splendid, as was Angela Kinsey, who's become sort of the first among equals of the show's actors not in the opening credits. For the last slot, I'll go with Dana Delany, who, outside of one or two episodes, didn't have a ton of funny things to do on "Desperate Housewives" but was the best (and at times, only) reason to watch it this year.

Supporting actor in a drama series

Oy. I could fill this with nothing but people from "Lost" and "The Wire," and I still would have too many names (and that's even though certain "Wire" actors like Clarke Peters didn't even bother to submit their names, no doubt knowing their award chances were lost causes). Plus, if I just went with those shows, I'd be leaving out John Slattery's brilliant, oily work on "Mad Men." In an attempt to spread the wealth while also recognizing as much great work as possible, I'll fill out the category with Jorge Garcia and Michael Emerson as my token "Lost" choices, Andre Royo as the lone "Wire" representative (with great apologies to Wendell Pierce and Michael K. Williams), and Michael Hogan and his amazing acting eye from "Battlestar Galactica."

(Other names briefly considered: the men of "Friday Night Lights," Justin Chambers from "Grey's," Blair Underwood from "In Treatment," Robert Sean Leonard from "House" and Scott Foley from "The Unit.")

Supporting actress in a drama series

Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights") for the win, please. After that, some tough decisions. I thought about Sandra Oh from "Grey's" and Yunjin Kim from "Lost," but while they had some strong individual moments, they didn't register enough over the whole season. Also considered, then dismissed: Maura Tierney (who was great in the Abby-off-the-wagon arc on "ER"), Katee Sackhoff (who brought the crazy on "Galactica") and January Jones (I can never decide how much of what makes her "Mad Men" character work is her performance and how much is the hair, makeup and wardrobe). My other four nominees: Mia Wasikowska and Dianne Wiest (both superb on "In Treatment"), Tricia Helfer for "Galactica," and Amanda Seyfried as another of those great "Big Love" women.

But that's just me spit-balling. Give me a few weeks to really slave over the list and I could be talked into some major changes.

What do you think?

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think Katherine Heigl needs to follow the advice she gave to Isaiah Washington and stop speaking in public. I don't think I've ever heard a statement from her that wasn't at least mildly obnoxious.

Ted Kerwin said...

Mia from In Treatment was my favorite of the year but who knows how much of that was just the feeling you grew along with her through the season. If a veteran actress had done that well it might not be as noticeable.

As for the supporting men you are correct, any of those could be considered and I would be fine with it. Hell you could just nominate the Wire cast and I would be ok with it.

Schoonie said...

Dude. Tracy Morgan!

Alan Sepinwall said...

Tracy was on my preliminary list before I started cutting down. I certainly wouldn't object to his presence; I just liked my five more.

Mrglass said...

No Aaron Douglas (Galactica) for Supporting Actor? Not that he has a chance to win (nor any actor of that show, sadly), but still... he did such a fantastic job this year.

Alan Sepinwall said...

Douglas didn't submit himself. (Like Clarke Peters on The Wire, I assume he thought there was no point in trying.) And even if he had, he'd be (along with James Callis and the guys I already mentioned) a very painful exclusion. Too many good people, not enough slots.

Anna said...

I, too, am very sad that Aaron Douglas didn't submit a tape.

But MY GOD that list is long. I'm too ADD to go through it right now.

Alan Sepinwall said...

But MY GOD that list is long. I'm too ADD to go through it right now.

The length of the list is no doubt another reason the voters tend to make such lazy choices. After a while of staring at page after page of people who have no shot in hell of winning anything but submitted themselves for vanity's sake, I imagine your eyes tend to glaze over and you just start skimming for the most recognizable names possible.

Anonymous said...

Re: Heigl.

I think her statement was a calculated one. She's strongly rumored to want out of her GA contract and so far has been unsuccessful in that effort. Maybe she thought a public swipe at Shonda Rhimes would help facilitate that process. Hopefully, they'll hold her to her contract and cut her screentime by about 75 percent. Or somehow render her mute.

Elwood said...

I think that Katherine Heigl thinks much more of herself than anyone else. I'd be okay if she weren't on GA anymore, and it sounds like that'd be alright with her, too.

Liking her less and less the more she publicly bitches about her own work.

Alan Sepinwall said...

I think her statement was a calculated one. She's strongly rumored to want out of her GA contract and so far has been unsuccessful in that effort. Maybe she thought a public swipe at Shonda Rhimes would help facilitate that process.

I'm almost certain that's what she's trying to pull, given that she's now considered a bankable movie actress after "Knocked Up" and "27 Dresses."

Be interesting to see if ABC can do to her what they did to Suzanne Somers way back when she tried to get out of "Three's Company" to do movies: Somers got held to her contract, but also had her role reduced to brief weekly appearances from a different set, where her character would briefly talk on the phone with the other two. The whole thing backfired massively on her.

Anonymous said...

Connie Britton is up for supporting-- not lead-- as Mrs. Coach on FNL?

Mary McDonnell's work on BSG is first-rate. Hopefully the Emmy voters will recognize that this year. (If not, the one good result from Sci-FI dragging out the final ten episodes of season 4 is that she'll be eligible again next year).

Aside from perhaps Creed on The Office, was anyone consistently funnier than J.B. Smoove in Curb?

Tosy And Cosh said...

I was wondering something similar - I know this is extreme, but if they wrote her character into a coma, and yet had scenes take place in her character's hospital room every episode, made it a kind of sanctaury for characters where they would come to monologue to her, would she HAVE to do it? Come in to lie in a bed and not say anything every week? I'm assuming not, but am very ignorant of how these things work.

Anonymous said...

J.B. Smoove all the way!

I'd say Jemaine has a slight edge over Bret. Not Brit, Bret.

barefootjim said...

In what world is Connie Britton not the Lead Actress in a Drama?

The same one, I guess, that would actually choose Katherine Heigl to win anything.

Also, too bad about Jekyll being nowhere on that list, because both James Nesbitt and Gina Bellman were great.

Outside of that, I'd seriously consider Judy Greer in "Miss Guided," for Lead Actress in a Comedy and Kristen Chenoweth as Supporting Actress in a Comedy, a category to which I'd also add Melora Hardin, who completely killed all season.

Anonymous said...

I don't watch Grey's Anatomy, but hospitals have janitors, don't they? She could lose her medical license or whatever, and have to beg for the job. They could have her in the background of every scene, pushing a mop. I would start watching then.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's uncouth, and sure, it's probably a cynical calculation, but at the same time... it's not as though Katherine Heigl is wrong. Her show is bad, and her character is worse, and since she won last year, she's the kind of person who lazy voters would've thrown a vote at anyway, because she won and she's more famous than other contenders.

So... good for her!

Anonymous said...

SHATNER!

It's strange, but as the "Boston Legal" scripts get weirder and more strident, Shatner's performances get deeper and richer. The material and his unique talents merge; it's kind of the antithesis of the entire KH/GA phenomenon.

Anyway, if Shatner in Coast Guard dress whites passionately pleading with the jury not to allow Concord to secede from the Union doesn't merit an Emmy, what does?

Anonymous said...

Connie Britton is doing the smart thing declaring herself a supporting actress. The competition is much lighter there, and has a better chance of a less established emmy nominee taking home the prize.

Alan Sepinwall said...

Yes, it's uncouth, and sure, it's probably a cynical calculation, but at the same time... it's not as though Katherine Heigl is wrong. Her show is bad, and her character is worse, and since she won last year, she's the kind of person who lazy voters would've thrown a vote at anyway, because she won and she's more famous than other contenders.

But that's clearly not her motive, and other people -- Candice Bergen and John Larroquette, to name just two -- found ways to remove themselves from Emmy consideration without throwing their co-workers under the bus in the process.

Alan Sepinwall said...

Connie Britton is doing the smart thing declaring herself a supporting actress. The competition is much lighter there, and has a better chance of a less established emmy nominee taking home the prize.

Of course, it'd help if she could get, you know, nominated this time, as opposed to last year. But I agree that submitting in the lower category is probably a smart thing, given the name recognition of some of the lead contenders (Hunter, Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick, etc.)

Anonymous said...

I actually think Heigl knew she had no shot at a nomination this year and figured that would look bad since she won last year. So instead she decided to not submit herself and make sure EVERYONE knew it.

The Hypnotoad said...

It'd be so awesome to see Dominic West from the Wire nominated, and then during the ceremony when they show a clip of each actor in the show, they show the clip of McNulty's face when the FBI profilers are going over their profile for the madeup serial killer. That deserved an emmy alone.

Anonymous said...

I've always been of the opinion that actors and actresses who win Emmys should be ineligible for the duration of their current show, so I'm pretty glad Heigl took herself out regardless of motive.

Anonymous said...

Good call on the SNL girls, even when the show isn't firing on all cylinders they are quite funny....I think I would take Jenna Fischer off and replace her with Kristen Schaal though.

I would like to argue about leaving Rhys Darby off, but Supporting Actor in a Comedy is an absolutely loaded field and JB Smoove needs to be recognized for what he did this year.

If Idris Elba couldn't get recognized for his acting in The Wire, I would be absolutely shocked if it receives any acting nominations (save Amy Ryan due to name recognition alone).

Myles said...

Hiegl's comments are obviously as calculated as we suggest, no matter how true they are. Meh, all that matters is it more or less guarantees Connie Britton makes the Top 10.

As for the lists, I am most intrigued by the Guest Actor/Actress races. In particular, I'm hoping for Anne Dudek's great work in the House finale to be recognized. Plus, I'm curious to see how many of the 30 Rock guests snag nominations - there's at least three amazing options on each side (Falco/Fisher/Stritch in Actress, Schwimmer/Winters/Arnett in Actor), and a lot more actors with a chance at breaking through.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I think the whole cast of "In Treatment" should be nominated. Is their an ensemble category? While Sophie and Gina were fabulous, an argument could be made for Alex, Laura and Jake and Amy having the same dynamic.

As for Best Actor/Drama, that's a tough call. Hard to go against either Jon Hamm or Michael C. Hall as both were as compelling as any character on tv. Both of these actors could win every year, as far as I'm concerned.

Anonymous said...

Alan -

How about Jack McBrayer?

Alan Sepinwall said...

How about Jack McBrayer?

I'd put him on the Rhys Darby level of very funny, but not as insanely funny as J.B. Smoove and not as well-rounded as the other four guys I chose.

I suppose I could be talked out of Gaffigan if you get me drunk enough.

Anonymous said...

The "Big Love" wives and supporting actresses are so amazing. Bill Paxton, who?

I can't bring myself to cut Kyle Chandler, but I agree that Connie Britton needs to win. In fact, I've said before that she shouldn't even have to be nominated. They should just bring the Emmy award to her house every week.

Alan Sepinwall said...

The "Big Love" wives and supporting actresses are so amazing. Bill Paxton, who?

The show would be so much better if it was told entirely from the perspective of the wives, with Bill appearing only occasionally, and only in relation to them.

Anonymous said...

I know she has no shot, but I probably would like to see Felicia Pearson get a nomination more than just about anything else this year, more than The Wire getting nominated for best drama even. I think we'd all be hard pressed to find a more unique performance among the submitted.

Anonymous said...

But that's clearly not her motive, and other people -- Candice Bergen and John Larroquette, to name just two -- found ways to remove themselves from Emmy consideration without throwing their co-workers under the bus in the process.

Well, sure, if her only motive was protecting the honour of the Emmys (which... bwahahahaha), then, yes, there are better ways to do so. But what I find interesting is that everyone is angry at her for being disingenious instead of looking at the content of what she is saying and being grateful that someone is saying it.

People talk a lot about how celebrities never say anything interesting or show any responsibility for their work, but I think we are seeing the reason why. Because the two times I can think of when Heigl has spoken out (this and with the sexism in Knocked Up), she's been treated like an ungrateful brat, even though she wasn't exactly wrong either time.

And it's not like she's picking on a little show doing the best it can. Grey's Anatomy is one of (if not the) biggest shows on television, which has proven it can be better than it has been. Her character has been better than it has been. So while her ultimate motive might be simply to try and get off it to move on to more lucrative endeavours, I think her criticism is still valid, and a little refreshing.

Mo Ryan said...

If anyone from Boston Legal wins anything I will burst a blood vessel and then my brain will explode. God, the Emmys. Another year, another shut out, I'm sure, for the Wire, FNL, BSG, blah blah blah.

But as long as we're playing this game... No love for Kartheiser on Mad Men? And I'd love it if Glynn Turman or Peter Horton got guest nods for their In Treatment work. Then again, I'm living in a dream world to even imagine such things could be possible...

Yes, I do think KH was starting a "let me out of my contract" campaign with her comments. Fair enough. What would you do if you were stuck on a show that had essentially destroyed your character and your reason for being there, more or less? Izzie is easily the worst thing about the show anymore (and that's saying something). It's almost as if Shonda Rhimes wants her to leave -- why else write the character as such as shrill ninny? Is she trying to punish KH? Even if she's not trying, the scripts are having that effect.

And I think KH is right -- other actresses deserve a shot. What she got handed at GA didn't merit anything, let alone another Emmy nom, which voters might have been lazy enough to give her. Good for her to take herself out of the running, and I'm not sure it's a crime for her to be honest about it. So it makes her boss mad -- so what? You think the powers that be at that show don't already know that KH ain't happy?

As for her Knocked up comments, I applauded them too. She broke the Hollywood taboo and didn't only speak in bland generalities. And she was right about the women in that film. God forbid anyone speak honestly, I guess. Yeah, she had to know she'd cause a storm with what she said. Maybe she likes that, who knows. Doesn't change the fact that she was right and it took guts to be honest.

Matt said...

There's a way to make these sorts of comments with class and tact, and a way not to. Especially this time, Heigl seems to have opted for the latter.

Heigl can (and should) voice her displeasure with her character's arc and the writing of her character, but doing it this way not only makes her look like kind of a psycho hose beast, but could adversely impact her career.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't leave out Kyle Chandler, Jack McBrayer, Tracy Morgan, and Michael K. Williams.

Jorge Garcia? really?

In Treatment is practically a play. The cast is strong, but the writing is so actor friendly that I almost think it is unfair to judge them along side the casts of other shows. Perhaps I am just being stupid.

Finally, please let there be a nomination for The Wire. And BSG!

Stef said...

I have grown to hate Izzie so much that it was almost shocking to watch, yes, "27 Dresses" and the series "Roswell" on DVD and realize that I really liked KH. So I'm redirecting my Izzie hate at Shonda, because she really has made her an awful, unlikable character. Good for KH, if this gets her what she wants - the opportunity to spend her time playing stronger roles.

par3182 said...

have you forgotten damages already? glenn close? ted danson? i thought you loved them

i love that you love big love as much as you do, but leaving off its MVP chloe sevigny? outrageous. but including amanda seyfried almost makes up for it

Alan Sepinwall said...

have you forgotten damages already? glenn close? ted danson? i thought you loved them

Perhaps you're thinking of someone else. I wasn't a Damages fan at all, though I liked the performances by both Close and Danson (just not enough to consider them).

i love that you love big love as much as you do, but leaving off its MVP chloe sevigny? outrageous.

Ordinarily, I'm a Sevigny fan, but I think Goodwin and Tripplehorn are doing work a few orders of magnitude subtler and more interesting than she is here.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you aren’t kidding. That list is long. Plus, it’s funny to see the range of performances in the same category e.g. Neil Patrick Harris for How I Met Your Mother, and the kid who plays one of the Scavo kids on Desperate Housewives. Nothing against the latter, but there’s just no comparison.

I could make an argument for just about everyone from In Treatment being on the list – even though most scenes were just 2 people in a room, it was never boring, and mostly fascinating and moving. I couldn’t turn away.

Also, what about Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland for Dirty Sexy Money? The show could be uneven, but their performances never were.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for mentioning Amanda Seyfried. I think her work on Big Love has been some of the best and, sadly, least recognized work I've seen on tv in a long time. She perfectly nails every aspect of her character and really has a tremendous range. I hope that Mama Mia is a hit this summer and that she becomes the big star she deserves to be.

Nicole said...

I know it would never happen, but David Tennant was brilliant in the Family of Blood two parter (I presume the third season would be eligible).

Heigl isn't very bright by insulting the show's writer and isn't exactly creating many friends in TVland, where she will inevitably return when she has aged out of her blonde starlet phase. By Hollywood standards that will be in about two years.

Chauncey said...

BEST ACTOR (DRAMA)
Gabriel Byrne, Michael C. Hall, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie, Denis Leary

BEST ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Glenn Close, Sally Field, Mary McDonnell, Kyra Sedgwick, Ally Walker

BEST ACTOR (COMEDY)
Alec Baldwin, Steve Carrell, Jemaine Clement, Larry David, Bret McKenzie

BEST ACTRESS (COMEDY)
America Ferrara, Tina Fey, Laura Kightlinger "The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman," Mary-Louise Parker, Sarah Silverman "The Sarah Silverman Program"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (DRAMA)
Keith Carradine "Dexter," Ted Danson "Damages," Clark Johnson "The Wire," Andre Royo, Blair Underwood "In Treatment"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Connie Britton, Rose Byrne "Damages," Michelle Forbes "In Treatment," January Jones, MIa Wasikowska

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (COMEDY)
Neil Patrick Harris, Jack McBrayer "30 Rock," Kevin Nealon "Weeds," JB Smoove, Michael Urie "Ugly Betty"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (COMEDY)
Kristin Chenowith "Pushing Daisies," Elizabeth Perkins "Weeds," Nicholle Tom "The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman," Kristin Wiig, Vanessa Williams "Ugly Betty"

And good god, please let Glynn Turman get recognized and win for what was, IMO, the single best performance in any episode on TV last year for "In Treatment"

Anonymous said...

List looks good. My only beef is Jorge Garcia over Michael K. Williams. Remember the scene with Omar after he survives the miracle jump and he's wrapping up his broken ankle? Watch it at the 5:45 mark here(Obvious huge spoilers to anyone who hasnt seen S5):

http://tinyurl.com/3jk4y5

Just watchin that scene you can almost feel his pain. Sure Jorge Garcia did a really nice job with that one earlier episode this season in particular but Michael K.'s performance was legen - wait for it - dary.

gina said...

and Michael Hogan and his amazing acting eye from "Battlestar Galactica."

It's only 1:22 PM in my part of the world but I think I can safely say that's the funniest thing I'll hear all day.

And I concur with you.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree. I've always enjoyed watching and listening (there's just something about his vocal delivery...)to our Colonel Tigh. But this year, Michael "Left Eye" Hogan has been outstanding!

J.B. Smoove was awesome on Curb Your Enthusiasm. He brought so much funny, I actually started watching Til' Death after he was cast. (The only positive of that experiment? It proved how great his Curb character was!)

DNR said...

I remember Heigl said something simiilar dismissive about Knocked Up, and at the time, I remember thinking that no matter what you thought of the sexual politics of the movie, she brought the least to the film. When Leslie Mann was on the screen, she barely seemed to be there.

Anonymous said...

Another vote for "what KH said may not have been nice, but it definitely was true."
I stopped watching Grey's this year, because the writing just got unforgiveably bad. And the writing for Izzie was among the worst of a very bad lot. It makes me think a little more of Heigl to know that she has the discernment to tell the difference between good and bad work. And as far as throwing the writers under the bus, they deserve to be there; they earned every one of those tire treads.

It is a calculated move, obviously. But say she were not trying to get out of her contract, should she just have kept quiet about the quality of the show this season like everyone else did and pretended that it didn't suck? If speaking out is ok, what should she have said, and when?

Anonymous said...

Doesn't change the fact that she was right and it took guts to be honest.

Agreed. It may have been a calculated move, and a point that could have been made in a more productive way, but Heigl shouldn't be punished for speaking out honestly.

And not to be the feminist who cried wolf, but let's not ignore the double-standard. If a man was speaking out like this, the backlash would not be nearly as bad. I applaud Heigl for her willingness to speak frankly.

Pamela Jaye said...

Did Katherine come right out and say this, or was she *asked*?
(by perhaps, one of the rabble stirrers, like the guy who pushed Isaiah about what happened the previous October. Everyone has to have some dirt to publish, don't they? present company excepted)

She's right, sadly. Ellen's said things about the writing as well, and I've heard that Patrick has. Someone might accuse Patrick of having a big ego (maybe) but Ellen? (I see her name is on the list, but she will never as much as be nominated - and I still don't get why Katie *won* last year)

I have, like Katie, no idea who Izzie is anymore, either.

Pamela Jaye said...

as for who should be nominated - Hugh and Jon Hamm are great (but someone has it in for Hugh, obviously)

the actresses I like most rarely do anything Emmy worthy (that would be Ellen Pompeo and Calista Flockhart), sadly. But that's on the writers' heads. (I guess I just have a thing for skinny, whiny female characters - I can relate. Well, I could, 25 lbs ago - now i'm "average." actually I have no idea what Ally McBeal's "issues" were - she turned out to be a "daddy's girl" which Meredith most definitely is not.)

I really don't know a thing about Calista, but I hear Ellen is very nice.

Anonymous said...

I would definetly put Sarah Connor Chronicle's Summer Glau on the list. I don't know if she's the best on TV, but she's the best out of all the Drama Supporting Actresses from shows I watch. The writers give her a lot of wriggle room so she can play the character how she wants, and the result is fantastic.

Anonymous said...

Nice job on lead actor in a drama series. They got all 5 of your choices!