Another Post About TV Shows…

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Golden Globes, Once Upon A Time, Orphan Black, OUAT, Tatiana Maslany, The Americans, TV, TV Shows

Hi everyone. Sorry that I haven’t been posting much this month. The holidays are always crazy, and I’m sure many of you can relate. There’s the shopping, parties, checking out the holiday sights, and all the good stuff that take away from other things you have to do. But I’ll be back to my usual schedule in January. 🙂

So, this entry is just another one where I chat about TV shows. There’s so many great shows (or used to be great shows) on TV these days, so there’s no way I cannot discuss them. Plus, the Golden Globe nominations were announced so I need address that…

Image via Wikimedia Commons

…especially since I am so glad that Tatiana Maslany has been nominated for Best Actress in a Drama series for her amazing work on BBC America’s “Orphan Black”! I’m thrilled she got that recognition, especially after she was snubbed by the Emmys. Tatiana may not win because she’s not famous enough, and she is up against more well-known actresses like Juliana Margulies. But I’m just glad she’s been nominated.

So, I am still watching my favorite network TV show, “Once Upon A Time”. Unfortunately, I’m starting to wonder if it is slowly jumping the shark. I felt this season started out very well and I had high hopes that it would redeem itself after the it’s weak second season. But the episode that aired this past Sunday has me wondering if the writers have lost all direction. The show just doesn’t make anymore sense and this new twist in the show – with the curse being reversed, everyone going back to the Enchanted Forest, while Emma and Henry stay in our world with no memories of Storybrooke – is so mind boggling that I can’t make sense out of it. I feel like the writers have gotten themselves into a huge mess and are desperately trying to make sense of their initial concept, but they are not doing it well at all. I’ll be nervous when the show returns March 9th because this was a very good show, and it has sunk very quickly.

This is the problem with TV shows. The producers and writers come up with a good concept, but have no idea how to extend it for several seasons. Heck, some don’t know how to extend it for several episodes! I know its only a TV show, just enjoy it, but yikes!

Luckily, early next year another show of mine is coming back – “The Americans”! I initially watched it on FX because the actress, Keri Russell, was on the WB series, “Felicity” back when I was in high school and that was my favorite show back then. But “The Americans” is pretty good, and I’m looking forward to Season Two. Here’s an awesome promo:

Then comes “Vikings” on History, and not long afterward, “Game of Thrones”. Yes, can you believe I’m anxiously waiting for Season Four? Hey, that show is addictive!

 

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Emmy Nods, True Blood, and Other TV Comments

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Ato Essandoh, BBC America, Copper, Emmy Nominations, Emmys, Tatiana Maslany, True Blood, TV Shows, Twitter, Under the Dome

So the Emmy nominations came and went, and sadly none of those of I was hoping to be nominated were mentioned Thursday morning. Lana Parrilla didn’t make the cut, and neither did Keri Russell. Peter Dinklage got a nod, but that’s because he won once before and it’s almost a given.

But I have to admit that I was livid that Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany was not nominated at all. Yes, I know she’s a newcomer on a lesser known show on a less popular station. But still. I’m one of those people jumping mad, insisting she was not snubbed, but robbed. Ugh. Here’s hoping the Hollywood Foreign Press will give her the recognition she deserves for the upcoming Golden Globes.

OK, moving on. The sixth season of True Blood is still going, and I must say that I am liking this season. The writers are doing quite a good job cleaning up the mess from Season 5, where it was dull and nothing made sense. I like how the writers are explaining what Bill Compton is now, even though to me, it contradicts what was happening last year. I feel the take on Andy Bellefleur’s faerie daughters was hilarious. I was laughing when they went from 10 year olds to 16 year olds in a matter of seconds. Last year, I rolled my eyes in disgust when they were born, because I felt the writers were being silly. But it has worked out for the best. Too bad Jessica killed all but one, making me dislike her even I was always cheering her on.

Speaking of which, isn’t it kind of odd that as the show has progressed, Sookie’s sweet smelling faerie blood is pointed out more? I get it that we weren’t supposed to know she’s half fae until halfway through Season 3, but it is still odd to now see vampires act like drug addicts around her. You’d think if Jessica couldn’t control herself around Bellefleur’s quadruplets, she would’ve mention how Sookie smells so good before. Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s just a story and it works. You know, cutting to the chase like I once explained?

I’m a bit nervous for Sunday’s episode. I heard the rumors that Eric Northman dies this season. And the tagline says “no one lives forever”. Yikes. True Blood without the hot Alexander Skarsgård. I can’t even fathom it…

Speaking of Sunday TV shows, I’m watching the BBC America show, Copper. This program makes me want to seriously research my Irish family history and see if any of my ancestors lived in Five Points in the 1860s. I really should.

What’s been really awesome is that on Twitter, I’ve interacted with one of the show’s actors and one of their writers! A couple of weeks ago, there was a love scene between the characters Matthew and Sarah Freeman. Ato Essandoh, the actor who plays Matthew, tweeted “That’s my ass!”

And here’s how that went:

@MeganCashman my ass is a big deal!

— Ato Essandoh (@AtoEssandoh) July 1, 2013

He also favorited and retweeted what I said an hour later for the West Coast audience. Ha! I was acknowledged by one of my favorite show’s actors! Awesome! Gotta love Twitter for that.

Oh yeah, I’ve been watching Under the Dome on CBS. It’s OK. Some episodes seem stale, though. But it is a good story idea: imagine being trapped in your small town by a massive dome. Yep, that’s a nightmare right there.

I know. I watch too much TV. But I swear I am not a couch potato. I actually lost 25 pounds this past year. You can ask my doctor!

Primetime Emmy Nominations 2013

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acting, actors, actresses, awards, Emmy, Emmy Awards, Emmys, Game of Thrones, Keri Russell, Lana Parrilla, Michelle Fairley, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Orphan Black, Primetime Emmy Awards, Tatiana Maslany, television, TV, TV Shows

So the Primetime Emmy nominations will be announce this Thursday, and I have never been so anxious for award nominations since, like, never. As some of you may know, I watch too much TV, mainly because there are so many great shows on now. I’ve heard some say this is the golden age of television, and it just might be. Programs on network TV, basic cable and premium cable are top notch in terms of production, acting and storyline. Like many, I am really hoping that my favorite actors are nominated this year, and I’ll be biting my nails Thursday morning.

Hopeful as I am to see my favorite actors get at least a nomination, I’ve come to realize that there’s a great chance that most of them will not be named Thursday in the acting categories. When I saw this TV.com article, I came to terms that there are far too many TV shows with great acting to fit into small award categories. That article points out that as many as 40 actors or more can be considered worthy of a nomination, but there are only five spots per category. Oh, what agony it must be to sort out all those performances!

I wish the Emmys will do what the Oscars did for the Best Motion Picture – instead of five nominations, make room for ten. This way the recognition expands, because there are some who just need to be acknowledged.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

The one actress I have in mind to at least – at least! – be nominated, is Tatiana Maslany from the BBC America series Orphan Black. Wow, what a talent! When I first started watching the show, I was only interested in seeing how a science fiction thriller on human cloning and bio-ethics would play out. But as the show went on, I was floored by Maslany’s ability to play a total of seven different characters. All the clones are portrayed by her uniquely, right down to their hand gestures. Even those who only appeared for a few seconds before dying were uniquely done. There were times when I was watching scenes that had either two or three of the clones in them, that I felt the need to remind myself that I was watching one actress, instead of two or three.

So I am truly hoping Maslany gets a least a nomination. I’d love to see her win because of her achievement, but that may not happen. Sure, she’s won a few small critics’ awards, but she’s basically a newcomer on a less-known show on a station that doesn’t get as much attention as the other channels. Unfortunate, but that is how awards work. But honestly, if she does not get nominated, I will write hate mail to everyone in Hollywood! (I’m joking. Really.)

I’ve heard Michelle Fairley, who played Catelyn Stark on Game of Thrones may be recognized for how she chillingly portrayed Catelyn in that infamous episode. That was great acting, and I agree with many how well she embodied the character had losing all hope and will during her last moments. It’s true, and if she’s nominated, she may win because that episode was very controversial, and such attention can garner an award.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

I would like to see Lana Parrilla from Once Upon A Time finally get a nomination. Not only does she appear to have so much fun playing the evil Queen Regina, but when she plays Regina as a young, kinder woman, we see Parrilla’s full acting range. We also saw last season how Regina struggled to be good while having so much vengeance and anger in her. That’s always worth noting.

I expect Keri Russell to be nominated for The Americans. She won a Golden Globe for Felicity and got an Emmy nod for that, so maybe her reputation could bring her a nomination for this role. Plus, she’s playing a cold, calculating spy dealing with loving her spy partner and choosing between being a mother, and defending the Motherland. But who knows?

As for the male actors, I heard Nikolai Coster-Waldau may be considered for his role as Jamie Lannister on Game of Thrones. That scene where he told the real story on how he slayed the Mad King, and reclaimed himself as Jamie, was powerful and marked a turning point for the character. Before, he was an arrogant, impulsive guy, but after losing his hand, he became more humble, and even broken inside. I’d like to see him be nominated. Peter Dinklage, who plays the well loved Tyrion Lannister, could be nominated again. He won in 2011, and was nominated last year. Hmm, two Lannisters up for an award? I’d like to see that. One Lannister who may not be recognized, was Charles Dance who played the patriarch Tywin Lannister. I’d be surprised if he gets a nod, because he doesn’t have much clout. But I loved his scenes. Tywin Lannister is nasty man who will never get the Father of the Year award, but Dance made his scenes so captivating, I found myself actually liking Tywin’s scenes – but I swear, it was for the actor and not the character!

So, the competition is so fierce and the space is so tight. I may not see anyone I’ve mentioned have their name called out Thursday, but I have to accept that because there are so many great performances on TV now. Maybe the Golden Globes next year will make up for any of my disappoints. Especially if Tatiana Maslany does not get a nomination. I know I will be fuming. There are reasons not to nominate her, but uhm, the award is for acting – not fame, right? Right?!