spunkygirl
12-17-2004, 04:22 PM
An interesting take on the Globe nominations prospects for DH, before their recent announcement
http://www.backstage.com/backstage/features/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000739685
Backstage.com
Features
West December 17, 2004
The Young and the Restless By Sarah Kuhn
When it comes to acting nominations, sitcom stalwart Everybody Loves Raymond seems a shoo-in these days: Several cast members have collections of statues cluttering their respective mantles, and each of the major players has been nominated more than once. In its early days, however, Raymond was barely recognized; it wasn't until the show's third season that it started receiving major nominations for acting.At first glance this may seem a case of the performances developing over time until they're ready to be recognized in the big leagues. The truth is, the acting on CBS' Raymond and many other current awards-show favorites were solid from the get-go; sometimes it just takes a little longer for awards voters to catch on. After all, plenty of actors on established shows are still turning in top-notch performances. Adding to the challenge of being an actor on a new series in a competitive field: The Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes nominate performances based on a calendar year's worth of work, rather than on a complete television season, which typically runs from September through May of the next year. This means actors are judged for the end of one television season and the beginning of another. Actors on shows that debut in the fall have only a few months to impress voters, and sometimes that's not enough. The Emmy nominations are based on a full television season, but sometimes it still takes a bit longer for a performance to land that elusive nomination.There are those performances that get noticed right away--The Sopranos, for example, scored nominations immediately in many acting categories--but it often takes a show a bit of time to build awards momentum. NBC's Will & Grace, another awards show favorite, bowed in 1998 but didn't receive any major acting nods until 2000. Similarly last year's critical darling, Fox's Arrested Development, was overlooked at the SAG Awards and didn't score any Golden Globe noms for acting, although the series landed a nod for Best Television Series--Musical or Comedy. Still, the show managed to rack up a few Emmy nods, including one for Jeffrey Tambor as Best Supporting Actor. It may take another season or so for the show to land noms for some of its other deserving cast members, such as Portia de Rossi, Jason Bateman, and Jessica Walter. Of course it bears noting that on a show such as Arrested Development, every actor could be seen as deserving.While a number of factors are at work here--timing, categories already crowded with high-profile performances--it would be a shame if this year's crop of newbies were overlooked. Several freshman series boast some of the best, most involving performances of the year.Chief among these may be Kristen Bell's iconic turn as the title character on UPN's Veronica Mars. Bell is one of those rare young actors who completely lacks pretension. She is incapable of giving a line reading that's anything less than genuine. Her Veronica is a savvy high-schooler who helps her P.I. dad solve weekly cases, and she pursues clues relevant to the larger, season-long mystery: Who killed Veronica's best friend, Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried)? Bell wrings Veronica's complex maze of emotions for all it's worth. This is a role that had to be perfectly cast for the show to work, and Bell rises to the occasion. She makes Veronica at once smart-alecky and vulnerable, and we believe in her performance every step of the way.Bell is ably assisted by TV veteran Enrico Colantoni (Just Shoot Me), who plays Veronica's father, Keith. Colantoni is all those things a good TV dad should be: tender, funny, protective. The actor has such natural chemistry with Bell; it's tough to believe the two aren't related in real life. Sadly both actors' chances of being recognized are slim; though critically beloved, Veronica is a ratings underdog and doesn't quite have the high profile of some of this season's blockbuster hits. Having already developed a loyal cult following, the show has inspired comparisons to Buffy the Vampire Slayer--a show that, despite boasting some deserving performances, never broke out in any of the acting categories at the SAG Awards or the Emmys. Still, there are always the Globes, which are known for sometimes recognizing actors on cool new series during the show's first season: Think Alias' Jennifer Garner, Felicity's Keri Russell, and Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn. In Garner's and Tamblyn's cases, their Globe noms paved the way for Emmy nods. One can only hope that Bell, at least, is singled out in the same way.Another innovative new drama, Lost, has garnered top ratings and plenty of attention for its twisty, mystery-laden plot, but the series also serves as a showcase for its excellent ensemble cast. The show focuses on a diverse group of plane-crash survivors marooned on a desolate island, each with a fascinating personal back story. As recovering junkie rock star Charlie, Lord of the Rings hobbit Dominic Monaghan is note-perfect; the actor skillfully hints at Charlie's darker depths without sacrificing the character's natural charm. Equally impressive is Naveen Andrews as Sayid, a former member of the Iraqi Republican Guard; the actor captures the character's psychological torment with compelling grace.But perhaps the two most astounding performances on the show are from an actor who hasn't even had much in the way of dialogue yet and a respected character performer who's finally getting his day in the sun. Yunjin Kim's Sun, like many of the other characters, was a cipher when the series first started--all we knew was that she is a seemingly submissive Korean wife. Still, Kim made her instantly likeable. Further revelations have come via pre-crash flashbacks, in which we see Sun attempting to leave controlling husband Jin (Daniel Dae Kim). Kim hardly has any lines in this particular scene, but every possible emotion is etched on her face in the space of only a few minutes: sadness, longing, hope. In the eyes of TV viewers, this was the moment that marked Kim as an actor to watch. Rounding out this quartet of standout performances is veteran character actor Terry O'Quinn's turn as would-be adventurer Locke, a man with a tragic past who seems to have adapted to life on the island with a little too much ease. In previous TV roles, O'Quinn has often been the charismatic guy scuttling around in the background; you know he's fascinating, you just don't know why. Here the actor has a meaty, possibly career-defining role that just keeps getting better. As far as getting recognized with nominations, Lost's chances are better than Veronica's: It's one of the most water-cooler discussion-worthy shows of the season. Still, given that it's an ensemble show with a buzz-generating setup and no Jennifer Garner-style breakout stars--at least not yet--Lost is more likely to get recognized in the Best Drama and writing categories; its deserving actors may have to wait another season.
And of course, there's ABC's Desperate Housewives. The TV season's biggest success story is often referred to as a "guilty pleasure," but to dismiss it as a Melrose Place–style soap is to ignore the complexity of the series' storylines and performances. It's a pleasure to witness talented Marcia Cross--seen in recent years stealing scenes left and right as deranged doctor Kimberly on Melrose--with a part that seems like it was written specifically for her. Cross' uptight Bree could have easily slipped into cartoon territory, a parody of suburban-style Martha Stewart perfection. Cross, however, locates a wealth of layers underneath the surface, making Bree relatable and sympathetic. Similarly, Felicity Huffman, playing a former career woman who is now a reluctant stay-at-home mom, Lynette, finds dramatic heft in plots that could have been played merely for laughs. For example, when Lynette starts taking her kids' ADD medication to keep up with her myriad tasks, Huffman makes the character's actions amusing, but she also knows there's a certain poignancy inherent to the storyline. Rounding out the cast are Teri Hatcher as lovelorn single mom Susan and Eva Longoria as devious trophy wife Gabrielle. Hatcher is instantly likeable as Susan, serving as the show's center. Longoria, meanwhile, takes a part that could have turned unsympathetic and makes us feel for her character. All these women--Cross, in particular--deserve to be recognized with nominations.It was announced last month that Desperate Housewives and its actors will be submitted for Golden Globes consideration under the comedy categories, which likely means that the same will be done for other awards. This is a risky gambit, but it worked for Ally McBeal, another hour-long show that straddled genre lines, and its star Calista Flockhart. We'll just have to wait and see if submitting under comedy pays off for the women of Wisteria Lane.
With such a wealth of fine performances to choose from, let's hope awards voters will take a chance and reward some of these newcomers. Sure, other shows may have been around longer, and many established series also boasted excellent acting this year. But these new series and performances are what has made this current TV season so invigorating. After several seasons in which reality TV seemed poised to reign indefinitely over the networks, these shows and actors are showing us that you can't count out scripted drama featuring first-rate performances just yet. It's been a pleasure to watch these actors develop their characters these past few months; we only hope to hear a few of their names when the nominations are announced.
http://www.backstage.com/backstage/features/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000739685
Backstage.com
Features
West December 17, 2004
The Young and the Restless By Sarah Kuhn
When it comes to acting nominations, sitcom stalwart Everybody Loves Raymond seems a shoo-in these days: Several cast members have collections of statues cluttering their respective mantles, and each of the major players has been nominated more than once. In its early days, however, Raymond was barely recognized; it wasn't until the show's third season that it started receiving major nominations for acting.At first glance this may seem a case of the performances developing over time until they're ready to be recognized in the big leagues. The truth is, the acting on CBS' Raymond and many other current awards-show favorites were solid from the get-go; sometimes it just takes a little longer for awards voters to catch on. After all, plenty of actors on established shows are still turning in top-notch performances. Adding to the challenge of being an actor on a new series in a competitive field: The Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes nominate performances based on a calendar year's worth of work, rather than on a complete television season, which typically runs from September through May of the next year. This means actors are judged for the end of one television season and the beginning of another. Actors on shows that debut in the fall have only a few months to impress voters, and sometimes that's not enough. The Emmy nominations are based on a full television season, but sometimes it still takes a bit longer for a performance to land that elusive nomination.There are those performances that get noticed right away--The Sopranos, for example, scored nominations immediately in many acting categories--but it often takes a show a bit of time to build awards momentum. NBC's Will & Grace, another awards show favorite, bowed in 1998 but didn't receive any major acting nods until 2000. Similarly last year's critical darling, Fox's Arrested Development, was overlooked at the SAG Awards and didn't score any Golden Globe noms for acting, although the series landed a nod for Best Television Series--Musical or Comedy. Still, the show managed to rack up a few Emmy nods, including one for Jeffrey Tambor as Best Supporting Actor. It may take another season or so for the show to land noms for some of its other deserving cast members, such as Portia de Rossi, Jason Bateman, and Jessica Walter. Of course it bears noting that on a show such as Arrested Development, every actor could be seen as deserving.While a number of factors are at work here--timing, categories already crowded with high-profile performances--it would be a shame if this year's crop of newbies were overlooked. Several freshman series boast some of the best, most involving performances of the year.Chief among these may be Kristen Bell's iconic turn as the title character on UPN's Veronica Mars. Bell is one of those rare young actors who completely lacks pretension. She is incapable of giving a line reading that's anything less than genuine. Her Veronica is a savvy high-schooler who helps her P.I. dad solve weekly cases, and she pursues clues relevant to the larger, season-long mystery: Who killed Veronica's best friend, Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried)? Bell wrings Veronica's complex maze of emotions for all it's worth. This is a role that had to be perfectly cast for the show to work, and Bell rises to the occasion. She makes Veronica at once smart-alecky and vulnerable, and we believe in her performance every step of the way.Bell is ably assisted by TV veteran Enrico Colantoni (Just Shoot Me), who plays Veronica's father, Keith. Colantoni is all those things a good TV dad should be: tender, funny, protective. The actor has such natural chemistry with Bell; it's tough to believe the two aren't related in real life. Sadly both actors' chances of being recognized are slim; though critically beloved, Veronica is a ratings underdog and doesn't quite have the high profile of some of this season's blockbuster hits. Having already developed a loyal cult following, the show has inspired comparisons to Buffy the Vampire Slayer--a show that, despite boasting some deserving performances, never broke out in any of the acting categories at the SAG Awards or the Emmys. Still, there are always the Globes, which are known for sometimes recognizing actors on cool new series during the show's first season: Think Alias' Jennifer Garner, Felicity's Keri Russell, and Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn. In Garner's and Tamblyn's cases, their Globe noms paved the way for Emmy nods. One can only hope that Bell, at least, is singled out in the same way.Another innovative new drama, Lost, has garnered top ratings and plenty of attention for its twisty, mystery-laden plot, but the series also serves as a showcase for its excellent ensemble cast. The show focuses on a diverse group of plane-crash survivors marooned on a desolate island, each with a fascinating personal back story. As recovering junkie rock star Charlie, Lord of the Rings hobbit Dominic Monaghan is note-perfect; the actor skillfully hints at Charlie's darker depths without sacrificing the character's natural charm. Equally impressive is Naveen Andrews as Sayid, a former member of the Iraqi Republican Guard; the actor captures the character's psychological torment with compelling grace.But perhaps the two most astounding performances on the show are from an actor who hasn't even had much in the way of dialogue yet and a respected character performer who's finally getting his day in the sun. Yunjin Kim's Sun, like many of the other characters, was a cipher when the series first started--all we knew was that she is a seemingly submissive Korean wife. Still, Kim made her instantly likeable. Further revelations have come via pre-crash flashbacks, in which we see Sun attempting to leave controlling husband Jin (Daniel Dae Kim). Kim hardly has any lines in this particular scene, but every possible emotion is etched on her face in the space of only a few minutes: sadness, longing, hope. In the eyes of TV viewers, this was the moment that marked Kim as an actor to watch. Rounding out this quartet of standout performances is veteran character actor Terry O'Quinn's turn as would-be adventurer Locke, a man with a tragic past who seems to have adapted to life on the island with a little too much ease. In previous TV roles, O'Quinn has often been the charismatic guy scuttling around in the background; you know he's fascinating, you just don't know why. Here the actor has a meaty, possibly career-defining role that just keeps getting better. As far as getting recognized with nominations, Lost's chances are better than Veronica's: It's one of the most water-cooler discussion-worthy shows of the season. Still, given that it's an ensemble show with a buzz-generating setup and no Jennifer Garner-style breakout stars--at least not yet--Lost is more likely to get recognized in the Best Drama and writing categories; its deserving actors may have to wait another season.
And of course, there's ABC's Desperate Housewives. The TV season's biggest success story is often referred to as a "guilty pleasure," but to dismiss it as a Melrose Place–style soap is to ignore the complexity of the series' storylines and performances. It's a pleasure to witness talented Marcia Cross--seen in recent years stealing scenes left and right as deranged doctor Kimberly on Melrose--with a part that seems like it was written specifically for her. Cross' uptight Bree could have easily slipped into cartoon territory, a parody of suburban-style Martha Stewart perfection. Cross, however, locates a wealth of layers underneath the surface, making Bree relatable and sympathetic. Similarly, Felicity Huffman, playing a former career woman who is now a reluctant stay-at-home mom, Lynette, finds dramatic heft in plots that could have been played merely for laughs. For example, when Lynette starts taking her kids' ADD medication to keep up with her myriad tasks, Huffman makes the character's actions amusing, but she also knows there's a certain poignancy inherent to the storyline. Rounding out the cast are Teri Hatcher as lovelorn single mom Susan and Eva Longoria as devious trophy wife Gabrielle. Hatcher is instantly likeable as Susan, serving as the show's center. Longoria, meanwhile, takes a part that could have turned unsympathetic and makes us feel for her character. All these women--Cross, in particular--deserve to be recognized with nominations.It was announced last month that Desperate Housewives and its actors will be submitted for Golden Globes consideration under the comedy categories, which likely means that the same will be done for other awards. This is a risky gambit, but it worked for Ally McBeal, another hour-long show that straddled genre lines, and its star Calista Flockhart. We'll just have to wait and see if submitting under comedy pays off for the women of Wisteria Lane.
With such a wealth of fine performances to choose from, let's hope awards voters will take a chance and reward some of these newcomers. Sure, other shows may have been around longer, and many established series also boasted excellent acting this year. But these new series and performances are what has made this current TV season so invigorating. After several seasons in which reality TV seemed poised to reign indefinitely over the networks, these shows and actors are showing us that you can't count out scripted drama featuring first-rate performances just yet. It's been a pleasure to watch these actors develop their characters these past few months; we only hope to hear a few of their names when the nominations are announced.