Archive | September, 2013

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Gun Fever Too: Still Hot” Review (9×02)

12 Sep

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I love it when Sunny tries to take on a social/political issue, as it paves the way for some incredibly idiotic, hilarious banter from people that have absolutely no idea what the hell they’re talking about. The episodes are less about the issue, and more about how the Gang reacts to it. This episode in particular covers the issue of gun control, with Dennis and Dee taking the anti-gun side, and Mac and Charlie taking the pro-gun side. Frank is also there, the initiator of all the events in the episode through his call to bear arms.

I love the Mac and Charlie banter, especially when they argue over the effectiveness of a sword compared to a gun. It’s so Mac of Mac to think that zigzagging and making loud noises will distract a gun wielder. I also love their denim outfits, as well as the reference to Indiana Jones.

On to Dee and Dennis. Kaitlin Olson has really mastered the art of yelling, and this episode places her back in full-blown rage form. It’s a sight to see, and it will never get old. It’s kind of ironic how these two end up being the ones with the most background problems, eventually leading them to change their minds over their stance on guns. I like how the storylines eventually meld, completely switching the positions of the two pairings. Mac acknowledges that they could’ve just met two hours beforehand.

However, with all the positive aspects of the episode, I feel like there isn’t much payoff. Especially coming off of last week’s brutal ending, I wish that this episode would embrace the crazy like I know it can. Show us the march on city hall, show! By making this all out to be a money making scheme by Frank, it stays true to the characters, but doesn’t quite deliver on its premise as much as I was expecting it to.

Grade: B

Other thoughts:

-It’s the return of the drug dealer from season 2! I love how Dennis only rolls down his window a few centimeters to talk to him, and how the dealer just “saunters off”.

-Frank and Uncle Jack are perfect in the episode. Also, the sandwich.

-“Did you know that 80% of your water is 100% toxic?”

-“You set one bitch on fire and everyone makes a big deal out of it!”

-“That was against my will, it doesn’t really count.”
“That’s the only time it counts, Dee.”

-“The government of today has no business telling us how to live our lives because the government of 200 years ago already did. They also protected us from tyranny against the seizure of tasteful, artistic photographs of beautiful bodies.”

“Not now, Jack.”

-It’s the New Girl landlord!

Credit to FXX and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for all pictures. I own nothing.

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The Bridge “Old Friends” Review (1×10)

12 Sep

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Most of television nowadays is entertaining without really being thoughtful. The Bridge is starting to shift toward this end of the spectrum, as the story that’s now unfolding on screen is one of a criminal mastermind and the cops that are trying to catch him. That’s not to say the show is bad, but the tonal shift is evident.

Most of this specific episode involves Marco and Sonya trying to find Gus, and this storyline ultimately feels like a waste of time. Marco would’ve gotten that phone call from Tate no matter what, and their search feels like a wild goose chase. I suppose it could be spun so that a wild goose chase is necessary, as it heightens the sense of desperation felt by the two cops, but there are better ways to do this. Bichir and Kruger milk the hell out of their roles (the scene shown in the picture above is absolutely fantastic. It marks a reversal of their character roles, as last week, Marco was the one trying to inject optimism into the proceedings. This week, Sonya’s forced to comfort him and maintain a level of confidence.), but I find myself losing interest. This is especially the case for Tate, as his motivations are a bit muddled now. For example, why blame Marco more than anyone else? It’s these kind of inconsistencies that prevent me from really getting involved with this storyline.

I am interested, however, in Mathew Lillard’s Daniel Frye, a character whose layers are exposed in this episode. Lillard is wonderful throughout, especially in an AA meeting scene in which he goes from making a joke out of everything to breaking down and pledging to maintain sobriety. Lillard conveys a full range of emotions there, and it’s almost a moment of catharsis for him. Of course, then Mr. Omnipresent Tate walks up to him in the parking lot and abducts him. Enough with this kind of stuff, show.

The other side story of the episode involves Charlotte, a character that I have a ton of problems with. Right now, she’s just tangentially related to the search for Gus, and her scenes really feel out of place. I also don’t buy her sudden transformation into a killer. Yes, she’s been backed into a corner, but when I said I wanted her to become more of herself, this isn’t what I meant.

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So, we head into next week with Gus in some giant barrel lit by a glowstick, and Marco and Tate driving  together to get him. Of course, there’s always the possibility that they’re just going to drive off into nowhere and eventually meet up with Todd.

Grade: B

Other Thoughts:

-Or, maybe Marco will realize that he doesn’t care about Gus, and just shoot Tate. Or, Tate’s whole plan will revolve around Marco having a gun, and when they get to their destination, they find out that his gun is out of bullets.

-I like Alma and Marco’s scene, as well as Alma’s refusal to go with him. Yes, it may seem stupid and cold, but it makes sense if you think about it. She realizes that it’s Marco all along that has been the danger to her and her children.

-“Twelve steps can suck my dick.”

-No Linder. I guess he’s off eating ham sandwiches, disposing of corpses, and being his usual unintelligible self. I hope that if this continues for multiple seasons, his storylines just involve him wandering around doing whatever the hell he wants.

-Diane Kruger still looks great while injured.

Credit to FX and The Bridge for all pictures. I own nothing.

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John Oliver is returning to “Community”, and it’s about time.

11 Sep

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In news surely to please any Community fan, or lover of comedy in general, the show is bringing back John Oliver as Professor Ian Duncan, last seen in “Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts” back in Season A Long Time Ago.

He will have a recurring role, appearing in at least six episodes, a statement which hopefully means he will be appearing in twenty two episodes. He will also hopefully be taking on the role of Troy Barnes, preferably without any explanation whatsoever. There might be a short exchange, though, that goes something like:

Jeff: Aren’t you supposed to be black?

Oliver as Duncan as Troy: Yeah, but I made some adjustments in my life this summer. *Jumps into bed with Britta*

Logically, this should also mean he’d be taking on the role of Pierce Hawthorne, and he’s eventually going to be playing every single character in the show. That way, if Jon Stewart ever decided to guest star, he’d be there to take his place as well.

Oliver will spend his time on the show drinking lots of tea and showing off his big penis (I do not say this from experience), and he will continually want to move to a room with less balls. He will also-…whatever. He’s back. Harmon’s back. McKenna’s back. The Russos are back. Goggins and Banks are coming. It should be a great season. If it’s not, then I blame Britta.

Credit to NBC and Community for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Saul Goodman to be Saul Goodman in “Breaking Bad” spinoff about Saul Goodman

11 Sep

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After months of speculation, AMC announced today that Bob Odenkirk will reprise his role in a spinoff of Breaking Bad, and that said spinoff will be airing on AMC. The series will involve Saul Goodman doing Saul Goodman-y things, like telling young, unsuspecting idiots to not drink and drive, but call him if they do. The series will be one hour, and will presumably consist of 20 minutes of “Better Call Saul” ads, 20 minutes of “Better Call Saul” ads, and 20 minutes of “Better Call Saul” ads. 

Vince Gilligan will be involved in the creative process, and the series will most likely air sometime next year. That gives us enough time to finish screaming at the top of our lungs in reaction to Breaking Bad, and will give our families and friends enough time to look at us strangely, then move out of the country. By the time we have digested the series finale and have gone through withdrawal from the show, most of us will probably be a melted puddle of human, almost as if Walt himself dissolved us in a vat of acid.

Those of us that survive will be able to see Saul’s origins, as the series will trace his route from sleazy lawyer to sleazy lawyer of Heisenberg. Hank and Marie will probably guest star so Hank can throw in a “Jesus Christ, Marie!”, and Jesus Christ will probably descend from the skies in the form of Huell. Walt Jr. will also spend the whole series gaping idiotically at Saul.

Credit to AMC and Breaking Bad for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Sons of Anarchy “Straw” Review (6×01)

11 Sep

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Sons of Anarchy is an entertaining, pulpy show that’s always a delight to have on television. This doesn’t change in the Season 6 premiere, which opens with Tara and Clay in jail and the club at a breaking point. Even within jail, (the magnificent) Donal Logue’s Lee Toric is trying to tear SAMCRO apart. He visits Tara, Clay, and Otto, and it’s obvious that he has an immediate effect. Tara breaks down and attacks another inmate, Otto is already beaten down due to a rape, and Clay is forced to comply with Toric’s demands. All of them try to maintain a facade, but Toric is able to weasel his way into their minds and tweak a few things. Yet, Toric is also wearing a mask. We see that he’s essentially a crazy person, a drug user that strips naked and likes mirrors for some reason. Everything is at a breaking point.

Outside, Jax and the club confront a group of torture-porn filmmakers after they rough up one of SAMCRO’s girls. It provides for the necessary action, as well as introduces Kim Dickens’s character as a new love interest. I guess it kind of makes sense that Jax would jump into bed with her, as he’s hurt by Tara’s refusal to see him, but I thought he had more principles than that. In fact, it’s almost as if he’s transforming into a Clay-type figure. I really wish the show would commit to his character one way or another, though, giving him closure somehow. It would tie up his and Clay’s storylines, as well as Opie’s death. However, I feel as if that won’t happen until later on.

As for Tig, we’re starting to see remorse seep through that hard exterior. He’s truly hurt by all that has transpired, and even though he drowns someone in urine and follows that up by urinating himself, we can see the struggle taking place in his mind in the subsequent scenes.

Now, on to the more controversial storyline. We have a young kid in the background of several scenes throughout. Near the end of the episode, he sits down on a bench, rolls up his sleeves, takes out a gun, and proceeds to start shooting in a school. It’s certainly a shock, but I question the ability of Kurt Sutter to handle something like this. I love Sutter, but he tends to be better at violence for violence’s sake. When the show starts attempting political messages, I’d imagine it would get a bit strange. It’s certainly effective in the context of the episode, however. Anything can explode in a second, and since the kid draws striking similarities to Jax, it reflects how he’s lost emotionally and capable of anything.

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Overall, it’s a solid premiere that effectively sets up the rest of the season.

Grade: B

-The show has always suffered from having to juggle multiple storylines at once, so I’m not sure whether Bobby’s storyline will amount to anything compelling.

-The Chibs-Juice scene is heartbreaking to watch. It’s really well acted, and it’s emotionally affecting.

-Peter Weller is awesome. “Persia hasn’t been a country since 637 AD. They’re called Iranians.”

-Gemma’s rising while everyone else is falling. Her relationship with Nero is well off, and she has control over her life.

-Kurt Sutter, always finding a way to abuse himself on screen

-Wendy shows up.

Credit to FX and Sons of Anarchy for all pictures. I own nothing.

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The Newsroom “Election Night, Part 1” Review (2×08)

10 Sep

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Part 1 of the two part season finale feels like exactly what it is: a setup for the fireworks next week. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does allow for some more of the frustrating aspects of the show to seep in. This review is going to be shorter than usual, as I need some sleep, so I’ve condensed everything down into a few bullet points.

-The reason given for Leona not accepting the team’s resignations-maintaining a sense of honor-feels kind of cheap, and I don’t buy it for her character in particular. In addition, why don’t the team members just accept the fact that she won’t allow them to resign, and focus their attention on rebuilding their reputations? Will doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that’s just going to back down and acquiesce to corporate politics.

-The episode is full of side stories, most of which aren’t very good. No, I’m not really interested in the Wikipedia screw up (Sorkin also pretty much got the whole concept wrong there, anyway), and no, I’m not interested in Will and Mac’s relationship. This was hashed over enough back in season 1, and there’s no use going back to it now. Please don’t have them get back together, Sorkin.

-I did kind of like Sloan’s side story, though, about the whole book autograph scare. It’s unnecessary, but Olivia Munn makes it fun to watch.

-I’ve mentioned that I love the Genoa arc, and I still do. It reflects the difficulties of a group of people working together to tell the news, and it seems genuine. That’s why I like the election coverage in this episode. Sure, it can get tiring after a while, but it seems grounded in a way the show usually isn’t.

-Oh, and Jerry Dantana is suing Don, and Maggie cut her hair very recently. Okay.

-Reese’s long explanation for why Leona won’t accept the resignations is priceless.

-I like the integration of the two Romney campaign women, as they’re much better suited to this role than a stupid romance arc on a bus.

-AARON SORKIN’S IDEALISTIC CORNER: So, Charlie gives a whole speech about how everyone looks up to America due to our elections. Okay, first of all, America is not this perfect country, and from my experience, many other countries are perfectly content to agree with that. America is generally seen as a snobby, rich country, and its elections are not viewed as inspiring. The concept behind our elections is fantastic, but the elections themselves are kind of terrible. Second of all, Charlie lists a bunch of countries with already functioning democracies, which doesn’t really support his argument. Those countries don’t necessarily look up to America; they look up to democracy. Charlie could’ve listed countries in which many people are envious of those with democratic governments. Those people are the ones that are inspired.

Grade: B

Credit to HBO and The Newsroom for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Boardwalk Empire “New York Sour” Review (4×01)

10 Sep

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This is always a show that has reveled in its atmosphere. Even in its lower points, the cool, calm ambience is intoxicating, bringing you in deep. It’s a difficult task with such an expansive cast, but Boardwalk usually pulls it off.

Season 4 opens in the aftermath of the bloodbath initiated by the delightfully evil Gyp Rosetti, the major driving force of Season 3. It’ll be interesting to see how the show regroups after losing someone as charismatic and antagonistic as him, and the premiere already shows signs of wheel-spinning. However, it’s a table-setting episode that accomplishes what it sets out do: introduce new characters and move things into place for the rest of the season.

Although Rosetti’s dead, we can already see the effects of the recently ended all-out war. Nucky’s living situation is far from glamorous, and we can see that he’s nowhere near as comfortable as he was earlier. He’s always been a guy that tries to avoid trouble when he can, and his flaw is believing that others will ignore looking into him if he says so. His way of doing business is paying people off, and he tries to grab as much as he can without entering the fray. For example, as Rothstein is leaving the meeting, he remarks that he isn’t sure if Nucky would kill him or not. Nucky seems both shocked at the content of the insinuation, as well as the idea of an insinuation itself. He wants, and believes, everything to be clean and easy, but as we know, being a gangster isn’t all sunshine and flowers.

In other affairs, Gillian’s now trying to take custody back of her son Tommy, while at the same time running a secret prostitution scheme in her house. She’s been going downhill much faster than Nucky has, and a shady Piggly Wiggly businessman can only spell trouble.

The show also checks in with Al Capone, a person that seems to be gaining confidence and poise as the days wear on. He shows restraint in dealing with a boy that spells his name wrong in the paper (the nerve!), and his business seems to be going well.

Finally, another person whose confidence is growing is Chalky White, played by the magnificent Michael Kenneth Williams. The show seems to be delving more into the African American side of the race relations, and it’s a welcome change, if not only to give Williams more screen time. He deals coolly with an especially shocking scene in which Dunn stabs Dickie Pastor, a talent manager that visits the Onyx Club. It comes after Dickie walks in on Dunn and Mrs. Pastor, and the scene eventually descends into dark, visceral madness.

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The premiere generally moves a bit slow, but that’s to be expected after last year. I’m really looking forward to the remaining 11 episodes.

Grade: B

Other thoughts:

-Richard Harrow is back, and he’s killing people! I could probably watch him doing that all day.

-The final scene is great. Harrow’s been a lonely voyager, just trying to get home. However, unlike Nucky, he’s not a stranger in his own home. The scene right before this shows Nucky staring into the distance, not sure what his place in the world is.

-Nucky’s nephew Will is introduced, which provides some interesting familial dynamics for the show to explore.

-New character Warren Knox is extremely intriguing. He seems fine on the outside at first, but he later murders a couple of people and has a drink. He’s like the Todd of Boardwalk Empire, I tell you.

-No van Alden or Margaret yet. I really hope that Shannon is integrated more into the main story this year. He’s a fantastic actor, and I want to see more of him.

Credit to HBO and Boardwalk Empire for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Dexter “Goodbye Miami” Review (8×10)

9 Sep

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“Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Owwww!”

This is both Harrison Morgan and myself reacting to the events that have transpired in this tenth (TENTH!) episode of the final season of Dexter. I am being hit over the head so much it hurts. I can’t even fathom how the writers think this is what a final season constitutes.

This episode is mostly talk, which would be fine, except almost every single conversation is handled like it’s the most boring thing in the world. Where’s the urgency? Where are the consequences? Where’s the tension? A supposedly huge event like Vogel’s death should reverberate across the whole fabric of the show, but here, it just winds up feeling cheap and tacky. Frankly, I’m disappointed with the way they have handled her character this season. She was introduced to delve deeper into Dexter’s past and his mental psyche, but she leaves without really lending herself to any character development on Dexter’s part.

In fact, his motivations are extremely muddled all throughout. I get that he wants to make a better life for himself, but why exactly does he still need to kill Saxon? Why does he still need to stay to protect Vogel? Him staying only hurts her. If he had left, Saxon most likely wouldn’t have killed his mom, and everything would be fine and dandy. But no, the writers have to contrive an excuse for Dexter to remain in Miami for a couple more episodes. I get that he has a compulsion to kill and all, but this whole Brain Surgeon situation is not something that should be expanded upon so late in the series. I like the relationship between Vogel and Saxon, but the acting doesn’t take us far enough into it.

Also, where does Hannah fit into all this? Dexter’s about to move to Argentina because of her, and we don’t see much more of their relationship than sex and vague conversations. If you think about it, we haven’t really learned much about the character of Dexter Morgan throughout this whole series, so any relationship he has winds up being pushed off to the side. The strongest relationship is (was) Dexter-Deb, but now Deb is off on her own, making out with Quinn this week. I do, however, like the conversation between her and Dexter in which she tells him that she’s miss him. It evokes feelings of nostalgia, eh? It reminds me of a time…a time in which this relationship was actually genuine and compelling.

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We also have Curtis Lemansky (I know that’s not his name here, but I can’t help it) continuing to investigate everything, Quinn breaking up with Jamie, Harrison falling on a treadmill, and other stuff we really don’t care much about. Perhaps Isaac can return next week and kill everyone.

Grade: C-

Other thoughts:

-Harrison falling down is the most hilarious thing ever. I’m sorry, but it’s true.

-“Harrison, I wanna hear all about what you’ve done these past eight months.” …uh, being annoying and playing with puzzles?

-Right, Hannah. Walk into a hospital and use Harrison’s real name…you know, the one with the last name of a serial killer that you know a federal marshal’s looking for….smart as always!

-Masuka’s daughter likes to smoke pot.

-“See Astor and Cody one last time” is on Dexter’s list. My, he knows they exist!

-Rampling does the best with what she has, and I like the contrast in demeanors from the beginning and the end of the season.

-Seriously, Dexter, Saxon wants to be you. Let Vogel deal with him. Go to Argentina already. Jeez.

Credit to Showtime and Dexter for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Breaking Bad “To’hajiilee” Review (5×13)

9 Sep

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Walter White has given up. We’ve seen the cracks in his facade, most noticeably last week, with his flustered demeanor around Skyler and Walt Jr. However, this episode marks the true downfall of the cold, calculating Heisenberg. Or is it?

In a way, it is. Even though he once again finds luck on his side, it’s all due to a rag-tag group of Nazi lovers that are nothing like the foes he deems worthy to oppose. If he ends up having to face off with them for his life, it’d be a final middle finger from everyone to Heisenberg. It would be strangely fitting that he’d fall to the hands of real criminals.

Nevertheless, the episode is a perfect encapsulation of the road Walt’s been heading down. Cranston does tremendous work with Walt’s facial expressions, conveying both a sense of finality and of relief. His rage is transformed into something quieter as he realizes that he’s trapped. He’s betrayed by the sight of Jesse stepping out of that vehicle. He’s underestimated Hank, Jesse, and Gomez, and he just can’t take it anymore.

Now, this is much like Jesse, who has used up every ounce of effort to take down his former boss. He allows himself a small smile as Walt is arrested, yet he’s also astonished at how everything has turned out. How can a nobody like Jesse Pinkman outsmart a criminal mastermind like Walter White? How can Jesse be Walt’s greatest weakness? Those are understandable questions, but the answers have been telegraphed since the start of the season. The first eight episodes were all about Walt’s victory lap, but recently, he’s started to outsmart himself. As he races through the desert (in an expertly directed scene by MacLaren), he’s so overcome with rage that he starts screaming at Jesse. Everything is crashing down around him as he speaks, and he reverts back to his “family” excuse; he tries to hold family and his cancer over Jesse’s head, but he’s too angry to see that it won’t work. Much like his excursion to Brock’s house, Walt still believes in the fact that others care for him. The thing is, everyone else has already figured out his tricks.

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That doesn’t mean they’ll be successful, though. The final shoot out is telegraphed throughout the episode, and when Hank picks up that phone to call Marie, we know something’s going to happen. His smugness level is off the charts. He’s waving to Walt, professing his love for Marie, and is smiling gleefully. It’s the mark of a man that can just taste that sweet, sweet success. He is so in the moment that he doesn’t stop to think about his career. This revelation will ruin his life, but he’s won, so he pushes that off to the side.

Then, everything explodes. The smash cut to black prevents us from seeing what has transpired, but we know that nothing will ever be the same.

Grade: A

Other thoughts:

-Walt Jr’s delight at seeing Saul is absolutely priceless.

-“Don’t drink and drive, but if you do, call me!”

-It’s ironic how Walt reverting back to his old ways is actually what helps him get away. He agrees to one more cook, and that earns him the services of the Nazis.

-The cold open is hilarious. We can clearly see that it’s not blue, but Todd trying to say it is is a thing of beauty. Speaking of, the way Todd shoots all nonchalant during the shootout scene is a funny shot amidst an intense atmosphere. He may seem like a light-hearted character, but in reality, he’s terrifying. He has absolutely no morals, and he’s essentially a machine.

-I forgot to breathe during that last segment.

-Brock knows! If I was him, I’d make sure those Fruit Loops weren’t laced with ricin.

-It’s been wonderful to watch the work of Michelle MacLaren. She will continue doing amazing things with the camera.

-“Remember, where we used to have cookouts as a family?” Hank has turned the tables.

-Oh, Huell. You’re awesome.

Credit to AMC and Breaking Bad for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Emmys Dream Ballot+Predictions-Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

8 Sep

Welcome to my coverage of the 2013 Primetime Emmys. As it’s less than a month away, I’ve decided to start a series in which I offer up my dream ballot for each major category. Then, I’ll look at the actual Emmy ballot and offer a “Who should win?” and a “Who Will Win?” for each. I hope you enjoy! Today, we’ll be looking at….

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Dream Ballot

Michael-Cudlitz-of-Southland_gallery_primaryMICHAEL CUDLITZ, “Southland”

This is one of the best performances I have ever seen. The underrated TNT show “Southland” contained a slew of Emmy worthy performances, the best of which was Cudlitz’s. He perfectly portrayed the downward spiral of his character, culminating in a shocking and heartbreaking final scene of the series.

breaking-bad-jonathan-banks-community-season-5-professor-amc  JONATHAN BANKS, “Breaking Bad”

Although not as showy a performance as Paul’s or Esposito’s, Banks was brilliant as the cold, yet sympathetic Mike. His performance in “Say My Name” revealed the deeper facets of his character, and it was wonderful and sad to watch unfold.

Jaime_recounts_the_past_s3e5  NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU, “Game of Thrones”

Peter Dinklage gets more recognition, but this season was Coster-Waldau’s. Jaime Lannister started off as a despicable character, but this season, I started feeling sympathetic for him. His relationship with Brienne was perfection.

homeland-saul-plane_FULL  MANDY PATINKIN, “Homeland”

Homeland completely went off the rails at the end of last season, but Patinkin kept his character grounded. Saul’s character became more complex, becoming the emotional center of a show that was doing a disservice to the rest of the characters. We saw deeper into his relationship with Carrie, and the final scene of the finale was beautiful.

Aaron-Paul-of-Breaking-Bad_gallery_primary  AARON PAUL, “Breaking Bad”

Aaron Paul’s been a consistent force in the show, and his work in Season 5 was as brilliant as ever. We started to see the signs of dissent from Walt, and Paul conveyed so much through his body language. His performance in “Buyout” was wonderful and hard to watch all at once.

boyd-crowder_wide-d0fe450ff9dfe9b8b057a3fa8634872ebdfb4e4b-s6-c30  WALTON GOGGINS, “Justified”

Goggins has always been an absolutely essential part of the show, and while he is badass, there are also layers to his character. His war of words with Preacher Billy was an amazing thing to watch, and his relationship with Ava was beautiful.

Who should win?

This is probably the hardest category for me in terms of picking a winner. Just for that last spot, I had to choose between Noah Emmerich, Corey Stoll, Walton Goggins, Peter Dinklage, Charles Dance, and Mads Mikkelsen. They could be the nominations and I’d still be happy.

Others considered: All those mentioned above ^….and Guillermo Diaz, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, Bobby Cannavale, Freddie Highmore, Larry Hagman, Sam Waterston, Jeff Perry, David Morissey, John Noble (how he never has been recognized eludes me), Steve Zahn, Jordan Gavaris, Josh Charles, Ron Perlman, Kim Coates, Michael Shannon, Dean Norris, David Harewood, David Morse, Norman Reedus, Ryan Hurst, Dax Shepard, Michael Kenneth Williams

On to the real nominations…

Jonathan Banks-Breaking Bad

Bobby Cannavale-Boardwalk Empire

Jim Carter-Downton Abbey

Peter Dinklage-Game of Thrones

Aaron Paul-Breaking Bad

Mandy Patinkin-Homeland

Who should win?

Banks

Who will win?

Patinkin

Analysis

Not only is it Banks’s last chance to win, he was absolutely brilliant as Mike. However, even considering Patinkin’s snub last year, I think the voters will give him the nod over Paul. However, I’d put their chances neck and neck, with Banks right behind.

Credit to AMC, Showtime, TNT, HBO, FX, Justified, Homeland, Breaking Bad, Southland, and Game of Thrones for all pictures. I own nothing.

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