Our Emmy countdown is down to just 6 days. Today we'll take a look at the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series race. The nominees are:
Christian Clemenson as Jerry "Hands" Espenson, Boston Legal
Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus, Lost
William Hurt as Daniel Purcell, Damages
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad
William Shatner as Denny Crane, Boston Legal
John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Mad Men
This is the 5th nomination for Shatner (he won in 2005), the 3rd for Emerson, the 2nd for Slattery, and the 1st for Clemenson, Hurt, and Paul. (Clemenson won a Guest Actor award in 2007 for the role).
So right off the bat, I'm writing off the Boston Legal nominees. I've never cared for this show, and I don't understand the Academy's fascination with it when there are far superior shows and actors they continually overlook (cough, Friday Night Lights, cough). As the show was cancelled at the end of last season, I view the nominations as its final sendoff, although I wouldn't be completely surprised if Shatner somehow pulled off the win. That man is a legend (and I mean that both seriously and mockingly, but mostly seriously). I've heard wonderful things about Paul on Breaking Bad (although I don't watch the show), and given Bryan Cranston's win last year in the Lead Actor race, I'd say Paul has a shot at winning, but he'll have to get past the big dogs of Emerson, Hurt, and Slattery first. Slattery was more interesting during Mad Men's second season than he was during its first, which works in his favor. The fact that Roger Sterling doesn't seem to be a fairly complicated man does not. Hurt as Purcell was frigging fantastic, but then again he had Glenn Close to play off of most of the time, and that woman elevates the acting in every scene she's in, so he's got a bit of an unfair advantage. Emerson as Linus was creepy as always, and he deserves to be recognized at some point, but if the Academy hasn't recognized him in the past, I'm not sure this is the year they will do it. So.....
Who should win: Michael Emerson, because if he doesn't get a trophy one of these days he's going to steal someone else's child
Who will win: William Hurt, because big name actor + critically acclaimed show + Glenn Close = win.
Check back tomorrow for a look at the Supporting Actress - Drama race, as a well a recap of the Gossip Girl season premiere (I hear the boobs are back in nice form).
