September 21, 2008
Emmy Awards rundown
By BILL HARRIS - Sun Media

The 60th annual Emmy Awards take place tonight, and after six decades TV could not be in better shape, critically, creatively and financially.

Gotcha!

To be fair, there is a lot of good stuff on TV, and that will be evident tonight during the Emmys broadcast (CTV, ABC). Here's a glance at the major categories:

DRAMA SERIES: Boston Legal; Damages; Dexter; House; Lost; Mad Men.

Thoughts: We'd go with Mad Men, although Emmy voters may be wary of a rookie show.

Proposed addition: It always falls between categories, but Desperate Housewives had a great year.

COMEDY SERIES: Curb Your Enthusiasm; The Office; Entourage; 30 Rock; Two and a Half Men.

Thoughts: We wouldn't complain if The Office won every year.

Proposed addition: Californication sure prompted a lot of laughter in our house.

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies; Tony Shaloub, Monk; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Proposed addition: Californication sure prompted a lot of laughter in our house.

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies; Tony Shaloub, Monk; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Thoughts: We wouldn't complain if Carell won every year.

Proposed addition: David Duchovny for his all-too-real role on Californication.

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?; America Ferrera, Ugly Betty; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds.

Thoughts: Anyone but Louis-Dreyfuss -- hey, we love her to death, but her role isn't in the class of the other four.

Proposed addition: Slim pickins.

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA: Gabrielle Byrne, In Treatment; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; James Spader, Boston Legal.

Thoughts: We continue to marvel at Laurie's skill.

Proposed addition: Now that we know he's leaving, it would be nice to see William Petersen of CSI here.

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA: Glenn Close, Damages; Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU; Holly Hunter, Saving Grace; Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.

Thoughts: In a shocking twist, Close was icily excellent.

Proposed addition: Emily Deschanel of Bones deserves more credit than she gets.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA: William Shatner, Boston Legal; Ted Danson, Damages; Zeljko Ivanek, Damages; Michael Emerson, Lost; John Slattery, Mad Men.

Thoughts: Danson was dandy as a dastardly dude.

Proposed addition: The best scenes in Dexter were the ones involving Sgt. Doakes, played by Erik King.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA: Candice Bergen, Boston Legal; Rachel Griffiths, Brother & Sisters; Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy; Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy; Dianne Wiest, In Treatment.

Thoughts: Oh Canada!

Proposed addition: Since The Tudors seems to be eligible in both Canada and the U.S., we'd welcome Natalie Dormer, who plays Anne Boleyn.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY: Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies; Jean Smart, Samantha Who?; Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live; Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men; Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty.

Thoughts: We're thrilled to see Williams here. She deserves it.

Proposed addition: All male journalists are in love with Dana Delany of Desperate Housewives.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY: Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Kevin Dillon, Entourage; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Rainn Wilson, The Office; Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men.

Thoughts: Who'll stop the Rainn?

Proposed addition: Canada's Tyler Labine, who plays Sock in Reaper.

REALITY: The Amazing Race; American Idol; Dancing with the Stars; Project Runway; Top Chef.

Thoughts: No comment.

Proposed addition: Everyone says So You Think You Can Dance rules the reality roost. So where is it, huh?

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca