Gwyneth, JT and Boardwalk Empire win Big at the Creative Arts Emmys

I may be out-of-town in Texas, but I did remember there was one big awards show this weekend, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. This show which honors the massive amount of Emmy categories that wont be on the live telecast next week, and there were some good ones. So You Think You Can Dance tied itself in choreography (though Travis Wall was denied his first trophy unfortunately) while Deadliest Catch won for the first time. In the guest acting categories Justin Timberlake won again for SNL (and he won for music/lyrics again~ yes, he now has 4 Emmys!) while Gwyneth Paltrow took the award for Glee. On the drama side, it was two surprises as Loretta Devine nabbed her first Emmy for Greys Anatomy (and only the show’s second acting award after Katherine Heigl) and in a big upset Paul McCrane (Harry’s Law) defeated Michael J. Fox. Boardwalk Empire took home the most overall with 7 trophies… The one big bummer for me on the winners list was Jeff Probst (Survivor) winning Reality Host for the fourth year in a row. Yes, he’s very good, but let’s move on people~ Cat Deeley (SYTYCD) should’ve won… Anywho, head to www.emmys.tv for more info on the show and the winners.

And here’s the full Creative Arts Emmy Winner List:
Casting in a Drama Series – Boardwalk Empire
Casting For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special – Mildred Pierce
Casting For A Comedy Series – Glee

Guest Actress In A Drama Series – Loretta Devine, Grey’s Anatomy
Guest Actress In A Comedy Series – Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee

Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Miniseries, Movie Or A Special – The Walking Dead
Makeup For A Miniseries Or A Movie (Non-Prosthetic) – The Kennedys (ReelzChannel)
Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) – Boardwalk Empire
Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic) – Saturday Night Live
Costumes For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special -Downtown Abbey (PBS)
Costumes For A Series – The Borgias
Costumes For A Variety/Music Program Or A Special – Gettysburg (History), Portlandia (IFC)
Hairstyling For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special – Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Hairstyling For A Miniseries Or A Movie – The Kennedys (ReelzChannel)
Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series – Mad Men (AMC)
Guest Actress In A Comedy Series – Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee
Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series – Mad Men (AMC)
Choreography – So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)

Music Direction – Harry Connick Jr., In Concert On Broadway (PBS)
Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) – American Masters: John Muir In The New World (PBS)
Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special (Original Dramatic Score) – Mildred Pierce, Part Five (HBO)
Original Music And Lyrics – Saturday Night Live, with host Justin Timberlake

Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series – Hot In Cleveland (TV Land)
Art Direction For A Miniseries Or Movie – Mildred Pierce (HBO)
Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series – Boardwalk Empire (HBO)

Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series – Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Picture Editing For A Comedy Series (Single Or Multi-Camera) – How I Met Your Mother
Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries Or A Movie – Cinema Verite (HBO)
Picture Editing For A Special (Single Or Multi-Camera) – Lady GaGa Presents The Monster Ball Tour (HBO)
Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming -Freedom Riders (PBS)
Picture Editing For Reality Programming – Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Animated Program -Futurama, “The Late Philip J. Fry” (Comedy Central)
Special Visual Effects For A Series – Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Special Visual Effects For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special – Gettysburg (History)
Stunt Coordination -TNT’s Southland (“Graduation Day”)
Original Main Title Theme Music – The Borgias (Showtime)
Main Title Design – Game Of Thrones (HBO)

Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour) – House, “Bombshells”
Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) – Family Guy, “Road To The North Pole”
Sound Mixing For A Variety Or Music Series Or Special – American Idol, “Finale”
Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming – Deadliest Catch, “Redemption Day” (Discovery)
Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie | The Kennedys, “Lancer and Lace” (Reelz)
Sound Editing For A Series – Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multi-Camera) – Gettysburg (History)
Sound Editing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special – The Pillars Of The Earth, “The Work Of Angels” (Starz)

Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series – Boardwalk Empire, “Home”
Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series – Two And A Half Men, “Hookers, Hookers, Hookers”
Cinematography For Reality Programming – Deadliest Catch, “Redemption Day”
Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming – Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, “Haiti”
Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie – Downton Abbey, “Part 1?

Guest Actor In A Comedy Series – Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live

Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series – American Idol, “Finale”
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special – Don Pasquale, PBS

Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety, Music, Or Comedy Series – So You Think You Can Dance finale
Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety, Music, Or Comedy Special – Grammy Awards (CBS)

Writing For Nonfiction Programming – Freedom Riders (PBS)
Directing For Nonfiction Programming – Gasland (HBO)
Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking – Freedom Riders (PBS)

Nonfiction Series – American Masters (PBS)
Nonfiction Special – Gettysburg (History)

Special Class – Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Programs – The Daily Show Correspondents Explain (Comedy Central)
Special Class – Short-format Nonfiction Programs – Jay Leno’s Garage (NBC.com)
Special Class Programs – 64th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

Creative Achievement In Interactive Media – Oscar Digital Experience • (ABC.com)
Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special – Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (Great Performances) (PBS) – Lonny Price
Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special -64th Annual Tony Awards • CBS
Variety, Music Or Comedy Special – The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS

Children’s Program – A Child’s Garden Of Poetry ( HBO)
Children’s Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program -Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Under The Influence: Kids Of Alcoholics (Nickelodeon)

Reality Program – Deadliest Catch (Discovery)
Reality Host – Jeff Probst, Survivor

Guest Actor In A Drama Series – Paul McCrane, Harry’s Law

Individual Achievement in Animation – Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (Drew Hodges, character animator); Phineas and Ferb, “Wizard of Odd” (Brian Woods, background design, and Jill Daniels, background painter); Firebreather (Peter Chung, character design, and Sung Chang, character animator); Young Justice, “Independence Day” (Philip Bourassa, character design)

My Top TV of 2010!

The first decade of this new millennium is nearly over and it’s time to star looking back at what moved, excited and upset me in 2010 in the entertainment world. Today I’m taking a gander at my favorites in television from the past year. So, let’s rank the shows I loved the most and celebrate a few other special people and programs.

My Top 15 Shows of 2010:
1. Modern Family: The Emmy winning sitcom is consistently the funniest and smartest show on TV.
2. Glee: There’s nothing like it and I can’t get enough. Plus they have great guest stars (Gwyneth Paltrow anyone?)important storylines, wonderful music and Emmy winner Jane Lynch!)
3. Lost: It was one of the best dramas in TV history and it went out as it began~ beautifully, action packed, full of emotion and mystery.
4. Dexter: who knew they could follow up a brilliant season with crazy killer John Lithgow so well? But picking up the pieces after Rita’s death became easier once Julia Stiles came along and gave Michael C. Hall’s Dexter an ingenious revenge plot. Loved it!
5.Cougar Town: this show is the wackiest most unsung comedy on television with a wonderful ensemble. Seriously, why aren’t more of you watching it?
6. 30 Rock: while it’s been a little uneven this year, it’s still brilliant and even a lackluster episode is absolutely hilarious
7. Nurse Jackie: Edie Falco rocks and this dramedy never hits a false note in its fascinating portrayal of an addict nurse.
8. Hot in Cleveland: This “old-fashioned” sitcom is simply a laugh riot. The ensemble is brilliant and it feels like home when I watch it. Betty White is an icon, Wendie Malick is divine, Jane Leeves is fantastic. Oh and I’m gonna be on episode 3 of the second season in February! So watch it!
9. Parks and Recreation: the show really came into its own in season 2 and the cast is lead by the hysterically talented Amy Poehler. Season 3 starts on January 20th. You better watch cuz I’m gonna be on that episode too!
10. The Big C: Laura Linney is an acting treasure. She makes flawless choices and brings me to tears through my laughter on this great dramedy about a woman dealing with a terrible cancer diagnosis.
11. The Good Wife: this ensemble drama about Chicago lawyers and politics got even more fascinating in season 2 and features a ridiculous well of talented actors like Emmy winners Archie Penjabi, Julianna Marguiles, and Christine Baranski alongside Chris Noth, Josh Charles and Emmy nominee Alan Cumming.
12. Ugly Betty: In its final season, Betty hit all the right notes returning to its hilarious, sharp-witted and heartfelt roots anchored by the brilliance of America Fererra, Vanessa Williams (now stirring up much-needed trouble and giggles on Desperate Housewives) and the dynamic duo of Michael Urie and Becki Newton.
13. Fringe: it’s the best sci-fi drama on TV. It’s a mind-bender that keeps you glued to your television no matter what alternate universe we’re in. And John Noble needs an Emmy stat!
14. Damages: Emmy winner Glenn Close got some amazing support from Emmy nominees Martin Short and Lily Tomlin on this potboiler of a thriller this year and kept us guessing til the end.
15. Raising Hope: the best new sitcom this season finally gives Martha Plimpton the TV vehicle she deserves with this dysfunctional white trash family comedy. Plus Garret Dillahaunt and Cloris Leachman are ridiculously funny.
~Honorable Mention: The Closer (thank goodness Kyra Sedgwick finally won her much deserved Emmy!)

TOP REALITY COMPEITION SHOWS:
1. So You Think You Can Dance (the Best reality competition show on TV by far. The talent is amazing~ Lauren, Robert, Kent, Alex “frikken” Wong, the All Stars to name a few. And Cat Deeley is the best and most fashionable host on TV to boot)
2. RuPaul’s Drag Race (Who knew RuPaul’s TV comeback would be so hilarious, fascinating, dramatic and tense? Um, RuPaul, that’s who!)
3. Survivor (“Heroes v. Villains” was the perhaps the best cycle in the show’s history at least since the original season in Borneo)
4. Top Chef (Great casts, great judges, great challenges, and now an Emmy winner!)
5. Project Runway (finally back in fashion with a fantastic cycle featuring awful Gretchen and Ivy and the super talented Mondo who should’ve won!)
6. The Amazing Race (the old stalwart is still great)
7. Dancing with the Stars (Spring edition with Nicole Scherzinger… oh and we’re going to pretend this past fall edition never existed)
8. Top Chef Just Desserts (I wanted to eat everything they made! And Yigit is perhaps the most adorable reality winner ever!)
9. American Idol (um, worst season ever, but I’m still soooo addicted)
10. America’s Next Top Model (Yesh, I’m still watching and the recent high fashion edition gave the show its strongest top 4 to date)

Best TV Movie: Temple Grandin
Best Reality Show (Non-Competition): Kathy Griffin Life on the D List
TV MVPS: Jane Lynch (Glee, Do Something, Two and a Half Men), Neil Patrick Harris (Emmys, How I Met Your Mother, Glee)
Best Guily Pleasures: Human Target, White Collar, V
Breakout Drama Performer: Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter
Breakout Comedy Perforrmer: Busy Phillips, Cougar Town
Sad Goodbyes to Shows We Lost this Year: Lost, 24, Ugly Betty, Better Off Ted
Gone too Soon: Lone Star

~And special props to Grey’s Anatomy for returning to its juicy goodness over the past year~ quite a feat for a show in its 6th season.

So, what were your favorites this year? Do you agree with me or are you wondering where Mad Men is? (um, it’s well done, but not my cup of tea). Let me know your thoughts and faves below.

The 10 Most Upsetting Emmy Snubs

Despite all the good news with today’s infusion of fresh blood at the Emmy Nominations, there were still some maddening omissions. For every wonderful Glee nomination, there was no love for Cougar Town or Fringe or their wonderful casts. And it doesn’t get any better in the reality categories with So You Think You Can Dance and Rupaul’s Drag Race being ignored in favor of the tired Amazing Race, the lackluster seasons of Project Runway and the atrocious year that American Idol had. That said, it’s time for another one of my lists. Take a look at my picks for the most glaringly upsetting Emmy snubs below.

1. Courtney Cox Arquette- after being denied some Emmy love for all 10 seasons of Friends, Courtney gets dissed again despite her hilarious and heartfelt work on the most underrated new show of last year Cougar Town. She leads a crack ensemble (also ignored by Emmy this year, argh) in one of the strongest comedies around. Come on Emmys, wake up!

2. Survivor- the grand daddy of all reality shows had the best season of any reality competition show this year with its incredibly entertaining and fascinating “Heroes v. Villains” cycle. Not only should it have been nominated, it deserved to win this year. (At least they have that one trophy from back in 2001).

3. So You Think You Can Dance & Cat Deeley: Cat is easily the most likable reality host around and arguable the best this side of Survivor’s Jeff Probst. She’s a mother hen, stands up for her charges and calls out the judges and the audience, doing it all with gorgeous flair and finesse. And her show SYTYCD is clearly the best and most relevant talent competition on the air. It should’ve taken the place of either Idol, Runway or The Race.

4. John Noble: as the insanely interesting and maddeningly irreverent genius Walter Bishop on Fringe, Noble is in a class of his own. He’s hilarious, infuriating, inventive and can bring a tear to your eye at any moment. I’d say he’s the only one who could’ve give Lost‘s Terry O’Quinn a run for his money in the Drama Supporting Actor Race.

5. Vanessa Williams: how this woman has never won an Emmy is beyond me. Or a Golden Globe or SAG award for that matter for her brilliant vicious and delectable performance as Wilhemina Slater on the dearly departed Ugly Betty. (Side Note, let’s throw in the criminally never nominated Michael Urie here too. His side-splitting hilarity and grounded honesty gave weight to his super fabulous Marc St. James on Betty for years as well.)

6. Ed O’Neil: poor Ed was the only adult actor from breakout hit Modern Family NOT to receive a nomination this morning. The veteran is just as funny and fantastic as his younger counterparts and should’ve been recognized. Perhaps next year, he’ll move up to the Lead category where I think he would more easily land a nod.

7. Rupaul & Rupaul’s Drag Race: with all the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent in the world, Rupaul and his namesake show are the most intoxicating guilty pleasure on tv. But it’s not all fluff the show has a dramatic undercurrent about those fighting for equality and honoring their true voice. It’s a shame more people haven’t embraced this wonderful and dynamically entertaining show.

8. Josh Holloway: like Matthew Fox, Holloway had never received any kudos for his great work on Lost. Unfortunately that losing streak continued this year for Holloway (not Fox) which is all the more upsetting because it was arguably his strongest work to date.

9. Travis Wall: the former contestant and current choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance gave us amazing numbers that pierced the heart, challenged our preconceived notions about dance and pushed his dancers to the limit. It’s a crime he was overlooked. For, proof, check out this amazing piece featuring Jeanine and Jason from last summer.

10. Annie Wersching: as the terribly tormented Renee Walker in the final season of 24, Wershing was a live wire of angst, fury, pain and searing emotion. She stole Jack Bauer’s heart and our hearts this season, but like her character, our hopes for some Emmy love were gunned down.

So, those are my 10 biggest and most upsetting Emmy snubs this morning. There are plenty more to talk about like the omission of Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters), Merrit Weaver (Nurse Jackie), the ladies of Greys Anatomy, plus no love for Better Off Ted. I mean, I could go on for days. Instead, I’m going to concentrate on the good news and inclusions this year. It really was a pretty decent list this year for once. I mean they dumped Charlie Sheen and Entourage after all…. Now, I want to hear from you. Who are you most upset wasn’t recognized this year?

Survivor~ Let’s hear it for the Villians!

The show that started the reality tv craze 10 plus years ago, Survivor, continues to surprise in its latest cycle. By bringing back a bunch of favorite former competitors for this season’s “Heroes v. Villains” round, the Emmy winning show has grabbed its most buzz in years, and deservedly so. It also remains a ratings powerhouse. Remember this was the first show to beat Friends in the ratings back in the day and has held control of the Thursday at 8 timeslot ever since that beloved sitcom left the air. With memorable “characters” returning like Boston Rob, Coach and Cirie, blindsides left and right, intense challenges and more strategic playing than ever, this is arguably the best season since the first in Borneo. Not only do you have the most vile villain ever Russell working his magic (sorry Richard Hatch, you’ve been replaced), but you have flirty Parvati manipulating her way to the top, setting the two up for what could be an incredibly exciting final tribal council if they make it there. Standing in their way is the hilarious and tart tounged Sandra, newly spiritual villan Jerri and the lone hero left Colby who has been nothing short of an embarrassment all season. In fact, his lackluster performance is just one more surprising turn that had former fan favorite heroes becoming incredibly annoying like Rupert, behaving like morons ala JT, or morphing into the biggest bastards the show has ever seen. Yes, I’m talking about you and your  ’roid rage James! All I know is I’m expecting some fireworks this Sunday night (5/16) when the finale airs at 8pm on CBS. Let’s take a closer look at the final five and my take on how they might finish the show…

Colby~ the only good guy left on the show has been a bore, performed incredibly poorly in challenges and is a shadow of his former glorious self in Australia. Unless he is miraculously brought to the finals by one of the villains, he has no shot.

Jerri~ the man-eater from Australia has matured over the years and seems to be a bouncing pawn between Russell and Parvati. She’s been amping up her play the past few weeks and if she were to land at the end with Russell, she might be the lesser of two evils and grab the prize.

Russell~ the most hateful gross player ever (yes, even worse than Johnny Fairplay too), Russell has played fast and hard all season. He lies like no other, manipulates and has a weird pull over his competitors. He’s also a giant unlikable jerk with an ego the size of Kentucky. He won’t win, but he could make the final two as the other contestants would want to go against someone no one would want to vote for.

Sandra~ she won in Pearl Islands and has been a strategic force here. Somewhat under the radar at first, Sandra has stepped to the forefront in the last few weeks and makes great arguments. She’s also likable in a feisty, ferocious way. She’s definitely a threat to win.

Parvati~ another former winner, this master manipulator has played the game incredibly well all season. Working her magic with immunity idols, lording her power over Russell without him knowing it, and adept at the challenges, she is the most deserving winner and I think the one who will ultimately take it again if she lands in the final two…

Here’s my rankings of the final five:
1. Parvati
2. Sandra
3. Jerri
4. Russell
5. Colby

So, just who do you think will win and who’s your favorite? Let me know below and watch the finale this Sunday!