Kat with a K

Emmy Nominations, Part I

If you haven't noticed, I LOVE AWARDS SHOWS. The Emmy nominations have been released, so clearly I must tell you what I think of them all. I'm going to try to muster some sort of opinion for every category, just for fun, so we'll see how that goes. This first post will be the more minor categories, or those I care less about for whatever reason. To save space, I'll just put the category name and my pick, not the whole list of nominees. And if I feel strongly that someone else would be better, I'll add that. You can find all the nominations here.

Outstanding Voice-Over Performance: I've seen none, but - Seth Green! Oz! Must be on Oz's side!

Outstanding Animated Program: Again: seen none. (Okay, I've seen bits of The Simpsons and South Park, but not the episodes for which they are nominated.) I think I will go for Disney Prep & Landing here, as I am in favor of people making semi-decent Christmas specials as often as possible.

Outstanding Short-format Animated Program: Seen none, but the nominations are four Cartoon Network (of which I am not particularly a fan) to one Disney, so I'm rooting for Disney. (Yes, I realize they can never really be an underdog, but...)

Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series: HIMYM! That will likely be my pick for anything involving sitcoms. Just to warn you.

Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series: Uh, Glee! Sure. Honestly, I'm not sure exactly what goes into "Art Direction," but the Glee pilot was extremely well-constructed, so.

Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries Or Movie: Seen none. But I'm sure Return to Cranford was just lovely.

Outstanding Art Direction For Variety, Music Or Nonfiction Programming: Wait. Okay. The Tony ceremony nominated was last year, but the rest were this year. I think. Neither the Super Bowl Halftime Show nor the Tonys were put together very well, and I'm pretty neutral on SNL and anti-Idol, so I'll go with the Academy Awards.

Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series: The only one I watch is Glee, but I do think their casting is quite good.

Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series: I'm actually going to go with FNL here, I think. My pick would have been The Vampire Diaries, because they found three leads who have amazing chemistry with each of the others, and an exceptionally strong supporting cast.

Outstanding Casting For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Seen none, so I suppose I'll go with the "Jane Austen is always the answer" theory and pick Emma.

Outstanding Choreography: I've only seen the Academy Awards, so sure. I probably would have put something from Glee in here. I think the second Kristin Chenoweth episode, actually.

Outstanding Cinematography For A Half-Hour Series: Weeds is a half-hour series? Really? I had no idea! Huh. Anyway, I watch none of these regularly, but I have vaguely positive impressions of 30 Rock, so we'll go with that.

Outstanding Cinematography For A One Hour Series: I've seen none of these specific episodes, but Mad Men has good cinematography in general, so sure. Oh, wait, I did see that episode of FlashForward, but meh. I'll stick with Mad Men.

Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie: Seen none, but I'm sure The Pacific had great cinematography.

Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming: Seen none, but I've heard good things about America: The Story of Us.

Outstanding Cinematography For Reality Programming: Er. I watched one season of The Amazing Race and they had some good cinematography then. I guess.

Outstanding Commercial: I didn't even know this was a category! I can't think of any of these offhand, but I always like Coke commercials. Was that the Olympics one? Hm.

Outstanding Costumes For A Series: I don't actually watch The Tudors - I don't get those fancy stations - but I've seen enough pictures to know the costumes are very pretty. I'd throw The Vampire Diaries into this category, too, because the costume people adapted really well to suddenly having to do 1864 flashbacks.

Outstanding Costumes For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Emma!

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series: Glee! I wasn't crazy about "Wheels," so I'll go with the pilot.

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series: Oddly, I have seen none of these, so I guess I'll go with Mad Men, as at least I've seen other episodes of that show. I'd go for David Boreanaz for "The Parts in the Sum of the Whole" (Bones) - I'm still astonished that he managed to direct such a complex episode and do such amazing acting in it - or Marcos Siega for "Miss Mystic Falls" or "Founder's Day" (The Vampire Diaries).

Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special: Oh, I don't know. I'm sure The Pacific was great.

Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: I'll go for The Colbert Report in Iraq.

Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special: Um . . . the Olympics.

Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming: Seen none. Feel obliged to be in favor of Monty Python, just in general.

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series: Seen none of these specific episodes, so Mad Men, I guess.

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Comedy Series (Single Or Multi-Camera): Seen none. 30 Rock? I guess?

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries Or A Movie: Seen none, but heck, The Pacific looks like I'd like it!

Outstanding Short-Form Picture Editing: John Hughes tribute!

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Special (Single Or Multi-Camera): Seen none, but hey, I like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in general!

Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming: Seen none. I suppose I'll stick with America: The Story of Us.

Outstanding Picture Editing For Reality Programming: Seen none. Meh. Top Chef? Sure.

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series: Hey, look, Castle! Wheee! I would put one of the Vampire Diaries flashback episodes on this list.

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special: Hah. The styling for HIMYM's "Doppelgangers" episode was indeed quite good.

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Miniseries Or A Movie: Hey, look, Emma again.

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Nonfiction: I'm not even sure what this means. Top Chef, I guess?

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Fiction: Uh, the Star Wars thing looks kind of nifty.

Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming: Olympics!

Outstanding Main Title Design: I saw a few episodes of Human Target, but apparently the title design made no impression on me. I suppose I'll go with The Pacific.

Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic): Castle!

Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic): I don't remember the Academy Awards makeup being particularly noteworthy, but that's the only one I've seen.

Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries Or A Movie (Non-Prosthetic): Fine, The Pacific.

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Castle!

Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score): Ooh, Psych!

Outstanding Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special (Original Dramatic Score): I don't think I've heard any of these, so I'll keep assuming The Pacific was good.

Outstanding Music Direction: The Olympics Opening Ceremony did have some good music.

Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics: HIMYM! Loved "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit."

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: The Justified theme is good. I'm also quite fond of the Psych theme, which was not nominated.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie: Seen none, but I liked Michael Sheen's Tony Blair in The Queen. And obviously Ian McKellan is just generally awesome.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie: Seen none, but how could anyone vote against Dame Judi Dench? That would just be wrong.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie: Seen none, but I have seen the other version of Patrick Stewart's Claudius, so I feel comfortable saying he should win.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Seen none, but hey, Kathy Bates! Susan Sarandon! They're both good, in general.

Outstanding Miniseries: I have seen neither The Pacfic nor Return to Cranford, and I really want both. So. I can't decide, actually.

Outstanding Made For Television Movie: Seen none. Endgame was supposed to be really good, though.

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special: Only one I saw was Hope for Haiti Now. I was fine, for a telethon, I guess.

Outstanding Special Class Programs: I don't remember either of the award shows nominated being particularly good, so once again, I will go with the Olympics.

Outstanding Children's Program: I've heard good things about iCarly, and actors I like have guest starred on it, so sure.

Outstanding Children's Nonfiction Program: Okay, I know nothing about either of these. But boy, this sounds like a cheerful category, huh?

Outstanding Nonfiction Special: Seen none. I guess I'll go for Teddy: In His Own Words, because I am a sucker for Kennedy stuff.

Outstanding Nonfiction Series: American Experience is consistently good.

Outstanding Reality Program: MythBusters, I guess.

Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking: I have . . . absolutely no opinion on any of these, it seems.

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series: I don't think I've seen any of these specific episodes, but I think I'll go with Fringe.

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Sheesh, I really need to watch more miniseries next year. Fine. The Pacific.

Outstanding Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multi-Camera): Seen none. I guess I'll go with Teddy again.

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour): Glee!

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie: Gee, think The Pacific might win this?

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation: Seen none. 30 Rock, I guess.

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Or Music Series Or Special: Oh, the Oscars, I guess.

Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming: Seen none. I guess I'll go with The National Parks.

Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series: Stargate Universe . . . I'm trying to remember the episodes. "Air."

Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Let's just give all the awards to The Pacific and get it over with.

Outstanding Stunt Coordination: I haven't sene this episode of Chuck, but I'd think the show deserves this award in general.

Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series: I don't know exactly how all these technical awards are defined, but hey, The Daily Show!

Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special: Uh, the Oscars.

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: Seen none. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that The Special Relationship had good writing. As it's more dialogue-centric than The Pacific. Presumably.

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special: I think this was the NPH Tonys. His stuff was good, so I'll go with that.

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming: Seen none, but again, I've heard good things about America: The Story of Us.