by Julian Spivey The Little Mermaid – Disney+ - Wednesday, September 6 “The Little Mermaid,” the latest Disney live-action remake of one of the brand’s classic animated films, makes its Disney+ streaming debut on Wednesday, Sept. 6 for all of those people (like me) who said: “Meh. I’ll wait for it to come to Disney+.” The film, which was in theaters in early May, stars pop star Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton with Daveed Diggs voicing Sebastian the crab and Jacob Tremblay voicing Flounder. The film, directed by “Chicago” director Rob Marshall, is the sixth highest-grossing film at the box office this year. Dreaming Whilst Black – Paramount+ - Friday, September 8 “Dreaming Whilst Black,” a BBC series about Kwabena, a black filmmaker working to make ends meet while attempting to get a big break in the film industry, makes its American debut on Paramount+ on Friday, Sept. 8. The six-episode comedy series is created (written and directed) and stars Adjani Salmon in the lead role and the pilot episode won the BAFTA for Emerging Talent last year. NFL Sunday Ticket – YouTubeTV – Sunday, September 10 NFL Sunday Ticket, the subscription service that allows football fans to watch out-of-market NFL games, has switched from DIRECTV to the streaming TV service YouTubeTV for the 2023 season. YouTubeTV acquired the NFL package through at least 2030, so if your favorite team is out-of-market and not frequently televised nationally you’re probably going to want to make this switch. The price for YouTubeTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket is $349/year plus the $73/monthly YouTubeTV subscription (which, of course, can be canceled following the NFL season if it’s not your preferred method for watching television). If you just want the NFL Sunday Ticket package on its own it’ll cost $449/year as a stand-alone YouTube Primetime Channel option. YouTube is currently running a deal where you can get $50 off if you sign up. Personally, I’ll be sticking with whatever’s broadcast on CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN. The Morning Show: Season 3 – AppleTV+ - Wednesday, September 13 This is a recommendation with a major caveat. Season two of “The Morning Show” on AppleTV+ was mostly horrible, which was a massive disappointment because the first season was pretty strong. Season three is going to be a make-or-break one for me personally as to whether or not I continue with this series (if it’s renewed for a fourth season) about a network morning talk show co-hosted by characters played by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie join the cast for the third season, which could be a big plus. The show also has a new showrunner for the third season with Charlotte Stoudt taking over for the show’s developer Kerry Ehrin, which gives me hope for change. Season three of “The Morning Show” premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Theater Camp – Hulu – Thursday, September 14 I saw the trailer for “Theater Camp” before a showing of “Barbie” and it looked incredibly funny and lovely. The film didn’t come to theaters in my neck of the woods, so I’m happy to see it streaming Hulu so quickly. “Theater Camp” seems like a passion project created by much of its cast with it co-directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and co-written by Gordon, Lieberman, Noah Galvin and Ben Platt. The film is about the eccentric staff of a theater camp banding together to keep the camp afloat when its founder falls into a coma. “Theater Camp” premieres on Hulu on Thursday, Sept. 14. Flora and Son – AppleTV+ - Friday, September 29 Director/writer John Carney does musical dramas (not your typical song and dance musical but films about musicians) better than anyone and has proven such in the past with “Once,” “Sing Street” and even “Begin Again,” which is not as well-received as the other two but still a lovely film. His latest is “Flora and Son,” starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, about a single mother (Hewson) struggling with a relationship with her son (Oren Kinlan) and finding a bond with music. Hewson is no stranger to the world of music as the daughter of U2 frontman Bono. Carney certainly has a niche and has nearly perfected it. “Flora and Son” premieres on AppleTV+ on Friday, Sept. 29.
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The Broady Awards are The Word's own little awards for the best on the broadcast network television stations - ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC and PBS. The stations you could hook an old-school antenna up and have access to watch. The networks that long ago (at least in the case of most of them) were the only options for TV watching. Despite receiving little love from the big television awards ceremonies and talk in the pop culture zeitgeist, the networks are still the most watched and feature many of the shows that are among the most-watched on television. These awards are solely for those networks and the shows on them. Click HERE to see the complete list of nominees.
Favorites 'Only Murders,' 'Reservation Dogs' Returns Among August's Streaming Recommendations8/1/2023 by Julian Spivey Reservation Dogs: Final Season – Hulu on Wednesday, August 2 “Reservation Dogs” has been one of the best series on television since it debuted in 2021, despite never seeming to catch on to the masses. If you’re not watching this series about a group of Native American teenage friends dealing with the tragic death of one of their friends in rural Oklahoma then you’re truly missing out on greatness. Featuring a cast of almost completely indigenous actors and a behind-the-scenes crew of indigenous people it’s a unique look into the lives of a group of people we rarely see and it’s told with beautifully realistic performances led by young actors Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis and Lane Factor. “Reservation Dogs” is funny, heartwarming and gut-wrenching all at the same time. It’s truly special. Only Murders in the Building: Season 3 – Hulu on Tuesday, August 8 The third season of Hulu’s smash Emmy-nominated comedy-mystery “Only Murders in the Building” features its biggest star-studded cast yet with the likes of Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd joining Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez for their latest podcast murder mystery, which takes place behind the scenes of Oliver’s (Short) latest play when the lead of the show (Rudd) winds up dead. “Only Murders in the Building” has probably been Hulu’s most successful comedy to date and the chemistry between Martin, Short and Gomez is outta sight. Strange Planet – AppleTV+ on Wednesday, August 9 You’ve probably seen them and belly-laughed, those cartoons of the aliens bemused and befuddled by daily life on Earth in cartoonist Nathan Pyle’s Strange Planet cartoons that are wildly popular online. Now comes “Strange Planet,” the television series, featuring Pyle’s characters in an animated sci-fi-comedy giving their unique and poignant observations on life. The voice cast for “Strange Planet” includes Hannah Einbinder of “Hacks” and Danny Pudi of “Community,” which gives me hope it’ll provide as many laughs as Pyle’s drawings have over the years. Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop – Netflix on Wednesday, August 9 This year marks the 50th anniversary of the hip-hop musical genre so there’s no better time for a documentary series on the women who’ve shined in what’s often a male-dominated genre. ‘Ladies First,’ a four-part docuseries, will feature interviews with artists of the genre as well as journalists and music executives to help bring the story of the women of hip-hop to the forefront featuring the stories of Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Da Brat, Roxanne Shante, Sha Rock and more, as well as some of today’s hottest acts like Latto and Saweetie. Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far – Max on Thursday, August 17 I’ve always loved Tracy Morgan’s wild and seemingly unscripted type of humor, especially as a guest on late-night talk shows. I’ve also loved his performances through the year in shows like “Saturday Night Live,” “30 Rock” and “The Last O.G.” But I’ve never really paid a whole lot of attention to his stand-up routine, which I understand is much dirtier and have even been the source of controversy a time or two. But as much as Morgan has made me laugh over the years it’s probably time to get into his stand-up routines and there’s no better chance than his latest special, “Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far” debuting on Max on Thursday, August 17. Let’s see if he actually “takes it too far.” I’m sure social media will let us know moments after the special drops. This page was made on a laptop and for a desktop/laptop screen. Our apologies if it looks a little (or completely) wonky on a phone. The Broady Awards are The Word's own little awards for the best on the broadcast network television stations - ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC and PBS. The stations you could hook an old-school antenna up and have access to watch. The networks that long ago (at least in the case of most of them) were the only options for TV watching. Despite receiving little love from the big television awards ceremonies and talk in the pop culture zeitgeist, the networks are still the most watched and feature many of the shows that are among the most-watched on television. These awards are solely for those networks and the shows on them. Below are the nominations for the 14th annual Broady Awards. The winners will be announced in the first week of August. Best Drama Series Best Comedy Series Best Talk or Variety Series Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) Saturday Night Live (NBC) Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC) Best New Drama Series Alaska Daily (ABC) Fire Country (CBS) Will Trent (ABC) Best New Comedy Series Best Comedy Episode
Show: Saturday Night Live Episode: Pedro Pascal (Host) Director: Liz Patrick Writers: Kent Sublette, Alison Gates and Streeter Seidell (Head Writers) Best Drama Episode
Best Actress - Drama Best Actor - Drama Best Actor - Comedy Best Actress - Comedy Best Supporting Actress - Drama Erika Christensen (Will Trent) Grace Dove (Alaska Daily) Sandra Mae Frank (New Amsterdam) Natacha Karam (9-1-1: Lone Star) Anna Madeley (All Creatures Great & Small) Allison Miller (A Million Little Things) Best Supporting Actor - Drama Kevin Alejandro (Fire Country) Billy Burke (Fire Country) Bruce Greenwood (The Resident) Harry Lennix (The Blacklist) Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor) Samuel West (All Creatures Great & Small) Best Supporting Actor - Comedy Jay R. Ferguson (The Conners) Topher Grace (Home Economics) Devan Chandler Long (Ghosts) James Austin Johnson (Saturday Night Live) Jimmy Tatro (Home Economics) Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary) Best Supporting Actress - Comedy Nicole Byer (Grand Crew) Janelle James (Abbott Elementary) Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live) Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) Karla Souza (Home Economics) Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary) Best Guest Actress - Drama Josielyn Aguilera (Quantum Leap) Whitney Cummings (Accused) Deirdre Lovejoy (The Blacklist) Stephanie Nogueras (Accused) Stephanie Szostak (A Million Little Things) Annie Wersching (The Rookie) Best Guest Actor - Drama Lou Beatty Jr. (A Million Little Things) Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Will Trent) Justin Hartley (Quantum Leap) Stacy Keach (The Blacklist) Ron Livingston (A Million Little Things) Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Accused) Best Guest Actor - Comedy Best Guest Actress - Comedy Hall of Fame Show: Revealed in August Hall of Fame Legend: Revealed in August
Hidden Gem 'Manhattan,' Now Streaming on Tubi, Makes for Perfect Primer, Companion to 'Oppenheimer'7/21/2023 by Julian Spivey The cineplexes across America will be a buzz this weekend with the biggest movie release day in quite some time with both Christopher Nolan’s latest “Oppenheimer,” a three-hour epic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man tasked by the United States government with designing and building the atomic bomb, and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” about America’s favorite plastic doll who comes to life to live among the real world. It’s an event that’s been billed by some as “Barbenheimer” and pre-bought tickets have been flying off the internet in preparation for the packed cinemas.
“Barbie” is projected to make around $100 million in its opening weekend at the box office. “Oppenheimer” will probably do somewhere in the $40-50 million range. When it comes to “Barbie” you’re definitely going to have to contend with packed and likely sold-out showings for its opening weekend, but if you do get in at under two hours it should be a breezy watch, even if it's likely a bit more subversive that some might be expecting. However, “Oppenheimer” at three hours and with such a serious tone there may be some interested in the film, like me, who may not want to fight both packed theaters and a three-hour runtime and might consider waiting for it to hit video-on-demand or streaming – which would certainly make Nolan cringe if he read that. I might catch it at the cinema sometime after opening weekend, but damn three hours is longer than baseball games are these days. Anyway, if you’re going to wait for a while for “Oppenheimer” – or you just want a fantastic companion to the film – you should definitely check out the short-lived drama series “Manhattan,” which aired for two seasons on WGN America from 2014-2015. All 23 episodes of this exquisite series, created by Sam Shaw, can be streamed for free (with occasional ad interruption) on Tubi, which has gained in viewership lately as TV viewers flock to cheaper viewing options (and I’m sure those creepy rabbit Super Bowl commercials didn’t hurt). While there’s certainly a lot of dreck to scroll through on Tubi, there are also terrific, forgotten or little-watched gems like this period piece drama that aired on a network that doesn’t even exist anymore. “Manhattan,” while featuring J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Daniel London) himself in a recurring role, is more about the scientists working directly on the Manhattan Project to create the atomic bomb at Project X in the newly created desert town of Los Alamos, N.M., which the outside world knows little to nothing about for safety and security purposes. “Manhattan” is based on history, but doesn’t intend to be historically accurate, which gives it some nice leeway as far as drama goes. Oppenheimer may actually be the only real-life character in the bunch in the few times he appears onscreen. The series mostly focuses on the team of Dr. Frank Winter, played by the underrated John Benjamin Hickey, who leads a small group of scientists, basically considered the ‘B Team’ of the site, but also includes a rising star of a scientist prospect in Dr. Charlie Isaacs, played by Ashley Zukerman. The team also includes scientists played by Katja Herbers, who’d go on to her terrific starring role in Paramount+’s horror-drama “Evil,” and Michael Chernus, who has a key role in AppleTV’s excellent sci-fi/drama “Severance.” However, the biggest rising star of “Manhattan” was Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Dr. Issacs’ wife Abby. After the cancellation of “Manhattan,” Brosnahan would, of course, go on to the Emmy-winning titular character in Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” The series also features fantastic guest appearances at times from Daniel Stern, David Harbour (soon to go on to “Stranger Things” stardom), Richard Schiff, Griffin Dunne and William Petersen. Part of what made “Manhattan” so intriguing is it not only showed these scientists working on the creation of the atomic bomb, but also their family life on the base. Olivia Williams’ portrayal of Dr. Liza Winter, a botanist who’s just as big of a star (if not more so) than her husband Frank in the world of academia but struggles to conform to life on the base. The series is also kept very suspenseful by the constant threat of German or Japanese spies infiltrating the group of scientists to learn their secrets in the race to become the first nation in World War II to build and perhaps drop the bomb. The intrigue, drama and historical aspects of “Manhattan” made for a riveting television series that I wish had lasted longer than its two seasons and had it been elsewhere and not a network that was trying late in its run to become sort of like a competitor to AMC’s “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” et all, may have succeeded in bringing in more viewers. The critical reception was always favorable. If you never saw “Manhattan” the first time around – and the odds are you didn’t – there’s never been a better time to revisit it than now during “Oppenheimer” mania. So, fire up that Tubi app and enjoy! This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series and performances being covered here wouldn't exist. by Tyler Glover & Julian Spivey House of the Dragon for Drama Series When it was announced there was going to be a prequel series to the epic “Game of Thrones,” I was skeptical for multiple reasons. The original had been the drama with the most Emmys wins in history with 59. It was very beloved by the Television Academy and by fans alike. However, the last season was a big disappointment. Could the prequel live up to the original during its golden years? It turns out I had nothing to worry about. “House of the Dragon,” which takes place 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” is just as epic. The production value is so high: fantastic performances, great storytelling, beautiful sets and exquisite costumes. I was worried, though, that the Emmys might have some fatigue with the series. However, Emmy nominations came out and while they are definitely not as enamored with ‘HOD’ the way they were with ‘GOT,’ it still managed to get a Best Drama Series nomination. I was disappointed that none of its cast members could break through but happy for this nomination. TG The Bear for Comedy Series, Actor in a Comedy, Supporting Actress in a Comedy & Supporting Actor in a Comedy The first season of “The Bear,” an FX on Hulu production, was my favorite TV show of 2022. The series sees acclaimed chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) taking over the family restaurant following the death of his older brother and trying to keep it afloat with the help of his new inexperienced sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and despite the hindrances of his “cousin” Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). White, Edebiri and Moss-Bachrach all appeared in the top-5 of my favorite TV performances of 2022 and I’m thrilled to see each of them nominated in their respective categories. “The Bear” received 13 total nominations for its first season, including the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series. White is the most likely winner of the four on this list. JS Barry for Comedy Series, Supporting Actor in a Comedy & Directing in a Comedy The final season of HBO’s “Barry” has been my favorite TV series of 2023 thus far with the series wrapping in a grim and dramatic way despite being a nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series, though its funniest moments are maybe the funniest on television period. The show’s final season received 11 nominations, but other than for comedy series, the two I’d like to shout out the most are Anthony Carrigan for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his hilarious and in the final season tragic performance of Noho Hank and Bill Hader for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the series finale “wow.” Hader directed the entire final season of “Barry” and most of the show’s penultimate season and has proven himself to have a keen eye for it that could see him as one of the up-and-coming auteurs of his generation. JS Wednesday for Comedy Series I rarely find shows that I consider “binge-worthy.” With life being as busy as it is, a show has to really grab me and not let go. “Wednesday,” Netflix’s series following the young Wednesday Adams going off to school and solving a mystery got its hooks into me almost immediately. The phenomenal Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series as well. Both are very deserving of nominations! The show had other phenomenal performances that I wish would have been recognized such as Gwendolyn Christie as the principal and Christina Ricci as one of the teachers. The mystery of the show keeps you in suspense and the writers have you not being able to wait to see what happens next. I am just so thrilled for the show to get the recognition that it did. TG Michael Shannon & Jessica Chastain for Actor & Actress in a Limited Series Despite it being pretty damn good and about one of the most famous couples in music history, “George and Tammy,” the Showtime limited series which aired late in 2022, didn’t seem to get much recognition. The performances from Jessica Chastain as country music’s first lady Tammy Wynette and Michael Shannon as her alcoholic husband and hitmaker George Jones were terrific leading both to be nominated for performed in a limited series, but the series itself was noticeably snubbed for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, which may hurt Chastain and Shannon’s chances at victory. JS Nick Offerman for Guest Actor in a Drama Nick Offerman should have an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his iconic portrayal of Ron Swanson on the NBC sitcom, “Parks and Recreation” but during the show’s seven seasons, Offerman was never even nominated. When I sat down and watched the HBO drama “The Last of Us” and saw Offerman’s performance as Bill, I immediately thought how upset I would be if he wasn’t nominated for the Emmy for this performance. Now, I’m going to be really upset if he doesn’t win! In “The Last of Us,” Offerman plays Bill, a man who is secluded during a worldwide pandemic and finds love unexpectedly with a traveler he takes in named Frank. It is such a beautiful love story. Watching Bill’s tough exterior become vulnerable is truly touching to watch. TG Elton John Farewell: Live from Dodgers Stadium for Variety Special (Live) Disney+’s first live concert event “Elton John Farewell: Live from Dodgers Stadium,” which aired Nov. 20, 2022, and marked the Rock Hall of Famer’s final American concert was the best live concert special aired on TV that I’ve seen in many years. Elton John performed the majority of his classic hits during that wonderful evening of music from the site of one of his most memorable shows in his heyday. If Elton John were to win the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) he would become the 19th person to win the coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony). Elton John is a five-time Grammy Award winner, a two-time Oscar winner (for Best Original Song) and a Tony winner for the Best Original Score of “Aida” in 2000. JS Mayim Bialik for Game Show Host I have always been a huge Mayim Bialik fan. Her performance as Amy Fowler on CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” was deserving of an Emmy win but none of her nominations translated into one. One of the main reasons I am excited for her with this nomination is all of the hate she has been getting. Since Alex Trebek passed away, Ken Jennings and Bialik have been sharing hosting duties of the veteran game show “Jeopardy” but many fans have been brutal towards her, preferring Jennings. Bialik does a fantastic job and I prefer her over Jennings, personally. That is why I was so excited to see her nominated for Outstanding Game Show Host. She can show the haters that she is being recognized for the work they are bashing. One of her competitors in the category is actually Jennings. Will one of the “Jeopardy” hosts win? We will have to wait to see…….”What is?” TG Hocus Pocus 2 for Television Movie Every Halloween since I was a child, I remember watching “Hocus Pocus.” The story of the three Sanderson sisters: Winnie, Mary and Sarah trying to live forever to continue their witchy shenanigans has captivated audiences for years. It is crazy to think that the original was a box office dud. This was mainly due to the fact that Disney put the movie out in July instead of November of 1993 to avoid collision with their other film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The original did become a cult hit though and fans were overjoyed when it was announced that there would be a sequel. I was so excited but so worried it would let me down. While the film wasn’t as great as the original, it really did a fantastic job of telling a new story with just the right amount of nostalgic ingredients. I was excited to see its nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. I cannot wait for a potential “Hocus Pocus 3”. TG Weird Al Yankovic & Eric Appel for Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie I just love that Weird Al Yankovic is now a multi-time Emmy Award nominee. He’s received three nominations for his work on The Roku Channel original “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” a parody biopic about his start in music parodies, the first as a co-producer of the film for Outstanding Television Movie, the second for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for “Now You Know,” written specifically for the film, and the one I’ve chosen to spotlight here, Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie with co-writer and director Eric Appel. JS
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series and performances being covered here wouldn't exist. by Tyler Glover & Julian Spivey Sarah Goldberg (Barry) for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy The first thing I looked for on Wednesday when I awoke and clicked on the Emmy Award nominations was for Sarah Goldberg’s name in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy category – though I swear, she should be in the lead actress category – and when I didn’t see it I wanted to riot at where the Television Academy headquarters is Jan. 6 style. Goldberg gave the best performance I’ve seen on television thus far in 2023 and the fact that she can’t find her way into a seven-person category is dumbfounding. The fact that she was only nominated once over four seasons is infuriating. She wound up in many ways being the best performer of the series featuring nothing but great performances. JS Imelda Staunton (The Crown) for Best Actress in a Drama “The Crown” has always been an Emmy darling. During its previous season, it managed to win Drama Series, Actor In A Drama Series for Josh O’Connor, Best Actress for Olivia Colman, Supporting Actor for Tobias Menzies, and Supporting Actress for Gillian Anderson. In all four prior seasons of “The Crown,” the actress playing Queen Elizabeth II has been nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Claire Foy and Olivia Colman were both nominated for both seasons they portrayed the Queen. Imelda Staunton took over for season five and just became the first Queen actress snubbed on Emmy nominations morning. This is not because Staunton doesn’t do a great job. She was a perfect successor to Foy and Colman. This past season wasn’t the best of the series but this was still quite a shock. TG Reservation Dogs for Best Comedy Series When I first saw the Emmy nominations on Wednesday and saw that Hulu’s (FX Production) “Reservation Dogs,” not only wasn’t nominated for Best Comedy Series, which let’s face it wasn’t a huge shock, though it should be!, but was only nominated for a single nomination (Sound Editing) of any kind I angrily tweeted: “What does ‘Reservation Dogs’ have to do to get noticed by the Emmys? Do they have to be white?” Not only is the show great for representation on television in that it stars and is written by an entirely indigenous cast and crew, but it’s generally one of the best, funniest and warmest shows on TV. Everywhere you look on this show are people who should be worthy of Emmy love: Devery Jacobs, D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor, Zahn McClarnon and the terrific writing staff. JS Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama The original actress to play Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” made us fall in love with the character. After five episodes of the first season, actress Emma D’Arcy ages up and takes over the character. Milly Alcock’s performance of Rhaenyra was so fantastic that I was not happy to see her go. In my opinion, Emma D’Arcy doesn’t live up to her. Alcock shows us the beginning of the power struggle that ensues later on and we see her devastation that just because of her gender that she is not considered worthy to lead the nation. Everyone is looking for a man to lead but her father wants her to rule. Alcock conveys all of these complex emotions to near perfection. She will likely not get another chance for a nomination, so I hate she did not get this recognition. TG Matt Smith (House of the Dragon) for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Matt Smith secured a nomination for playing Prince Phillip in Netflix’s “The Crown” for Best Supporting Actor a few years ago. He is someone the Emmys are familiar with and he is starring in a big-budget epic prequel series to a beloved show. Smith plays Daemon, the brother of the King who believes he should be the heir. His brother, King Aegon, believes this honor belongs to his daughter, Rhaenyra. Smith plays a villainous performance to perfection. We understand Daemon’s motivation and anger and watch him endure multiple complex situations. He is a character you love to hate which is sometimes hard for an actor to convey. It would have been great to see Smith ride some of the “House of the Dragon” love into a nomination. TG Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy “Atlanta,” which was no stranger to Emmy love in its early seasons, was almost completely left out (it got one nomination for cinematography), which isn’t all that surprising as for some reason the cultural zeitgeist didn’t feel like returning to the series after a lengthy hiatus. The snub that pisses me off the most is that of Brian Tyree Henry, whose performance as Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles in the series is one of the greatest performances on television, period, over the last decade. The fact that the Emmys only nominated him once over four seasons and he doesn’t have the tag “Emmy Winner” by his name is almost criminal. JS Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live) for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy So, this one isn’t a shocker in the least. I read a handful of articles predicting the Emmy nominees and listened to a few podcasts doing the same and not one mentioned Ego Nwodim, one of the standout cast members currently on “Saturday Night Live.” Nwodim is comedy gold each and every time she appears on the screen during the legendary live sketch comedy show and her debut of a new character, Lisa from Temecula, this season was the funniest sketch of the year. This is the first year since 2013 that ‘SNL’ didn’t have a single nominee in the Supporting Actress in a Comedy category. JS Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!) for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Who doesn’t love Kristin Chenoweth? Whether she is playing the original Galinda on Broadway’s “Wicked” or Olive Snook in her Emmy-winning performance on ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” Chenoweth always delights us even when she is playing the villain. She was phenomenal as Maleficent in the Disney original movie, “Descendants” and she is equally brilliant in Apple TV’s musical comedy series, “Schmigadoon!” Chenoweth brings so much joy to the world in her performances and as the mayor’s wife, Mildred Clayton, she delivers the camp to perfection. It would have been great to see her nominated. TG Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere) for Best Actress in a Comedy Sometimes you really want a show or performer to be recognized with award nominations because you know it’s sort of a hidden gem that more people should be familiar with. Now, it seems wild for a show that airs on HBO, especially one that aired directly after the final seasons of “Succession” and “Barry” could be considered a hidden gem, but that’s exactly how Bridget Everett’s comedy “Somebody Somewhere” feels. The series, which recently finished airing its second season, sees Everett in the starring role as Sam, who returns to her small Kansas hometown following the death of her sister and has to cope with the loss. Jeff Hiller really should’ve been considered for Supporting Actor in a Comedy too for his wonderful performance as Sam’s best friend Joel, but Everett not getting a nomination hurts more because it feels like her show. JS Big Brother for Best Reality-Competition Series For 23 years, every summer, we have come to “expect the unexpected.” This CBS summer staple has always been a show full of drama, competitions, tears, fights, HOH competitions, Power of Veto competitions, and known for its host Julie Chen, also known as the Chenbot. This series has always been one of my favorite competition programs. It is exceedingly difficult to play a game like this and it is fun to watch all the houseguests do their best to manipulate their way to a half million dollars. I cannot believe it has never even managed to get a nomination. It may not be the Emmys’ cup of tea but it should be. TG
by Julian Spivey Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze (Max) – Saturday, July 1 at 7 p.m. Brandi Carlile is one of the best singer-songwriters in all of music and can out-sing any and everyone. I’ve loved seeing her rise in recognition and popularity over the last few years thanks to powerhouse performances on television like at the Grammy Awards and on “Saturday Night Live.” I’m super pumped to see her have a concert film via HBO and Max. “Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze” premieres Saturday, July 1 at 7 p.m. and sees the nine-time Grammy-winner performing last September from the storied Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, which was home to music icons like Joni Mitchell, one of Carlile’s biggest influences. If you’re a fan, I know you’ll be watching. If you’re not familiar with Carlile please watch and your jaw with drop. The Afterparty: Season 2 (AppleTV+) – Wednesday, July 12 I have to admit I was only so-so on the first season of AppleTV+’s whodunnit mystery-comedy “The Afterparty,” which premiered in early 2022. But the things I appreciated about the first season – among them Sam Richardson and Tiffany Haddish – are returning for the second season. Season two sees Richardson’s Aniq and his girlfriend Zoe (Zoe Chao) in the middle of yet another murder mystery when the groom winds up dead at Zoe’s sister’s wedding. Haddish once again shows up at Det. Danner to help solve the case. Zach Woods, Poppy Liu, Elizabeth Perkins, Jack Whitehall, Vivian Wu, Ken Jeong, John Cho and Paul Walter Hauser have joined the cast for season two. Full Circle (Max) – Thursday, July 13 “Full Circle,” the latest TV series from prolific creator and director Steven Soderbergh and written by Ed Solomon, sees an investigation into a botched kidnapping in New York City and the secrets it uncovers. The six-episode miniseries debuts on Max on Thursday, July 13, and features a terrific cast of Claire Danes, Zazie Beets, Timothy Olyphant, Dennis Quaid and Jharrel Jerome. Stephen Curry: Underrated (AppleTV+) – Friday, July 21 Multiple-time NBA M.V.P. and champion Stephen Curry is one of the most popular and likable athletes in all of sports. AppleTV+’s “Stephen Curry: Underrated,” tells his story from an undersized player at a small college to changing the entire way the game of basketball is played in the NBA. Peter Nicks directs this documentary, which Apple says, “blends cinema verité, archival footage and on-camera interviews.” Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale (Amazon Prime Video) – Tuesday, July 25 Jim Gaffigan is one of the funniest stand-up comedians of all time and he’s also one of the busiest and most prolific comedians, seemingly having a new concert special on an annual basis. Gaffigan’s latest special (his 10th), “Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale,” premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday, July 25. It’s sure to be a laugh riot, as all of his specials are. by Julian Spivey 10. Weekend Update Characters Weekend Update characters are frequently among the funniest recurring characters on “Saturday Night Live” and are often a good way to make cast members into stars and for the newer cast members to get their faces out there on the show for the first time. Season 48 saw a handful of terrific Weekend Update moments including classics, a potential new classic and fresh faces finding their way. Here were my favorite W.U. characters of season 48 … Drunk Uncle on Why He Hates Halloween One of my all-time favorite recurring W.U. characters in the history of ‘SNL’ was Bobby Moynihan’s irascible, offensive Drunk Uncle that I’m sure can remind everyone of one of their family members. During his time on the show, Moynihan portrayed this character 13 times and every time left me in stitches, so I was beyond thrilled to see the return of the character on the Halloween episode hosted by rapper Jack Harlow with Moynihan around the studio to make multiple cameos throughout the episode. Drunk Uncle tells W.U. anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che the many reasons why he hates Halloween, including the holiday being socialist. Among the highlights: “Not my Mario” and “Yeah, I was there on January 6.” Cathy Anne’s Farewell Cecily Strong was easily one of the greatest cast members of the show’s modern era and had a few recurring characters on Weekend Update that stood out over the years with the drug-addled, crazy lady next door character of Cathy Anne. Cathy Anne is essentially the female version of Drunk Uncle – boy, how great would it have been if they had coupled those two together for a sketch? Cathy Anne’s final appearance came in Strong’s final ‘SNL’ episode of 2022, hosted by Austin Butler. Cathy Anne is going off to prison for numerous crimes like meth, crack and “a couple of Sonic attacks.” I particularly enjoy the joke about Cathy Anne and Colin Jost doing Weekend Update together, referring to the one season Strong co-hosted W.U. Co-Worker Who’s Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing Heidi Gardner has become adept at bringing incredibly thought-out, hilariously memorable characters to Weekend Update. Some of her instant classics include Angel (Every Boxer’s Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever), Bailey Gismert (a teen film critic) and Baskin Johns (a Goop employee constantly worried Gwyneth Paltrow will fire her). In the penultimate episode of season 48, Gardner debuted another lack a second character with “Co-Worker Who’s Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing,” which I’m sure most American workers, especially those with office jobs, will see in at least one of their co-workers. Marcello Hernandez on MLB Playoffs Marcello Hernandez, one of the few Latino cast members in ‘SNL’ history, came out of the gates on fire in his freshman season on the show with a W.U. appearance talking about his love for baseball’s postseason and his love of Latino baseball players – who really do play the game with more flair than their non-Hispanic counterparts. Hernandez changes accents with ease and really has the feel for Latin baseball down pat. Michelangelo’s David Defends Art Michael Longfellow, another of the promising new faces on ‘SNL,’ had a few memorable W.U. moments during his freshman season, but the funniest came toward the end of the season when he did a bit about a Florida teacher who was forced to resign after showing a photo of Michelangelo’s David sculpture in an art class as the David sculpture, which required what seems like it would’ve had to have been a good amount of time in makeup. The show really gets the look down. Longfellow’s wry, sarcastic sense of humor fits the bit perfectly.
9. Waking Up Pedro Pascal was certainly the M.V.P. of ‘SNL’ hosts in season 48 and the episode he hosted was likely the season’s best overall. The fact that this is Pascal’s third sketch in the top 10 from the season pretty much proves that. In “Waking Up,” Pascal portrays a man named Charlie who’s waking up from being in a long coma with his wife (Heidi Gardner) and his friends (Kenan Thompson and Sarah Sherman) surrounding his hospital bed. The only issue is Charlie doesn’t remember any of these people and he’s now speaking in sort of a California Valley-vibe mixed with mush-mouth. The voice used by Pascal leads the entire cast featured in the sketch breaking from time to time, which usually intensifies the hilarity of a sketch. 8. Return of David S. Pumpkins I never really thought we’d see David S. Pumpkins, the Tom Hanks ‘SNL’ phenomenon from 2016 (wow, really?), again. And even though sometimes the sequel can weaken the impact of a character altogether I enjoyed the return of David S. Pumpkins during the 2022 Halloween episode hosted by rapper Jack Harlow. Now, at the time of the episode airing, I’m not sure I was quite as high on it as I actually am now – I certainly wouldn’t have pegged it to be on this list – but upon a recent rewatch it’s funny stuff even if nothing could ever live up the original – which is an all-timer. The set-up for David S. Pumpkin’s return is a group of friends (Harlow, Ego Nwodim and Andrew Dismukes) going on a haunted elevator ride featuring memorable horror film characters like Pennywise, Michael Myers and Freddy Kreuger with David S. Pumpkins frequently appearing, much to the dismay and confusion of Dismukes’s character, which honestly was the part that cracked me up the most. If you can get past the horrid acting by Harlow you might enjoy this quite a bit. 7. A Christmas Carol Steve Martin and Martin Short are almost attached at the hip these days with their long-running comedy tour and two seasons thus far on the popular and critically-acclaimed Hulu comedy “Only Murders in the Building.” Each had hosted ‘SNL’ multiple times (Martin more than a dozen times) but hadn’t co-hosted (something that is a rare feat in general for the show) until this past season. It was a dream hosting combo for many but the episode, despite being of the season’s best overall, may have been a bit underwhelming. The best sketch of the episode was the pre-taped A Christmas Carol parody that macabrely sees Short’s Scrooge maiming orphans rather violently by innocently attempting to throw coins down to them from a window above. It’s horror-comedy at its best but might be a bit squeamish for some as it’s certainly one of the bloodiest ‘SNL’ bits of all time (is it the first decapitation in show history?) Sarah Sherman as the orphan having their eyes poked out by flying coins is a true highlight as only she could seemingly pull off. 6. Jake From State Farm Some of the best ‘SNL’ moments from season 48 seemed to be simple things turned into almost horror movie-type things – and these next couple of sketches certainly were the season’s best at that. The idea to take the “Jake from State Farm” State Farm Insurance commercials and turn Jake into a man trying to steal your wife and family is genius and host Michael B. Jordan plays Jake from State Farm worming his way into Mikey Day’s house brilliantly. 5. HBO’s Mario Kart Despite the fact that “The Super Mario Bros. Movies” wound up making more than $1.3 billion at the box office, there was controversy over the choice of Chris Pratt to voice Mario in the movie. Around this same time, the talk of the TV world was HBO’s “The Last of Us,” which finally turned a video game series into prestige television. This was the inspiration for a gritty, dramatic take on “Mario Kart,” one of the absolute best pre-tapes of the season. The HBO version of “Mario Kart” sees host Pedro Pascal (the star of “The Last of Us”) attempting to save Princess Peach (Chloe Fineman) from the villainous Bowser (Kenan Thompson) on the treacherous Rainbow Road with the help of his pals Luigi (Mikey Day), Toad (Marcello Hernandez) and Yoshi (Bowen Yang). The sketch perfectly has the world of both Mario Kart and gritty HBO dramas down pat and led many to wish Pascal had actually been Mario instead of Pratt. 4. New Cast Advice Most of the new cast members of ‘SNL’ had standout performances in season 48 (Devon Walker really didn’t), but the best of them all was without a doubt Molly Kearney’s standout “New Cast Advice” pre-taped film in the season’s second episode hosted by Brendan Gleeson. The film sees the four new cast members of the show (Kearney, Walker, Marcello Hernandez and Michael Longfellow) talking about their first episode of the show the week before and how great the whole process has been, meanwhile Kearney has been tasked with assassinating Russian leader Vladimir Putin by ‘SNL’ producer (and, I guess, CIA operative) Lorne Michaels. Kearney’s recitation of the experience is comedy brilliance. 3. Traffic Altercation Quinta Brunson has been one of television’s biggest standouts over the last two years thanks to ABC’s wonderful sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” which she not only stars in but created. Her hosting debut on ‘SNL’ this spring was one of my most anticipated hosting gigs of season 48 and while it was sort of an up-and-down episode altogether, the sketch “Traffic Altercation” stood out as one of the year’s best. It’s a simple premise: road rage resulting in two drivers (Brunson and Mikey Day) yelling and gesturing at each other during a traffic jam. But the way Brunson and Day go about yelling back-and-forth and the outrageous hand gestures by the two made it one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments of the season. Look out for Chloe Fineman, playing Day’s daughter, almost stealing the whole sketch with her “you suck” gesture. 2. Deer On paper this one being this high is honestly surprising to me – but then again I’ve always enjoyed absurdity and this one is quite absurd. The whole premise of the sketch is a housewarming party in which the partygoers are admiring the local nature of a deer grazing in a field outside the window and an older gentleman (Kenan Thompson) not being able to see the deer and feels like the rest of the guests, including his daughter played by that week’s host and musical guest Megan Thee Stallion, are playing a cruel joke on him. Thompson as a cranky old coot is always going to be hilarious, but when the deer pops up inside of the home and Thompson hits the fuzzy prop deer with a backward punch was a true season highlight for me. 1. Lisa from Temecula Every now and then you’ll get a ‘SNL’ moment that you know immediately is going to live on in the show’s lore forever and this season’s moment that feels most likely to be that was Lisa from Temecula, the ridiculous comedy stylings of Ego Nwodim and a cast that absolutely can’t keep from breaking throughout it all. Lisa from Temecula became the modern-day version of Rachel Dratch’s Debbie Downer and the fact that it was the evening’s final sketch was wild – though the show no longer seems to be saving its worst for last as it so often did in the past. Lisa (Nwodim) is joining her sister Shayna (Punkie Johnson) at a dinner with a group of friends (Pedro Pascal, Molly Kearney and Bowen Yang) and is very particular about her meat. I’ve been occasionally repeating “COOK MY MEAT!” ever since this sketch aired in early February. But it’s the forcefulness of Nwodim cutting the steak and violently shaking the table that really makes everyone involved lose it. This could easily be Nwodim’s most iconic moment of her time on the show, which for some reason seems underrated by many. They even brought Lisa from Temecula back later in the season, in what turned into the season finale (due to the WGA Writer’s Strike) hosted by Ana de Armas, but it wasn’t quite as magical the second time around … how could it possibly be? by Julian Spivey Deadloch – Amazon Prime Video – Friday, June 2 I saw “Deadloch,” which will be premiering on Amazon Prime Video tomorrow (Friday, June 2), referred to as an Australian comedy “Broadchurch.” That was enough for me. The series is created and written by Australian comedy duo Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, whom I’m unfamiliar with, features an outsider detective coming to the town of Deadloch, Tasmania to investigate the death of a local man as preparations are being made for the town’s Winter Feastival. Based on a True Story – Peacock – Thursday, June 8 Peacock has been on a bit of a run this year with originals like “Poker Face” and “Mrs. Davis,” and the latest comedy-thriller from the streamer has a big lead in Kaley Cuoco anchoring it. The series, created and written by Craig Rosenberg, sees a real estate agent, a plumber and a former tennis star seize an opportunity to profit off America’s obsession with true crime. The series will co-star Chris Messina and Natalia Dyer. All eight episodes will drop on Thursday, June 8. The Crowded Room – AppleTV+ - Friday, June 9 AppleTV+’s latest miniseries “The Crowded Room,” comes from Akiva Goldsman and is inspired by the 1981 non-fiction novel The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes. The psychological thriller has a big-name cast including Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried and Emmy Rossum and follows a man, played by Holland, after his arrest for an involvement in a New York City shooting in 1979, as he tells his life story through a series of interviews with an interrogator, played by Seyfried. The first three episodes of the series will drop on Friday, June 9 with the final seven airing weekly after that. The Bear Season 2 – Hulu – Thursday, June 22 Hulu’s “The Bear” (an FX production) was my favorite television series of 2022, so it automatically becomes my most anticipated show for 2023. The second season, which premieres Thursday, June 22, will pick up the series as something of a rebirth from the first season, which ended with Chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) closing down the family restaurant in hopes of building something bigger and better after coming into a windfall. The first season was damn near perfect, so with the anticipation of the second season also comes the anxiousness of whether or not showrunner Christopher Storer can continue without messing things up. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concert – Paramount+ - Wednesday, June 28 There’s no group in rock music like Bruce Springsteen and his “heart-stopping, pants-dropping, hard-rocking, booty-shaking, love-making, earth-quaking, Viagra-taking, justifying, death-defying, legendary” E Street Band. And for the first time, a wide audience will get to see one of the band’s most legendary live shows – the 1979 No Nukes Concert, which comes to Paramount+ for its streaming debut (it was originally released in 2021) on Wednesday, June 28. The band’s “Live in New York City” from 2001 will also come to the streamer, but it’s been widely available over the years and likely seen by all E Street fans multiple times. |
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