Make an Argument
Thoughts on the Golden Globe nominations
By Eric Hughes
December 15, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
On Tuesday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association released their picks for the best in film and television, and once again mediaphiles are jumping around with glee and smacking themselves with blunt objects at the same time.
I say, it’s time to join the conversation! Here, now, are some thoughts swimming around in my mind.
First up: Television.
The Office’s absence from the Best Comedy category is totally amazing
For the first time in three years, The Office didn’t earn a spot in the Best Comedy category. This makes total sense, considering that the season in contention (its sixth) was the show’s worst to date. It had no clear goal, it was all Jam all the time and, well, it tried way too stinkin’ hard. I guess I’m pleased the foreign press didn’t vote so, oh, automatically.
Honestly, I’m looking over season six episode titles now and am struggling to remember significant moments from a number of them. This may have something to do with the fact that season six marked the first time I didn’t deem watching The Office in succession necessary. It was like: “Oh, The Office was new this week? Bloop, bloop.”
Anyway, in many ways the show has redeemed itself some this year, and perhaps the foreign press will recognize that next year. I don’t think it likely for a total return to its golden age (season two and three), but a handful of episodes this fall have been truly encouraging.
Katey Sagal + Golden Globe nomination = WIN
I have to say, the best thing about Tuesday’s nominations – on the TV end, at least – is Katey Sagal securing a nod for Best Actress. I’ve said it a bunch (even in this column) how much the lady deserved some love for her work in season two, and it’s completely amazing to see other people thinking similarly.
To go into her character’s season two demons would cheapen the experience for people who haven’t seen it. But to give a teensy bit away here, Gemma endures one of the worst things a woman (or man) can endure, confesses it to those she loves the most, and then exacts some sweet revenge. It was just one compelling storyline among many in the season, and shows that the awards season gods sometimes get it oh so right.
Snub of the year: Breaking Bad
If Katey Sagal is the best thing about the nominations, then the foreign press’ lack of attention to Breaking Bad’s third season is the worst. Failing to include Breaking Bad in the Best Drama category is like forgetting to wear gloves in sub-zero temperatures.
Not to knock on the other nominees – I’m only truly familiar with a pair of ‘em – but I just can’t imagine that zombies gone wild trumps a show as crisp and well written as Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston is flawless, Anna Gunn underrated, Bob Odenkirk hilarious. Essentially the show is a course on great drama acting, and that’s just the players. Add in the writing – yep, better than Mad Men – and all that beautiful cinematography, and hot damn, you’ve essentially got the best drama on television.
Though deserved completely, solely honoring Bryan Cranston with a nod doesn’t feel right. It’s akin to saying Ian McKellan was the only good thing about the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Best Picture is a dogfight
If the Golden Globe nominations are any indication, there appears to be no true frontrunner for the Best Motion Picture category. Of the five nominees – Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The King’s Speech and The Social Network – all five get play in the Best Director category, too. And the pair of films not up for Best Screenplay (Black Swan and The Fighter) are well represented in the acting categories. Black Swan got two nods to The Fighter’s four.
Though some may argue that this proves a lack of diversity among the foreign press’ picks, I say the attention just makes the Best Picture category super interesting. This isn’t like last year when everyone and their mom knew it’d be Avatar or The Hurt Locker, or the year before that when you’d have to be positively stupid to bet against Slumdog Millionaire.
I’d argue all five nominees actually have a shot at this thing. And I can’t say, off hand, that that’s happened in awhile. (And even if it has, you’ve gotta agree this crops up pretty rarely.
And finally: Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is quality, and his absence from the major acting categories has me baffled. I can’t speak for the other Best Actor nominees (save for Jesse Eisenberg, who was simply fantastic as Facebook drone Mark Zuckerberg) or even most of the supportin’ boys, but methinks JT was severely overlooked.