Gottfried & Coogan — The newest smash in tag-team TV criticism looks at The Apprentice, Desperate Housewives and The Golden Globes!
LOOK AT THIS”¦
++ A British production company is suing Fox because of their Wife Swap clone? Don’t those crazy Brits know how the American justice system works? Lawsuits are filed, lawyers make a lot of money and then nothing gets accomplished. C’mon! We assumed you knew!
++ Because Regis Philbin isn’t on TV enough, I guess ABC and the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2005 producers decided he’d be a good temporary replacement to lead out ’04 and lead in ’05″¦
++ A promotional link for Showtime’s Huff. Hank Azaria deserves more success than just The Simpsons!
Here’s the link to the Showtime website in case you want to investigate a little more”¦
++ Who better to develop talk shows for a major syndication company than the queen of the talk show herself, Oprah Winfrey!
Hey”¦she did get it right with Dr. Phil. She must have SOME clue of what she’s doing. It’s not like she’s Madonna acting or something”¦
THE OPENING CREDITS: The IP TV staff talks Survivor and a myriad of other topics
++ I give you (at least) five reasons to watch Scrubs. And please help”¦I can’t bear the thought of According to Jim constantly beating it in the ratings”¦
++ Note to our faithful editor Murtz Jaffer: Please make sure Nick Warnock is back with this witty analysis for The Apprentice‘s third season starting next year. It’s been a joy reading his weekly banter, even if he was wrong in his prediction of the winner. Hell, I thought Eliza was going to win Survivor, so who am I to talk?
And now, the bevy of coverage devoted to the finale of the 9th season of Survivor:
++ One of the hardest working newcomers at InsidePulse.com, Michaelangelo McCullar lends his talents from the Movies Zone to do one helluva up to the commercial recap of the final episode of the show’s latest season.
++ Survivor‘s Lex has some commentary BEFORE the results show aired and Jake has some commentary AFTER the results show aired including a good summary of how the last season ended.
++Look! The IP TV Survivor crystal ball was right! Way to go!
++ Cheri recaps the final episode and also devotes her latest flagship column breaking down and grading the show’s latest season.
++ Sarah Quigley is a week behind. But she has her reasons.
++ Patrick Gilchriest shares his thoughts from the finale.
But not everything on IP TV is devoted to Survivor, you know”¦
++ Sarah Quigley’s quote of the week comes from the opening of her column about Wife Swap:
What do Wife Swap, my ex-boyfriend from college, and gooey cupcakes all have in common? Well, try as I might to get away from all three, they keep popping up in my life. OK, maybe I could be making more of a concentrated effort to avoid the first and third items on the list, but the second thing is the result of a huge pool of mutual friends who keep getting married and throwing parties and stuff.
I love it!
++ Matthew Romanada temporarily takes over for Ms. Didey and follows the same format of following and writing about a half-dozen different shows”¦
++ Big Bob Reiss asked “Why does America have such an obsession with Lists?” Then, he offers his own Top 10 list”¦and quite a random Top 10 list it was”¦He also talks about The Amazing Race in a separate column.
++ Mike Lawrence: New column name, new day, new look at the Golden Globes.
++ Uh oh”¦Carlos is making grand statements about how bad Saturday Night Live has become. This can’t be good.
TV NEWS
News about The O.C. I couldn’t get into last week’s column”¦It’s about lesbians. It’s important!
Just when you thought you had everything figured out on The O.C., Creator Josh Schwartz and the show’s writers find a way to throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing.
Seth and Summer, Summer and Seth. Ryan and Marissa, Marissa and Ryan. Blah blah blah…We know they’ll all end up together at some point, it’s obvious.
Or is it?
Not only were we wrong about things working out with Ryan, but we were wrong about things working out with Marissa and THE MALE GENDER.
Last week, Schwartz confirmed to Out.com that Mischa Barton’s character, Marissa Cooper, will be exploring feelings she develops for another woman on the show, though it isn’t confirmed whether it will be an existing character or someone new. Schwartz told the website:
Marissa’s at a point in her life where she’s trying to find herself and her true identity. There’s another character who she really connects with. It’s a girl, which is not something Marissa may have anticipated. But she’s willing and game to explore and experiment with that.
Speculation is the lucky lady that Marissa will get involved with is Olivia Wilde’s Alex, a new character introduced this season. She manages The Bait Shop, a new concert hall/hang out spot for The O.C. kids. No one has confirmed anything to this point though. Considering Alex has already kissed another woman on the show to prove a point, it’s a definite possibility, but we can’t give away too much. That would be a bad thing”¦
But is Marissa “batting from the other side of the plate” a good thing for The O.C.? It sounds far fetched, especially if she’s just “dabbling” with the idea of getting involved with a woman. But in my days, I’ve actually met a woman who has dabbled with both men and women simply looking for “love” no matter where it comes from. Sure, even though the Fox show is probably going through with this simply for shock value, the storyline isn’t as strange as one might think. Even if it isn’t a permanent thing, I understand what’s happening here.
I do believe that the writers need to be careful with this type of storyline though. Is this going to be a throw away story just to get them through February sweeps? Or is this a legitimate issue that Marissa needs to consider as the rest of the second season of the show goes on? If it’s the former, not only will it come off as stupid, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the people from GLAAD “gently” remind the public how detrimental that kind of story really is to the people who take their lifestyle seriously.
Either way, I’m sure the storyline will make quite a splash with viewers and followers of the show and this isn’t the last time we’ve heard about it”¦
New show announcements
That seems to be the biggest news of the week”¦Which network is launching what new show with which star? Let’s try to recap what the networks have done this week:
++ Untitled Pamela Anderson Project (Fox) – So much for that “retirement” from acting. Pamela Anderson is bringing her buxom body and bodacious curves back to television in a comedy pilot being written and produced by Steven Levitan (Just Shoot Me).
In order to avoid a bidding war with ABC, Fox ordered the pilot and offered a six-episode commitment without seeing Levitan’s finished script. According to Zap2it.com the concept has Anderson leading the sitcom about “a former bad girl trying to shake off her habit of falling for the wrong kinds of guys.” I could have sworn I saw it was (at least) “semi-autobiographical” but I can’t seem to confirm that anywhere. But, if you know her dating history, you’d probably make the leap yourself, let’s be honest”¦
++ Weeds (Showtime) – Cable network Showtime has ordered 10 episodes of this half-hour comedy starring Mary-Louise Parker as a card carrying member of the PTA who sells marijuana to make ends meet and support her family. I wonder if Caesa’s Palace has set the over/under on how many times Parke’s character ends up in jail during Season 1.
No premiere date has been set except for “late spring or early summer.” Elizabeth Perkins (Big) and Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live) will also star.
++ Lies and the Wives We Tell Them To (NBC) – David Guarascio and Moses Port (Happy Family) will team up again with NBC as the network has ordered a pilot for this new show “about four best friends and covering the secrets and lies that fuel both good and bad friendships and romances” according to Zap2it.com.
Hey. Lying and deceit works in reality television. Why can’t it work in situation comedies too? It just needs to be funny, which, considering the state of television comedy writing now, could be a tall order.
++ Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Mork & Mindy. (NBC) – Relax”¦this isn’t being turned into a series. It’s just going to be a made-for-TV movie about Mork & Mindy, the old ABC series about an alien (Robin Williams) coming to Earth and (eventually) settling down with an Earth woman (Pam Dawber). The show ran for 95 episodes in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Canadian actor Chris Diamantopoulos (small parts on American Dreams and Charmed) will play the Robin Williams part. The film will be produced but the network hasn’t set an air date as of this time.
++ Making Waves(ABC) – No, this isn’t about Julianne Moore’s character from Boogie Nights. According to Zap2it.com, ABC has given a script commitment to “Making Waves,” a pilot based on Southern California’s surfing Paskowitz family.
Recently featured on HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, the Paskowitz clan has run surf camps for the last 30 years. The family, led by patriarch Dorian Paskowitz, is centered out of San Onofre, Calif., but they for their camps for autistic children, which have been held in seaside locations around the country. Nicknamed “Doc,” Paskowitz fell in love with surfing when he lived in Hawaii in the 1940s and had nine children, who all became surfers.
Producer Keri Selig told The Hollywood Reporter that they are trying to put a “different spin” to the family drama and that the main stories will be about the family dynamic, and the secondary stories will be about the students who come in to the surf camp and how they experience that dynamic.
Only a pilot has been ordered, so ABC has not added it to its schedule at this time.
Commentary on The Apprentice from a published expert!
Beth Gottfried is a news reporter and reviewer for the InsidePulse.com Music zone, a movie reviewer and television recapper for The-Trades.com and is a published author!
Chamberlain Brothers published her book (co-written with Anthony Parinello) this past summer after they discovered her commentaries and recaps about The Apprentice on The-Trades.com.
Fate brought us together to discuss the second season finale of The Apprentice and I felt it was only right that we share our conversation (or me interviewing her) with the world! It’s nice to be able to include relevant content in the latest Groove Tube Update!
Coogan: So, let’s get this done and over with, right now. Not taking into account what happened before the actual hiring/firing, do you think the right person won?
Gottfried: A guy that goes right for the jugular and dispenses with the niceties, I admire that…Given the final 2 options, I think the “right” person won. However I don’t think that the “right” people made it to the final 2.
Coogan: Let me ask this…Why did you put “right” in quotation marks? Also, who do you think should have made the final 2?
Gottfried: Well, because “right” is subjective, for the most part and also because it all depends on how you define “right.” I think hands down Andy and Raj should have made it to the final 2. Would they be a “right” fit for Trump’s organization? I’m not entirely sure, but it would have made for better viewing, on my end.
Coogan: In your column on The-Trades.com, you brought up the point that you kind of jumped on the Jen bandwagon a little bit simply because of the parade of insults Jen had to deal with up until Trump made his “official decision.” What do you think they could/should have been done differently?
Gottfried: A smart and deeply insightful friend hinted to that the whole live portion was “staged.” I have to say, after watching the live segment unfold last night, I’m of the mindset that it seemed a bit staged. Trump knew he was going to hire Kelly, so why go thru all the dramatics of asking all of his henchmen their take when we already knew they’d all support Kelly. As if the Jen jeers in the beginning weren’t enough, we had to sit thru another 40 minutes of stroking the Kelly’s ego. I like that the live portion was extended. I think that was lacking in last season’s finale, especially given all the build-up on the commercials. I just think a little less time spent on humiliating Jen would have worked a bit better and maybe a little more time with Kelly and Jen duking it out.
In addition to the boardroom brawl, there should have been a “Fear Factor” challenge with the two of them duking it out in hard hats on a construction ledge of one of Trump’s new developments. Then we could have seen who had the passion and drive and “win at all costs” vibe. The loser would plummet to his/her death, but not really as there would be a trampoline to catch them and the winner would get to work on the project for the next year.
Coogan: Or…since Trump and NBC are into cross promotion, they can switch the scene to a room in “the luxurious Trump Hotel and Casino in beautiful Atlantic City, NJ” and the two of them can put their life savings and their opportunity to win the spot on “The Apprentice” on a game of roulette or a hand of black jack? This way it’s obvious they are willing to take risks, which is important in building a successful business.”
Gottfried: I like, I like, but I still think to get the full fledge shock factor, there needs to be some sort of Evel Knievel’s death-defying stunt. Did I mention I share a birthday with Evel and Eminem? How crazy is that?
Coogan: I share a birthday with Hal Williams of 227 fame. Yay.
I thought the final moments right before Trump fired Jen seemed especially fitting for the tone of the entire season. He basically pointed out the deficiencies of both Kelly and Jenn before basically saying “Despite Kelly’s obvious flaws, Jenn you suck worse, you’re fired.” What did you think of that moment and what did you think of the 2nd season in
general?
Gottfried: Trump’s sentiments basically encapsulated the quality of this season’s candidates and the whole underlying lack of luster to this cast. There wasn’t a decisive winner because there were no stand-outs. I think the quality factor of the tasks/missions on the episodes was in negative correlation to the quality of the cast. With the $$ backing of corporate sponsors came jazzed up episodes, but the candidates were uninspired and lacking and no amount of $$ can make up for that. I’m thinking from the commercials for next season, the show might redeem itself a little.
Coogan: We’ll get to the next season in a minute…How did you find the pacing of the final episode in general? Part of me thinks it made sense to whip through the actual events fairly quickly only to move onto some fluff before the announcement, then going back to more fluff at the end. After all, if they had waited until the end, people would have only tuned in for that and not stayed for the whole episode.
Gottfried: I think the format worked nicely as well. I just despise the constant recapping at the beginning of each episode. Last night’s lasted 15 minutes! It makes for critics like me and other devotees of the show to have to sit thru the same summaries, week after week. I also thought three hours was too much. I think that the first hour should have been commercial free and just had the whole thing be two-and-a-half hours. As I imagine Trump could have found a corporate sponsor to pay for a commercial free segment, they might think about doing that next time around.
Coogan: Were you as disappointed as I was that Trump chose to say “You’re fired!” to Jen instead of “You’re hired” to Kelly? I was. Trump was trying so hard to be sly and milk the moment, it seemed to kill the drama.
Gottfried: Coogan, it’s all about the drama, though. Those moments make for Trump style sensationalism.
Coogan: I guess my point is that he screwed it up by taking too long, flip-flopping and forgetting to say to Kelly “You’re hired” which is what I was expecting.
Gottfried: You think maybe he had second thoughts??? A little cold feet?
Maybe he swallowed the same mind-numbing agent as that one henchman, Trump’s CFO or CEO, who suffered from momentary amnesia last night and couldn’t remember what he was told to think.
Coogan: Nah”¦I just think he’s kind of an on-air idiot. Notice how they have to re-dub a lot of stuff he says to the people in the board room? You’d think he forgot how to speak English when the camera was on.
I thought bringing in a “television personality” like Regis Philbin was actually pretty important to the season finale since Trump really had no clue how to emcee Season 1 stuff.
Gottfried: Yes, I agree Trump need someone to help him out, but Philbin brings too much of the “Millionaire” persona to the mix and as I disliked the game show element in the first season’s finale, this only further emphasized that. I think they need you Coogan for the next finale, but that could just be my take.
Coogan: Me? A television personality? Naw….I don’t have the hair for it.
So, you said you’re looking forward to the slight change in format for Season 3 (Book Smart People vs. Successful Business People without College Degrees)? I think it will be fairly interesting in the beginning but as the show goes on, people will latch on to their favorite individuals and it will end up the same as the previous two seasons. Your thoughts?
Gottfried: I think if the people are more enticing to watch then people will be more invested in their outcome. So, it wont be the same. It depends on the cast. There wasn’t loyalty this season. It was like the election in that there were the anti-Jens. It’s kind of like people voting for Kerry – the anti-Bushes more than the people who really wanted the candidate to win.
And a shaved head is like last season’s pink. Besides, since Yul Brynner, shaved heads have been hot. Didn’t you get the memo?
Coogan: No.
Think Trump will hire Andy anyway?
Gottfried: Forget Trump, Andy come work for me!!!
Coogan: Does that mean I get to choose a female cast member to come work for me?
Gottfried: Think again, Coogan. Think again.
Coogan: Well, a guy can try anyway, right? Thanks for your help Beth!
Bet’s back with an interesting perspective on Desperate Housewives
Take it away Beth”¦You have some interesting perspectives to offer”¦
Why is Beth so desperate to find fault with America’s top new show of the season? Blame it on balance or Bree.
Like almost everyone else in the U.S. who has access to a TV on Sundays and Wednesdays, I’ve fallen helpless victim to the two new hottest shows of the season: Lost and Desperate Housewives. I love Jack & Bobby too, but there’s only so much room to write and one show will have to suffice for now.
While it may be easy for most of us to get all giddy and excited about Desperate Housewives, (with a stellar cast and outstanding writing it’s hard not to), playing devil’s advocate and seeking out those pesky annoying things about the show that irk us, might not be as evident. As a disclaimer, while I’m a huge fan of the Golden Globe nominated Desperate Housewives, I also prescribe to the mindset that a little constructive criticism can go a long way so read on.
The Top 5 Most Irksome Issues onDesperate Housewives
1.Luck is a concept/theme that has been rehashed over and over again – Gabrielle is a one damned “lucky” character. In contrast to Lynette (and her addiction to painkillers), or Mrs. Huber’s untimely demise, or even Susan’s brush with accidental arson earlier in the season, Gabrielle remains a character untouched by the responsibility/consequences of her actions. Once again this week, she proved invincible when Susan was branded the “hot housewife” who was accused of having sex with the Gardener, when the 18-year-old’s mother misinterpreted Susan’s maternal gesture towards the boy as an intimate lover gesture. I’m not saying Gabby is ultimately any happier, given all her luck, or has everything she wants or desires, but even cats only have 9 lives. Well, it finally looks like she might get her comeuppance with Carlos’ being convicted and imprisoned, but somehow knowing Gabrielle, she might just be able to turn it all around. I’m betting she’ll need Edie on this endeavor.
2. The Dana storyline – Take us somewhere with it. Yes, we are all assuming Dana is Zach’s little sister that was buried in the backyard and he killed her, but what really happened and how does it all relate to Mary Ellen? Do any of us even remember Mary Ellen anymore? If not, it’s not your fault. After all, while the main death storyline was Mary Ellen’s suicide/murder, now we’ve meandered all over the place and Dana gets center stage and in one fell swoop, Mrs. Huber. It’s too much. Killing is good, just don’t behead too many cast members as it makes us all lose focus of storylines and allows writers to get lazy.
3. Divorced/estranged/together? – While Bree is probably one of my more favorite characters on the show because of her take no shit attitude, I have to wonder why she’s trying to make this marriage work out. Her husband is lame and apparently can’t parent to save his life. No wonder she’s a control freak. And the whole striptease she did to entice him into saving her marriage?? That just didn’t seem realistic. I think it’s time for her to really stick it to him. Bree’s character doesn’t seem like someone who would take crap from anyone, even her husband. My advice: Kick him to the curb. And make sure your son, Andrew is driving.
4. Zach and Julie? – If watching Zach pounce on his father wasn’t enough, we had to bear witness to him hugging and kissing Julie after telling her he’s some crazed dude who killed his sister. Is this a turn on in Wisteria Lane? Julie needs to run away before she turns into her mother and continues her streak of falling for unbalanced men, who like to play with sharp metal objects. It’s just no good. On behalf of all women with big hearts, it doesn’t represent us well.
5. Mike the Plumber/Assassin – Another storyline that needs to evolve a little more quickly. While seeds have been planted to make us think Mike is evil, we all know that he’ll end up being the assassin with the heart of gold once he gets involved with Susan. Kinda like, Sharon Stone in Gloria. Let’s just hope this decision for Mike doesn’t prove as fatal.
Throwing in an extra for good measure:
Nicolette Sheridan’s Attire – It may be fun and work on the show to have her be the Wisteria Lane bimbo, but Nicolette needs to learn how to separate fantasy from reality. How many years has she been playing the floo-sy off-screen? It’s time to get a new MO.
THE CLOSING CREDITS: Gottfried & Coogan (or Coogan & Gottfried) look at the TV Golden Globe nominations!
In what could be a potentially stellar pairing in the world of (Internet) television criticism, Gottfried and Coogan (or Coogan and Gottfried) team up one more time and look at the television nominations for the Golden Globe awards. I have a feeling arguments and fights will ensue!
BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA
24 (FOX)
Deadwood (HBO)
Lost (ABC)
nip/tuck (FX)
The Sopranos (HBO)
Gottfried: Lost sports an outstanding cast and gut-wrenching episodes. It doesn’t try to “shock” us by perversion (See: nip/tuck or The Sopranos) or an ultra photogenic cast. (See: nip/tuck) I wasn’t aware that 24 was still on. Winner: Lost
Coogan: I’m pleasantly surprised to see the nomination for Deadwood as the show is very intriguing but it doesn’t have much of a chance of winning. 24 could be a popular choice, but Lost is fresher in people’s minds and it really does bring a lot to the table. Hey Beth – 24 comes back on in January. Winner: Lost
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA
Edie Falco – The Sopranos (HBO)
Jennifer Garner – Alias (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
Christine Lahti – Jack & Bobby (WB)
Joely Richardson – nip/tuck (FX)
Gottfried: I just think after years of assisting rape victims and having to bear witness to some of the most gruesome crimes, MARISKA HARGITAY deserves some recompense for her acting. Besides, I just think she rocks. If Tommy Schlame has a say (Executive Producer, Jack and Bobby) his wife will be going home with the award, but then again, hasn’t Lahti been rewarded enough in the past. She’s good, I just don’t know if anyone is THAT good. Jennifer Garner= “eh” Winner: Mariska Hargitay
Coogan: I love that Hargitay has been receiving the love from various critics not only for the most recent Emmy in this category, but here too. I just don’t see anyone from a procedural law show ever winning an outstanding acting award since the stories are so cookie cutter in nature. The Hollywood Foreign Press loves to take chances so I could see any of the five win, but I feel like they’ll play it safe here and go with Edie Falco. Winner: Edie Falco
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA
Michael Chiklis – The Shield (FX)
Denis Leary – Rescue Me (FX)
Julian McMahon – nip/tuck (FX)
Ian McShane – Deadwood (HBO)
James Spader – Boston Legal (ABC)
Gottfried: Ian McShane seems like a shoe-in for Deadwood as this HBO show has seemed to receive a lot of critical praise. If not him, then I’m rooting for James Spader. That man never goes outta style. Is Rescue Me still on? Winner: Ian McShane
Coogan: All very intriguing choices as they have all done an outstanding job in their respected series. Unfortunately, every show except for Boston Legal was on earlier this year and may not be fresh in the mind of those voting. So, even though the Hollywood Foreign Press likes to go against the grain, I see the Boston Legal star picking up another trophy: Winner: James Spader
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BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Arrested Development (FOX)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Entourage (HBO)
Sex and the City (HBO)
Will & Grace(NBC)
Gottfried: Desperate Housewives-Although I have to say that this show doesn’t seem to fit in this category, unless you’re the type to think morbid=hysterical or can relate to any of the f*cked up cast. Maybe the comedic element is on us-ABC is all having a long, hard laugh on us. Yet again, Americans are the butt of all jokes, but this time, as opposed to having snobbish Frenchies snub their noses at us, network execs are now patronizing our ignorance in categorizing this as a “comedy!” Winner: Desperate Housewives
Coogan: I have to agree with my partner here. Why is Desperate Housewives nominated as a comedy? Is it because this could be clarified as a parody of how nice and gentle suburban housewives and their lives in the middle of nowhere are? Either way, it comes down to the gang on Wisteria Lane and Arrested Development I would think. Will the critics pick the show with more viewers or the show that’s already won an Emmy? I’m thinking it’s Emmy time baby. Winner: Arrested Development
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Marcia Cross – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Teri Hatcher – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Felicity Huffman – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Debra Messing – Will & Grace (NBC)
Sarah Jessica Parker – Sex and the City (HBO)
Gottfried: Marcia Cross will win for this. Although, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman (costars) were also nominated and are great actors in their own right, Cross stands out somehow. It’s that loveable Bree. If Sarah Jessica Parker wins again, I’m shooting myself. Seriously. Winner: Marcia Cross
Coogan: Everyone on Desperate Housewives is outstanding and everyone who was nominated definitely deserved the honor. To me it comes down to Cross and Huffman who probably have to stretch the farthest to get good performances. And who’s the more psychotic? Cross’s Bree is crazy period. Huffman’s Lynette needs her kids’ ADD medication to get that way. So, Bree wins! Winner: Marcia Cross
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BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
American Family — Journey of Dreams (PBS)
Iron Jawed Angels (HBO)
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (HBO)
The Lion in Winter (Showtime)
Something the Lord Made (HBO)
Gottfried: Something the Lord Made – I’m entirely guessing on this one. While I do watch a lot of TV, I don’t really watch many HBO or Showtime made-for-TV movies. The only one I saw of these was the Peter Sellers one and that one just blew rhino chunks. Winner: Something the Lord Made
Coogan: Thank you for that graphic description Beth”¦I think timing is an issue with this award too. Iron Jawed Angels debuted almost A YEAR AGO and is only rerun occasionally on HBO. How is it going to get remembered? Anyway, I’m in Bet’s camp on this one. Mos Def and Alan Rickman rule. Winner: Something the Lord Made
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Glenn Close – The Lion in Winter (Showtime)
Blythe Danner – Back When We Were Grownups (CBS)
Julianna Marguiles – The Grid (TNT)
Miranda Richardson – The Lost Prince (BBC)
Hilary Swank – Iron Jawed Angels (HBO)
Gottfried: I’m gonna go with Hilary Swank. She seems to have made critically acclaimed choices yet again this year and further expanded her repertoire in the new Million Dollar Baby by playing a she-man who challenges societal taboos. Ah, we shouldn’t be so hard on her. After all, she’s found her Million Dollar Cash Cow. Winner: Hilary Swank
Coogan: Beth, you realize she’s up for her role in Iron Jawed Angels, here, right? Since the Hollywood Foreign Press has recognized the work the BBC has done before (The Office for starters) I’m going to go on a limb and go with Richardson despite the fact that the BBC special came out very early. Winner: Miranda Richardson
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Mos Def – Something the Lord Made (HBO)
Jamie Foxx – Redemption (FX)
William H. Macy – The Wool Cap (TNT)
Geoffrey Rush – The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (HBO)
Patrick Stewart – The Lion in Winter (Showtime)
Gottfried: Geoffrey Rush played like a gazillion people (some dressed in drag) in this film. If that ain’t superior acting, I don’t know what is. Just please don’t make me watch it ever again. Winner: Geoffrey Rush
Coogan: I have to agree with my colleague here about Mr. Rush. Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these five won, especially Macy. TNT really lets him do whatever he wants”¦Winner: Geoffrey Rush
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Drea de Matteo – The Sopranos (HBO)
Anjelica Huston – Iron Jawed Angels (HBO)
Nicollette Sheridan – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Charlize Theron – The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (HBO)
Emily Watson – The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (HBO)
Gottfried: There’s a place in heaven for Nicollette Sheridan. She’s done enough Lifetime movies playing battered women to warrant it. Here’s hoping. Winner: Nicollette Sheridan
Coogan: I could take a real bath on this one but for some reason I like de Matteo to pull the Emmy/Golden Globe trifecta here (OK”¦so trifecta isn’t the right word, but you get the hint”¦). What she’s got going against her is that she plays virtually the same character in Joey, she’s just a lot less likely to get whacked here. Typecast much? Nonetheless, I’m going for it: Winner: Drea de Matteo
* * * * * *
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Sean Hayes – Will & Grace (NBC)
Michael Imperioli – The Sopranos (HBO)
Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)
Oliver Platt – Huff (Showtime)
William Shatner – Boston Legal (ABC)
Gottfried: I’m hoping Sean Hayes gets this because I love him, but anyone in this category deserves a nod. Winner: Sean Hayes
Coogan: Piven is TERRIFIC in Entourage and Imperioli is reliably good on The Sopranos but it’s really about one man: Denny Crane. Winner: William Shatner
Gottfried: And that’s my cue to nod off.
Coogan: Good idea”¦We’ve put in a lot of work on this bad boy. Great job Beth! Hope we can do it again soon!
Have a good weekend”¦
— Coogan
**For more commentary about The Apprentice, reality television and Desperate Housewives visit SirLinksalot.**
