TV Shows & Emmy Nominations

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty big TV watcher. But my TV watching is not just limited to quality reality shows.

I do like shows that can actually garner accolades by a host of their television peers. I thought that since Emmy nominations were announced yesterday, now would be the perfect time to point out some of my favorite current shows.


Friday Night Lights

2010 Emmy Nominations: Kyle Chandler for Actor - Drama; Connie Britton for Actress - Drama. After these nominations were announced, I screamed, texted my friend who is also a huge FNL fan, and posted it on Twitter, where both actors' names soon started trending.
One Word Summary: Realistic
More Praise: I shouldn't like FNL. I hate football, I don't particularly like Texas, and I'm more into comedies than dramas. But that goes to show how amazing FNL is. The cast is superb. They improv a lot of their dialogue which, with the distinct camera-work, makes it feel like I'm watching a documentary (although it's not in a mockumentary format.) I don't watch an episode until I'm in the mood to cry because, believe me, FNL will make you cry. But is is so, so, so worth it.
Emmy-Worthy Scene: Julie, who is the daughter of the town's best football coach and the school's principal, is reeling from a recent breakup with her boyfriend Matt. Matt stayed in Dillon, TX a year after high school graduation so they could still be together, but after his father died in Iraq, he decided he needed some space and left Dillon. Julie has been trying to keep it together, but eventually breaks down. (Note: the song in the clip is "Fire" by Augustana).







LOST

2010 Emmy Nominations (not including minor ones): LOST for Drama; Matthew Fox for Actor - Drama; Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson for Supporting Actor - Drama
One Word Summary: Epic
More Praise: Like FNL, I shouldn't like LOST. It's sci-fi, scary, and so damn complicated. I've never watched a show like LOST. Almost every episode contains Biblical allusions, references to literary classics, tons of plot twists, and really, deeply moving characters. During the 2.5 hour finale, I cried 4 times before I just succumbed to my emotions all together and bawled during the entire last 20 minutes. When I woke up the next morning, tears began pouring down my face again. LOST fans get made fun of a lot, but there's a reason this show has the passionate fan base that it does. LOST was the show that made me go online and read 10 page recaps so that I could fully (well, partially) understand the subtext contained within each scene. I referred to LOST in 2 of my final papers for college first semester. LOST made me (and, I know, some of my friends) really give thought to heavy questions. LOST is definitely not for everyone. I like to think of it as a really good book- you can't just passively take it in, you really have to think about it (or "let it marinate," which is a new phrase I learned at school this year). It is, in my eyes, the best show every created.
Emmy-Worthy Scene: LOST is an extremely hard to follow show. You have to start watching with the first episode and you can't miss any episode or else you won't understand the story. Therefore, choosing one scene to help someone understand the whole show is basically impossible, but I'll still choose one of my favorite scenes. The character of Desmond, throughout the episode, has been going back and forth in his mind between 1996 and 2004, which could result in his death. The only way to prevent dying is to find a "constant"-someone that he loves in both time periods. That person for him is Penny- his one true love whom he broke up with before he crash landed for the Island in 2001.





Modern Family

2010 Emmy Nominations: Modern Family - Comedy; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, and Ty Burrell for Supporting Actor - Comedy; Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara for Supporting Actress - Comedy; Fred Willard for Guest Actor - Comedy
One Word Summary: Goofy
More Praise: Modern Family has taken over The Office in my heart as the best mockumentary-style comedy on TV. The show, about a large, extended family, has plenty of goofy characters that make you laugh out loud. The writing is great, and the show is very smart and sets up plots so that they all come together at the end, and is usually topped off with a very kind and funny closing statement about family.
Emmy-Worthy Scene: A pigeon flew into Cameron and Mitchell's house. Cameron has locked himself in his daughter Lily's room as he is terrified of the bird, and Cameron is singing at a wedding so he can't help. Eventually Mitchell has to face his fear, and hilarity ensues.







Glee

2010 Emmy Nominations: Glee - Comedy; Lea Michele for Actress - Comedy; Matthew Morrison for Actor - Comedy; Chris Colfer for Supporting Actor - Comedy; Jane Lynch for Supporting Actress - Comedy; Mike O'Malley and Neil Patrick Harris for Guest Actor - Comedy; Kristen Chenoweth for Guest Actress - Comedy
One Word Summary: Fun
More Praise: I'm such a big supporter of all the success Glee has earned. The Pilot episode premiered after the finale of American Idol in 2009, and I remember seeing trailers for it even before then that made me want to check it out. Once I saw the Pilot episode, I was hooked. The show has laugh-out-loud one-liners, fantastic musical numbers, and surprisingly sweet moments. Some episodes deal with heavier and more emotional themes, and those have been some of the best episodes. I have the sinking feeling that Glee might get off track in Season 2, but here's hoping that it stays just as wonderful as the first season has been.
Emmy-Worthy Scene: The show really shines at its musical numbers, and "Somebody to Love" was one of its best.