Are You Lost as to Why “Lost” Lost? Me too!
Have you noticed that even though there are many, many more channels than we we were kids (we being those of us who were kids in the 70′s and 80′s) that there really doesn’t seem to be any great increase in the amount of worthy programming? I have at my disposal roughly 200 channels of which I watch about eight with anything close to regularity. (History, Discovery, ESPN. ESPN2, MLB Network, Nickelodeon, TV Land, and FX.) This idea, more than anything, is why I’m amazed at the idea that “LOST”, a show that not only changed TV drama permanently, but also whipped a large portion of the world’s TV watchers into a foamy lather, did not win Emmy’s this year for best drama or best writing.
I know that “Mad Men” is a brilliantly done show. But here’s my quandary… Were there any “Mad Men” parties this year? Were there people decorating theis rec rooms like a 1960′s era ad agency? How many websites are dedicated to every nuance and factoid associated with “Mad Men”? How many t-shirts are there roaming the countryside with the clean-cut, narrow-tie-wearing characters from “Mad Men”?
“LOST” was really great television show – that much most folks will agree upon. But “LOST” transcended the normal peaks that television programs reach. “LOST” became a cultural phenomenon. There have been numerous books written on the show – and not just the manual style season guides that most shows get. There are volumes of theoretical treatises on the underlying philosophical, moral, ethical, and social dogmas of “LOST”. There are legions of loyal fans who are buying clothing and memorabilia, playing video games and MMOG’s inspired by the show.
Some of the blame goes to the self-importance that awards shows have bestowed on themselves. Based on the idea that for 364 days of the year, every one on the television industry is concerned about only one opinion – that of the viewing public – then on the day of the Emmy Awards, that constituency is no longer the prime influence, you have to come to the conclusion that the television industry (and the Emmy’s in particular,) are just a wee bit grandiose in their self image.
Just for the record, here is the list of winners – all deserving in their own right.
SERIES AWARDS
Outstanding Drama Series
“Breaking Bad,” AMC
“Dexter,” Showtime
“The Good Wife,” CBS
“Lost,” ABC
“Mad Men,” AMC – WINNER
“True Blood,” HBO
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” – WINNER
“Real Time With Bill Maher”
“Saturday Night Live”
“The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien”
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special
“Bill Maher ‘…But I’m Not Wrong’”
“Hope For Haiti Now”
“The Kennedy Center Honors” – WINNER
“Robin Williams: Weapons Of Self Destruction”
“The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert”
“Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me.”
Outstanding Reality Competition Series
“The Amazing Race”
“American Idol”
“Dancing With The Stars”
“Project Runway”
“Top Chef” – WINNER
Outstanding Miniseries
“The Pacific,” HBO – WINNER
“Return To Cranford,” PBS
Outstanding Made For Television Movie
“Endgame,” PBS
“Georgia O’Keeffe,” Lifetime
“Moonshot,” History
“The Special Relationship,” HBO
“Temple Grandin,” HBO – WINNER
“You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO
Outstanding Comedy Series
“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” HBO
“Glee,” FOX
“Modern Family,” ABC – WINNER
“Nurse Jackie,” Showtime
“The Office,” NBC
“30 Rock,” NBC
WRITING
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan, “Glee” – “Pilot”
Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, “Modern Family” – “Pilot” – WINNER
Greg Daniels, Mindy Kaling – “The Office” – “Niagra”
Matt Hubbard, “30 Rock” – “Anna Howard Shaw Day”
Tina Fey, Kay Cannon, “30 Rock” – “Lee Marvin Vs. Derek Jeter”
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Rolin Jones, “Friday Night Lights” – “The Son”
Michelle King, Robert King, “The Good Wife” – “Pilot”
Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, “Lost” – “The End”
Matthew Weiner, Robin Veith, “Mad Men” – “Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency”
Matthew Weiner, Erin Levy, “Mad Men” – “Shut The Door. Have A Seat” – WINNER
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Michelle Ashford, Robert Schenkkan, “The Pacific” – “Part Eight”
Bruce C. McKenna, Robert Schenkkan, “The Pacific” – “Part Ten”
Peter Morgan, “The Special Relationship”
Christopher Monger, William Merritt Johnson, “Temple Grandin”
Adam Mazer, “You Don’t Know Jack” – WINNER
DIRECTING
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Ryan Murphy, “Glee” – “Pilot – Director’s Cut” – WINNER
Paris Barclay, “Glee” – “Wheels”
Jason Winer, “Modern Family” – “Pilot”
Allen Coulter, “Nurse Jackie” – “Pilot”
Don Scardino, “30 Rock” – “I Do Do”
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Michelle MacLaren, “Breaking Bad” – “One Minute”
Steve Shill, “Dexter” – “The Getaway” – WINNER
Jack Bender, “Lost” – “The End”
Lesli Linka Glatter, “Mad Men” – “Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency”
Agnieszka Holland, “Treme” – “Do You Know What It Means (Pilot)”
Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Bob Balaban, “Georgia O’Keeffe”
David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa, “The Pacific” – “Part Eight”
Tim Van Patten, “The Pacific” – “Part Nine”
Mick Jackson, “Temple Grandin” – WINNER
Barry Levinson, “You Don’t Know Jack”
ACTING
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kathy Bates, “Alice”
Julia Ormond, “Temple Grandin” – WINNER
Catherine O’Hara, “Temple Grandin”
Brenda Vaccaro, “You Don’t Know Jack”
Susan Sarandon, “You Don’t Know Jack”
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Michael Gambon, “Emma”
Patrick Stewart, “Hamlet”
Jonathan Pryce, “Return To Cranford”
David Strathairn, “Temple Grandin” – WINNER
John Goodman, “You Don’t Know Jack”
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Chris Colfer, “Glee”
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”- WINNER
Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men”
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Lynch, “Glee”- WINNER
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Kristen Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”
Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock”
Holland Taylor, “Two and a Half Men”
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad” – WINNER
Martin Short, “Damages”
Terry O’Quinn, “Lost”
Michael Emerson, “Lost”
John Slattery, “Mad Men”
Andre Braugher, “Men of a Certain Age”
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Sharon Gless, “Burn Notice”
Rose Byrne, “Damages”
Archie Panjabi, “The Good Wife” – WINNER
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer” – WINNER
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Connie Britton, “Friday Night Lights”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife,”
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
January Jones, “Mad Men”
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad” – WINNER
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Kyle Chandler, “Friday Night Lights”
Hugh Laurie, “House”
Matthew Fox, “Lost”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”- WINNER
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Matthew Morrison, “Glee”
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lea Michele, “Glee”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie” – WINNER
Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Toni Collette, “The United States of Tara”
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Mini-Series or Movie
Maggie Smith, “Capturing Mary”
Joan Allen, “Georgia O’Keeffe”
Dame Judi Dench, “Return to Cranford”
Hope Davis, “The Special Relationship”
Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin”- WINNER
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Mini-Series or Movie
Jeff Bridges, “A Dog Year”
Ian McKellen, “The Prisoner”
Michael Sheen, “The Special Relationship”
Dennis Quaid, “The Special Relationship”
Al Pacino, “You Don’t Know Jack” – WINNER
