Sunday's Primetime Emmy presentation wasn't much different from the year prior, at least within my universe. I was still attempting to watch the awards in the middle of my Sunday night shift at work. I still watched gleefully as ""30 Rock"" won in every category and I still scratched my head when they announced a list of mini-series nominees I'd never heard of. It's like a category just for HBO.
If you're like me, the Emmys are less about watching a three-hour block of TV talking about TV and more about checking your scorecard against what's winning awards—the more winners you already watch, the better you are at picking the right timeslots in front of the idiot box. And if you aren't watching what's stacking up piles of trophies, it's a good night to re-evaluate your TV viewing schedule.
For instance, the six Emmys that the cast and crew of AMC's ""Mad Men"" got to drag home with them last year gave me some indication that the 1960s period piece set in a New York City ad agency was worth a look. Lo and behold, the show lived up to the promise of all that gold and then some—it's easily the finest produced, written and acted show on television. This year's accolades were no different, except I got to gloat as one of my new favorite series gobbled up another two statues.
So who do we start watching this year based on their award collection? AMC's other drama, ""Breaking Bad,"" has certainly garnered some attention, what with its lead Bryan Cranston stealing the Emmy for lead actor in a drama from Jon Hamm of ""Mad Men"" two years in a row. The series follows Cranston's character as he attempts to make the jump from chemistry teacher to meth dealer. If you don't remember who he is, think back to the panicky dad from ""Malcolm in the Middle."" Who knew he had it in him?
Also worth keeping an eye on could be Diablo Cody's Showtime series ""The United States of Tara,"" which nabbed Toni Collette an Emmy for lead actress in a comedy for her portrayal of a loving mother with multiple personalities. The pilot showed a lot of promise, with Cody's scripting in full swing, and this win makes me think the rest of the series might be worth revisiting on DVD or otherwise.
Of course, not all the awardees are really winners. John Cryer's frequent whining about whatever Charlie Sheen is doing on ""Two and a Half Men"" shouldn't have netted him Emmy gold. That was Neil Patrick Harris' Emmy, pure and simple. For causing the only major upset of the evening, John Cryer will need to be sent to that special corner of Hell reserved for reality TV hosts and Kanye West.
Did you know that ""Survivor"" was still on, much less that it could win an Emmy for host Jeff Probst? Yeah, neither did Mark. Share your hatred for reality TV via e-mail at mriechers@wisc.edu.
