Are The Writers Right?

Tis the season for critics to give out film awards, perhaps hoping to influence the Oscars, the only movie award anyone cares about.  But it's also time for the Writers Guild to announce its 2015 nominees for TV.

You always hope they'll see through the glitter and give nods to the truly deserving.  They did a decent job, even if the choices were mostly predictable.  Here they are, with comments.

DRAMA SERIES

The Americans
 
Better Call Saul
 
Game Of Thrones

Mad Men
 
Mr. Robot

Pretty good choices. I don't watch The Americans, but the rest are fine. Better Call Saul was okay, but not Breaking Bad.  Game Of Thrones usually deserves to win, though this season was perhaps its weakest.  Mad Men did a solid job--will it get the sentimental vote?  Mr. Robot is a fun new choice and it would be cool to see it win.

COMEDY SERIES

Broad City
 
Silicon Valley
 
Transparent
 
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
 
Veep

Haven't gotten into Broad City.  Haven't seen Transparent, though I've heard good things.  Silicon Valley and Veep are certainly fun, and Kimmy Schmidt is good.  Conspicuous by absence--Modern Family and Big Bang Theory.  Also, where's Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

NEW SERIES

Better Call Saul
 
Bloodline
 
The Last Man On Earth
 
Mr. Robot
 
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

I don't think Last Man On Earth deserves it, but I doubt it will win anyway--how could it beat shows that are also nominated in the regular categories?

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

American Horror Story: Hotel
 
Flesh and Bone
 
Saints & Strangers
 
Sons of Liberty

I don't watch any of these shows.

LONG FORM ADAPTED

Fargo
 
The Red Tent
 
Show Me A Hero

Show Me A Hero is a prestige project with big names behind it, but Fargo deserves to win. Not sure if I'd call it adapted--inspired by the Coen Brothers movie, perhaps, but it's an original.

ANIMATION

“Gayle Makin’ Bob Sled” (Bob’s Burgers)

“Halloween of Horror” (The Simpsons)

“Hank After Dark” (BoJack Horseman)

“Housetrap” (Bob’s Burgers)

“Sky Police” (The Simpsons)

“Walking Big & Tall” (The Simpsons)

What's with all The Simpsons, and Bob's Burgers?  The Simpsons is tired and doesn't deserve a single nomination.  Family Guy is funnier, but the show that deserves at least three nominations and a victory is Rick And Morty.  This is the kind of category that makes me lose all confidence in the WGA.

EPISODIC DRAMA

“Explosivos” (Narcos)

“International Assassin” (The Leftovers)

“Mind’s Eye” (The Good Wife)

“Mother’s Mercy” (Game of Thrones)

“Person to Person” (Mad Men)

“Uno” (Better Call Saul)

Some decent choices, and up to date--they must have voted about a day or two after "International Assassin" aired.  (Perhaps not the best episode of The Leftovers, but it'll do.) I expect "Person To Person" to win if for nothing else but the great ending (to a great show).

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Alive in Tucson” (The Last Man On Earth)

“Connection Lost” (Modern Family)

“Joint Session” (Veep)

“Racegate” (Maron)

“Rock, Paper, Scissors, Gun” (black-ish)

“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley)

So they have heard of Modern Family (and nominated a stunt episode).  I don't think anything from Last Man On Earth should be here, and that's doubly true for black-ish and triply true for Maron.

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

Conan
 
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
 
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
 
Real Time with Bill Maher
 
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

No love for David Letterman as he waves goodbye.  All these shows have, or had, their moments, but none of them are so great they definitely deserve it.  (And Jon Stewart has won so many awards I don't think he needs any more.)

COMEDY / VARIETY – SKETCH SERIES

Inside Amy Schumer
 
Key & Peele
 
Saturday Night Live

Don't watch the first, like the second, and the third...?  Let's just say it's an institution, and who wants to visit an institution every week?

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS


The 69th Annual Tony Awards
 
2014 Kennedy Center Honors
 
2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards
 
Amy Schumer: Live at The Apollo
 
Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special
 
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special

This has got to be a first--the Oscars don't get nominated, but the after-party does.  As for the 40th Anniversary Special, it may not have been that well written, but it was sure something to see.

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night
 
Jeopardy!

How do you even compare these two?  And how exactly do you judge the writing on a show like Jeopardy!.

DAYTIME DRAMA

The Bold and the Beautiful
 
General Hospital

There are less and less of these shows.  Guess someone's got to write them.

CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – EPISODIC AND SPECIALS

“Endless Night” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

“Girl Meets I am Farkle” (Girl Meets World)

“Gortimer and the Surprise Signature” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

“Gortimer vs The Relentless Rainbow of Joy” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

“Ranger vs. The Fabled Flower of Normal Street” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

Don't watch these show, but boy, Gortimer Gibbon's got something.

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“American Terrorist” (Frontline)

“Gunned Down: The Power of the NRA” (Frontline)

I guess Frontline owns this.

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“Firestone and the Warlord” (Frontline)

“The Forgotten Plague” (American Experience)

“The Great Math Mystery” (Nova)

“Secrets, Politics and Torture” (Frontline)

Frontline only gets half the nominations?  They must be slipping.

TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“Cuba” (60 Minutes)

“Yogi Berra Tribute,”

There were writers? I thought the anchors made it up.

TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“The Storm After the Storm” (60 Minutes)

Only nominee.  Pick up your award now.