SAG/Golden Globe comments

After a long absence, here are a few observations about the first leg of awards season.

I guess I don’t have too much to analyze about the Golden Globes. No surprises in the number of noms for the juggernaut Glee and for 30 Rock, which is possibly the most complete comedy of our time (Arrested Development is funnier, but it had such a short life! It will always feel incomplete, and that’s part of its mystique.) I know he isn’t necessarily the best actor out there this year, but think this year might be the year for Steve Carell – he’s won zero SAGs and one GG for seven seasons at the helm at The Office, and he’s on his way out after this season. I especially suspect he might get the SAG as a nod of respect from his peers (as opposed to the GG). Plus we’ve seen from Dan in Real Life, etc. that he’s a damn good actor, even though The Office has had its ups and downs. And - MILD MILD MILD SPOILER – since they brought Holly back to the show you know they’re gearing up for some major season-end Michael Scott drama. He has to have a good exit and that’s even more time for him to shine.

This might be a dumb question, but is The Big Bang Theory really that good? I just have a hard time believing that someone from either Weeds, Modern Family, Community, Chuck or HIMYM doesn’t deserve most of their nomination spots instead. Maybe I’m missing out.

One thing I particularly like about the SAGs is that they cover their bases better than lots of award shows. Awards for ensemble casts by genre and best stunt ensembles make it so they can award some really specific achievements and I suspect that comes from being some of the most familiar people with the shooting process, as opposed to a voting pool that includes say, critics. They also aren’t afraid to recognize a really great talent in a show that’s maybe not so great. I’m talking specifically about Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order SVU’s Detective Olivia Benson. I am a sucker for this show, but I think despite its tendency to rip stories from the headlines and try cheesy one-liners it does two important things: 1) it does a good job of illustrating and having frank discussions about what happens when women are raped, and 2) it shows a strong female lead dealing with it. There are a million crime shows out there but SVU is the only one that’s not afraid to approach subjects like the stigma that comes with being a rape victim and the fear and red tape that come with actually bringing a rapist to justice. Hargitay's been quoted about the amount of fan mail she gets from women who find a little bit of solace in watching her in SVU. It might not be the most cut-and-dry or direct way to do it, and I’m sure their mind isn’t wholly on the greater good, but I like that SVU is doing a little bit to raise awareness about all of that.

It makes me chuckle that Johnny Depp was nominated for The Tourist AND Alice, but I’m glad that Alice is getting a little recognition. While I hate to admit it, I am among those who think that most childhood stories and fairy tales could benefit from a Tim Burton take, and Alice certainly benefits my side of that argument. And on that note, I thought The Tourist wasn’t supposed to be *that* good?