An awards show with Neil Patrick Harris at the helm can’t miss! Well, except for the 2013 Emmys which were overlong, and random.
NPH notwithstanding, the show got off to a bad start with a cute, but underwhelming segment that featured NO dancing and Neil stuck in room full of TVs blaring clips from current TV shows. Once on stage, Neil launched into a few lame jokes that were mercifully interrupted by past Emmy hosts. As much as I loved everyone on stage–Jane Lynch, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler–the bit managed to fall flat.
NPH Opening Monologue & 4 Former Hosts (Emmy’s… by IdolxMuzic
The singing and dancing finally came, but not until mid-telecast when Neil broke out into a song, aptly titled, “The Musical Number in the Middle of the Show. Featuring Nathan Fillion and Sarah Silverman (an odd combination) and solid gold disco girls, the number only seemed to exist to waste time. Except this bloated awards show, which ran over 10 minutes, didn’t need any filler.
NPH – The Musical Number In The Middle Of The… by IdolxMuzic
God love Elton John. He’s an amazing artist. But I thought it a little tacky to pay tribute to Liberace–a performer who obviously influenced him–with a song from his new album. Elton’s explanation of how the song fit the moment wasn’t convincing–turning the performance into a thinly veiled excuse to pimp his wares.
Elton John Performs – Home Again – Tribute To… by IdolxMuzic
The 60s tribute featuring Carrie Underwood was perplexing as well, which I explain, with video, in a separate post. I loved the routine from the nominated choreographers, which you can watch here. It would have served as a better opening to the Emmys than what we actually got. Congratulations to DWTS pro, Derek Hough, who won the Emmy. But is it bad to wish that one of the SYTYCD choreographers had won the prize. Former contestant turned choreographer, Travis Wall, who has put together some beautiful work, or the audacious jazz choreographer, Sonya Tayeh would have been my picks.
The controversial tribute segments to Jonathan Winters, Cory Monteith (watch his tribute from Jane Lynch here), Jean Stapleton, Gary David Goldberg and James Gandolfini were too brief to really have an impact. Only Rob Reiner’s tribute to Jean Stapleton managed to hit me in the gut. He was able, in the short period of time he had, to convey what made the actress truly great. The segments should have included clips of the person’s work, to remind us exactly WHY they’ll be missed. But honestly, they were so inconsequential, the friends and families of the snubbed (Larry Hagman, Jack Klugman) shouldn’t feel cheated. Next year, make it democratic. Put everyone into the “In Memoriam” montage and be done with it.
The Awards. I couldn’t have been happier that Modern Family was nearly shut out of the Emmys this year. I wish Veep had won the Outstanding Comedy Series award as well. Time for a new era of winners. Too bad Louis C.K. didn’t Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in Louis. The appeal of The Big Bang Theory completely eludes me. Having said that, I think Jim Parsons is a great comic actor and deserved an Emmy win…or two. But three years in a row? It’s time for some new blood. I swear Emmy voters are so lazy. I love it when Julia Louise Dreyfuss wins an Emmy, just because her acceptance speeches are awesome. Tony Hale standing wordless next to her, holding her purse, was perfection.
I will say, if you haven’t watched HBO’s Behind the Candelabra, do it ASAP. I was pretty happy with the wins for that production.
And lastly, my thoughts on The Voice winning Outstanding Reality Show. I’m not going to lie. It irks me. All the years American Idol was killing it in the ratings and putting out an entertaining show, it could not pick up the win. After a couple of years on the air, The Voice knocks Amazing Race off it’s perch as yearly winner, and becomes the first singing competition to win the category.
It annoys me, because other than the spinning chairs gimmick, there’s nothing about The Voice that hasn’t been done before. It wouldn’t exist if American Idol hadn’t come first and established the conventions that are now widely co-opted by shows such as The X Factor, America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, to name the biggies.
Unfortunately for Idol, the timing was off. Amazing Race and it’s exotic locales and engrossing plot twists were irresistible to Emmy voters. Consider that many of the voters aren’t regular watchers of the shows they’re voting on. What’s more exciting–couples navigating treacherous obstacles in a foreign land, or corny group numbers and flying confetti? It’s not a hard choice.
But now that Amazing Race is yesterday’s news, along comes Spinning! Chairs! Even to the uninitiated–especially to the uninitiated–the concept would seem intriguing. And little do they know it’s the most interesting portion of the competition, as the law of diminishing returns comes into play as the season wears on. By the time the live shows begin, The Voice is no more innovative than any other singing competition. I’d argue even less so, because they borrow so heavily from their predecessors.
But that’s how the Emmy cookie crumbles. Did you see Bob Newhart, legendary TV actor, up on stage celebrating HIS FIRST EMMY WIN EVER. That’s just how it goes. Sometimes timing is everything. Just like Mr. Newhart, American Idol has secured its place in American television history whether it ever wins an Emmy or not.
