Podcast Episode 302: The Launch of Peacock and Brave New World & Intelligence Premieres

In this week's episode David, John and Kyle discuss the 30 Rock reunion special including why some viewers were unable to see it live on NBC (2:35). We also discuss some possible new shows including a HBO Max series based on the Calm app (10:00), a TBS series based on The Sims (12:40) and a possible spin-off with Stanley from The Office (15:30). Next we discuss the launch of NBCUniversal's new streaming service Peacock (19:15) and two of their original programs: Brave New World (32:45) and Intelligence (46:35).

You can also listen to past episodes of the podcast on iTunes or on our YouTube channel. Also be sure to follow our Twitch channel!

Podcast Episode 32: Predicting the Unpredictable 2013 Primetime Emmy Awards

Every year David and Mike try to predict the very unpredictable Primetime Emmy Awards in a very special episode of Dual Redundancy. This year they try and forecast who will take home the gold in all the major categories for the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

This special is going to be released at first as a YouTube exclusive. To make sure you don't miss out on any specials and fall behind on all the latest in entertainment be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Unsure how to? Follow these easy instructions!

As an added bonus be sure to print out your very own Emmy ballot where you can keep track of our predictions and have an easy guide to follow along during the show!

Keep checking back to the Dual Redundancy blog during Emmy week for more Emmy news and predictions!

TV News: Glover Graduates from “Community” College; Heads to “Atlanta”

DA- Donald Glover/Childish Gambino/James Franco 2.0 is leaving NBC’s Community this season and is off to create his own show for FX. News circulated last month that despite showrunner and creator Dan Harmon returning to the cult-comedy, Glover reduced his role to five of the show’s thirteen episodes. Reportedly this was done to focus on his music career as hip-hop artist Childish Gambino.

Even though Glover is headed back to television, this reasoning is still true. Atlanta, the tentative title to Glover’s new FX venture, will focus on the music scene in, you guessed it, Atlanta, Georgia. While Deadline reports that other networks were interested in the show, FX was able to accommodate his busy touring schedule. Glover will end up pulling a Lena Dunham for the show and will star, write, and executive produce the series.

Writing will not be new to the entertainment wunderkind. Before starring in Community Glover was writing for the Emmy award-winning 30 Rock from his NYU dorm room. While there is no premiere date set for the new series, Glover can be currently seen on the big screen in the raunchy comedy The To-Do List. Before season five of Community begins the ratings-challenged yet critics’ darling will enter syndication on Comedy Central on September 15th with a ten-episode marathon.

2013 Emmy Nominations - Most Deserving & Most Likely

Photo courtesy of Mike Ladue.

ML- The nominees for the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced Thursday, July 18th at 5:35 AM PT / 9:35 AM ET by Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Kate Mara (House of Cards). In anticipation for the big day, here's your primer on which names will be called tomorrow -- and which should be, but probably won't.

Outstanding Drama Series

Projected Nominees:
Breaking Bad Season 5A, AMC
Downton Abbey Series 3, BBC / PBS
Game of Thrones Season 3, HBO
Homeland Season 2, Showtime
House of Cards Season 1, Netflix
Mad Men Season 6, AMC

Look for a near repeat of last year's nominees, and for good reason. All these shows featured water cooler moments as well as superb acting, writing and directing. Enough buzz surrounds newcomer House of Cards to displace HBO's prestigious Boardwalk Empire, but the latter show's industry adoration is so high I wouldn't be surprised if it outranks Downton Abbey or possibly (gasp) Mad Men to stick around another year. The only other spoiler would be The Americans, which built to something great but doesn't have the same influence as these heavy hitters.

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
Hannibal Season 1, NBC
Homeland
Justified Season 4, F/X
Mad Men

While I ranked Boardwalk (and BBC America's Orphan Black) higher than Mad Men on an episode-by-episode basis this year, the AMC show's finale managed to tie many of the season's dangling plots and themes together in a deeply satisfying way. Hannibal is network drama's one true gem (sorry, The Good Wife/Scandal fans) and exhibited stronger acting, cinematography and scoring that most anything on premium cable. Justified had its best season since Margo Martindale won her Emmy and featured TV's best-written episode of the year, "Decoy."

Outstanding Comedy Series

Projected Nominees:
Arrested Development Season 4, Netflix
The Big Bang Theory Season 6, CBS
Girls Season 2, HBO
Modern Family Season 4, ABC
30 Rock Season 7, NBC
Veep Season 2, HBO

Louie didn't make the cut last year and, despite snowballing critical acclaim, the fact it aired so early in the eligibility period makes me wary of its prospects. It could easily replace Girls, the most unnecessarily controversial show in history, or Arrested Development, whose grand return to "television" via Netflix was considered by some to be a huge mistake.

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Arrested Development
Enlightened Season 2, HBO
Girls
Louie Season 3, F/X
Parks and Recreation Season 5, NBC
Veep

Years from now you'll discover Enlightened and cry that you never watched as it aired. This perfect little dramedy wasn't so much funny as it was, well, enlightening. (You will also cry for not watching Happy Endings, which is actually the funniest show on TV but had too many episodes that missed the mark this season to rise to the top). Parks & Rec had a stellar year, but the competition is fierce and support has historically middled -- remember when Nick Offerman was the frontrunner for Supporting Actor lat year? No such luck. My next-in-line would have to be Archer, which ties with Veep for meanest comedy on TV.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Projected Nominees:
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Hopefully voters are as over Dexter as I and dump Michael C. Hall from the list. Hugh Bonneville, the only other missing man from last year's lineup, could probably return in a cruel twist of fate and push out Buscemi or (gasp) Hamm. Don't expect too much love for Sorkin's polarizing The Newsroom, but Daniels was aces in the pilot and probably has enough cred to surpass also-rans like Justified's Timothy Olyphant or The Americans' Matthew Rhys.

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Cranston
Hugh Dancy, Hannibal
Hamm
Lewis
Timothy Olyphant, Justified
Spacey

Dancy (husband of Claire Danes) was riveting to watch and Olyphant kept his charm turned to 100%.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Projected Nominees:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Louis C.K., Louie
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Jake Johnson, New Girl
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Johnson's decision to jump from supporting to lead will hopefully pay off, as it did for Cryer last year. I'm inclined to finally disregard Cryer for Episodes' Matt Leblanc or House of Cards' Don Cheadle, but as Sansa so eloquently put it on Game of Thrones: "The worst ones always win."

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Baldwin
Bateman
CK
Johnson
Parsons
Adam Scott, Parks & Recreation

I wish I could nominate H. Jon Benjamin for his outstanding work in both Archer and Bob's Burgers, but voice acting has its own category. Community's Joel McHale nearly got my vote over Parsons, but the show's unfathomable nosedive into awfulness ruined the good will I had for the man. At least he got Dan Harmon back! Adam Scott is consistently good, enough to buoy him into this relatively open category.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Projected Nominees:
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Juliana Marguiles, The Good Wife
Keri Russell, The Americans
Kerry Washington, Scandal

It took much debating to arrive at this list of leading ladies. The most vulnerable, unfortunately, is Close, but farewell nominations are not unprecedented and the character was beloved enough to win twice prior. Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss, Bates Motel's Vera Farmiga and House of Cards' Robin Wright could eek in over Russell, Dockery and Washington without making waves; the competition this year is fierce. A nomination for Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany would make my morning/life complete... and it just might happen!

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Close
Danes
Dockery
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Russell

Maslany is a revelation on her show and warrants major awards attention. Moss had an OK year, but I haven't seen Scandal or Bates Motel so I don't want to make an uninformed decision.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Projected Nominees: 
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

Falco is waiting in the wings to take down McCarthy, Poehler or Dunham, but got much less press for so-so season 5 of Nurse Jackie.

Most Deserving (a.k.a. Mike's Personal Ballot):
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Deschanel
Dunham
Fey
Louis-Dreyfus
Poehler

It may be presumptuous to expect so many of my ideal choices to be nominated Thursday, but it's a testament to the Academy's ability to recognize the best talent (in my humble opinion). Dern is up there with Maslany for life-changing nominations, but this is far less expected.

The supporting categories will be presented without commentary:

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Projected Nominees:
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Corey Stoll, House of Cards
Sam Waterson, The Newsroom

Most Deserving:
Banks
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire
Nicolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Walton Goggins, Justified
Maks Mikkelsen, Hannibal
Patinkin

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Projected Nominees:
Will Arnett, Arrested Development
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Most Deserving:
Arnett
Adam Driver, Girls
Greenfield
Adam Pally, Happy Endings
Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation
Damon Wayans Jr., Happy Endings

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Projected Nominees:
Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Monica Potter, Parenthood
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Most Deserving:
Baccarin
Rose Byrne, Damages
Clarke
Michelle Fairley, Game of Thrones
Gunn
Potter

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Projected Nominees:
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Jessica Walter, Arrested Development

Most Deserving:
Eliza Coupe, Happy Endings
Jenna Fisher, The Office
Krakowski
Zosia Mamet, Girls
Walter
Casey Wilson, Happy Endings

TV Series Finales: Goodbye, 30 Rock & Fringe

ML- Believe it or not, former Emmy darling 30 Rock and sic-fi redheaded stepchild Fringe share many of the same attributes. Both were low-rated, and probably survived due to NBC and FOX's desire to stay in Tina Fey and J.J. Abrams' good graces, respectfully. More than that, both were unapologetically absurd critical darlings with tight, dynamite core casts. They took risks, most notably with episodes that defied the norm -- Fringe had the musical episode, the cartoon episode and the Monty Python-esque "Black Umbrella" from this season, while 30 Rock cranked out reality show parodies and two stellar live shows (the second of which Dual co-host Dave and I were in the audience for!), but almost every episode of either show appeared out-of-the-box when compared to any other show on TV.

Above all, both will be terribly missed.

30 Rock deserved every award it ever won, which is an honor it's Emmy successor Modern Family doesn't share. It deserves many it didn't win, as well -- Jane Krakowski and her portrayal of Jenna should be commemorated in a museum somewhere, somehow. Every facet of Tina Fey's brainchild worked in near-mint condition from start to finish, due to the perfect combination of writers and actors. I can't imagine anyone but Alec Baldwin reading Jack Donaghy's lines, and frankly I don't want to. The same goes for Tracy Morgan, and Jack MacBrayer, and obviously Tina Fey.

The recurring characters -- Pete, Frank, Cerie, Lutz, Twofer, Grizz and Dot Com -- served their purpose, but they never reached the same level of hilarity as the leads, or as the show's other ace-in-the-hole: a plethora of unforgettable guest stars. Elaine Stritch, Dean Winters, Will Arnett, Jon Hamm, Will Forte, Sherri Shepherd, Chris Parnell, Megan Mullally, Alan Alda, Jason Sudeikis, Rachel Dratch, Brian Williams, Michael Sheen, Matt Damon, James Marsden, Oprah Winfrey, Jim Carrey, Edie Falco, Penelope Cruz, Carrie Fisher, David Schwimmer... I could literally go on for an hour, listing out the comedic greats who landed their talents into this big ol' NBC potluck.


Fringe may not have had an endless vault of guest stars (though Leonard Nemoy and Peter Weller are nothing to sneeze at), but made up for it by utilizing its stars as much as possible. At one time Anna Torv was playing three different iterations of Olivia Dunham, spread across multiple universes and timelines, each with her own distinct personality. John Noble, Jasika Nicole, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown and Seth Gabel also took up the task of exploring different versions of their own characters, no doubt confusing the hell out of casual viewers and sending them, God forbid, out on Friday nights.

The best Fringe seasons -- because yes, there were bad ones -- were those that maximized on the complexities of the alternate universes without getting too bogged-down in the confusing, ultimately rather meaningless mythologies of the show. Some twists were head-scratching in a good way, where you spent hours wrapping you head around plot points like Walter's voyage back in time, across universes to save his son's alternate persona. Others never really ended up anywhere, like "The Pattern" from early on in the series. Like Lost, this show proved the most satisfactory way to watch sic-fi shows is to focus on the characters' relationships and let the mythologies entertain you, but not consume your thinking.

Neither show allowed itself to become stagnant. Fringe flip-flopped formulas frequently (sorry about all that alliteration), balancing the serialized and the episodic with as much grace as can be expected from such shifts in storytelling styles. 30 Rock kept the jokes and pop-culture references fresh, while still maintaing the break-neck speed at which they were delivered.

I'm not sure what legacy these shows will leave. Both are already in syndication, with Fringe limited to Science Channel and 30 Rock available on Comedy Central and WGN. While 30 Rock may attract more eyes on TV and on Netflix, -- where all past episodes currently reside -- I'm not sure the references will hold up for future generations, especially if NBC's recent success continues to build. I've watched the show with those less immersed in Hollywood gossip and pop culture references, and common reactions include blank stares and asking for jokes to be repeated and/or explained. The show was for pop culture nerds, by pop culture nerds, and hopefully will be treasured by the rabid fans for years to come.

While I often felt smart watching 30 Rock, it wasn't uncommon for me to be dumbfounded and glazed-over during denser episodes of Fringe. Fringe appeals to a different breed of nerd, one inspired by the scientific and technological possibilities the show presents. Science Channel is obviously the perfect outlet, where it can exist as it always had; beloved by the small few who fully respected its worth to television and society at large. A fitting resting place for a gem of a show.

Let's let the clamoring for spinoffs, movies and reboots end before they begin. Both shows lasted longer than Hollywood conventions would normally allow, a victory in itself. These shows, these stories, these characters and their relationships and their quirks have entertained us for years, but now is the time to let them go. Tina Fey already has a deal with NBC for more comedy; if there's any justice to this world, Jane and Tracy will find their "dumb gay Batman" roles by fall. I know Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson are taking time off to let Olivia and Peter out of their systems, but both will make stellar additions to casts, and possibly leads of their own vehicles. The sky is the limit for the talented casts, much deserved after all their hard work.

When I lie down to sleep tonight, after probably crying like a baby to the 30 Rock finale (8:00PM on NBC!), I'll imagine myself submerged in Walter Bishop's dream tank. There, the magic and the mayhem will still be real, still inspire me and what I watch and write and live. The most important things these shows taught me: nothing is impossible, be it crossing between universes or putting on a long-running comedy series.

Podcast Episode 24: The Doctors Are In: Checking Up on the Fall 2012 TV Season

In this week's episode we check up and grade ten popular shows and their new seasons. The shows include 30 Rock, Dexter, Homeland, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, The Office, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Revenge, and The Walking Dead.

We also discuss Channing Tatum being named the sexiest man alive, Disney buying Lucas Films and the Boy Meets World spin-off. We also recap Survivor: Philippines, give our picks on who should be in the Survivor Hall of Fame, and give movie reviews for Argo and Skyfall. Finally we also tell you what we are thankful from the year of pop culture.

To listen to the episode use the player below or download/listen to the episode on iTunes!

Emmy Voter: Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

ML- In all the acting categories at the Emmys, nominees submit one episode (or "tape") they feel showcases their best work of the season. Ive been watching all the submitted "tapes" and reviewing them critically to help determine which actor/actress is most deserving come Emmy night.

Next up is Comedy Lead Actress

Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day in New Girl
Submission: "Bad in Bed"
A.K.A. The One Where... Jess tries to be "erotic" with Paul after discovering porn because she feels she needs to be better at sex, having only been with Spencer before. 

Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath in Girls
Submission: "She Did"
A.K.A. The One Where... Finale, where Hannah goes to Jessa's surprise wedding and asks her gay ex to move in with her, after already giving Adam the green light. Adam gets upset and calls her out on all her bull, but gets swiped by a car. He won't let Hannah in the ambulance, so she takes the train to Coney Island and eats on the beach.

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton in Nurse Jackie
Submission: "Disneyland Sucks"
A.K.A. The One Where... Jackie checks into rehab, nearly quits, asks O'Hara to bring her daughter to visit and saves the life of her elderly roommate when she suffers a stroke.

Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in 30 Rock
Submission: "The Tuxedo Begins"
A.K.A. The One Where... Liz, fed up with people not following the rules, turns into a Joker-like character wielding a smelly gym bag who must be stopped by Jack's new Batman-like mayoral candidate.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer in Veep
Submission: "Tears"
A.K.A. The One Where... Season finale where Selina is asked not to back the Ohio governor due to her low polling numbers, but after crying on camera he wants her back again. He flips and flops until the last minute, and eventually word gets out that her tears were manipulated, sending the office into a tailspin.

Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn in Mike & Molly
Submission: "The Dress"
A.K.A. The One Where... Molly is determined to lose her last 6 pounds in the week before the wedding to fit into her dream dress. The crash diet makes her wild and an unfortunate encounter at the gym lands her in jail. 

Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation
Submission: "Win, Lose or Draw"
A.K.A. The One Where... Season finale, where the election finally arrives and Leslie wins, delivering a powerful speech to the town and the viewers.

Notes: All 7 of these women were exceptionally funny, but there can only be one winner. I'd say the least funny was McCarthy, but I said that last year, too, and she went on to win. Falco gave an impressive performance, but it was more dramatic than comedic, so her placement in this comedy doesn't really fit. Fey was wild and outrageous, but the concept of the episode was better than her actual material in it. Louis-Dreyfus, one of the front-runners to win, didn't have a lot of standout moments, but the ones she did have were hilarious. Dunham had more humor in the episode than I first remembered, really shedding light onto the flaws of Hannah. 

Verdict: That leaves two funny ladies. I think Deschanel was uproarious in this episode, but still falls short of the emotional/comedic punch that overdue Poehler wallops in an election-themed episode. Did we already get a preview of her victory speech?

HOW MY BALLOT WOULD LOOK:

Winner: Amy Poehler
Runner-Up: Zooey Deschanel
3: Lena Dunham
4: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
5: Tina Fey
6: Edie Falco
7: Melissa McCarthy

Emmy Voter: 2012 Primetime Emmy Ballot

Sunday is almost here! Who will take home the gold this Sunday? Download and print out this ballot to follow along this Sunday (and to see if we are right with our predictions). 

To hear why we choose what we did listen to our latest podcast episode where we dive deep into each prediction. http://dualredundancy.blogspot.com/2012/09/podcast-episode-302-predicting.html 

Emmy Voter 2012: Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

In all the acting categories at the Emmys, nominees submit one episode (or "tape") they feel showcases their best work that season. I've been watching all the submitted "tapes" and reviewing them critically to help determine which actor/actress is most deserving come Emmy night.

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock
Submission Tape: "Live From Studio 6H"
A.K.A. The One Where... Jack decided to stop shooting TGS live and instead film all the episodes in a two-week period "like Wheel of Fortune or Fox News." Kenneth traps everyone in Tracy's office and forces them to reminisce on great moments of live NBC, many of which were hilariously acted out by Baldwin.
Notes: Baldwin gets some great material here, getting to play multiple characters (the type of episodes he always submits, like "100" last year and "Generalissimo" a few years back). The fact he must change outfits so quickly adds to how impressive of a job he does. His timing is wonderful, and, as someone who was in the audience of 30 Rock while he did this episode live, I got to see his professionalism and star power in person.
Verdict: He has won this award before, but the past season of 30 Rock didn't make many waves, so I'd count the deserving Baldwin out. Perhaps he'll be a frontrunner next year for the final season.
Grade: 7/10

Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men
Submission Tape: "Frodo's Headshots"
A.K.A. The One Where... Alan returns from the mental hospital after his breakdown to find out his son got his girlfriend pregnant, his girlfriend is sleeping with his roommate, his mother wants nothing to do with him and his best friend wants him dead.
Notes: How funny does that episode sound? That's how funny it was to watch. That being said, Cryer did do a good job with the material given, and got to lose his cool as his life crumbled around him. This is Cryer's first time in the Lead Actor category, which is actually less competitive to get into than Supporting. Will that translate to an easier win for the perennial nom (and past winner for the same role?) Hopefully not, as there are many more deserving, funny men in the running this year.
Verdict: Cryer shouldn't win this, but he is well liked by the Academy members, so anything can happen.
Grade: 5.5/10

Don Cheadle as Marty Kahn in House of Lies
Submission Tape: "Pilot: Gods of Dangerous Financial Institutions"
A.K.A. The One Where... We are introduced to Marty, naked in bed with his ex wife, and later the rest of his team. He goes out on a bender and winds up bringing a high-end stripper to a business dinner. He flirts with Kristin Bell and deals with his son's desire to play Sandy in his school production of Grease, all the while stopping to fill the audience in on complicated jargon.
Notes: The pacing and structure of the show were incredibly frustrating, and Cheadle didn't get much opportunity to be genuinely funny. His acting was fine, and they gave him a "Don Draper"-esque scene at the end, but it wasn't powerful enough, or funny enough, or sentimental enough to strike a chord.
Verdict: Cheadle snuck in thanks to his star power, but that alone isn't enough to win the Emmy, and unfortunately, its all he has going for him.
Grade: 4/10

Louis C.K. as Louie in Louie
Submission Tape: "Duckling"
A.K.A. The One Where... Louie goes to Afghanistan to cheer up the troops with his stand-up, unknowingly bringing a baby duckling with him in his suitcase.
Notes: He has humor with the stand-up, which knocks it out of the park every week. He also has sentimentality with the end, where he basically soothes over the conflict with his goofy, bumbling persona. Also, the episode is twice as long as all the others, giving viewers more time to spend with their main man. In addition to all that, his show aired new episodes during the voting period, so he could be fresh in the minds of those struggling to make a decision.
Verdict: While not the best submission from Season 2, "Duckling" has a lot of great things going for it, as does CK. It shows off all of his strengths, especially the stand-up. He broke the record for most nominations for a single person this year with 7, so hopefully he can cash one in for gold.
Grade: 8/10

Larry David as Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm
Submission Tape: "The Palestinian Chicken"
A.K.A. The One Where... "Social Assassin" Larry tells people hard truths about themselves, but everyone can tell he's  acting on the behalf of others. When a Palestinian Chicken restaurant opens up, his Jewish friends want to boycott the very anti-Jewish establishment. Larry is caught in the middle, however, because the chicken is just out of this world.
Notes: David was the same character he's played all 8 years on this show. It wasn't his funniest episode ever, and David has never been awarded this prize before. The plot was extremely clever, which could sway people into awarding the never-nominated David after years of great work, when, in my opinion, he isn't the best choice.
Verdict: The category is very weak this year, which could force people to write down the curmudgeon's name at long last. He is definitely in the running, but based on this tape, is not the most deserving.
Grade: 6.5/10

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory
Submission Tape: "The Werewolf Transformation"
A.K.A. The One Where: Sheldon's barber is out of commission so he lets his hair grow out, leading to an existential crisis centered around bongo drums.
Notes: Parson's "transformation" was so lame! His hair grew a little long, so he vowed that chaos reigned over the universe. How did that translate to his actions? He started playing bongos late at night. That's about it. Parsons has won the last 2 years for this role, and a win for this would be a damn shame.
Verdict: He'll probably win this again. God I hope not. Freaking bongos.
Grade: 4.5/10


How My Ballot Would Look:

Winner: Louis CK
Runner Up: Alec Baldwin
3. Larry David
4. Jon Cryer
5. Jim Parsons
6. Don Cheadle