Thursday, July 19, 2007

Emmys Are Lost Again

This year's Emmy nominees for Best Drama include cloying, tacky, melodramatic trash, a series that has ridden its star's performance as a wise-cracking doctor who doesn't play by the rules for about 60 near-identical episodes and a derrivitive, zany David E. Kelly dramedy. It doesn't, however, include "LOST."

While some have been ever-so-quick to declare "LOST" dead, it has been consistently taking risks and surprising its audiences. Compare the finale of "LOST" with that of its Best-Drama-nominated imitator, "Heroes," and it's clear which one has the more compelling story. While "LOST" has had a few weak episodes this season (though none so bad as "Fire + Water" from season two), it has also had more brilliant, gripping, heartbreaking and hilarious episodes than any other program. "Heroes," on the other hand, had two or three great episodes, six or seven intriguing episodes and the most disappointing climax since Freddy Adu lost his virginity. (Quit dancing around it and shoot the damn ball!) Everything that was expected happened, no unexpected twists happened and the cliffhanger wasn't half as intriguing as it was tacked on.

The third season of "LOST" pushed towards a delicious twist that turned the whole format on its head and left everyone wondering how it would start next year.

My favorite Emmy nominee is Ricky Gervais for "Extras" in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category, where he will compete with Steve Carell for his American version of Gervais's character from BBC's "The Office." Tony Shaloub also has his annual nomination for "Monk" in the category, alongside Charlie Sheen in "Two and a Half Men" and Alec Baldwin in "30 Rock."

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