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- Author: Jennifer Roland
- Posted: September 21, 2009
- 4 Comments
Should Genre Shows Get Their Own Emmy Category?
Many of us have lamented the fact that Jensen Ackles will never get an Emmy nod while he is on Supernatural, even though his work is Emmy caliber. Or that Battlestar Gallactica may have gotten some nominations, but was never considered a serious contender for any categories shown on the broadcast. Or <insert genre show name here> will never get serious consideration from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
With the rise in genre shows that have good production value, great writing, and award-caliber acting, it is time to broaden the categories and allow more good shows to be recognized at this mainstream awards show.
I remember in the 1980s when we complained and complained that no heavy metal acts ever got any Grammy love. So, the Grammys added a category for Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. (Fans of Rap and Hip Hop fought the same battle, and got a category of their own, too.)
Reality TV shows got a couple awards categories added recently. It’s time for the Academy to recognize our speculative fiction shows, too.
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Absolutely the Emmy’s should break the categories down by genre. I always thought it was a crime that Buffy was never nominated for anything because it was too “genre.” The episodes “Hush” and “The Body” were so absolutely amazing – they deserved some sort of recognition.
The same applies to Supernatural and Friday Night Lights which would’ve been in the same category if they’d been nominated, against the likes of Mad Men. How can you even begin to compare these shows? All are excellent, well written and acted, but the content is so different.
And then there are the shows that fall between drama and comedy like Chuck and Pushing Daisies. Is it fair to compare them to sitcoms or serious dramas? Not really.
On the other hand, where would you stop?
[Reply]
I’m going to say no (don’t kill me). As frustrating it was to see Buffy and BSG (and others) continually snubbed for the big awards, it kind of made my love for them deepen. Sci-fi/horror shows barely ever get respect from the Emmys (or Oscars) and probably never will. The “prestigiuos” award shows got that way by being snooty about passing over the popcorn/blockbuster flicks or the riveting genre tv shows and only celebrating the sometimes overrated shows/movies that always win. What makes these award shows fun is their ability to frustrate us fans that get mad when they pass over True Blood or Chuck, yet cheer on when Mad Men wins or Neil Patrick Harris is lucky to get a nomination.
[Reply]
@Katie, It could definitely be a slippery slope, but I think the show would get more viewers if they better represented the current TV landscape.
@James, I can see your point, but I think the addition of the reality show categories really damaged the snooty factor for the Emmys. If they completely ignored reality shows, I’d feel much better about them ignoring genre shows.
Here’s a question, though, if they added Best Genre Show and best acting categories, what would have been your dream nominee slate for 09?
[Reply]
katie71483 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 8:42 pm
That’s a tough one. I’m going to use the old formula of 5 shows since the extras were introduced to address the genre issue.
Best Sci Fi: Supernatural, T:TSCC, Fringe, BSG, Kings
–I really wanted to include Dollhouse b/c some of it’s Joss but as a whole, it can’t compare… and Epitaph One, the unaired episode, was brilliant, but is only available on dvd.
I’d also be inclined to break comedy down in to half-hour and hour long categories since they really are two different things:
Hour Long: Chuck, The Middleman, Pushing Daisies, Leverage, Greek
Half hour sitcom: My Boys, Big Bang Theory, HIMYM, Better Off Ted, Samantha Who?
Blasphemy, I know to have left off 30 Rock and The Office, but I prefer these shows…
And shows like Weeds are soooo dark. I’m not even sure they belong in the comedy section,anyway.
Other than Castle, I don’t really watch the crime procedurals (sp?) but it seems like there are more than enough cop shows to have their own category. Same with medical dramas…
Anyway, I’ve babbled enough now.
ttyl
[Reply]