Laura Linney is Emmy front-runner for best comedy actress

There are several reasons why most pundits predict Laura Linney ("The Big C") will win the Emmy for best comedy actress. For starters, the three-time past champ has never lost. Her first victory was for best guest comedy actress in "Frasier" (2004); her other two were in the contest for best actress in a movie/miniseries ( "Wild Iris" in 2002, "John Adams" in 2008). This year she competes for best comedy actress for her new TV series on Showtime, which has owned the category for the last two years with victories by Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" (2009) and Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie") in 2010.

Linney gave Emmy judges the pilot episode, a potent mix of defiant comedy and high drama in which she battles her neighbor, students, husband and son while hiding the secret that she's got cancer. It's loaded with so much emotional impact, range and sympathy that she'll be hard to beat.

However, four of the other five nominees submitted episodes that give them a strong fighting chance. "Saturday Night Live" alums Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation") and Tina Fey ("30 Rock") both submitted strong material.

Poehler entered "Flu Season," in which her character -- small-town civil servant Leslie Knope -- comes down with the flu but insists on making an important presentation to the chamber of commerce anyway. The hilarity of her performance builds as, first, she battles flu symptoms, then the mind-altering effects of her medication. Poehler doesn't display Linney's gravitas, but she's a lot funnier. Her only problem may be that "Flu Season" is an ensemble-driven episode, which means she has far less screen time than Linney.

Fey might have the same problem in her "30 Rock" episode, "Double Edged Sword," in which she battles her boyfriend, airline pilot Carol (guest-acting nominee Matt Damon), during a lengthy flight delay. She's terrific while battling on the behalf of her fellow passengers, but she shares the episode with two major subplots -– one involving Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) winning an Oscar, and the other following Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) and his wife in Canada –- so she might also be at a disadvantage.

Ironically, screen time is not a problem for Martha Plimpton, who many thought would have been better off competing in the supporting category for "Raising Hope." But entering the lead race proved to be a shrewd move. She earned a nomination and submitted "Say Cheese," one of her best episodes of the season, in which she is shown in flashbacks trying to corral her family for the perfect family portrait photo. She's arguably more of a lead actress in this episode than Poehler and Fey are in theirs. Plimpton was a surprise nominee, but if she wins, don't say I didn't warn you.

Melissa McCarthy is also a potential spoiler. She came out of nowhere to secure a nomination for CBS' "Mike & Molly," undoubtedly helped by her increased notoriety from this summer's blockbuster comedy "Bridesmaids." She stands a fair chance thanks to her episode, "First Date," in which she, like Poehler, reacts strongly to a heavy dose of cold medicine. She wouldn't be the first star to upset at the Emmys with the help of a hit movie; Katherine Heigl won best supporting drama actress for "Grey's Anatomy" in 2007, the same year she starred in Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up."

Can anyone beat Steve Carell at the Emmys?

Most Emmy watchers put Steve Carell out front to win best comedy actor for "The Office." This is his sixth nomination for playing hapless boss Michael Scott on the hit NBC sitcom, in addition to four noms for producing, but he's never won. (The series won best comedy in 2006, but that was before Carell received a producing credit.) He left the show this year, and now he's hoping the Emmys will give him a farewell hug the way it did to Sarah Jessica Parker ("Sex and the City") and Michael J. Fox ("Spin City"), who both won for their last years in contention.

But Emmy voters are not always a sentimental bunch. John Goodman never won for "Roseanne" despite seven nominations, though he finally won his first prize for guest-starring on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" in 2007. And more recently, Martin Sheen was sent away empty-handed after seven unsuccessful bids for "The West Wing."

This year Carell submitted a dynamic episode to Emmy judges: "Goodbye, Michael," in which he struggles to say farewell to his employees, leading to a teary moment with Jim Halpert (John Krasinski). Will that episode in addition to overdue sentiment be enough to propel him to victory?

Perhaps, but perhaps not. He faces strong competition from last year's winner, Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory"), who submitted "The Agreement Dissection," in which he battles Leonard (Johnny Galecki) over a violation of their roommate agreement and then goes dancing with the girls. But Parsons has another weapon in his arsenal: his costar Galecki, who was a surprise nominee in this category and submitted "The Benefactor Factor," in which Leonard is propositioned by a wealthy woman to exchange sex for research funding. But it also gives Parsons a second episode for voters to judge, which could help him pull off an upset against Carell.

Also threatening Carell is another surprise nominee: Louis C.K., whose critically acclaimed FX series, "Louie," is the only program in this category currently airing new episodes, meaning he'll be the freshest in voters' minds. Also, he benefits from the Cool Factor that helped propel another edgy comic to a win in this category in 2007: Ricky Gervais ("Extras"). C.K. submitted the episode "Bully," in which a frightening encounter with a young punk leads him to commiserate privately with the punk's father. It's a sympathetic performance, not loaded with laughter, but dramatic-skewing performances have won comedy performances before — as Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie") demonstrated last year.

Another fresh Emmy winner of best comedy actress?

If a recent Emmy voting trend holds, forget Tina Fey ("30 Rock") or Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie") winning the award for lead comedy actress. They've already bagged the category in the past. The champ will be one of the other four nominees: Laura Linney ("The Big C"), Melissa McCarthy ("Mike and Molly"), Martha Plimpton ("Raising Hope") or Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation").

For the last 10 years, a different winner has claimed the category every time. No one has repeated. Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond") began the trend toward solo victors in 2001. Subsequent recipients: Jennifer Aniston ("Friends"), Debra Messing ("Will and Grace"), Sarah Jessica Parker ("Sex and the City"), Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives"), Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures of Old Christine"), America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Fey, Toni Collette ("United States of Tara") and Falco.

RELATED:

Emmys: Can "Game of Thrones" or "Friday Night Lights" win best drama? [Poll]

Emmys: Fans react to nominations

Emmys: Will "Modern Family," "Glee" or "The Big Bang Theory" win for comedy? [Poll]

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell in "Mike and Molly." Credit: CBS

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Merritt Wever

 
In our final Behind the Scenes with "Nurse Jackie" post, we talk with Merritt Wever, the perpetually peppy and idealistic nurse Zoey Barkow. Wever's pithy answers to some fairly random questions offer a glimpse into the lively mood that fills the set.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot?
“My favorite scenes to shoot are the ones in which Zoey is completely positive about or confident in something absurd. Especially if this manifests itself physically.”

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
“When craft service comes around with trays of edible spirit-lifters.”

In what way do you hope your character grows?
“I hope my character grows in a way that completely surprises me. I’m thoroughly grateful that it’s not my job to decipher what that is.”

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don’t know.
“Eve Best sublets.”

What do you hope audiences get from “Nurse Jackie”?
“Among other things, I hope that audiences grow fond of our characters. I’m fond of them all myself.”

RELATED

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Peter Facinelli

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Paul Schulze

— Elena Howe

Photo: Merrit Wever, right, with Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie." Credit: Showtime

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Paul Schulze

 
In our second Behind the Scenes with "Nurse Jackie" post, Paul Schulze, who plays pharmacist Eddie Walzer, who is also Nurse Jackie's lover, tells us about some of his favorite moments.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot?
“My drunken confrontation with Jackie in the ER after discovering her ‘other’ life.”

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
“Cracking up with Edie and executive producers Richie Jackson, Linda Wallem and Liz Brixius in video village [the spot where all the writers and producers watch the shoot on monitors] this past fall.”

In what way do you hope your character grows?
“I hope my character grows taller, thinner and hairier as time goes by ..."

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don’t know.
“Lenny [Jacobson, who plays Lenny, the EMT] thinks of me as his big-mouthed uncle.”

What do you hope audiences get from “Nurse Jackie”?
“I hope audiences get entertained and recognize that we all have so much in common, especially secrets. That we can begin by tolerating each other and then letting ourselves truly embrace each other.”

RELATED

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Peter Facinelli

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Merritt Wever

--Elena Howe 

Photo: Paul Schulze as Eddie Walzer with Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie." Credit: Showtime

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Peter Facinelli

Upon occasion, we here at Awards tracker will check in with a show’s cast members to get their responses to some random questions. Today we spotlight Showtime’s "Nurse Jackie," in which Emmy winner Edie Falco plays a drug-addicted nurse who shares a workplace with idealistic nurse Zoey Barkow (Merritt Wever), narcissistic Dr. Fitch Cooper (Peter Facinelli) and pharmacist Eddie Walzer (Paul Schulze), who also happens to be Jackie’s lover. Up first, Facinelli. Check back later this evening for Q&As with Schulze and Wever.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot?
“I would have to narrow it down to two. The first being the scene with Anna Deavere Smith’s nursing manager, Gloria Akalitus in Season 2, where I go in and complain to her about Nurse Jackie’s attitude and end up crying. It wasn’t written that way, and while we were shooting it, as I was venting, I just broke down and starting crying. The showrunners thought it was hysterical and left it in. I list it as one of my favorites because I love when the scene takes me for a ride and what happens is completely unplanned because I’m in the moment. The second would be this season, finding out my parents got a divorce. I loved working with Judith Light and Swoosie Kurtz. I loved how Coop was all excited to be with his moms and then got this bomb dropped on him. And the way he dealt with it in such a childlike manner was fun to play.”

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
“I was asked by Showtime to do Dr. Coop Video Diaries. I’ve done it for two seasons now. It has been fun being able to capture some of those fun off-camera video moments. So instead of me listing them, you can check some out here. I promise some will make you laugh out loud.”

In what way do you hope your character grows?
“Coop is kind of a boy trapped in a man’s body. It’s this egocentric, non-filtered, harmless, boyish quality that makes him fun to watch. So, I guess I hope he doesn’t ‘grow up’ as much as I would love to see what new situations the writers put him in to really take this character for a ride, and see how he responds."

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don’t know.
“Stephen Wallem, who plays Thor, is Linda Wallem’s brother; Linda is the co-creator of the show. Lot of talent in that family.”

What do you hope audiences get from “Nurse Jackie”?
“The tone of ‘Nurse Jackie’ is unlike any other show. It’s a quirky comedy that hits some hard dramatic notes as well. So I hope audiences are moved dramatically, as well as get to laugh a lot too. All in a half hour."

RELATED:

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Merritt Wever

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'Nurse Jackie' and Paul Schulze

-- Elena Howe

Photo: Peter Facinelli in "Nurse Jackie." Credit: Showtime

Will the Tonys go bananas for Edie Falco? [Video]

Four-time Emmy champ Edie Falco is now nominated for a Tony Award for a role that brought that same Broadway prize to Swoosie Kurtz in 1986: Bananas in "The House of Blue Leaves." Bananas is the heart and soul of that classic, wacky play by John Guare -– she's the spurned, heavily sedated wife of a scheming wannabe songwriter who openly parades his mistress around.

Falco won three Emmys as the no-nonsense wife of a scheming Mafioso in "The Sopranos" (1999, 2001, 2003) and one more as the heavily sedated medical aide and wife in "Nurse Jackie" (2010). She's back in the Emmy derby again, facing tough competition from Laura Linney ("The Big C"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock") and Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation").

-- Tom O'Neil

Emmy inside track: The race for best comedy actress

Five of the six 2010 Emmy nominees for best comedy actress are likely to be nominated again: Toni Collette ("United States of Tara"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), Lea Michele ("Glee"), Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation") and last year's winner, Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"). That sixth slot was held last year by Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the now-cancelled "New Adventures of Old Christine." Who'll nab it next: Laura Linney ("The Big C"), Courteney Cox ("Cougar Town"), Patricia Heaton ("The Middle"), Wendie Malick ("Hot in Cleveland") or Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds")?

Our forum moderators have just updated their predictions, which rank the contenders by likelihood of winning. Three of them are betting on Linney to win: Marcus Dixon, Rob Licuria and Matt Noble. Three are backing recent champ Falco: Chris Beachum, Darrin Dortch and Matthew Cormier. Beachum and Licuria explain their views in the webcam slugfest below.

Personally, I think Linney's got this in the bag because of the strong emotional wallop of the pilot episode of "The Big C" as her character wrestles with cancer and a dying marriage. Remember how Emmy winners are selected –- by about 50 or 60 judges viewing a sample episode submitted by each nominee. None of Linney's rivals has an episode with as much oomph.

Also, check out our handicapping of the Emmy races for best drama series, lead drama actor, supporting comedy actor and supporting comedy actress.

-- Tom O'Neil

LEAD COMEDY ACTRESS	Beachum	Cormier	Dixon	Dortch	Licuria	Noble
Toni Collette, ‘United States of Tara’	4	5	4	5	4
Courteney Cox, ‘Cougar Town’		6
Edie Falco, ‘Nurse Jackie’	1	1	3	1	2	2
Tina Fey, ‘30 Rock’	3	2		2	3	3
Patricia Heaton, ‘The Middle’			6
Laura Linney, ‘The Big C’	2	3	1	3	1	1
Wendie Malick, ‘Hot in Cleveland’	6
Lea Michele, ‘Glee’		4	5	6	6	5
Mary-Louise Parker, ‘Weeds’						6
Amy Poehler, ‘Parks and Recreation’	5		2	4	5	4

 

RELATED:

Emmy diva smackdown: Jane Lynch, Betty White, Cloris Leachman

Emmy inside track: The race for supporting comedy actor

Emmy inside track: The race for TV drama actor

Emmy cliffhanger: What'll win best TV drama series?

Steve Carell: Goodbye, 'The Office' -- Hello, Emmy?

Photos: Laura Linney, left, in "The Big C" and Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie": Credit: Showtime

Poll: Will 'Modern Family' win best comedy series again at the Emmys?

Last year, the Emmy race for best comedy series was no laughing matter. Three-time champ "30 Rock" entered the contest undefeated, facing off against newbies "Modern Family" and "Glee." "Modern Family" triumphed and has continued its quality in Season 2, but so has "Glee," which is now technically overdue to win, and "30 Rock," which is poised for revenge. What's ahead?

"The Office" won in 2006 and now has sentiment on its side as Steve Carell bids bye-bye. Certainly, it'll be nominated again. That makes four likely contenders in this category that has six nominees. Which shows will nab the other two slots?

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Nurse Jackie" pulled off surprise bids last year and "Jackie" at least may be back ("Curb" isn't eligible this year). But maybe not. It's vulnerable. "The Big Bang Theory" is long overdue for its first bid here and may finally get recognized thanks to Jim Parsons' winning best lead comedy actor last year.

Also in serious contention for a bid are "Episodes," "Family Guy" and -- uh-oh! -- "Two and a Half Men"? See list below. 

-- Tom O'Neil

* nominated last year

Photo: "Modern Family" (ABC) /p<>

Emmy nominations often repeat, but not winners

Once a performer is nominated at the Emmys, they usually can count on bids for several years. However, winners rarely return to the podium the following year. Of last year's victors in the eight regular series races, only best drama actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") had previously taken home the prize for the same role.

Among the other seven winners, only best comedy actress Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie") was a prior Emmy champ with three victories as best drama actress for "The Sopranos" (1999, 2001 and 2003).

The remaining half a dozen were all new to the Emmy spotlight. Rounding out the drama categories were lead actress Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer"), supporting actor Aaron Paul ("Breaking Bad") and supporting actress Archie Panjabi ("The Good Wife"). Sedgwick finally prevailed on her fifth nomination for the TNT procedural, while Paul secured victory on his second bid for "Bad." And Panjabi shocked pundits by winning with her first career nomination for the freshman hit.

Besides Falco, the other winners in the comedy field were lead actor Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory"), supporting actor Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family") and supporting actress Jane Lynch ("Glee"). Parsons won with his second consecutive nom while both Stonestreet and Lynch prevailed for the first year of their shows.

Six of last year's winners are eligible again this year. The extended hiatus for "Breaking Bad" has robbed Cranston of the chance to make it four in a row and has taken Paul out of the running. And while some of the others could repeat, last year's ceremony reminded us that Emmy loves awarding new blood.

-- Tom O'Neil

RELATED

'Breaking Bad' tragedy: Bryan Cranston can't make Emmy history

Photo: Edie Falco defied the Emmy odds while competing for "The Soproanos," winning three times. She won last year for "Nurse Jackie." Can she repeat? Her toughest competition will be her Showtime costars Laura Linney ("The Big C") and Toni Collette ("United States of Tara"). Credit: Jason Merritt / Getty Images