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Behind the Headlines EMMY: THE RACE Last year, when I and the other jury members of the inaugural Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards convened to hash out the best nonfiction films of 2016, the most heated discussion wasn’t over the cinematic merits, storytelling prowess or even the social good of the documentaries released that year but something far more existential: What is a feature documentary? In particular, could O.J.: Made in America, seven hours and 43 minutes long and primarily watched as episodic installments on ESPN (although it did have a theatrical run and was shown at film festivals), be called a theatrical doc or should we relegate it to the TV/streaming category? We weren’t alone in asking this question. There was plenty of hand-wringing as O.J. tore through awards season,…
TV MOVIES Black Mirror: San Junipero (NETFLIX) ↑ The fourth episode of Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series was a critics’ darling — it’s at 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest of any nominee in this category. It’s also the only one to nab a writing nom. Netflix landed its first nom in this category in 2016 and has the resources to aggressively go after its first win this year. ↓ Mirror is the least fresh option in the category, having rolled out way back on Oct. 21. And at just 61 minutes, it’s the shortest of the lot. Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors (NBC) ↑ Everyone loves Parton, which is why NBC greenlighted this sequel to 2015’s Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, a story of faith and…
It is not common for a spinoff to supersede the original in the hearts of its biggest fans, but that’s the feat co-showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould continued to pull off for many viewers with season three of Better Call Saul. AMC’s quieter, less meth-y prequel to late Emmy icon Breaking Bad broke new and fertile creative ground with its character study of the McGill brothers — Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) and Chuck (Michael McKean) — as the narrative continued its collision course with the events of its parent series. (See the tantalizing addition of Giancarlo Esposito’s Gus Fring.) Gould explains the unique balancing act he’s doing at the show’s Albuquerque, New Mexico, set, where avoiding courtroom cliches can be a full-time job in and of itself. The most challenging…
It was only the conclusion of Breaking Bad that ended its Emmy streak, making way for a Game of Thrones dominance that never really allowed spinoff Better Call Saul a real chance. This year’s more open playing field will test affections for several series, most notably Gilligan’s beloved prequel. It is downright understated when stacked against the scope (Westworld) or buzz (The Handmaid’s Tale) of some fellow nominees, but the cachet of an auteur on Gilligan’s level should never be underestimated. If any non-first-year series stands a chance for a surprise win, it’s Saul, but all of that new blood is probably too strong for the third-year show to outshine.…
What Gilligan and Gould have done is take one of the funnier characters in the Breaking Bad world and relentlessly focused on the outside forces that took a flawed but wellmeaning and empathetic man and battered him to change. If the vast improvement in season two of this series proved anything, it was that Gilligan and Gould knew enough to build a broader world for the series beyond just Jimmy. Developing compelling stories, like the backstory of Breaking Bad character Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), was central because it gave Saul more layers and kept a connection to the grittier side of things that fueled Breaking Bad. The same can be said for the involvement of Rhea Seehorn as fellow lawyer and Jimmy’s love interest Kim Wexler and Michael McKean as…
Peter Morgan has a thing for the queen. After making an Oscarnominated film about Her Royal Highness (2006’s The Queen, starring Helen Mirren in the titular role) as well as a play (The Audience, again with Mirren), the British screenwriter turned to TV for The Crown. The big-budget Netflix drama follows Elizabeth II over several decades and has been a prestige coup for the streaming giant. The series landed a Golden Globe — as did breakout star Claire Foy for her portrayal of a young queen — and now it’s up for 10 Emmys. Ahead of the primetime ceremony in September, Morgan spoke with THR about all things royal. Given that several of your subjects still are living, what’s been the most challenging part of getting it right? They’re still…
