Tag: American Horror Story

Event series now part of TV culture

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 15, 2015.

Blink and you’ll miss them.

“Gracepoint.” “The Slap.” And, to an extent, “Marvel’s Agent Carter” (the ABC show might return for a second season, though it’s up in the air).

What is with all these “event series”? Which, by the way, is basically a fancy term for “miniseries.”

TV networks are airing seven- to 10-episode series, with events concluding by the last episode.

Why now? I can think of two reasons: “American Horror Story” and “True Detective.”

These shows have captivated audiences, and even though they air for multiple seasons, they are a different show each time, with new cast members and premises.

Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (of “Glee” fame) have churned out four seasons of “American Horror Story,” each in a different location but always with lots of thrills. Season 5, surrounding a hotel, has nabbed Lady Gaga as a star.

“True Detective” brought Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey to the small screen, alongside Woody Harrelson. Audiences were drawn to the mystery, and both actors received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their work. Season 2 will star Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams.

With these shows drawing in viewers and big-name stars, it’s no wonder other networks are following suit.

Most movie actors have little desire to commit to a TV show since it could last many years. But an event series is a short-term commitment, leaving actors free to pursue other projects.

Uma Thurman was on NBC’s “The Slap.” Anna Gunn was on “Gracepoint.” But now they can dive in to other roles.

A 10-episode show is a short-term commitment for a viewer, too. I watched all eight episodes of “The Slap” over the course of a few days.

With Netflix and Hulu feeding the binge-watching phenomenon, networks have to adapt, hence the event series.

Not every show will work as an event series, but the concept is here to stay.

Emmy nominations 2014: ‘Modern Family’ up for fifth win, ‘Orphan Black’ snubbed

In preparation for Sunday’s 2016 Emmys, here is a blog about the 2014 Emmys, originally published on elkharttruth.com on July 10, 2014.

It’s summer TV time, but it’s also Emmys time.

The Emmy nominations for 2014 were announced Thursday, July 10, and as usual, there were obvious choices and total snubs.

Here’s my breakdown of this year’s nominations:

Surprise nominations

While “Mad Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Breaking Bad” and this year’s season of “American Horror Story” are obvious returning nominations, there were a few unexpected twists.

“Bonnie and Clyde” was nominated for best miniseries. Considering many critics didn’t love the A&E, History and Lifetime show, which was plagued with historical inaccuracies, it was a shock to see it receive a nomination. It won’t win, though. The race will be between “American Horror Story: Coven,” and Billy Bob Thornton’s “Fargo.”

Melissa McCarthy is nominated for her work on “Mike & Molly.” Out of all the comedic actresses, I think there were other choices from shows more people are watching.

Biggest snubs

Andy Samberg, who (surprisingly) won the Golden Globe for his role on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” was left out of the Emmy race. The Fox comedy wasn’t nominated either.

“The Good Wife” received many deserved acting nominations, including Julianna Margulies 10th overall Emmy nomination — she had won once for “ER” in 1995 and once for “The Good Wife” in 2011, but the CBS show was left off the best drama category. Considering its rise to Sunday TV gold this season, I figured it would be a shoo-in for a nomination.

But perhaps the biggest snub of all was the omission of “Orphan Black.” It’s a show that may not appeal to everyone, but Tatiana Maslany plays multiple clones. Multiple! How does that not deserve a lead actress nomination?

“Modern Family” again?

The ABC comedy is up for outstanding comedy series for the fifth year in a row.

It’s been nominated every year it’s been eligible, and it’s won every year so far.

Will the show take the win again? It could happen. “Modern Family” showcased touching moments that still turn out a laugh, including Cam and Mitchell’s (played by Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson) wedding in the season 5 finale.

But I think a new show could take over, and with “Orange is the New Black” and “Silicon Valley” being first-time nominees, I expect the reign of “Modern Family” to end.

The conundrum of “Orange is the New Black” nominations

In its first year of eligibility, “Orange is the New Black,” the hit Netflix prison dramedy, snagged a decent amount of nominations. That’s no surprise, considering how popular and acclaimed the show is.

But what is surprising is what categories in which the actresses were nominated. Taylor Schilling (Piper) is in the lead actress category, with Kate Mulgrew (Red) is the supporting actress category.

Three actresses, however, are nominated in the guest actress category. Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox have been lumped together with Tina Fey (“Saturday Night Live”), Melissa McCarthy (“SNL”) and Joan Cusack (“Shameless”).

The last three are guest actresses for those shows. But the OITNB stars, while not the leading actresses, are certainly more than guest actresses. Aduba is credited with being in 37 of the show’s 39 episodes, and Lyonne is credited with being in every episode on IMDb. They had standout and background moments. The characters are key to the story, so to only put them in the guest actress seems a bit strange.

The Emmys will air at 8 p.m. Aug. 25 on NBC. The show will be hosted by Seth Meyers.

What do you think? What were your surprises and snubs?