NEW FALL 2014 SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR

With the Emmys over, it’s time to look forward, at the new TV season 2014-15, starting September. As we wait for the new seasons of  the network shows to begin, check out these new shows, with their trailers, that you should look out for this fall...

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER | ABC

Premise: A law professor calls her criminal defense class ‘How to get away with murder’ and encourages her students to do anything it takes to get the job done.

What to look forward to: From Shonda Rhimes (GREY’S ANATOMY, SCANDAL), this one seems to take forward the very grey area that SCANDAL is always in, where very grey characters do very wrong things, but audiences are still expected to root for them. With MURDER, however, the absence of a political angle (and hopefully, that’s the way it’ll remain), the heightened drama might not seem that far-fetched, and the characters might still be relatable. Given Rhimes’ track record, this one will do well no matter how it turns out. It stars Oscar nominee Viola Davis in the lead.

Series Premiere: Thursday, September 25

Trailer: 

STATE OF AFFAIRS | NBC

Premise: A CIA operative, who reports to the President of the United State, must uncover truths about the killing of her boyfriend on foreign soil. The boyfriend was also the president’s son.

What to look forward to: With actresses GREY’S ANATOMY’s Katherine Heigl and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES’ Alfre Woodard taking the lead on this one, I have to consider this as more than just a regular politically-driven mystery drama. The trailer reveals that it will thrive on backstory in a big way, so it’s probably going to be tricky to maintain an appeal, even if it starts well, but I’m going to be open minded about it.

Series Premiere: Monday, November 17

Trailer: 

THE FLASH | The CW

Premise: The origins of DC’s superhero, the Flash. What else could one want to know!

What to look forward to: The trailer hints at a superhero series that will be fun and exciting. It even made me want to watch The CW’s other successful DC superhero show, ARROW. And they even seem to have cast the Flash perfectly. Grant Gustin will be great. However this turns out, it will definitely do well.
Series Premiere: Tuesday, October 7

Trailer: 

GOTHAM | Fox

Premise: Another adaptation of a DC superhero series, this one is a prequel to Batman, with a young Detective Gordon as the protagonist.

What to look forward to: It traces the incident that incited the creation of Batman—young Bruce Wayne’s parents being killed in front of him. With Detective Gordon promising Wayne that he will catch his parents' killer, the series will delve into how Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, etc. became the iconic Gotham city villains that we know them as. It stars THE O.C.’s Ben McKenzie as Gordon, and Jada Pinkett Smith, among others.

Series Premiere: Monday, September 22

Trailer: 

RED BAND SOCIETY | Fox

Premise: A story of a group of young hospital patients dealing with different medical conditions, who band together to form unlikely friendships

What to look forward to: From executive producer Steven Spielberg, this show is bound to make anyone feel things. It has a lot of heart and there’s something endearing and intriguing about the characters, which is evident even from the trailer. It’s a fresh, new concept and it could turn out to be an excellent series. It stars Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and BROTHERS AND SISTERS' Dave Annable.

Series Premiere: Wednesday, September 17

Trailer: 

A TO Z | NBC

Premise: The comprehensive account of the relationship between Andrew and Zelda from A to Z.

What to look forward to: It’s not the kind of sitcom that does well these days, but this differently-packaged romantic comedy might do well. The characters seem interesting, and it’s cast very well, with MAD MEN’s Ben Feldman and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’s Cristin Milioti in the lead. It’s got a very fresh appeal about it and I hope it turns out to be as nice as the trailer makes it look.

Series Premiere: Thursday, October 2

Trailer: 

GRACEPOINT | Fox

Premise: An adaptation of British series BROADCHURCH, this is about two detectives who investigate the death of a boy in a small seaside town in California, which affects the entire town in various ways.

What to look forward to: If it’s anything like the British original, this event series will be worth watching. The cast is also brilliant, with David Tennant, who also played the lead in BROADCHURCH, BREAKING BAD’s Emmy winner Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte, Kevin Zegers and Jackie Weaver.

Series Premiere: Thursday, October 2

Trailer: 

MULANEY | Fox

Premise: It’s based on the life of comedian John Mulaney, and tells the coming-of-age story of a young comedian, under the influence of his boss, roommates and neighbors.

What to look forward to: A fresh and strong take on workplace and friendship-based sitcoms, this one is bound to be entertaining, with some interesting, albeit caricature-esque characters. The stand-up comedy bit is bound to remind you of SEINFELD.

Series Premiere: Sunday, October 5

Trailer: 

SECRETS AND LIES | ABC

Premise: A man finds a neighborhood kid dead and is suspected of having murdered the kid. As things unfold, a lot of secrets and lies will be uncovered.

What to look forward to: The trailer has me feeling intrigued, because of the mystery. There could be some gripping storytelling that can come out of the premise, or it could fall flat like CBS’ ill-fated HOSTAGES last season. With Ryan Philippe, Juliette Lewis, PRIVATE PRACTICE’s KaDee Strickland starring, I hope it turns out to be good. But either way, the premise doesn’t offer the promise of longevity.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: 

EMPIRE | Fox

Premise: The patriarch of a music and drugs empire must choose which of his sons will succeed him, when he’s diagnosed with ALS. About the same time, his ex-wife is released from prison, and she claims her share of the empire.

What to look forward to: Starring Oscar nominees Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, this soapy drama will feature original and current music from the likes of Timbaland. It also offers the promise of some intense storylines and good character development.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: 

MADAM SECRETARY | CBS

Premise: A former CIA agent is offered the position of the Secretary of State of the United States and she takes it, following which, she encounters several challenges while playing the part.

What to look forward to: I’m not so convinced that the premise of the show is strong enough for it to do well. But it does keep things rather open for various storytelling opportunities. From the trailer, it seems like the writing is crisp, but one can only wait to know for sure. The cast is pretty impressive, including Tea Leoni, PRIVATE PRACTICE’s Tim Daly and Željko Ivanek.

Series Premiere: Sunday, September 21

Trailer: 

THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA | NBC

Premise: Laura is an NYPD homicide detective and a single mom. The way she works and parents her kids gives rise to various comedic situations.

What to look forward to: WILL AND GRACE’s Debra Messing gets a chance at another sitcom success. If the one liners are anything to go by, this show could be quite a laugh riot. Hopefully, it lives up to its trailer.

Series Premiere: Wednesday, September 24
Trailer:

AMERICAN CRIME | ABC

Premise: A couple is murdered, which triggers a series of events and revelations, drama and violence

What to look forward to: This show looks quite regular, in terms of its premise and theme—interracial tension, drug dealing, etc. However, I’d still give it a shot, mainly because it stars DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES’ Felicity Huffman.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: 

BATTLE CREEK | CBS

Premise: Despite their different world views, a detective and an FBI agent seek to clean up the semi-mean streets of Battle Creek, Michigan.

What to look forward to: A trailer hasn’t been released for this show yet. However, despite the fact that its premise isn’t groundbreaking, it’s still worth looking out for, because it’s from BREAKING BAD’s Vince Gilligan and HOUSE M.D.’s David Shore. BATTLE CREEK’s cast, including Josh Duhamel, Dean Winters and Kal Penn, is also quite impressive.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: not released yet

THE ODD COUPLE | CBS

Premise: A modern take on the 1965 Broadway comedy about polar opposite roommates.

What to look forward to: It stars FRIENDS’ Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon. The trailer is not out yet, but I hope this one is good and stays around for a while, especially since Perry has not had even one of his three shows since FRIENDS go beyond a first season.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: not released yet

ONE BIG HAPPY | NBC

Premise: A gay woman and her straight male best friend decide to have a baby together, and things get complicated when one of them finds the love of their life.

What to look forward to: It’s from executive producers Ellen DeGeneres and Liz Feldman. It stars HAPPY ENDINGS’ Elisha Curthbert and Nick Zano in the lead. The trailer is not out yet, but it sounds promising for sure.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: not released yet

WEIRD LONERS | Fox

Premise: A bunch of misfits living together in a townhouse.

What to look forward to: The premise sounds like one that could make for a really funny and endearing comedy. The cast, comprising HAPPY ENDINGS’ Zach Knighton, UGLY BETTY’s Becki Newton, Meeri Khumbhani, and MR. SUNSHINE’s Nate Torrence, leads me to believe that the execution would also have  a good outcome.

Series Premiere: mid-season

Trailer: not released yet

Which of these shows are you putting on your must-watch calendars. Share your views on the trailers you've just seen...

EMMYS 2014: A NEW RECORD FOR 'MODERN FAMILY' AND 'BREAKING BAD' GOES OUT WITH A BANG

The 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were all kinds of awesome, with very satisfactory results, a good host and a rather well-paced evening. Take a look at the highlights of the show...

The Emmys started with quite the burst of laughs, with the line-up of host Seth Meyers' opening full of relevant and topical references to television's glorious present, the emergence of Netflix, the broadcast vs. cable battle and digs that were made, at HBO, at the death of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER's titular mother, the GAME OF THRONES actors having no job security and THE BIG BANG THEORY's leading actors making $1 million per episode, were priceless. It was quite a way to begin the awards presentation, even if most of the meaty material of the evening was exhausted in the first segment itself. 

While some other presenters, such as Jimmy Fallon, went on to make less than funny jokes that fell flat, the interaction with the audience members such as Jon Hamm and Melissa McCarthy, didn’t strike the right chord either. However, Seth Meyers kept returning with bits of freshness, especially during his presentation with Andy Samberg. The worded medley of TV show themes that followed was quite entertaining, especially the GAME OF THRONES bit at the end. Andy Samberg as King Joffrey interrupting Lena Headey's presentation was hilarious. Among the other presenters that brought the house down were Ricky Gervais and Julia Roberts, despite the latter's delayed announcement of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

And that brings me to the results... I can honestly say that I do not remember the last time that I was this satisfied with the results of an awards show. BREAKING BAD won big, and deservedly so. Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn winning supporting actor and actress, respectively, was not a surprise, given their exceptional performances in the last few episodes of the series. 

However, Bryan Cranston's win definitely came as a surprise for many; not because he didn't deserve it (definitely not), but because everyone was pretty sure that Matthew McConaughey would win for TRUE DETECTIVE. Many even believed that TRUE DETECTIVE would win Outstanding Drama Series, but BREAKING BAD's amazing swan song was rewarded with the big prize instead.

The other big winner of the evening was MODERN FAMILY, and not just because it won Outstanding Comedy Series and Ty Burrell’s Outstanding Supporting Actor – Comedy win. The show's win for comedy series put it alongside FRASIER, becoming one of two shows that have won the highest number of Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series. MODERN FAMILY's fifth consecutive win in this category may have garnered polarized views, with people going 'yawn' or 'yay', but I think that it's a show that deserves to have that distinction, owing to its consistent quality year after year.

While jokes were made about broadcast vs. cable, Julianna Margulies, made a strong point, when accepting her well-deserved Emmy for THE GOOD WIFE. She said, “But truly, this belongs to [showrunners] Robert and Michelle King; all our writers, who never cease to amaze me with 22 episodes a year.” This made a strong point about how the show’s quality is at par with any of the cable (or Netflix) dramas that are considered among the finest on television, despite how the volume of material that a show like theirs produces is far more, sometimes even three times more, than what the cable shows produce. And it was actually refreshing that this time at the Emmys, even though no broadcast show was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, it turned out that they won as many awards as cable shows did in the main categories—outstanding series, acting (lead and supporting), and direction. I was pleasantly surprised by Allison Janney’s win for MOM. The nomination itself was a surprise, but for the Academy to have given her the award is quite commendable.

While several results were predictable—Jim Parsons for THE BIG BANG THEORY and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for VEEP, for instance—the Emmy winners were in no way undeserving. And regardless of the few moments of forced humor, it was a well-balanced show. The ‘In Memoriam’ section was kept short and sweet, yet allowing Billy Crystal to do justice to his tribute to Robin Williams, perhaps because of the criticism that the Emmys got last year for dragging it out. And if the results are as satisfying, to the point of being able to say that no one was really snubbed, then I’d say that it was a good Emmys! And of course, we'll always remember how Bryan Cranston reminded Julia Louis-Dreyfus of when they had worked together on SEINFELD, a long time ago!

Take a look at this list of some of the main winners and share your thoughts on the Emmys in the comments section below.

Outstanding Drama Series

BREAKING BAD 

DOWNTON ABBEY

GAME OF THRONES

HOUSE OF CARDS

MAD MEN

TRUE DETECTIVE

Outstanding Comedy Series

THE BIG BANG THEORY

LOUIE

MODERN FAMILY

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

SILICON VALLEY

VEEP

Lead Actor in a Drama

Bryan Cranston, BREAKING BAD

Jeff Daniels, THE NEWSROOM

Jon Hamm, MAD MEN

Woody Harrelson, TRUE DETECTIVE

Matthew McConaughey, TRUE DETECTIVE

Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS

Lead Actress in a Drama

Lizzy Caplan, MASTERS OF SEX

Claire Danes, HOMELAND

Michelle Dockery, DOWNTON ABBEY

Julianna Marguiles, THE GOOD WIFE

Kerry Washington, SCANDAL

Robin Wright, HOUSE OF CARDS

Lead Actor in a Comedy

Louis C.K., LOUIE

Don Cheadle, HOUSE OF LIES

Ricky Gervais, DEREK

Matt LeBlanc, EPISODES

William H. Macy, SHAMELESS

Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY

Lead Actress in a Comedy

Lena Dunham, GIRLS

Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP

Melissa McCarthy, MIKE & MOLLY

Amy Poehler, PARKS & RECREATION

Taylor Schilling, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Aaron Paul, BREAKING BAD

Jim Carter, DOWNTON ABBEY

Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES

Josh Charles, THE GOOD WIFE

Mandy Patinkin, HOMELAND

Jon Voight, RAY DONOVAN

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Anna Gunn, BREAKING BAD

Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

Joanne Froggatt, DOWNTON ABBEY

Lena Headey, GAME OF THRONES

Christine Baranski, THE GOOD WIFE

Christina Hendricks, MAD MEN

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Adam Driver, GIRLS

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, MODERN FAMILY

Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY

Fred Armisen, PORTLANDIA

Tony Hale, VEEP

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Mayim Bialik, THE BIG BANG THEORY

Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY

Allison Janney, MOM

Kate Mulgrew, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Anna Chlumsky, VEEP

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE ("Farewell Daddy Blues"), Tim Van Patten

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

DOWNTON ABBEY ("Episode 1"), David Evans

GAME OF THRONES ("The Watchers on the Wall"), Neil Marshall

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Carl Franklin

TRUE DETECTIVE ("Who Goes There"), Cary Joji Fukunaga

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 309"), Iain B. MacDonald

GLEE ("100"), Paris Barclay

LOUIS ("Elevator, Part 6"), Louis C.K.

MODERN FAMILY ("Vegas"), Gail Mancuso

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("Lesbian Request Denied"), Jodie Foster

SILICON VALLEY ("Minimum Viable Product"), Mike Judge

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

BREAKING BAD ("Ozymandias"), Moira Walley-Beckett

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

GAME OF THRONES ("The Children"), David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Beau Willimon

TRUE DETECTIVE ("The Secret Fate of All Life"), Nic Pizzolatto

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 305"), David Crane

LOUIE ("So Did The Fat Lady"), Louis C.K.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("I Wasn't Ready"), Jenji Kohan and Liz Friedman

SILICON VALLEY ("Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency"), Alec Berg

VEEP ("Special Relationship"), Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, and Armando Iannucci

Photo courtesy: Academy Of Television Arts And Sciences, NBC

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PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS PREDICTIONS 2014

Let’s look at some of the main categories of the 66th annual Primetime Emmys and take a stab at who'll win this time

Outstanding Drama Series

BREAKING BAD (2013 winner)

DOWNTON ABBEY

GAME OF THRONES

HOUSE OF CARDS

MAD MEN

TRUE DETECTIVE

BREAKING BAD should win. I would be happy to see MAD MEN or DOWNTON ABBEY winning, but I doubt that they will. (MAD MEN would break a record if it were to win, becoming the drama series with the maximum number of Emmy wins for Outstanding Drama Series.) I somehow don’t think HOUSE OF CARDS or GAME OF THRONES stand a chance either. I think it’s between BREAKING BAD and TRUE DETECTIVE this year. I hope the former wins.

Outstanding Comedy Series

THE BIG BANG THEORY

LOUIE

MODERN FAMILY (2013winner)

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

SILICON VALLEY

VEEP

I would be thrilled to see MODERN FAMILY win for a fifth consecutive year, after winning this award for all of its previous seasons. New entrant ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK could upset that, and there’s a strong possibility that it might. I would be happy even if THE BIG BANG THEORY finally wins this prize, but I have a gut feeling that it will be MODERN FAMILY again this year. If that does happen, MODERN FAMILY will match FRASIER’s record of being a show that (will have) won the maximum Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series (five).

Lead Actor in a Drama

Bryan Cranston, BREAKING BAD

Jeff Daniels, THE NEWSROOM (2013 winner)

Jon Hamm, MAD MEN

Woody Harrelson,
TRUE DETECTIVE

Matthew McConaughey,
TRUE DETECTIVE

Kevin Spacey,
HOUSE OF CARDS

Bryan Cranston should win this time, especially since he lost out last year, even though he has won thrice before. I doubt any of the others stand a chance against him, except for Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, who, I think will take it away.

Lead Actress in a Drama

Lizzy Caplan, MASTERS OF SEX

Claire Danes, HOMELAND (2013 winner)

Michelle Dockery,
DOWNTON ABBEY

Julianna Marguiles,
THE GOOD WIFE

Kerry Washington, SCANDAL

Robin Wright,
HOUSE OF CARDS

Robin Wright is the strongest contender in this category, given how she delivered the scenes in which Claire Underwood is dealing with demons from her past. Kerry Washington is a popular favorite, but I hope her overacting in SCANDAL doesn’t get recognized. Claire Danes could make a hat-trick of her Emmy Wins for HOMELAND, especially for her performance through Brody’s death in the most recent season of the show. I would be most happy to see Julianna Margulies win for her restrained, but strong delivery of Alicia dealing with loss on THE GOOD WIFE, and she could win (she’s won before too). I think it’ll be either Margulies or Wright.

Lead Actor in a Comedy

Louis C.K., LOUIE

Don Cheadle, HOUSE OF LIES

Ricky Gervais, DEREK

Matt LeBlanc, EPISODES

William H. Macy, SHAMELESS

Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY (2013 winner)

Jim Parsons should win again, especially because of his portrayal of Sheldon’s reaction to all the changes taking place with people around him, and him kissing Amy, earlier in the show’s most recent season. However, I think that William H. Macy could take it away this year. SHAMELESS is a new entrant in the comedy categories this year (it was in drama before), and that probably ups his chances of being recognized for his outstanding work on the show. I would be most happy to see Matt LeBlanc win though.

Lead Actress in a Comedy

Lena Dunham, GIRLS

Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE

Julia Louis-Dreyfus,
VEEP (2013 winner)

Melissa McCarthy,
MIKE & MOLLY

Amy Poehler,
PARKS & RECREATION

Taylor Schilling, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Julia Louis-Dreyfus could win again, as the Academy doesn’t shy away from repeating winners year after year, and she would be a deserving recipient. This year, however, I think it’ll be Taylor Schilling, even though Amy Poehler might be a popular favorite.

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Aaron Paul, BREAKING BAD

Jim Carter, DOWNTON ABBEY

Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES

Josh Charles, THE GOOD WIFE

Mandy Patinkin, HOMELAND

Jon Voight, RAY DONOVAN

Aaron Paul should definitely win this time, after he missed out last year, and he has won before. I would be surprised if Josh Charles wins, even though his performance through his last few episodes on THE GOOD WIFE was excellent, because the Academy has largely neglected the greatness of the show’s most recent season in their nominations. Aaron Paul is the most deserving, and I think he will win.

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Anna Gunn, BREAKING BAD (2013 winner)

Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

Joanne Froggatt, DOWNTON ABBEY

Lena Headey, GAME OF THRONES

Christine Baranski, THE GOOD WIFE

Christina Hendricks, MAD MEN

Anna Gunn could very well win again, and the Academy is known to repeatedly reward performers’ consistency. However, I think this year, it should be Christine Baranski or Joanne Froggatt, especially the latter. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lena Headey takes it away.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Adam Driver, GIRLS

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, MODERN FAMILY

Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY

Fred Armisen, PORTLANDIA

Tony Hale, VEEP (2013winner)

I don’t think Tony Hale’s performance was exceptionally good, over and above what won him the award last year, so I doubt he’ll win again. I think this one should go to Andre Braugher, but considering the Academy’s lack of recognition towards BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, I think this year, it’ll be Fred Armisen.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Mayim Bialik, THE BIG BANG THEORY

Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY

Allison Janney, MOM

Kate Mulgrew, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Anna Chlumsky, VEEP

Julie Bowen has won before, and she could win again, but I think this year, it’ll go to Kate Mulgrew. However, I think Mayim Bialik should win. Her performance through Amy and Sheldon’s slow-moving relationship gathering momentum in the most recent season of THE BIG BANG THEORY deserves a win.

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE ("Farewell Daddy Blues"), Tim Van Patten

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

DOWNTON ABBEY ("Episode 1"), David Evans

GAME OF THRONES ("The Watchers on the Wall"), Neil Marshall

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Carl Franklin (2013 winner)

TRUE DETECTIVE ("Who Goes There"), Cary Joji Fukunaga

BREAKING BAD should win this for sure. The series finale (“Felina”) was extraordinarily executed by show creator Vince Gilligan. I doubt HOUSE OF CARDS will win this year, as “Chapter 14” lacked the quality that any of its episodes from last season had. TRUE DETECTIVE stands a strong chance. If anything, this series had some excellent direction.

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 309"), Iain B. MacDonald

GLEE ("100"), Paris Barclay

LOUIS ("Elevator, Part 6"), Louis C.K.

MODERN FAMILY ("Vegas"), Gail Mancuso (2013 winner)

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("Lesbian Request Denied"), Jodie Foster

SILICON VALLEY ("Minimum Viable Product"), Mike Judge

The chaos in the situational comedy in “Episode 309” (EPISODES) and “Vegas” (MODERN FAMILY) makes me want to see one of them winning this one. If it has to be one of the two, the Academy favorite will most likely win. However, I won’t be surprised if ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK takes this one away.

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

BREAKING BAD ("Ozymandias"), Moira Walley-Beckett

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

GAME OF THRONES ("The Children"), David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Beau Willimon

TRUE DETECTIVE ("The Secret Fate of All Life"), Nic Pizzolatto

Last year’s winner, HOMELAND didn’t make it to the list this year, but BREAKING BAD’s two nominations in this category push me to think that it will probably win, not just because its chances are higher statistically, but mainly because of the two episodes nominated. The series finale, “Felina”, was a work of art, with every silent moment doing so much of the storytelling. Directing and performance could achieve that only with the excellent foundation of Gilligan’s good writing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the other one wins too. “Ozymandias” was the one in which Hank Schrader dies.

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 305"), David Crane

LOUIS ("So Did The Fat Lady"), Louis C.K.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("I Wasn't Ready"), Jenji Kohan and Liz Friedman

SILICON VALLEY ("Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency"), Alec Berg

VEEP ("Special Relationship"), Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, and Armando Iannucci

Last year, 30 ROCK won this category. I would like to see EPISODES take away this one, or even VEEP, but given all the buzz surrounding Netflix’s ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, I think it’ll be the one to win.


This post also appeared on TheLabel.in.