I know we normally do “My Favorite Scene” on Tuesdays, but I felt like putting up a Monday morning laugh. For the defining sitcoms of my teens and early twenties, I had Frasier and Friends, the latter of which was more pertinent to my life as my friends have been the story of mine, so a sitcom about a tightly knit group of them trying to figure out how to be adults (and failing miserably often as we so often all do, was my favorite). There are so many hysterical moments over the show’s run, but one of my favorites is just a stupid moment when Chandler and Rachel are trying to help Ross move a couch up the stairs to his new apartment (the use of friends as slave labor is pretty much what a “contractor” is in your twenties). It’s hysterically set up, but it’s David Schwimmer’s manic screaming of ‘PIVOT!” that absolutely slays me when I rewatch the clip. Not just me either. They had to do this scene a LOT, because Schwimmer’s PIVOT scream was causing them all to lose it as you can see in this retrospective/blooper.
CBS has dominated broadcast television now for nearly 15 years. It’s been the #1 network in 13 of the last 15 years, and the last eight in a row. Personally, I think CBS has a formula, sticks to it, franchises the bejeebers out of it, and it honestly bores me. Its best drama, The Good Wife, has ended. The Big Bang Theory was awesome, but as much as I still love Sheldon & Co., they are years past their expiration date. I’m not particularly interested in any of the new shows. Kevin James, Matt Le Blanc, Katherine Heigl, Joel McHale and other have new vehicles as well as TV reboots of Training Day and MacGyver. Coming Soon has all the details below, thank God for them, and have analyzed everything in detail.
CBS today unveiled its 2016-2017 primetime lineup, featuring three new comedies, five new dramas and 21 returning series. The new series will join a lineup that will finish the current season as America’s most-watched network in viewers for the 13th time in 14 years, including the last eight years straight. The network will also finish #1 in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.
The CBS 2016 – 2017 programming will expand its comedy lineup, increasing the number of comedies from four to eight, compared to last fall, and programming two two-hour blocks on Mondays and Thursdays.
The network’s new series will feature stars in comedy and drama such as Kevin James, Matt LeBlanc, Joel McHale, Michael Weatherly, Katherine Heigl, Dermot Mulroney, Laverne Cox, Dulé Hill and Bill Paxton.
While Limitless is not mentioned in today’s announcement, CBS says it’s not yet cancelled and is shopping it to other cable and digital outlets.
The new fall comedies are: Kevin Can Wait, starring Kevin James as a newly retired police officer who faces tougher challenges at home with his wife and three kids than he ever did on the streets; Man with a Plan, starring Golden Globe Award winner Matt LeBlanc as a contractor who starts spending more time with his kids when his wife goes back to work and discovers the truth every parent eventually realizes: his little angels are maniacs; and The Great Indoors, starring Joel McHale as a renowned adventure reporter for an outdoor magazine who becomes the desk-bound boss to a group of eager millennials in the publication’s digital edition.
The new fall dramas are: Bull, starring Michael Weatherly as a brilliant and charming trial consultant; the action-adventure drama MacGyver, an origin story of the classic series starring Lucas Till and George Eads; and Pure Genius, starring Dermot Mulroney and Augustus Prew in a medical drama about a Silicon Valley billionaire superstar who enlists the world’s best medical minds to work in his state-of-the-art hospital.
Two new series also set to premiere in 2016-2017 are: Training Day, a crime drama that begins 15 years after the events of the successful feature film, starring Bill Paxton as a hardened, morally ambiguous detective for the LAPD, and Justin Cornwell as a young, idealistic officer tapped to go undercover as his trainee to spy on him; and the legal drama Doubt, starring Katherine Heigl, Steven Pasquale, Dulé Hill and Laverne Cox, about an attorney who begins to fall for her charismatic client accused of murdering his girlfriend.
The 21 returning shows for the CBS 2016 – 2017 season are dramas NCIS, television’s #1 drama for seven consecutive seasons; Blue Bloods and Madam Secretary, the #1 broadcast dramas on Friday and Sunday, respectively; time-period winners Code Black, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Elementary, Hawaii Five-0, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans; Monday night’s most-watched drama, Scorpion; and Criminal Minds. The comedies are The Big Bang Theory, television’s #1 comedy for the past six years; Life in Pieces, this season’s #1 new comedy; the critically-acclaimed Mom, The Odd Couple and 2 Broke Girls.
The returning reality series are the Emmy Award-winning programs Survivor, The Amazing Race and Undercover Boss.
In news, CBS will return 60 Minutes, television’s #1 news program for nearly five decades, and Saturday’s most-watched program and time period winner 48 Hours.
In addition to the new shows and 21 established series, NFL Thursday Night Football returns to CBS’s #1 primetime lineup for the third consecutive year with five early-season games. The Thursday broadcasts kick off on Sept. 15 with New York Jets at Buffalo Bills.
THE NEW FALL COMEDIES:
KEVIN CAN WAIT stars Kevin James as a newly retired police officer looking forward to spending carefree, quality time with his wife and three kids, only to discover he faces tougher challenges at home than he ever did on the streets. Kevin’s retirement plans consist of chilling with his family and having epic adventures with fellow retirees Goody (Leonard Earl Howze), his former partner and close friend, and Duffy (Lenny Venito), his oldest pal, as well as his brother, Kyle (Gary Valentine), a fireman whose closest encounter with a blaze would be a grease fire in the firehouse kitchen. However, Kevin’s dream is jeopardized when he discovers that Donna (Erinn Hayes), his wonderful wife of 20 years, has shielded him from key family info while he worked overtime protecting the community. Their usually reliable eldest, Kendra (Taylor Spreitler), is dropping out of college so she can support her unemployed fiancé, Chale (Ryan Cartwright), while he designs the next “big app”; his teenage daughter, Sara (Mary-Charles Jones), is having issues at school; and their youngest, Jack (James DiGiacomo), is a bit of a hypochondriac. For now, his plans for a cushy life will have to wait, because Kevin has work to do, and this time, his family is his beat. Bruce Helford, Rock Reuben, Kevin James, Jeff Sussman and Andy Fickman are executive producers for CBS Television Studios in association with Sony Pictures Television. Fickman directed the pilot.
MAN WITH A PLAN stars Golden Globe Award winner Matt LeBlanc in a comedy about a contractor who starts spending more time with his kids when his wife goes back to work and discovers the truth every parent eventually realizes: their little angels are maniacs. Adam (LeBlanc) feels fully equipped to take on more parenting responsibilities while his self-assured wife, Andi, returns to the work force after being a stay at home mom for 13 years. However, Adam’s blindsided by how tough it is to wrangle three messy kids who can’t live without Wi-Fi. Their pre-teen daughter, Kate (Grace Kaufman), is a master manipulator and initially thrilled that “daddy fun times” is taking over, middle child Teddy (Matthew McCann) can’t seem to keep his hands out of his pants despite constant reminders, and their precious youngest, Emme (Hala Finley), is nervous about starting kindergarten. But with Andi’s encouragement and advice from a couple of equally stressed parents, Marie (Jessica Chaffin) and Lowell (Matt Cook), Adam takes charge of his brood, lays down the law and discovers he’s going to “nail” this job. Jeff & Jackie Filgo, Matt LeBlanc, Michael Rotenberg and Troy Zien are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Multiple Emmy Award winner James Burrows directed the pilot.
THE GREAT INDOORS stars Joel McHale in a comedy about a renowned adventure reporter for an outdoor magazine who must adapt to the times when he becomes the desk-bound boss to a group of millennials in the digital department of the publication. Jack has led a thrilling “outdoorsy” life exploring the edges of the earth while chronicling his adventures for Outdoor Limits. But his globe-trotting days end when the magazine’s charismatic founder and outdoor legend, Roland (Stephen Fry), announces the publication’s move to web-only and assigns Jack to supervise their online team of “journalists.” Jack’s eager 20-something colleagues include Clark (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a tech nerd who knows everything about surviving on Mars and a zombie apocalypse; Emma (Christine Ko), their social media expert who views Jack as the human version of dial-up; and Mason (Shaun Brown), a hipster-lumberjack who hasn’t spent any actual time outside. Jack reports to Roland’s daughter, Brooke (Susannah Fielding), an ex-flame who caters to the sensitive staffers by giving them all trophies just for working hard. Jack’s best friend, Eddie (Chris Williams), runs the local dive bar that’s popular with the younger set and helps Jack “decode” his co-workers. Jack is baffled by the world of click-bait and listicles, but if he’s patient, he may be able to show these kids that the outside world is much more than something on a screen… if he doesn’t beat them with their selfie-sticks first. Mike Gibbons, Chris Harris and multiple Emmy Award winner Andy Ackerman are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Ackerman directed the pilot.
THE NEW FALL DRAMAS:
BULL stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick. Bull employs an enviable team of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation to shape successful narratives down to the very last detail. They include his quick-witted brother-in-law, Benny Colón (Freddy Rodriguez), who plays a defense attorney in mock trials; Marissa Morgan (Geneva Carr), a cutting-edge neurolinguistics expert from the Department of Homeland Security; former NYPD detective Danny James (Jaime Lee Kirchner), the firm’s tough but relatable investigator; haughty millennial hacker Cable McCrory (Annabelle Attanasio), who is responsible for gathering cyber intelligence; and Chunk Palmer (Chris Jackson), a fashion-conscious stylist and former All-American lineman who fine tunes clients’ appearances for trial. In high-stakes trials, Bull’s combination of remarkable insight into human nature, three Ph.D.’s and a top-notch staff creates winning strategies that tip the scales of justice in his clients’ favor. Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Jay McGraw, Mark Goffman and Rodrigo Garcia are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Garcia directed the pilot.
MACGYVER, a reimagining of the classic series, is an action-adventure drama about 20-something Angus “Mac” MacGyver (Lucas Till) who creates a clandestine organization within the U.S. government where he uses his extraordinary talent for unconventional problem solving and vast scientific knowledge to save lives. Joining his team on high-risk missions around the globe is maverick former CIA agent Lincoln (George Eads). Under the aegis of the Department of External Affairs, MacGyver takes on the responsibility of saving the world, armed to the teeth with resourcefulness and little more than bubble gum and a paper clip. Peter Lenkov, Golden Globe Award winner Henry Winkler, Lee Zlotoff, James Wan and Michael Clear are executive producers for CBS Television Studios in association with Lionsgate.
PURE GENIUS is a cutting-edge medical drama about a young Silicon Valley tech titan who enlists an exceptional veteran surgeon with a controversial past to run a state-of-the-art hospital with an ultramodern approach to medicine. Billionaire genius James Bell (Augustus Prew) built Bunker Hill Hospital determined to revolutionize healthcare and treat the rarest and most challenging medical mysteries, at no charge. Bell persuades maverick surgeon Dr. Walter Wallace (Dermot Mulroney) to be his Chief of Staff, who believed medicine is a human endeavor, not technological, until a “eureka” moment at the hospital convinced him otherwise. Bell’s team of trailblazers includes Dr. Zoe Brockett (Odette Annable), an exceptional, fearlessly frank physician; Dr. Talaikha Channarayapatra (Reshma Shetty), an idealistic, maddeningly literal neurosurgeon who believes the hospital is a beacon for change; Dr. Malik Verlaine (Aaron Jennings), a former gangbanger now spearheading efforts to provide 24/7 health monitoring in poor neighborhoods via computer; Dr. Scott Strauss (Ward Horton), an intense neurologist with an Ivy league pedigree; and Angie Cheng (Brenda Song), an enthusiastic 3-D printer programming whiz. At Bunker Hill, Bell pairs the most brilliant minds in medicine with the most forward thinkers in technology, and cuts bureaucracy out of the equation, all in the interest of saving lives, including his own. Jason Katims, Michelle Lee and David Semel are executive producers for Universal Television in association with CBS Television Studios. Semel directed the pilot.
NEW SERIES FOR LATER THIS SEASON:
TRAINING DAY is a crime thriller that begins 15 years after the events of the feature film, about a young, idealistic police officer who is tapped to go undercover in an elite squad of the LAPD where he partners with a veteran, morally ambiguous detective. Detective Frank Rourke (Bill Paxton) is the maverick head of the Special Investigation Section (S.I.S.) that hunts the city’s most dangerous criminals, and is one of the finest investigators the department has ever produced. However, when the LAPD brass notices Rourke’s penchant for operating in a gray area to fight the war on crime, they assign Kyle Craig (Justin Cornwell), a heroic, untarnished cop, to pose as Frank’s trainee to spy on him and report on his off-book methods. The members of Frank’s loyal team include Rebecca Lee (Katrina Law), a formidable officer with killer aim and a dark past, and Tommy Campbell (Drew Van Acker), a former pro surfer who follows Frank’s orders without hesitation. Providing Frank with intel is his girlfriend, Holly Butler (Julie Benz), a well-connected, unapologetic Hollywood madam. While LAPD Deputy Chief Joy Lockhart (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) coolly puts Kyle in danger in her mission to take down Frank, Kyle’s schoolteacher wife, Alyse (Lex Scott Davis), worries her husband’s resolve to avenge the murder of his father, a cop, may be his undoing. As Frank starts teaching his principled trainee the way of the streets, where the ends often justify the means, they form an uneasy alliance that will irrevocably change the course of both their lives. Based on the feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. Jerry Bruckheimer, Antoine Fuqua, Will Beall, Barry Schindel, Jonathan Littman and Danny Cannon are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Fuqua Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. Cannon directed the pilot.
DOUBT stars Katherine Heigl as Sadie Ellis, a brilliant attorney at a boutique firm who starts to fall for her charismatic client, Billy Brennan (Steven Pasquale), an altruistic pediatric surgeon recently accused of murdering his girlfriend 24 years ago. Sadie is hiding her growing feelings from everyone, including her close friend and colleague, Albert Cobb (Dulé Hill), who thinks he knows everything about her. Working on other cases at the practice is Cameron Wirth (Laverne Cox), a transgender Ivy League graduate who fights passionately for her clients since she’s experienced injustice first hand; Tiffany Simon (Dreama Walker), a second-year associate who is quickly learning the ropes from Wirth; and Nick (Kobi Libii), a former felon who earned his degree while serving time. They all consider it a privilege to work for Isaiah Roth (Elliott Gould), a revered legal lion and “lefty” legend, whose approval is their holy grail. Sadie’s decision to become involved with her client could put her career, as well as her happiness, at risk if Billy is found guilty, which means she needs to work all the harder to prove reasonable doubt, even if she has some herself. Tony Phelan & Joan Rater, Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein, Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Bernstein directed the pilot.
CBS 2016-2017 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, RTP=Regular Time Period, NTP=New Time Period)
All Times ET/PT
MONDAY 8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY 8:30-9:00 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT (N) 8:00-8:30 PM KEVIN CAN WAIT (RTP) (Starting in October) 8:30-9:00 PM MAN WITH A PLAN (N) (Starting in October) 9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (NTP) 9:30-10:00 PM THE ODD COUPLE (NTP) 10:00-11:00 PM SCORPION (NTP)
THURSDAY 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/5:00-8:00 PM, PT NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (Premieres Sept. 15) 8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (RTP) (Starting Oct. 27) 8:30-9:00 PM THE GREAT INDOORS (N) (Starting Oct. 27) 9:00-9:30 PM MOM (Starting Oct. 27) 9:30-10:00 PM LIFE IN PIECES (NTP) (Starting Oct. 27) 10:00-11:00 PM PURE GENIUS (N) (Starting Oct. 27)
FRIDAY 8:00-9:00 PM MACGYVER (N) 9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards this morning (because it’s not a busy time entertainment-wise). Peruse the nominees below along with the KT pick in each category, then tune in to watch the show, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, on Sunday, September 22 on CBS. Overall, I have to say, the nominations are pretty dead on this year.
Outstanding Drama Series Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production
Game Of Thrones • HBO
Homeland • Showtime
House Of Cards • Netflix
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television KT Pick: As strong a group as you’ll ever find. Tough call, but Breaking Bad.
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • CBS
Girls • HBO
Louie • FX Networks
Modern Family • ABC
30 Rock • NBC
Veep • HBO KT Pick: 30 Rock as a farewell to an amazing series, plus Modern Family was a bit off its standard this season.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Jeff Daniels, Newsroom KT Pick: Again, impossible to go wrong in this group. It’s criminal that Jon Hamm hasn’t won for Mad Men, but it also seems wrong not to give it to Bryan Cranston every year. However, Kevin Spacey ate the screen alive in House of Cards and carried that show in a way none of the others did and should take home the Emmy. Netflix is getting Emmy nominations. We live in Bizzarroland.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Claire Danes, Homeland
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men
Kerry Washington, Scandal KT Pick: Claire Danes won last year and should this year; awesome that Scandal got some recognition.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louie C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock KT Pick: Baldwin one last time for creating one of my favorite TV characters of all-time: Jack Donaghy.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series Laura Dern, Enlightened
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep KT Pick: Give Amy Poehler a freaking Emmy! I don’t know why Parks and Rec gets no Emmy love. To not even nominate it when the state of TV comedy is at the lowest point in my lifetime, is ludicrous. I’ll be ok if Tina Fey gets it for not only starring, but creating, writing, producing and casting 30 Rock for seven years, but otherwise POEHLER!
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
Toby Jones, The Girl
Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End
Al Pacino, Phil Spector KT Pick: That’s a lot of star power for an Emmy category, proving that TV is eclipsing movies (in drama at least). I’ll be honest, I’ve seen none of these, but a founding principle in the Killing Time Charter of Behavior (not available, don’t ask) is that we root for Benedict Cumberbatch in all things. The year of Cumberbatchian dominance continues (though he’s facing 3 Oscar winners and an Oscar nominee so those aren’t betting odds)!
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum Laura Linney, The Big C
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Elizabeth Moss, Top of the Lake KT Pick: How is AHS not an ongoing series? Again, haven’t seen any of them and I have no fundamental guiding doctrine on these actresses, so I’ll say Elizabeth Moss because she’s never going to win for Mad Men.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad Jim Carter, Downton Abbey Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones Mandy Patinkin, Homeland KT Pick: Mandy Patinkin is the best thing about Homeland, but if Aaron Paul or Peter Dinklage win, that’s perfectly fine with me.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men KT Pick: I always want Maggie Smith to win everything she’s nominated for, but Christina Hendricks is fricking due. I usually have a problem with the Emmys and the comedy nominations are dismal, but they’ve nailed drama this year. Everyone here is stellar.
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series Nathan Lane, The Good Wife
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
Rupert Friend, Homeland
Robert Morse, Mad Men
Harry Hamlin, Mad Men
Dan Bucatinsky, Scandal KT Pick: Michael J. Fox’s recurring character on The Good Wife is always the season highlight.
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series Margo Martindale, The Americans
Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones
Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
Linda Cardellini, Mad Men
Jan Fonda, Newsroom
Joan Cusack, Shameless KT Pick: I think Linda Cardellini has this one pretty much sewn up.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series Adam Sackler, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Tony Hale, Veep KT Pick: No Eric Stonestreet for Modern Family too? Really the whole cast deserves to be nominated every year, but it’s Ed O’Neill’s turn to win one.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Lynch, Glee
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Merritt Weaver, Nurse Jackie
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Anna Chlumsky, Veep KT Pick: Same as the men, but it’s Sofia Vergara’s turn. Nice to see Jane Krakowski get a nod. Are there people not exhausted by Jane Lynch still?
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory
Nathan Lane, Modern Family
Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live
Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live
Will Forte, 30 Rock KT Pick: Justin Timberlake has somehow turned into the best SNL host of the last decade….it’s an odd world we live in, this.
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series Molly Shannon, Enlightened
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Melissa Leo, Louie
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock KT Pick: Elaine Stritch’s turn as Alec Baldwin’s mother has been one of the best things about 30 Rock over the entire show. Can’t deny her. I’d be afraid to. The woman is terrifying.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum
Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum
Scott Bakula, Behind the Candelabra
John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C
Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake KT Picks: Emmy for Spock, please!
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum
Imelda Staunton, The Girl
Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals
Charlotte Rampling, Restless
Alfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias KT Picks: I have not seen the nominees other than AHS so Sarah Paulson it is.
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program American Idol
Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
The Taste KT Picks: Give Betty White anything she wants. The woman’s had the best back 20 years of a century of anyone in television history. She’s the Christopher Lee of TV.
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program The Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars Project Runway So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice KT Picks: It’s won this category every year but once since it was invented and it’s won it for a reason. Amazing Race!!!
Outstanding Variety Series The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live KT Picks: SNL had a rough year and I’d rather see Letterman here, but The Daily Show and Colbert Report both operate at a level of outstanding writing and comedy far beyond the rest.
Outstanding Miniseries Or Movie American Horror Story: Asylum • FX Networks
Behind The Candelabra • HBO
The Bible • HISTORY
Phil Spector • HBO
Political Animals • USA
Top Of The Lake • Sundance Channel KT Picks: AHS. I find the possibility of The Bible getting an Emmy kind of hilarious. Perhaps it’s because I’ve grown up with it, but it’s like the Oxford Dictionary winning an Oscar to me.
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series Breaking Bad • Dead Freight
Breaking Bad • Say My Name
Downton Abbey • Episode 4 • PBS • A Carnival
Game Of Thrones • The Rains Of Castamere
Homeland • Q&A • Showtime KT Picks: Either Breaking Bad is deserving, but Game of Thrones second season finale kicked the series into a whole new gear.
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Boardwalk Empire • Margate Sands • HBO
Breaking Bad • Gliding Over All • AMC
Downton Abbey • Episode 4 • PBS
Homeland • Q&A • Showtime
House Of Cards • Chapter 1 • Netflix KT Picks: House of Cards smacks you between the eyes with its pilot and doesn’t let go of you until you’ve binge-watched the entire thing wondering where 10 hours went.
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series Episodes • Episode 209 • Showtime
Louie • Daddy’s Girlfriend (Part 1) • FX Networks
The Office • Finale • NBC
30 Rock • Hogcock! • NBC
30 Rock • Last Lunch • NBC KT Picks: The Office left us three years ago and its corpse has been on TV, so recognize a proper goodbye from 30 Rock (yeah, I’m trying super hard not to make Hogcock jokes….I’ll save them for my wife; she’ll be so thrilled).
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series Girls • On All Fours • HBO
Glee • Diva • FOX
Louie • New Year’s Eve • FX Networks
Modern Family • Arrested
30 Rock • Hogcock! / Last Lunch KT Picks: You had me at “hogcock”. You had me at “hogcock”. I’ll miss you, 30 Rock.
Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special Behind The Candelabra • HBO
The Hour • BBC America
Parade’s End • HBO
Phil Spector • HBO
Top Of The Lake • Sundance Channel KT Picks: I must plead out on these as I’ve not seen any yet. Is Hogcock not going to be nominated for more things that I can pick it for? I’m confused.
Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries/Movie/Dramatic Special Behind The Candelabra • HBO
The Girl • HBO
Phil Spector • HBO
Ring Of Fire • Lifetime
Top Of The Lake • Part 5 • Sundance Channel KT Picks: Hogcock wins in a write-in landslide…perpetrated by me.
Outstanding Variety Special The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS
Louis C.K.: Oh My God • HBO
Mel Brooks Strikes Back! With Mel Brooks And Alan Yentob • HBO •
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (Part One) • NBC
12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief KT Picks: Seth Meyers has been the most consistently good thing about SNL this year.
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series The Colbert Report • Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Jimmy Kimmel Live • ABC
Portlandia • IFC • Broadway Video
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Saturday Night Live • NBC KT Picks: Colbert or Stewart in a tie that must be broken by best use of Hogcock in a joke beaten to death buried in the middle of a 2000 word piece.
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards • NBC
Louis C.K.: Oh My God • HBO
Night Of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together • Comedy Central
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (Part One) • NBC
66th Annual Tony Awards • CBS KT Picks: Golden Globes if Tina and Amy get Emmys for best tag team hosts ever.
DOUBT stars Katherine Heigl as Sadie Ellis, a brilliant attorney at a boutique firm who starts to fall for her charismatic client, Billy Brennan (Steven Pasquale), an altruistic pediatric surgeon recently accused of murdering his girlfriend 24 years ago. Sadie is hiding her growing feelings from everyone, including her close friend and colleague, Albert Cobb (Dulé Hill), who thinks he knows everything about her. Working on other cases at the practice is Cameron Wirth (Laverne Cox), a transgender Ivy League graduate who fights passionately for her clients since she’s experienced injustice first hand; Tiffany Simon (Dreama Walker), a second-year associate who is quickly learning the ropes from Wirth; and Nick (Kobi Libii), a former felon who earned his degree while serving time. They all consider it a privilege to work for Isaiah Roth (Elliott Gould), a revered legal lion and “lefty” legend, whose approval is their holy grail. Sadie’s decision to become involved with her client could put her career, as well as her happiness, at risk if Billy is found guilty, which means she needs to work all the harder to prove reasonable doubt, even if she has some herself. Tony Phelan & Joan Rater, Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein, Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Bernstein directed the pilot.
