Cynopsis Media presents:

The Primetime Emmy® Awards 2010

07.28.10

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, July 28, 2010, and this is the second in a special five-part series on this year’s Primetime Emmy® Awards. 

Each weekly installment will concentrate on one or two award categories with information about each of the nominees as listed ATAS and if provided, a description sent to us by the nominee and/or the nominee’s representatives.  Each installment will also open with an editorial about the category, written for Cynopsis by Daisy Whitney.  As always with any special edition, we hope you find the information relevant, interesting and informative, and encourage your feedback.

In the category of ”  Outstanding Drama

Series”
 by Daisy Whitney

Let’s have a show of hands? Anyone out there really think Mad Men won’t three-peat? Okay, fine. A few of you are betting against the cable show to win the Emmy for best drama. But most experts are placing their chips squarely on the front runner  Don Draper and his fellow ad men and women. In fact, it garnered the most nods of any drama this year with 17 nominations.

Which means there’s just not a lot of drama in the drama category. Mad Men is a critic’s darling and has been beloved by Emmy voters since it premiered three years ago and captured its first Emmy win for that season. Now, with its third season up for a nomination again, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone to make a case against the show. It’s just that good.

But there is a nostalgia factor that could tip the scales for Lost to close out its run with another Emmy win, which would make it only the second show to win an Emmy in its final season. (The Sopranos pulled off the feat when it won for its final season in 2007.) Lost already has a win under its belt too because it took home gold back in 2005. “Lost will probably get it just because it was the last season [of the show],” said Vlada Gelman, Editor of TV blog Staying In.

However, there’s one new show that could surprise everyone. And that’s the breakout debut hit of the season, Julianna Margulies’ vehicle The Good Wife. Of its chances, Gelman said, “I think The Good Wife has a very good chance of surprising everyone and taking the award away from nostalgia favorite Lost and perennial favorite Mad Men.”

True Blood earned a nod, but despite its success and recent renewal it’s not likely to be a contender. Dexter and Breaking Bad are well-regarded but will probably go home without a win.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE …

Breaking Bad – AMC – Sony Pictures Television
Breaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn) and teenage son (RJ Mitte) who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to secure his family’s financial security, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in this world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White’s releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society and follows his transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.  The show, created and Executive-Produced by Vince Gilligan, stars Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt and RJ Mitte.  

Dexter – Showtime – Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions

The Good Wife – CBS – CBS Productions

Lost – ABC – Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Mad Men – AMC – Lionsgate Television
Set in 1960s New York, the stylized and provocative AMC drama Mad Men follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive people of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell.
The series revolves around the conflicted world of Don Draper (Hamm), the biggest ad man in the business, and his colleagues at the advertising agency. As Don makes the plays in the boardroom and the bedroom, he struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels. The series explores gender roles in that era and the true human nature that lies beneath the guise of 1960s traditional family values.
Created by executive producer Matthew Weiner, Mad Men features an ensemble cast, including Jon Hamm, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Jared Harris, Rich Sommer, Aaron Staton, Robert Morse and Kiernan Shipka.

True Blood – HBO – Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad – One Minute – AMC – Sony Pictures Television
Michelle MacLaren, Director

Dexter – The Getaway – Showtime – Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn
Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
Steve Shill, Director

Lost – The End – ABC – Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Jack Bender, Director

Mad Men – Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency – AMC – Lionsgate Television
Lesli Linka Glatter, Director

Episode 306 – “Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency”
A British Executive’s foot is cut off by the office John Deere lawn mower at Joan’s farewell party, thwarting an internal takeover.  Betty tries to ease Sally’s fear of Baby Gene by giving her a Barbie.

Treme – Do You Know What It Means (Pilot) – HBO – Blown Deadline Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
Agnieszka Holland, Director

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Friday Night Lights – The Son – DirecTV – Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44
Rolin Jones, Writer

The Good Wife – Pilot – CBS – CBS Productions
Michelle King, Writer
Robert King, Writer

Lost – The End – ABC – Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Damon Lindelof, Writer
Carlton Cuse, Writer

Mad Men – Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency – AMC – Lionsgate Television
Robin Veith, Writer
Matthew Weiner, Writer
Episode 306  – “Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency“
A British Executive’s foot is cut off by the office John Deere lawn mower at Joan’s farewell party, thwarting an internal takeover.  Betty tries to ease Sally’s fear of Baby Gene by giving her a Barbie.

Mad Men – Shut The Door. Have A Seat. – AMC – Lionsgate Television
Matthew Weiner, Writer
Erin Levy, Writer
Episode 313 – “Shut the Door.  Have a Seat.”
Upon learning that Sterling Cooper has been sold, Don tries to start his own agency by making Lane fire him.  Within 48 hours they have to secure their clients and vacate their offices. Betty asks Don for a divorce and flies to Reno with Henry.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

This 5-part series of 2010 Primetime Emmy ® Award Special Reports are available to read or download on the Cynopsis website in our special Primetime Emmy® 2010 section.

Later  — Cyn
07.28.10

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