Nothing pleases me more than when my television journalism colleagues are freaking out. And that’s what they were doing on Twitter as the 2015 Golden Globes nominees rolled out on Thursday morning.
The Hollywood Foreign Press is usually pretty forward-thinking with its nominations anyway, but this is best exemplified in the comedy series category. Although in our daily lives, TV comedies seem to be experiencing a creative drought, we’re usually thinking our typical 30-minute sitcom. When it comes to awards, dramedies are also considered for the category and can throw off the mix of nominations. This year was no different.
Most notably, Amazon broke into the mix with “Transparent.” Created by Jill Soloway, it stars Jeffrey Tambor as a father of grown children as he’s going public as a transgender woman. The series deserves the spot.
Another startling, though deserved, newcomer to the awards stage is The CW and its telenovela adaptation “Jane the Virgin.” Star Gina Rodriguez also got an acting nom in the series about a young woman who get accidentally artificially inseminated. While the ratings for the show aren’t stellar, this kind of recognition may have bought it a second season.
The field is rounded out by returning series Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” and HBO’s “Girls” and “Silicon Valley.”
The bigger story here is which shows didn’t make the cut. Yearly awards veterans like “The Big Bang Theory,” “Modern Family,” “Louie” and “Parks and Recreation.” And what about “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which the HFPA championed last year? Out with the old, in with the new.
For drama, probably the most competitive field in awards races (which is why dramedies enter the comedy race instead), the nominees are all very worthy with “Downton Abbey,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Good Wife,” and “House of Cards” in the mix. HFPA’s new offering here is Showtime’s “The Affair,” which documents said event with the cheaters’ different point of views.
Again, this is a tough category and the big story here are the dramas that got snubbed, such as Showtime’s “Homeland” and AMC’s “Mad Men.” I would’ve liked to see “The Americans” get a nom, but again I can’t argue with the field that did.
In the miniseries or movie category, Starz’s “The Missing” would be the surprise inclusion here. Otherwise, FX’s “Fargo” was joined by a HBO trifecta of “True Detective,” “Olive Kiiteridge” and “The Normal Heart.”
Believe it or not, I would’ve liked to see them give Lifetime its props for either “The Trip to Bountiful” or “Bonnie and Clyde,” but possibly their other offerings in the year (the “Saved by the Bell” movie, the quick-paste Aaliyah biopic may ruin their chances for awards in the mind of voters.”
In the acting noms, comedy seemed pretty straightforward (with the exception of Rodriguez for “Virgin”). In drama, I’m continually disturbed by the inclusion of Viola Davis for “How to Get Away With Murder” paired with the exclusion of “Scandal’s” Kerry Washington. That’s not because I don’t believe Davis doesn’t deserve it, but that I think it shows that diversity is still a problem for voters.