Wednesday, May 19, 2021

'Outlander,' 'The Walking Dead,' and other fantasy, horror, and science fiction nominees at the Saturn Awards


I wrote "I'll continue with the television nominees in future posts, but I may not complete the series before I vote. The deadline is the 14th and I have other topics I want to write about more first. After all, this blog is a hobby, not a job" to conclude 'Knives Out' and 'Mulan' lead thriller and action film nominees at the Saturn Awards. That was ten days ago and I had a lot to write about out subjects since then. Today, I feel like returning with the rest of the nominees for television series from Deadline. While the entertainment trade publication reported "On the TV side, AMC’s Better Call Saul, Starz’s Outlander and AMC’s The Walking Dead topped the list with five noms apiece," I already covered "Better Call Saul" in 'Birds of Prey' and 'The Flash' lead comic-book and superhero movies and television nominees — DCEU and Arrowverse at the Saturn Awards, so I'm covering both "The Walking Dead" and "Outlander" today along with the two nominated "Star Trek" series, which together tied "The Walking Dead" franchise with seven nominations.

Best Science Fiction Television Series

Doctor Who (BBC America)

Lost in Space (Netflix)

Pandora (The CW)

Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)

Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)

Westworld (HBO)
This is a clash of two returning winners, "Star Trek: Discovery" for Best New Media (Streaming) Science Fiction Series and "Westworld" for Best Science Fiction Television Series. I think "Westworld" was the more artistic production, so I voted for it, but I wouldn't be surprised if either of the Star Trek series beat it should the Saturn Awards electorate manage to rally around one or the other and not split their vote.

Best Fantasy Television Series

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)

For All Mankind (Apple TV)

Locke & Key (Netflix)

The Magicians (SyFy)

Outlander (Starz)

The Twilight Zone (CBS All Access)

The Witcher (Netflix)
The contest here is between "Outlander" and "The Witcher." I voted for "Outlander," but I could certainly understand the award going to "The Witcher" if the rabid "Outlander" fandom doesn't show up. Somehow, I don't think that will happen, as the image from Twitter indicates. The show is putting on an awards campaign, which other nominees don't seem to be.

By the way, I'm both annoyed and relieved that "The Good Place" didn't earn a nomination. I'm annoyed because the final season won a Hugo Award — good enough for a Hugo Award but not good enough for a Saturn nomination, really? I'm relieved because then I don't have to vacillate between "The Good Place" and "Outlander."

Best Horror Television Series

Creepshow (Shudder)

Evil (CBS)

Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)

Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Servant (Apple TV)

The Walking Dead (AMC)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
I fully expect "The Walking Dead" to win again, but I didn't vote for it. Instead, I voted for "Lovecraft Country." It earned nominations at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes and won the equivalent category at the Critics Choice Super Awards. Besides, I really enjoyed it.

Follow over the jump for the acting nominations on the big and small screens and the behind the camera nominations for movies.

I'm being a good environmentalist by recycling from 'Birds of Prey' and 'The Flash' lead comic-book and superhero movies and television nominees — DCEU and Arrowverse at the Saturn Awards.
Best Actor on a Television Series

Henry Cavill
The Witcher (Netflix)

Mike Colter
Evil (CBS)

Grant Gustin
The Flash (The CW)

Sam Heughan
Outlander (Starz)

Jonathan Majors
Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Bob Odenkirk
Better Call Saul (AMC)

Patrick Stewart
Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)
Grant Gustin is the superhero nominee and Bob Odenkirk is the action/thriller nominee, but Sam Heughan is the returning winner, so I'm voting for him. I think it's between Heughan and Patrick Stewart with Odenkirk have an outside chance.
Best Actress on a Television Series

Caitriona Balfe
Outlander (Starz)

Melissa Benoist
Supergirl (The CW)

Regina King
Watchmen (HBO)

Sonequa Martin-Green
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

Thandie Newton
Westworld (HBO)

Candice Patton
The Flash (The CW)

Rhea Seehorn
Better Call Saul (AMC)
I've never been a fan of Candice Patton, who is the superhero series nominee. I like Rhea Seehorn, the action/thriller nominee, better, but I'm not voting for her. I'm voting for Regina King, which pains me, because I also want to vote for Thandie Newton from "Westworld." After two years of my whining about being snubbed, she finally got a nomination here. Watch them lose to Sonequa Martin-Green or Caitriona Balfe, who I also want to vote for.
Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series

Jonathan Banks
Better Call Saul (AMC)

Tony Dalton
Better Call Saul (AMC)

Michael Emerson
Evil (CBS)

Doug Jones
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

Richard Rankin
Outlander (Starz)

Norman Reedus
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Luke Wilson
Stargirl (The CW)
Again, a really good field, although I think superhero representative Luke Wilson is probably the weakest of the lot, while Jonathan Banks and Tony Dalton would be the professional choices. Out of all of them, I'm voting for Doug Jones, who was the winner in the streaming version of this category last year. Watch all of them lose to Norman Reedus. Zombies!
Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series

Natasia Demetriou
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Cynthia Erivo
The Outsider (HBO)

Melissa McBride
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Colby Minifie
Fear The Walking Dead (AMC)

Danielle Panabaker
The Flash (The CW)

Sophie Skelton
Outlander (Starz)

Tessa Thompson
Westworld (HBO)
While Cynthia Erivo really impressed me in "The Outsider," I really enjoy Sophie Skelton in "Outlander," and I learned the hard way not to underestimate Natasia Demetriou, I'm going to vote for Tessa Thompson. I'm not sure who the rest of the electorate will choose yet.
Best Performance by a Younger Actor on a Television Series

Freya Allan
The Witcher (Netflix)

Brec Bassinger
Stargirl (The CW)

Isa Briones
Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)

Maxwell Jenkins
Lost in Space (Netflix)

Madison Lintz
Bosch (Amazon)

Cassady McClincy
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Erin Moriarty
The Boys (Amazon)
The superhero nominees are Brec Bassinger and Erin Moriarty. I think Moriarty is the better actress and I might vote for her, but I am leaning toward Isa Briones from "Star Trek: Picard" for now. I don't know if any of these three will win. I wouldn't be surprised if Cassady McClincy does instead.
I decided to vote for Isa Briones.

Now for the awards I've already covered in Star Wars at the 2021 Saturn Awards for Star Wars Day beginning with the guest star category.
Best Guest Starring Performance on Television:
Jon Cryer (Supergirl)
Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian)
Mark Hamill (What We Do in the Shadows)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)
Kate Mulgrew (Mr. Mercedes)
Billy Porter (The Twilight Zone)
Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Picard)
The first matchup between Star Wars and Star Trek is between the professional choice, Giancarlo Esposito, and a fan choice, Jeri Ryan, who I'm voting for. The second pits two alumni of the franchises, Mark Hamill and Kate Mulgrew. I don't know if any of them will win. Instead, I'd bet on Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
That's it for the television nominees. I'll post two more installments, one with all my votes and then a post-mortem on how they turned out. In the meantime, stay tuned for World Bee Day.

Previous entries about the 2021 Saturn Awards
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