A blog about societal, cultural, and civilizational collapse, and how to stave it off or survive it. Named after the legendary character "Crazy Eddie" in Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye." Expect news and views about culture, politics, economics, technology, and science fiction.
Stephen walks through the disastrous consequences facing the world economy if Republicans stand in the way of raising the debt ceiling, and reacts to some uncomfortable revelations in former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham's new book about the previous administration.
While McConnell and Schumer stay locked in a high-stakes staring contest over the infrastructure bills and America's debt ceiling, The Vatican made headlines by announcing that all employees must be vaccinated, without leaving room for exemptions on religious grounds.
I have the same reaction that Stephen did. we already have enough apocalyptic events; we don't need a financial apocalypse on top of the pandemic, climate, and democracyapocalypses we are already experiencing. We don't need one that is completely avoidable. Still, I like calling it "Apocalypse Dow." That's clever.
So ends September's blogging. See you next month, when I start celebrating Halloween! Boo!
HappyNationalCoffeeDay!* KDKA in Pittsburgh observed today with a two-part report the intersection of coffee drinking and health. Part 1 concentrated on how coffee consumption changed during the pandemic.
Wednesday is National Coffee Day and even throughout the pandemic, consumption of coffee continued, but it changed. KDKA's John Shumway has more.
That was a look at how working from home and ordering our groceries online in response to a global health crisis changed the way Americans consumed coffee. Part 2 examined the direct health benefits of coffee drinking.
It's pumpkin spice season and while it may be delicious, it also might not be the healthiest start to the day. KDKA's John Shumway has more on National Coffee Day.
The warning about pumpkin spice latte being "dessert in a cup" is one I have been heeding since 2017, when I developed diabetes. That much sugar is not good for me. Also, the observation that pumpkin spice season has been starting earlier and now begins in August shows that it's another sign of retaildesperation. That means I should have posted the following meme a month ago.
THE LAST ICE tells the story of the Inuit communities fighting to protect the disappearing Arctic that has been their home for centuries. From National Geographic Pristine Seas, THE LAST ICE, premieres on National Geographic Channel this October.
The matchup is between "The Last Ice" and "Nature: Cuba's Wild Revolution," each with three nominations. The spoiler would be National Geographic's "Jade Eyed Leopard" with two nominations. Both of the latter are competing in the next category, which is missing "The Last Ice."
Outstanding Sound
Great Performances (PBS) Now Hear This: The Schubert Generation
Jade Eyed Leopard (National Geographic) Wild
Alchemy Immersive (Oculus TV) Micro Monsters with David Attenborough
Get a glimpse of Cuba’s spectacular wildlife and landscapes, left virtually untouched for 50 years.
...
In the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, Cuba is an island teeming with exotic biodiversity: from coral reefs pulsating with life to five-foot-long Cuban rock iguanas. As international relations ease, what will become of this wildlife sanctuary?
Last week, our film Jade Eyed Leopard (made for National Geographic) was nominated for two Emmy Awards, and most notably, one Emmy was specifically allocated to Beverly for Best Sound. To record the sound around a leopard, one needs total silence. That can only be found a long way from engines and talking. So thank you again, Olare Motorogi Conservancy and every one of the guides operating in the area, who immediately silenced their guests, and engines, when Beverly hauled out her sound equipment. We could not have done this just a few miles south in the main reserve.
Spending time in these quiet places enriches the soul, allows you to ponder on all things, and here, in the Masai Mara at our camps, do that in style.
This is the first time I've seen a special promotional video by one of the nominees for a News & Documentary Emmy Award nomination. I like the idea, but I am not confident it will be enough to push it over its competition. I think music documentaries have the advantage and "Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool" also has a nomination for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary. Even if a nature documentary would win, I would bet on "Cuba's Wild Revolution" over "Jade Eyed Leopard," although I think this video might have swayed a few votes. I consider the wild card to be "Micro Monsters with David Attenborough," which has a second nomination for Outstanding Interactive Media: Documentary.
Follow over the jump for the two other categories in which "The Last Ice" is competing.
I'll have more on the winners of the Primetime Emmy Awards, probably about "Saturday Night Live," the next biggest winner with eight Emmy Awards, but only after I cover "Human Nature" and "The Last Ice," both nominated at the 2021 News & DocumentaryEmmy Awards. Stay tuned.
With an extraordinary new technology called CRISPR, we can now edit DNA—including human DNA. But how far should we go?
Gene-editing promises to eliminate certain genetic disorders like sickle cell disease. But the applications quickly raise ethical questions. Is it wrong to engineer soldiers to feel no pain, or to resurrect an extinct species? And is there harm in allowing parents to choose their child’s features, like eye color or height? The scientists who pioneered human genome studies and CRISPR grapple with these questions.
That's a mind-blowing trailer about a revolutionary technology that does have the potential to change what it means to be human. Based on that alone, I think it's the slim favorite to win this award ahead of "Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything" with two nominations, making it the only other competitor in this field with more than one. That written, I highly recommend Netflix's "Pandemic," which coincidentally aired during the early days of the lockdown and which my wife and I watched along with "Contagion" during March and April of last year. It focused on influenza, not coronavirus, but otherwise it was extremely timely. I recommend it to my readers.
Next, the other category in which "Human Nature" is competing against "Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything."
Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction: Documentary
Alien Worlds (Netflix)
Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything (Netflix)
HBO Documentary Films (HBO) Agents of Chaos
High Score (Netflix)
NBC News (NBC) She Wanted a 'Freebirth' With No Doctors. Online Groups Convinced Her It Would Be OK
NOVA (PBS) Human Nature
The Marshall Project, Sharp As Knives and Topic (The Marshall Project and Topic+
The Zo
Science reporter and host Latif Nasser investigates the fascinating and intricate ways that we are connected to each other, the world and the universe at large.
The trailer displays some of the graphics from the documentary, showing that it's a serious competitor to "Human Nature." While "Human Nature" is the most nominated entry in this field, it's facing stiff competition not only from "Connected," but also from "Agents of Chaos" and "The Zo," both of which also have two other nominations, "Agents of Chaos" for Outstanding Investigative Documentary and "The Zo" for Outstanding Interactive Media: Documentary. "Agents of Chaos" has the misfortune of contending with Best Documentary nominee "Athlete A" in Outstanding Investigative Documentary, so it probably won't win that award. "The Zo" has a better chance of winning Outstanding Interactive Media: Documentary, where the only other entry with more than one nomination is "Micro Monsters with David Attenborough," which also has a nomination for Outstanding Sound.
Based on its editing of archival footage, I think "Rewind" has a better shot to win this category than direction. However, I could say the same thing about "Challenger: The Final Flight." That written, PBS NOVA's "Human Nature" also has three nominations total, including Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary and Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction: Documentary in addition to Outstanding Editing: Documentary. I think it could upset both "Belly of the Beast" and "Rewind" in this category. It also would be a good choice for the subject of the next installment of this series.
And that's exactly what I did.
The next installment in this series should be about National Geographic's "The Last Ice" and the other nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary. Stay tuned.
I May Destroy You (HBO) Mare of Easttown (HBO) The Queen's Gambit (Netflix) The Underground Railroad (Prime Video) WandaVision (Disney+)
...
After watching "Mare of Easttown," "The Queen's Gambit," and "WandaVision," I think "Mare of Easttown" told the best story with the best lead actress, so it's my pick to win this category.
The Queen's Gambit wins the Emmy for Limited or Anthology Series at the 73rd Emmys.
I had heard negative things about this acceptance speech, but it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. It was a perfectly standard set of thank yous, although William Horberg (I think) may have undercut the show's feminist message a bit by saying that Anya Taylor-Joy made chess sexy. She didn't seem to mind, so I'm not going to stress over it.
The team from The Queen's Gambit talks to Marc Istook backstage at the 73rd Emmy Awards after winning the Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
Yes, the passion certainly came through the screen and I'm sure that's one of the reasons the show won this category. In addition to being well-acted, it was a marvel of production.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Michaela Coel as Arabella on I May Destroy You (HBO)
Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin on Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch on WandaVision (Disney+)
Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon on The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)
Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan on Mare of Easttown (HBO)
While I'm glad to see Cynthia Erivo nominated, I think she had the misfortune to be competing against an especially strong field that I think Kate Winslet will win against, just as she did at the Gold Derby TV Awards. Her main competition is Anya Taylor-Joy, who won the equivalent categories at all the major awards shows last year before "Mare of Easttown" came out. The only thing that would help "WandaVision" is that it's a show about television that isn't about show business, but about the importance of television to its viewers, an angle that the Television Academy voters would find flattering. "See, we matter!" I don't think it will be enough in this category.
Kate Winslet wins the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the 73rd Emmys.
Well, that was fun to watch. In addition to her enthusiasm, I was glad to hear Winslet do what Gillian Anderson didn't, praise her competition. They deserved it.
Kate Winslet talks to Marc Istook backstage at the 73rd Emmy Awards after winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Normally, I find talking about agents to be too much inside Hollywood baseball for my taste, but Winslet made how her agent found her this role interesting.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Paul Bettany as Vision on WandaVision (Disney+)
Hugh Grant as Jonathan Fraser on The Undoing (HBO)
Ewan McGregor as Halston on Halston (Netflix)
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton on Hamilton (Disney+)
Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr on Hamilton (Disney+)
While Lin-Manuel Miranda won the People's Choice Award for The Drama Movie Star of 2020, Leslie Odom Jr. won the Tony Award for this role and earned two Oscar nominations this year for "One Night in Miami." The audience might like Miranda better, but the professionals like Odum more, and the professionals are voting for these awards. Again, electorates matter.
That doesn't guarantee that either Miranda or Odum will win. The nominated limited series actors are stiff competition and I will evaluate their chances when I examine Outstanding Limited Series in a few weeks.
Hugh Grant is the biggest name, but Jonathan Fraser on "The Undoing" was not that likeable a character. I heard that Ewan McGregor did a great job as the eponymous Halston, but I also don't know how likeable his character was. On the other hand, Paul Bettany's Vision is a lot of fun, and he might just win. I know I'm rooting for him.
Ewan McGregor talks to Marc Istook backstage at the 73rd Emmy Awards after winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Winslet still eclipsed him, even with Marc Istook's help. Still, that takes nothing away from his performance and award.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler on Hamilton (Disney+)
Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness / Agnes The Nosy Neighbor on WandaVision (Episode: "Breaking the Fourth Wall") (Disney+)
Moses Ingram as Jolene on The Queen's Gambit (Episode: "End Game") (Netflix)
Julianne Nicholson as Lori Ross on Mare of Easttown (Episode: "Sacrament") (HBO)
Jean Smart as Helen Fahey on Mare of Easttown (Episode: "Sacrament") (HBO)
Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton on Hamilton (Disney+)
Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler and Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton didn't compete against each other at the Tony Awards as Soo was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical while Goldsberry won for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Here, they are competing against other. I'm not sure it matters, as I think this contest is between Kathryn Hahn and Jean Smart.
More than a month later, I still do, with Hahn favored as Smart will likely win for comedy and will split votes with Julianne Nicholson here.
That was from a fan account, as the Television Academy didn't upload the clip. I guess that's because the orchestra tried to play Nicholson off, although that didn't seem to stop them from uploading Scott Frank's speech, which is over the jump. As for my disappointment, but not surprise, it was because I was sure that Hahn would win. I based that on my fan reaction and her ability to gain traction in the popular culture, while I liked Smart's performance better. That's not how the professionals saw it, as they focused on the episode with Nicholson's best acting in the series, which was enough to propel her to the podium. As I keep writing about awards shows, electorates matter.
Speaking of electorates mattering, I think Olson, Bettany, and Hahn will all earn nominations at the next Saturn Awards, where I expect they will be favored. In part, that's because of the excellence of their performances, but also because the Saturn Awards have a tendency to react to genre shows being snubbed. That might even help the actresses from "The Handmaid's Tale" finally earning nominations after three years of the Saturn Awards ignoring them.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts on The Queen's Gambit (Episode: "Adjournment") (Netflix)
Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson on Hamilton (Disney+)
Paapa Essiedu as Kwame on I May Destroy You (Episode: "That Was Fun") (HBO)
Jonathan Groff as King George on Hamilton (Disney+)
Evan Peters as Det. Colin Zabel on Mare of Easttown (Episode: "Enter Number Two") (HBO)
Anthony Ramos as John Laurens / Philip Hamilton on Hamilton (Disney+)
"Hamilton" provides half of the nominees in this category, Daveed Diggs in a double role as the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Jonathan Groff as King George III, and Anthony Ramos in another double role as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton. Diggs and Groff both earned Tony nominations and Diggs took home the award, so I would give him the advantage out of the actors from the musical. Again, that doesn't mean Diggs will win, as the nominated limited series actors are stiff competition and I will evaluate their chances when I examine Outstanding Limited Series in a few weeks.
The two other portrayals I enjoyed the most were Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts on "The Queen's Gambit" and Evan Peters as Det. Colin Zabel on "Mare of Easttown." Between the two of them, I pick Peters.
It's not a good sign when the actors themselves find their acceptance speeches unmemorable. Just the same, congratulations to all the winning performers.
Follow over the jump for two awards for work behind the camera as well as videos celebrating two music awards won the week before.
We’re all familiar with the major effects of climate change, but a hotter Earth creates lots of smaller changes too: more female turtles, worse-tasting coffee, scary space junk and even less sex.
If you thought climate change was sh*tty, just wait until you hear about this extremely pressing climate change issue that no one’s talking about! That’s right, we need to discuss our nation’s sewage system.
Seth and James Corden put aside their intense white-hot rivalry to work together in support of Climate Night.
That was an effective and funny introduction to a joint hour of climate-themedcomedy shows for Climate Night. Follow over the jump to watch the clips Seth and James mentioned in their joint segment.
Can eight late night shows combine forces to end the climate crisis in one night? Probably not. But it's worth a shot! Join Stephen Colbert as he takes a look at the big problems facing our planet, and some ways to fix them, in this special #ClimateNight monologue.
It felt good to laugh at the problem, mostly because it hurts too much to cry.
Is there any point in taking individual actions to combat climate change when big corporations account for 20% of global carbon emissions? Stephen checks in with Mother Earth in search of some comfort and advice.
Cartoon Mama Earth gave some good advice about sustainable actions to take, although she was both gloomy and sanguine, but not wrong, about humanity's fate.
We teamed up with all the other late night shows to address climate change and the apocalypse that will follow if we continue to do nothing about it. Jimmy talks about all the shortages that could happen as a result of climate change, it becoming a partisan issue, many prominent Republicans continuing to deny there is problem, the Biden Administration being on track to approve more oil and gas leases than any year of the Trump Administration, energy company ConocoPhillips' contract to drill oil on the tundra in Northern Alaska, misinformation about individual "carbon footprints," and we invited some real climate scientists back to the show with a new message and warning. Our greatest chance at doing even part of what needs to be done right now is to tell our reps to PASS the "Build Back Better" plan. Call this number: (202) 224-3121 #ClimateNight
Climate Scientist Dr. Hayhoe talks about living in Texas, how the issue of climate change became Republican vs Democrat, which groups of Americans we need to target to make change, fossil fuel companies paying to spread disinformation, how to communicate with someone who doesn’t believe in climate change, and her new book "Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing In A Divided World."
I'm a big fan of Dr. Hayhoe, so I'm glad Jimmy K. interviewed her. I hope people listen to her advice.
I'll have more Climate Night clips this week. Stay tuned.
As the National Day Calendar entry states, "Explore the Shire on September 22nd during Hobbit Day. While there, celebrate the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins."
The United States has now reached about 675,000 COVID-related deaths. That is the same number of Americans estimated to have been killed in the flu pandemic of 1918 and 1919. It bears noting that the population of the U.S. is now three times what it was a century ago which means the Spanish flu killed a much greater percentage of the population.
In 1918, for example, the U.S. population was less than a third of today’s with an estimated 103 million people living in America just before the roaring 1920s. Today, there are nearly 330 million people living in the U.S. That means the 1918 flu killed about 1 in every 150 Americans, compared with 1 in 500 who have died from Covid so far.
In terms of total deaths, COVID-19 is now the deadliest epidemic in U.S. history. As a share of the total population, it will probably never exceed the 1918 flu. That doesn't make it any less of a tragedy.
The pandemic continues to devastate the U.S., as 1 in 500 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Meanwhile, the country is pushing its vaccination efforts amid talks of implementing possible booster shots. Urgent care nurse practitioner Justin Gill joined CBSN to talk about the latest coronavirus news.
The statistic that struck me was that 1 in 35 Americans over age 85 have died from the disease since the start of 2020. One on the one hand, it's stunning. On the other, it may be why some people have been discounting the disease; it's happening in a population that is mostly out of sight and out of mind, so its impact might be ignored by people inclined to do so. Ugh.
I close by repeating my closing from March: "Total U.S. mortality from the pandemic could exceed 700,000 before this is all over. YIKES! May none of my readers be among this toll."
The Boys (Prime Video) Bridgerton (Netflix) The Crown (Netflix) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) Lovecraft Country (HBO) The Mandalorian (Disney+) Pose (FX) This Is Us (NBC)
...
I couldn't resist another video from my favorite critic duo of Eng and Rosen. I concur with them that the contest for Outstanding Drama Series is between "The Crown" and "The Handmaid's Tale," as both have eleven nominations at next Sunday's ceremony. "The Crown" won six Gold Derby TV Awards, Drama Series, Drama Actor for Josh O'Connor, Drama Actress for Emma Corrin, Drama Supporting Actress for Gillian Anderson, Drama Guest Actor for Charles Dance, and Ensemble of the Year. It could win four of those, as Courtney B. Vance as George Freeman from "Lovecraft Country" beat Dance for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series and the Emmys don't have an outstanding ensemble award beyond the casting categories. I'm still rooting for "The Handmaid's Tale."
As I expected, "The Crown" won, while "The Handmaid's Tale" went away empty-handed. Watch Drama Series: 73rd Emmys from the Television Academy to see writer and producer Peter Morgan accept the award.
The Crown wins the Emmy for Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
After that heartfelt speech, I have nothing to say but congratulations!
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson on This Is Us (Episode: "Forty: Part 2") (NBC)
Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Sundown") (HBO)
Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles on The Crown (Episode: "Terra Nullius") (Netflix)
Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings on Bridgerton (Episode: "Art of the Swoon") (Netflix)
Billy Porter as Pray Tell on Pose (Episode: "Take Me To Church") (FX)
Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason on Perry Mason (Episode: "Chapter 8") (HBO)
This field features three former winners, Sterling K. Brown, Billy Porter, and Matthew Rhys. Of the three of them, I think Porter has the best shot at deposing nominal favorite O'Connor for this award, although I still think it's O'Connor's award to lose.
Josh O'Connor wins the Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
No wonder O'Connor was able to portray Prince Charles sympathetically. He's a very likeable person as himself. Congratulations!
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba as Dr. Brooke Taylor on In Treatment (Episode: "Brooke – Week 5") (HBO)
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown (Episode: "48:1") (Netflix)
Emma Corrin as Princess Diana on The Crown (Episode: "Fairytale") (Netflix)
Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne / Offred on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
Mj Rodriguez as Blanca Evangelista on Pose (Episode: "Series Finale") (FX)
Jurnee Smollett as Letitia "Leti" Lewis on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Holy Ghost") (HBO)
Olivia Colman wins the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
Colman looked and sounded like she was even more surprised than I was, but not as stunned as she was when she beat Glenn Close at the Oscars. That was even more fun to watch. Just the same, congratulations!
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon on The Mandalorian (Episode: "Chapter 16: The Rescue") (Disney+)
O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
John Lithgow as Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan on Perry Mason (Episode: "Chapter 4") (HBO)
Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on The Crown (Episode: "Gold Stick") (Netflix)
Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "The Crossing") (Hulu)
Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon on This Is Us (Episode: "In the Room") (NBC)
Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Testimony") (Hulu)
Michael K. Williams as Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Rewind 1921") (HBO) (posthumous)
The late Michael K. Williams won the Gold Derby Award and was alive to accept it, but he died since then. If that had happened during Emmy voting, it might have propelled a sympathy vote in addition to the momentum he earned winning the equivalent Gold Derby and Critics Choice Awards. I'd be fine with that, as Williams was more memorable than any of the nominees from "The Handmaid's Tale" and more intense than Giancarlo Esposito on "The Mandalorian" as much as he chewed the scenery as the main villain. If "Perry Mason" were a better show, then I think John Lithgow would have a good chance of winning, but I think the quality of this season of "The Crown" would more likely give Tobias Menzies the advantage instead. Williams should win, but Menzies probably will. Sigh. I hope I'm wrong.
Tobias Menzies wins the Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
Menzies may have won the award, but Washington stole the moment by first giving Williams the tribute he deserved and then taking Menzies' statuette. Ha!
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher on The Crown (Episode: "Favourites") (Netflix)
Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret on The Crown (Episode: "The Hereditary Principle") (Netflix)
Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Testimony") (Hulu)
Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Progress") (Hulu)
Aunjanue Ellis as Hippolyta Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "I Am.") (HBO)
Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker Bowles on The Crown (Episode: "Fairytale") (Netflix)
Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
Samira Wiley as Moira on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Vows") (Hulu)
I think Gillian Anderson will win this. She beat all of her co-stars from "The Crown" for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series at the SAG Awards and they were in leading roles while she was in a supporting one. Otherwise, it's the clearest matchup between "The Crown" and "The Handmaid's Tale" at next Sunday's awards.
Gillian Anderson wins the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
That was a good tribute to one of the people behind the scenes, although I think I would have rather heard her praise her competition, which was very stiff this year and had a lot of support based on the cheers, even though she really was great at Thatcher. Congratulations!
Now for the last two awards, recognizing work behind the cameras.
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Bridgerton (Episode: "Diamond of the First Water"), Directed by Julie Anne Robinson (Netflix) The Crown (Episode: "Fairytale"), Directed by Benjamin Caron (Netflix) The Crown (Episode: "War"), Directed by Jessica Hobbs (Netflix) The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "The Wilderness"), Directed by Liz Garbus (Hulu) The Mandalorian (Episode: "Chapter 9: The Marshal"), Directed by Jon Favreau (Disney+) Pose (Episode: "Series Finale"), Directed by Steven Canals (FX)
... Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
The Boys (Episode: "What I Know"), Written by Rebecca Sonnenshine (Prime Video) The Crown (Episode: "War"), Written by Peter Morgan (Netflix) The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home"), Written by Yahlin Chang (Hulu) Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Sundown"), Written by Misha Green (HBO) The Mandalorian (Episode: "Chapter 13: The Jedi"), Written by Dave Filoni (Disney+) The Mandalorian (Episode: "Chapter 16: The Rescue"), Written by Jon Favreau (Disney+) Pose (Episode: "Series Finale"), Written by Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Our Lady J, Janet Mock, and Ryan Murphy (FX)
Both Eng and Rosen think "The Crown" will win both of these awards. They're the experts, so I'm not going to disagree.
Peter Morgan wins the Emmy for Writing for a Drama Series at the 73rd Emmys.
This was very early in the evening, so Morgan may not have known yet how much he and his cast were going to party by the end of the night. Go back to the first video I embedded and see how much more serious he was for the last acceptance speech of the evening.
While I could stop here, as having Morgan speak first and last closed a circle, I want to point out that I think having the ceremony with fewer attendees in a more intimate setting made the awards feel more personal, so I enjoyed it more. I also want to congratulate "The Crown" on all of its eleven Emmy Awards.
Stay tuned as I continue my coverage of the Emmy winners, most likely with the limited series winners, as "The Queen's Gambit" also won a total of eleven Emmy Awards to tie "The Crown."
Join us on a new Expedition Extinct as we head back to Las Vegas to look at the extinct Battle Of Buccaneer Bay at Treasure Island. This once iconic show featured a sinking ship, stunts, and pyro and was a staple of family-friendly Las Vegas. It was later replaced by the Sirens of TI before the ships were left abandoned as just a reminder of what used to be.
That looked like it was a lot of fun. I recall driving past it with my mom 11 years ago and seeing the ships, but I don't remember a show going. For what it's worth, that was the last time I drove down the Strip. Once was enough.
Speaking of Best Documentary, my favorite to win that category is "Belly of the Beast" on PBS's Independent Lens. It has a total of four nominations, Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, Outstanding Direction: Documentary, and Outstanding Editing: Documentary in addition to Best Documentary. That's the most of any single documentary, which makes it a good candidate for my next installment on this year's News and Documentary Emmy Awards. Stay tuned.
When an unlikely duo discovers a pattern of illegal sterilizations in women’s prisons, they wage a near impossible battle against the Department of Corrections. Filmed over seven years with extraordinary access and intimate accounts from currently and formerly incarcerated people, BELLY OF THE BEAST exposes modern-day eugenics and reproductive injustice in California prisons.
It turns out that "Belly of the Beast" is not the only documentary with four nominations. Showtime's "The Trade" has four as well, Best Documentary, Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, Outstanding Direction: Documentary, and Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary, so it's competing head-to-head with "Belly of the Beast" in three categories. Here's its trailer.
This four-part season follows Central Americans on an odyssey to the United States (and others heading back home after being deported), while also delving into the shadow industries that prey on them every step of the way. The series sheds light on the smugglers and traffickers who take advantage of the migrants' vulnerability, and law enforcement pursuing them at the border, while providing a look at the rarely-seen underbelly of the migrants’ world and their struggle to survive.
Both look like gripping exposés that deserve their nominations. Speaking of which, here are the nominees in the headline category.
Best Documentary
Athlete A (Netflix)
Born To Be (VOD)
FRONTLINE (PBS) Once Upon A Time In Iraq
Independent Lens (PBS) Belly of the Beast
POV (PBS) Advocate
The Trade (Showtime)
I've set up this category and the next as contests between "Belly of the Beast" and "The Trade" and I'm not backing down from that. Based on the trailer, I suspect "Belly of the Beast" has the advantage. In addition, it's a PBS documentary and I think there are a lot more News & Doc Emmy voters associated with PBS than with Showtime, as PBS has 52 nominations to Showtime's seven, so that might make a difference — or maybe not, as PBS's "Frontline" and "POV" also have nominees in this field. They might split their ballots. Just the same, electorates matter.
All of the other nominees have two nominations, "Athlete A" for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, "Born To Be" for Outstanding Direction: Documentary, "Once Upon a Time in Iraq" for Outstanding Historical Documentary, and "Advocate" for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. As I wrote for "Once Upon a Time in Iraq" and "Advocate" in 'John Lewis: Good Trouble' earned 3 nominations at the 2021 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, the nomination for Best Documentary should help these movies in their other nominated categories, including "Athlete A" but not "Born To Be." The latter did not earn a nomination for a subject area documentary and has the misfortune to be competing against both "Belly of the Beast" and "The Trade" in its other category. I don't think it will be taking home any statuettes from the documentary ceremony the last Wednesday of this month.
Now for the other documentary category where "Belly of the Beast" and "The Trade" are competing against each other.
Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary
Father Soldier Son (Netflix)
FRONTLINE (PBS) United States of Conspiracy
FRONTLINE (PBS) Inside Italy’s COVID War
HBO Documentary Films (HBO) Stockton on My Mind
Independent Lens (PBS) Belly of the Beast
The Trade (Showtime)
Again, I think "Belly of the Beast" and "The Trade" are the favorites with their four nominations each. Only "Father Soldier Son" and "Inside Italy's COVID War" have other nominations, the former for Outstanding Editing: Documentary and the latter for Outstanding Direction: Documentary, both of which I examine over the jump.
Follow over the jump for the nominees in the three craft categories in which both movies earned nominations.
The Boys (Prime Video) Bridgerton (Netflix) The Crown (Netflix) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) Lovecraft Country (HBO) The Mandalorian (Disney+) Pose (FX) This Is Us (NBC)
All of the drama series nominees except the family drama "This Is Us" are about politics and government to some degree. "The Boys" depicts fantastic U.S. poltics with superheroes. The British Royal Family makes cameos in "Bridgerton," while they are the stars of "The Crown." "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Lovecraft Country" make scorching political and social statements about American dystopia, the former about a feared future, the latter about the dreaded past. "The Mandalorian" explores the "Star Wars" universe between the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the First Order. Finally, "Pose" examines society and politics during the AIDS epidemic.
“'The Crown' has been kind of on a roll," Gold Derby senior editor Daniel Montgomery admits about the Netflix flagship drama winning everything in its path this season. "Through the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, PGA Awards, DGA Awards, Writers Guild, it's been kind of a romp for that show, which would actually make it a first Best Drama Series for Netflix in its history,” he explains. Montgomery is joined by fellow senior editors Marcus James Dixon and Rob Licuria to dish who and what could upset the Netflix prestige drama. It's on course to finally claim its first Best Drama Series trophy for its acclaimed fourth season and finally break the streamer's inexplicable curse at the Emmys, having never won a series trophy in any genre. Watch the Emmy predictions slugfest video above.
How many Emmys will "Ted Lasso," "The Crown" and "The Queen's Gambit" win? Gold Derby editors and Experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng make their final picks for Sunday's ceremony.
I couldn't resist another video from my favorite critic duo of Eng and Rosen. I concur with them that the contest for Outstanding Drama Series is between "The Crown" and "The Handmaid's Tale," as both have eleven nominations at next Sunday's ceremony. "The Crown" won six Gold Derby TV Awards, Drama Series, Drama Actor for Josh O'Connor, Drama Actress for Emma Corrin, Drama Supporting Actress for Gillian Anderson, Drama Guest Actor for Charles Dance, and Ensemble of the Year. It could win four of those, as Courtney B. Vance as George Freeman from "Lovecraft Country" beat Dance for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series and the Emmys don't have an outstanding ensemble award beyond the casting categories. I'm still rooting for "The Handmaid's Tale."
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson on This Is Us (Episode: "Forty: Part 2") (NBC)
Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Sundown") (HBO)
Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles on The Crown (Episode: "Terra Nullius") (Netflix)
Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings on Bridgerton (Episode: "Art of the Swoon") (Netflix)
Billy Porter as Pray Tell on Pose (Episode: "Take Me To Church") (FX)
Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason on Perry Mason (Episode: "Chapter 8") (HBO)
This field features three former winners, Sterling K. Brown, Billy Porter, and Matthew Rhys. Of the three of them, I think Porter has the best shot at deposing nominal favorite O'Connor for this award, although I still think it's O'Connor's award to lose.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba as Dr. Brooke Taylor on In Treatment (Episode: "Brooke – Week 5") (HBO)
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown (Episode: "48:1") (Netflix)
Emma Corrin as Princess Diana on The Crown (Episode: "Fairytale") (Netflix)
Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne / Offred on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
Mj Rodriguez as Blanca Evangelista on Pose (Episode: "Series Finale") (FX)
Jurnee Smollett as Letitia "Leti" Lewis on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Holy Ghost") (HBO)
Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon on The Mandalorian (Episode: "Chapter 16: The Rescue") (Disney+)
O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
John Lithgow as Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan on Perry Mason (Episode: "Chapter 4") (HBO)
Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on The Crown (Episode: "Gold Stick") (Netflix)
Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "The Crossing") (Hulu)
Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon on This Is Us (Episode: "In the Room") (NBC)
Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Testimony") (Hulu)
Michael K. Williams as Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "Rewind 1921") (HBO) (posthumous)
The late Michael K. Williams won the Gold Derby Award and was alive to accept it, but he died since then. If that had happened during Emmy voting, it might have propelled a sympathy vote in addition to the momentum he earned winning the equivalent Gold Derby and Critics Choice Awards. I'd be fine with that, as Williams was more memorable than any of the nominees from "The Handmaid's Tale" and more intense than Giancarlo Esposito on "The Mandalorian" as much as he chewed the scenery as the main villain. If "Perry Mason" were a better show, then I think John Lithgow would have a good chance of winning, but I think the quality of this season of "The Crown" would more likely give Tobias Menzies the advantage instead. Williams should win, but Menzies probably will. Sigh. I hope I'm wrong.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher on The Crown (Episode: "Favourites") (Netflix)
Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret on The Crown (Episode: "The Hereditary Principle") (Netflix)
Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Testimony") (Hulu)
Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Progress") (Hulu)
Aunjanue Ellis as Hippolyta Freeman on Lovecraft Country (Episode: "I Am.") (HBO)
Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker Bowles on The Crown (Episode: "Fairytale") (Netflix)
Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Home") (Hulu)
Samira Wiley as Moira on The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Vows") (Hulu)
I think Gillian Anderson will win this. She beat all of her co-stars from "The Crown" for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series at the SAG Awards and they were in leading roles while she was in a supporting one. Otherwise, it's the clearest matchup between "The Crown" and "The Handmaid's Tale" at next Sunday's awards.
Follow over the jump for the nominees behind the camera and the awards drama series won at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX launched four space tourists into orbit from Kennedy Space Center in Florida reaching a new milestone for the space tourism industry. NBC News Correspondent Cal Perry joins MSNBC's Brian Williams to discuss the history-making moment.
Leading the flight is Jared Isaacman, 38, who made his fortune with a payment-processing company he started in his teens...Isaacman is the third billionaire to launch this summer, following the brief space-skimming flights by Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson and Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos in July.
Hayley Arceneaux, Chris Sembroski, and Sian Proctor joined Issacman on the flight. Together, they form the first all-tourist crew in orbit with no professional astronauts. While it comes off as a bit of a stunt, I still think that making space profitable, including space tourism, is a good thing for space exploration and exploitation.
SpaceX has launched four amateurs on a private flight to circle Earth for three days. It's the first time a rocket has streaked toward orbit with no professional astronauts on board. Former astronaut Garrett Resiman, who is also a senior advisor at SpaceX and a professor of astronautical engineering at USC, joins CBSN's Lana Zak to describe the launch.
The launch went well, so here's to a safe flight and landing.
Ten years ago, it seemed like Occupy Wall Street would change America. The movement that started in New York City's Financial District spread across the nation in weeks. But it died out as quickly as it started. What happened to Occupy Wall Street and did it even make a difference?
I pretty much agree with former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, that the movement was good at attracting attention and directing it to the economic, social, and political problems, but didn't have a strategic goal or activists who would work to achieve it. However, it wasn't a waste of effort.
As I wrote on the first anniversary of my blogging about the protests, "One year later, the participants may no longer be camping out in Zuccotti Park, but they did turn economic inequality into a major subject of conversation..." Reich and others pointed out that it made the candidacies of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren possible and served as a model for the Black Lives Matter and ClimateStrikeprotests, all of which I supported. So, Occupy Wall Street failed in the short term, but set up other long-term movements that have goals and strategies to achieve them. It also showed what not to do. That's just as important a lesson as its successes.
Black-ish (ABC) Cobra Kai (Netflix) Emily in Paris (Netflix) The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) Hacks (HBO Max) The Kominsky Method (Netflix) PEN15 (Hulu) Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
This field of comedy nominees has less politics and government content than the nominees in the other scripted series categories at next week's ceremony. "Black-ish" regularly has political commentary, "PEN15" has public school as part of its setting, and "The Flight Attendant" is a crime comedy with a strong police presence that will only become more prominent next season as — spoiler — Kaley Cuoco's Cassie Bowden is recruited as an undercover agent at the end of the first season. That's it, although all of them include social commentary in their comedy.
As 'Ted Lasso' kicks off its second season, Gold Derby editors Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng discuss how many Emmys it can win and are very much into a battle of Hannah Einbinder from 'Hacks' and Hannah Waddingham.
I agree with Eng and Rosen that "Ted Lasso" is the prohibitive favorite in this category. Like "The Queen's Gambit," it won all the major end-of-year awards last year as well as the Gold Derby TV Awards. Unlike the limited series about chess, its competitor from HBO hasn't been enough to seriously challenge it for the lead. As for perennial nominee "Black-ish" and newcomers — to this category, at least — "PEN15" and "The Flight Attendant," I'd wish them better luck next year except that "Ted Lasso" will return for its second season, keeping them from winning again. Darn. Here's to hoping "What We Do in the Shadows" doesn't get snubbed again next year.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson, Sr. on Black-ish (Episode: "What About Gary?") (ABC)
Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter 20. The round toes, of the high shoes") (Netflix)
William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher on Shameless (Episode: "Father Frank, Full of Grace") (Showtime)
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso on Ted Lasso (Episode: "Pilot") (Apple TV+)
Kenan Thompson as Kenan Williams on Kenan (Episode: "Flirting") (NBC)
This is a very impressive field of nominees, but like his series, this award is Jason Sudeikis's to lose. Next!
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant as Annie Easton on Shrill (Episode: "Ranchers") (Hulu)
Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden on The Flight Attendant (Episode: "In Case of Emergency") (HBO Max)
Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett on Mom (Episode: "My Kinda People and the Big To-Do") (CBS)
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson on Black-ish (Episode: "Babes in Boyland") (ABC)
Jean Smart as Deborah Vance on Hacks (Episode: "1.69 Million") (HBO Max)
Again, this is a very impressive field of nominees, but it's Jean Smart's award to lose, particularly since she won Performer of the Year at the Gold Derby TV Awards. Too bad, as I really enjoyed Kaley Cuoco's performance.
