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The Los Angeles Times
September 19, 2002
An Edge at the
Emmys: Voters look for emotional range and impact, but the only sure
thing is unpredictability.
By Tom O'Neil
Don't write off Bernie Mac as one of those stand-up comics such as
Jerry Seinfeld or Ellen DeGeneres who can't win an Emmy for acting.
And don't dismiss the serious acting chops of "Alias" star Jennifer
Garner just because she knows some sexy martial arts moves.
Both stars are among longshot nominees who could appear at the Emmy
podium Sunday, if for no other reason than they were savvy--or lucky--
enough to pick samples of their work from the past TV season that
spotlight qualities Emmy voters prefer.
An analysis of recent voting patterns shows that judges gravitate
toward performances with two key elements: emotional range and
impact. Comedy or drama doesn't matter; mixing the two elements are
key to winning. A third factor is face time; actors need to be front
and center, which is one reason an ensemble show like "Friends" has
never produced a lead actor or actress Emmy.
That said, it's worth noting that upsets are routine at the Emmys--
more so than other show-biz awards--because of a unique voting
system. Contenders are given a guarantee not made to nominees for
Oscars, Grammys and Tonys: Their work will be evaluated by all voters
(see related story, page 56). It means sentiment and promotion tend
to play less of a role in Emmy voting than for the Oscars.
Adding to the difficulty in predicting winners is that this is only
the third year for the current voting system. The Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences changed its rules three years ago,
eliminating screenings of nominated shows and instead allowing
academy members to watch tapes at home. It increased the number of
participating members dramatically, and may have altered some voting
patterns.
Now, seemingly low-key performers such as "Everybody Loves Raymond's"
Patricia Heaton not only have a real shot at topping super-chic foes
such as "Sex and the City's" Sarah Jessica Parker, but they do it
often, as Heaton demonstrated ... twice.
This year Heaton could win for a third year in a row on the strength
of her latest sample episode. Like her past two victorious
entries, "A Vote for Debra" has emotional range and impact. Heaton
handles the spectrum from laughs to tears as she campaigns for
president of her kids' school governing board. When she loses, she
finds out that her husband didn't vote for her. "How could you do
that to me?" she roars at him, appearing wounded and betrayed. "I'm
your wife! I don't care if my platform is anti-puppy, you have to
vote for me!"
Impact without range is the mistake Emmy nominees often make,
according to a survey of TV journalists who've scrutinized the Emmy
contests for the last five years. It's probably one of the reasons
Parker lost to Heaton last year. Parker opted for a darkly dramatic
episode that didn't include her light comic skills.
This year, however, Parker's submission, "The Real Me," is funny
(Parker is forced to wear skimpy underwear when she agrees to be a
fashion-show model) and tragic (she falls on the runway).
Heaton and Parker face a formidable foe in Jennifer Aniston, who
submitted the season finale of "Friends," which gives her two
advantages: a baby (Emmy voters love performances with kids) and an
hourlong episode to compete against half-hour rivals.
The one-hour advantage doesn't always work (Debra Messing's
hourlong "Will & Grace" special lost last year to Heaton's half-
hour "Raymond"), but Helen Hunt won two of her four Emmys for one-
hour entries, one of them featuring a newborn.
Less clear in Aniston's case is what role sentiment may play; this
upcoming season is expected to be the show's last, and voters may
feel it's time to give it an Emmy in a lead performer category (Lisa
Kudrow has won a supporting actress award).
The face-time factor could play a particularly key role in the race
for lead actor in a comedy, which seems to be between Matt LeBlanc
("Friends") and Bernie Mac ("The Bernie Mac Show"), both of whom
submitted what appear to be formidable episodes. LeBlanc's role as
the ditzy Joey may have hurt his Emmy chances previously, but the
actor displays a range of angst, joy, relief and heartache as he
confesses his secret, doomed love to Rachel (Aniston).
Still, even with his expanded role last season, LeBlanc has only one-
third the screen time on his submitted episode that Mac wielded in
his self-titled series as he tries to dodge a cold virus. Mac
dominates every scene, going from grumpy one minute to silly the
next.
In the same way, Garner towers over rivals in the lead actress in a
drama category. She's at the center of every scene in the "Alias"
debut episode, which builds slowly, revealing a sensitive actress
coping with the murder of a lover and betrayals of a father. Then she
comes out swinging as an action hero.
But Garner's up against an award foe who's never lost an Emmy
race, "The West Wing's" Allison Janney, in the lead drama actress
category after two wins in the supporting race. Janney rages against
the injustices against women in an Arab nation allied to the U.S.,
but her role doesn't have as much muscle as Garner's. Janney has only
a few--albeit pointed--scenes in her episode. Frances Conroy doesn't
have much screen time in her's either--the "Six Feet Under" pilot--in
which she collapses on the floor next to her dropped veal roast when
she learns her husband has died.
Kiefer Sutherland's response to the death of his TV wife could lead
to an action hero carrying the day in the competition for lead actor
in a drama. That he already won a Golden Globe for "24" could give
him a head start. Michael Chiklis opted for the same adrenaline pace
by submitting the pilot of "The Shield," but it reveals no tender
heart inside a tough-guy shell.
Peter Krause's episode of "Six Feet Under" doesn't have such
explosive impact, but it shows range as he berates a blockhead
doctor, comforts his depressed lover, duels with his father's ghost
and gets looped on Ecstasy.
Co-star Michael C. Hall's tape, by contrast, is less flamboyant.
After wrestling quietly with his homosexuality for most of the
episode, he lets loose near the end, dropping to his knees and
shouting "Please God, help me! Take this pain away!"
It may have the range and the impact voters love. Or not.
Unpredictability makes the Emmys unique among major award shows.
Tom O'Neil is author of "The Emmys" (Perigee Books) and runs the
award-predictions Web site GoldDerby.com, which includes descriptions
of Emmy submissions.
©
latimes.com
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