2016 Emmy Predictions

Here are our predictions for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, brought to you by Irene and Doris. Once again, we are only covering series and acting categories because, you know, we have lives.

Outstanding Drama Series
“The Americans” (FX)

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Homeland” (Showtime)
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
“Mr. Robot" (USA)

Will Win

Irene: How about last season’s winner, Game of Thrones?

Doris: Agreed, repeat winners seem to be pretty common.

Should Win

Irene: I really enjoyed this season of Game of Thrones. I haven’t seen season 2 of Better Call Saul yet, but if it’s a payoff to the slow burn of season 1 than it could be a good contender.

Doris: I don’t watch any of these shows but I hear Mr. Robot is great.

Snubbed

Irene: Where is Orange is the New Black?!

Doris: I feel like OitNB got snubbed because no one understands the Emmy rules for determining dramas vs. comedies.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Veep (HBO)

Transparent (Amazon)

Silicon Valley (HBO)

Modern Family (ABC)

Master of None (Netflix)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

Black-ish (ABC)

Will Win

Irene: Now that Veep has broken Modern Family’s stranglehold, I’m betting it will win this for the foreseeable future.

Doris: Agreed.

Should Win

Irene: Veep is truly hilarious, but I’m going to always look forward to the week I spend binge-watching Kimmy Schmidt.

Doris: To me, Master of None is the smartest show currently on the air (I’m using that term loosely), with its incredibly thoughtful and surprisingly heartfelt take on modern life. It could’ve easily veered into “oh those silly millennials” territory but instead it feels so relatable, especially for young POCs like me. I don’t think Master of None has the star power or mainstream appeal to beat out a powerhouse like Veep, but I’ll be pulling for it nonetheless.

Snubbed

Irene: Words I never thought I would say: Where is the CW?! Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is one of my favorite shows and had no weak episodes its first season. I haven’t seen season 2 of Jane the Virgin, but season 1 was a delight. As for other networks, it’s not like they’re going to start nominating The Middle now that it’s entering its 8th season, but it has been quietly excellent and consistent for its entire run.

Doris: I was skeptical at first, but last month I binge-watched both seasons of Fresh Off The Boat and am now a fan. This year’s eligible season (S2) is not as strong and fresh as the previous season, but to all you Modern Family fans: watch this instead.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Kyle Chandler (Bloodline)

Rami Malek (Mr. Robot)

Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)

Matthew Rhys (The Americans)

Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)

Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)

Will Win

Irene: I believe none of these actors have ever won an Emmy for these roles (although Kyle Chandler did win for Friday Night Lights.) Given the Emmy love for Breaking Bad, maybe Bob Odenkirk?

Doris: Maybe it’s finally Kevin Spacey’s time for the spotlight?

Should Win

Irene: Never seen Bloodline, but after a recent Friday Night Lights binge I support Coach Taylor in all endeavors.

Doris: Alicia sends Rami Malek her love.

Snubbed

Irene: The only dramas I watch are Game of Thrones (all supporting actors) and Orange is the New Black (mostly female cast.) Any suggestions?

Doris: Nope, as I don’t watch any dramas any more.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder)

Claire Danes (Homeland)

Taraji P. Henson (Empire)

Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

Keri Russell (The Americans)

Robin Wright (House of Cards)

Will Win

Irene: My notoriously unreliable gut instincts are telling me to go with Claire Danes.

Doris: I’d be surprised if that happened, since Homeland has lost its sparkle. This is a tricky category, but I’m going to play it safe and guess last year’s winner, Viola Davis.

Should Win

Irene: I wouldn’t mind seeing another Viola Davis acceptance speech. Plus, Tatiana Maslany deserves recognition for developing so many distinct characters.

Doris: Tatiana Maslany works so hard! And the internet (my hometown Tumblr especially) loves her.

Snubbed

Irene: Maybe Taylor Schilling for Orange is the New Black? Piper can be unlikeable and annoying, but intentionally so, and Schilling doesn’t always get enough credit for her work.

Doris: No one really comes to mind.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)

Aziz Ansari (Master of None)

Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)

William H. Macy (Shameless)

Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

Will Win

Irene: I’m going to concur with Aziz Ansari’s Golden Gobes gag: “Losing to Jeffrey Tambor with Dignity.”

Doris: Agreed.

Should Win

Irene: I’ve heard great things about Jeffrey Tambor on Transparent. I loved Master of None, but I feel like its strongest aspects were its writing and general philosophy rather than the acting.

Doris: While that’s true (I suspect Aziz is personally more invested in his writing, directing, and series nominations), I would be thrilled by a win for Aziz in any category.

Snubbed

Irene: Jake Johnson as my favorite semi-useless dude on New Girl.

Doris: I’m still catching up on the last season of New Girl but yes, Jake Johnson cracks me up as Nick perhaps more than any other actor on TV.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

Laurie Metcalf (Getting On)

Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)

Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer)

Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)

Will Win

Irene: Where will Julia Louis-Dreyfus find room for this Emmy?

Doris: I will be genuinely shocked if JLD doesn’t win again.

Should Win

Irene: Ellie Kemper has a deceivingly difficult job as Kimmy Schmidt. The character could easily be cloying, but Kemper imbues her with a genuine enthusiasm that makes the childlike Kimmy someone you would actually want to wander New York City with.

Doris: The only show I watch of these is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Ellie Kemper is a gem.

Snubbed

Irene: All the actresses listed are talented and deserving, but I wish they could make room for Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin), Constance Wu (Fresh off the Boat) and Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project.)

Doris: Constance Wu! My new hero and the internet’s mom!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)

Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)

Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)

Michael Kelly (House of Cards)

Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline)

Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)

Will Win

Irene: Peter Dinklage.

Doris: Agreed, and I bet he does a half-classy, half-sassy shout-out to Kit Harington. Something along the lines of “you’re truly remarkable and gifted in this role, Kit, but I still beat you, haha.”

Should Win

Irene: Peter Dinklage, if only for his delivery of “I drink, and I know things.”

Doris: I’m enjoying my little daydream of Peter Dinklage’s acceptance speech.

Snubbed

Irene: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau continues to find new depths to Jaime Lannister.

Doris: I’ll believe it.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)

Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)

Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)

Maura Tierney (The Affair)

Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)

Constance Zimmer (UnREAL)

Will Win

Irene: One last Emmy for the Dowager Countess?

Doris: Wait, do you guys remember the time Joanne Froggatt randomly won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in anything TV-related in 2014? Ha, good times. But yes, let’s go with previous winner Maggie Smith.

Should Win

Irene: Lena Headey gives me serious chills as the increasingly villainous Cersei Lannister.

Doris: Wait, I just saw Maisie Williams’s name on the list! She’s 19! She’s not going to win but I’m so pleased for her.

Snubbed

Irene: The whole supporting cast of Orange is the New Black, but especially Uzo Aduba (last year’s winner!)

Doris: Yeah, what’s with that?

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Louie Anderson (Baskets)

Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

Tony Hale (Veep)

Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele)

Matt Walsh (Veep)

Will Win

Irene: Tony Hale

Doris: Tony Hale and Ty Burrell have been passing it between each other in recent years. I can’t imagine Modern Family winning anything any more, so I will be lame and also guess Tony Hale.

Should Win

Irene: Tituss Burgess, aka the world’s best Yelp reviewer.

Doris: Tituss!

Snubbed

Irene: Another CW shoutout: Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin) as hyper-confident Rogelio, plus Vincent Rodriguez III (Crazy Ex Girlfriend) for giving us the gift of a boy band made up of four Joshes.

Doris: I will always laugh heartily at the performances from all the men of New Girl.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Anna Chlumsky (Veep)

Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent)

Allison Janney (Mom)

Judith Light (Transparent)

Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)

Niecy Nash (Getting On)

Will Win

Irene: Who has a bigger trophy case - Allison Janney or Julia Louis-Dreyfus?

Doris: I’m getting tired of picking previous winners. Live a little, Emmy voters! I’m going to have a tiny stroke and predict Anna Chlumsky instead of the usual Allison Janney.

Should Win

Irene: Kate McKinnon 4eva.

Doris: Kate is my fave.

Snubbed

Irene: Donna Lynne Champlin (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and Eden Sher (The Middle.)

Doris: Jane Krakowski was pretty terrific on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and a lot more interesting than in the previous season.

See you Sunday, September 18, 2016!

As of 9/18/16: Doris here - Irene and I each got 5/10 right. In several cases, of the ones we guessed incorrectly, we pessimistically picked a repeat winner over the person we wanted to win, who actually ended up winning (e.g., Tatiana Maslany and Kate McKinnon). So yay for the Emmys proving us cynics wrong!

Dactyl's Movie Roundup 2015

Happy New Year! To kick off 2016, I present my round-up of the movies I saw last year, ranked purely by my personal subjective assessment. Although I missed some movies on my list (The Night Before, Spy, The Danish Girl, Sicario—you were next!), I thought this was a particularly strong year for female-driven stories and crowd-pleasing blockbusters. And my top 7 have become new all-time favorites!

25. The Divergent Series: Insurgent

Hilariously terrible. Halfway through the movie, Theo James tried to emote and my family and I collectively lost it.

24. Avengers: Age of Ultron 

I’m a casual Marvel fan and a major Captain America fan, but this was just so mediocre. Robot villain Ultron was a huge letdown after Loki. And I’m still confused by that Black Widow/Hulk storyline. 

23. The Intern

Classy and pleasant but boring. I think it lacks depth because neither of the lead characters had any discernable flaws.

22. Pitch Perfect 2

Anna Kendrick is an absolute gem, but I don’t think she’s ever looked so uninspired as she did in this movie. The final number with all the Bellas was sweet, though.

21. Creed

It’s probably criminal to have such a critically acclaimed movie near the bottom of this list, but I thought Creed was incredibly dull. Most of this assessment probably stems from the fact that I only understood about 30% of what Sylvester Stallone was saying. I was a huge fan of Fruitvale Station, but Creed simply didn’t connect with me at all

20. The Age of Adaline

Completely forgettable except that (a) they managed to find an eerily spot-on doppelganger to play young Harrison Ford, and (b) current Harrison Ford has totally still got it. What a movie star.

19. Cinderella

It’s basically as traditional as Cinderella can be, but I still enjoyed it. Cate Blanchett is a goddess (I’m pretty sure I say this every time I see a Cate Blanchett movie), the costumes are gorgeous, and Richard Madden’s eyes glow like those blue rocks that Marvel characters are always obsessing over.

18. Sleeping with Other People

This movie never quite nails its attempt to infuse drama into a romantic comedy, which makes it feel both tonally inconsistent and refreshingly unexpected. Overall, it’s a fun single-view movie with a solid cast (Alison Brie is particularly good).

17. Paper Towns

I saw this with my (then) 15 year-old brother, who confirmed that this movie feels very authentic to the modern high school experience. It’s not good enough to be a classic high school movie, but it’s still a worthy addition to the coming-of-age genre.

16. Ricki and the Flash

Objectively, this movie is not good at all—most characters are various shades of obnoxious, the plot doesn’t really go anywhere, and the music numbers are way too long. But Meryl Streep is so fully committed that she completely drew me into Ricki’s world; I was riveted, no matter how many dumb things she did. Plus, I’m always a sucker for ridiculously dramatic family throwdowns (remember August: Osage County?).

15. The Big Short

I have many gripes about this movie—the “bro club” tone, the actors’ uniformly terrible hair, director Adam McKay’s headache-inducing aversion to Steadicam. But the story about predicting and then waiting for the financial crisis is undeniably gripping, and the movie actually does a lot of teaching about the banking industry.

14. The Duff

I don’t think Mae Whitman’s awesomeness is a secret anymore, but I was pleasantly surprised by her fantastic chemistry with Robbie Amell. Their performances carry the film (distracting from Bella Thorne, whose mean girl was so blandly dead-eyed that I didn’t even have the heart to root against her). This will definitely be a fun rewatch for lazy Friday nights.

13. Inside Out

Don’t get me wrong, I liked Inside Out. It’s charming and creative and bittersweet, basically everything you want and expect from a Pixar film. It’s just lower on this list because—for some inexplicable reason—I didn’t find it as deep or as moving as everyone else did.

12. Room

This is a raw, powerful piece of film, and I had tears streaming down my face during the most emotional moment. Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are incredible. But it was difficult to watch, and I’ll admit that I appreciated it more than I enjoyed it.

11. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I didn’t expect much from this movie, but I thought it was smart and surprisingly elegant. I’m usually less concerned with technical prowess, but the action set pieces here were stunning; I definitely want to rewatch those scenes at the opera house. Sure, it’s not going to win any awards, but Rogue Nation is about as good as a summer blockbuster spy movie can be.

10. Trainwreck

Trainwreck confirmed 2015 as Amy Schumer breakout year, and the attention on this hilarious, poignant comedy is well-deserved. Honestly, though, my main takeaway from this movie was “Omg you guys Bill Hader is SO dreamy.” Hollywood, we demand more leading roles for Bill Hader.

9. Jurassic World

The nostalgia factor was strong with this movie. Even though the plot is basically a point-by-point rehash of Jurassic Park, I was absolutely thrilled the entire time. Those CGI dinosaurs were awesome. Chris Pratt is the officially the movie star we all want and deserve. And when the original John Williams theme song played while the camera soared over the park for the first time—straight-up chills.

8. Bridge of Spies

Bridge of Spies is fantastic. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have done it again, crafting a smart, engaging story with historical heft. Mark Rylance’s quiet strength contrasts with Hanks’ more verbal performance, but their characters’ shared humanity is the highlight of the film. And as a bonus, the dialogue is infused with the Coen Brothers’ signature wit.

7. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

It’s a tall order to live up to Star Wars mania, but The Force Awakens handles the hype remarkably well. It was thrilling to see our old favorites back in action, especially Han Solo in a surprisingly meaty role. But this movie belongs to new characters Rey and Finn, whose undeniable chemistry (refreshingly platonic, I think) and parallel journeys from lonely children to heroes bring a new hope back to the galaxy. I’m so excited to see what adventures they get up to next!

6. Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road, Suffragette, and even The Force Awakens have gotten attention as the big “feminist” movies this year, but I think Brooklyn makes a subtle case of its own. Saoirse Ronan’s Eilis Lacey is such a wonderfully complex character, and you feel for her during every step of her immigrant journey. Even when I thought she was making huge mistakes, I never doubted her integrity. Other performers may have tackled more objectively challenging roles this year, but I’d give the Best Actress Oscar to Ronan’s empathic performance here.

5. Carol

A gorgeous love story, deeply moving in its emotional authenticity. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett are sublime, and their subtle performances deserve enormous awards attention. Mara is the true lead of the film, so if she gets nominated in the Supporting Actress category at the Oscars, I think she should win in a landslide.

 4. The Martian

Who would have thought Ridley Scott would make the biggest crowd pleaser of the year? I have yet to meet a single person who didn’t love The Martian (including my mom, a notorious movie theater snoozer). Buoyed by the strength of its script and Matt Damon’s movie star charisma, The Martian’s universal acclaim is a testament to its deft balance of humor and heart.

3. Ex Machina

A brilliant, brilliant piece of science fiction tackling the question of what it means to be human. Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac all bring their A-game to a story that demands massive “NO SPOILER” tags. To anyone who has seen this movie, let’s get coffee and discuss.

2. Spotlight

I think my dad said it best: This is an A+ film. Everything about Spotlight is impeccable—script, direction, ensemble acting, editing, cinematography, set design, costuming, etc. Seriously, I would watch this again just to marvel at the music cues and editing choices. That attention to detail works perfectly for a story about investigative journalism, and the weighty subject matter should make Spotlight a strong, deserving contender for pretty much every award possible.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

I don’t even know where to begin. Visceral, stunning, riveting, risky, and endlessly rewarding, Fury Road is unlike any movie I’ve ever seen. It’s the rare film that fully embodies the “show, don’t tell” approach to storytelling, and the result is mind-blowingly great. From the first scene, Fury Road challenges you to keep up. Nothing comes easy in this post-apocalyptic desert, not even basic plot points. But by allowing us to soak in every layer of its surreal wasteland, Fury Road slowly unveils itself as a sharp reflection of our own imperfect society. Equal parts thrilling and resonant, this is art at its very best.

Otter's 2015 Movies

Once again, I failed to see more than 7 movies in theaters this past year, which makes it very easy to do a movie ranking. A couple of these films were technically released in 2014 but because I didn't see them until 2015, I'm counting them anyway:

7. Spectre

Somehow, I had never seen a James Bond movie until November of last year. People have assured me that Spectre isn't the best the franchise has to offer. I just want to know how their clothes look perfect in every scene even though you never see a suitcase or someone using a little travel steamer.

6. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 2

Why must this movie title have three parts? I enjoyed Mockingjay, although I think the movie would have been stronger if it had been combined with the first installment. Jennifer Lawrence is convincing as a reluctant hero, and it was wonderful (albeit sad) to see Philip Seymour Hoffman one last time.

5. Trainwreck

I feel odd putting Trainwreck so low on this list, as it made me laugh harder and more frequently than any other movie this year. (Who know LeBron James was such a comedic talent?) Still, it would have benefited from a tighter script, especially as the last third dragged on for a bit. 

4. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Like every little nerd, I was insanely excited for this movie and went to see it the Friday it opened. I do agree with the common criticism that this is almost a remake of A New Hope. But, A New Hope was a really great movie, so I don't see why this is a bad thing.

3. The Martian

Honestly, this movie was just fun. I always love seeing my favorite comedians pop up in big-budget movies (Kristen Wiig! Donald Glover!) Sure, we all knew they weren't going to let Matt Damon die despite the fact that it's cost almost a trillion dollars to keep him alive, but it was fun to see people really good at their jobs solve problems. 

2. Selma

An incredibly well-acted movie that does an excellent job reflecting problems that persist in our society today. I had never thought too much about the strategy behind these movements, but small scenes like Coretta Scott King's meeting with Malcolm X showed the immense amount of planning to make the march happen.

1. Inside Out

I saw this movie after a very rough week, which resulted in me sobbing and saying "I am sadness!" in the middle of the theater. I would rather be happy than not, but Inside Out is a wonderful reminder of how all our emotions have purposes and become more complex as we mature.