Krazoozoo

“I want the money. I want the fame. I want the whole world to know my name.”

The Bellacourt family living in Newport, Rhode Island in 1902 is at the top of high society in the New World and most importantly a world without income tax. Meaning if you had money back then your lived every day like you were Beyonce and Jay Z only with absolutely no talent and never having to work a day in your life. Throw in a talented cast and you have the premise of Another Period, which is one of the best new shows on television.

1. A Reality TV Show Set in the 1900’s
Creators Riki Lindhome and Natasha Leggero star as the spoiled Bellacourt sisters who are obsessed with becoming famous despite their lack of skills, charm, or intelligence. Sound like any other family on TV? Needless to say the show plays to the best of a historical period and a reality show, with side commentary and beauty pageants for vegetables.
     

2. Wait Who’s In It?!
Who knows how this superb troupe of actors was assembled, but who cares? Bringing the talents of Christian Hendricks (Mad Men), Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds), Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer), Jason Ritter (Parenthood), David Koechner (Anchor Man), and so many other well seasoned actors gets the laughs rolling in with even better guest stars like Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Jessica Chaffin, and Chris Parnell.
            

3. “Everyone’s pretty awful”
Paget Brewster’s words herself. Anyone and everyone at the Bellacourt Mannor is just the worst, even worse then Britta Perry. From flirting at funerals, cocaine wine, post traumatic stress disorder, and shooting bald eagles it seems nothing is scared or safe from the grimy, greedy hands of the Bellacourt Manor.
          

4. Inspired by Real Events
Co-Creators Lindhome and Leggier said they toured some of the old homes out in Rhode Island and took inspiration from many of the stories. Lindhome in an interview said, “A beauty pageant with cabbages and humans was real. We were like, we can’t improve on that, so let’s just do that.” With material like that it leaves me wondering what other historical goodies this creative duo will discover next.    
5. It feels like Downton Abbey, but you can laugh at everything
If you have ever seen Downton Abbey you know there are themes of class difference, economic hardship, and societal expectations. Now imagine these dramatic elements, but you can laugh at all of them. Another Period takes topics that are normally reserved for dramas and exploits them for hilarious, all be it shocking humor at times. All the same it will make you laugh, even if your jaw hangs open for a second.
       

You can watch Another Period on Comedy Central on Tuesdays at 10:30 pm. Watch the show and let me know your thoughts and if there are any other shows I should check out. Thanks y’all and peace out.

With the 2015 Emmys growing ever closer the heat is on and actors are submitting their episodes for Emmy consideration. Drama was especially difficult this year with dozens of new shows and twice as many veteran shows fighting for nominations. We have advertising agencies, mythical worlds, every aspect of politics you can imagine, and family drama that will make you grateful the biggest fight you have with your siblings is who has control of Netflix for the night. To say it was a strong year for actors on Television in Drama is an understatement so without further ado the Surprises, Snubs, and Celebrations of Drama.
For a full list of the nominees go to this link: Emmy Nomiations

Best Drama Series:
Surprise: Homeland
Carrie makes a comeback! After an odd third season and killing off one of their main characters Homeland is a completely reinvented show. Focusing mainly on matters of the CIA and it’s brilliant cast, ended up producing one suspenseful ride that left audiences on the edge of their seats. The show was thought to go down hill after killing of it’s leading man, but the gamble paid off earning Homeland another Emmy nom. #Nomnomnomnom

Snub: Empire
The record breaking ratings drama was thought to be an easy win despite it’s freshman status. While considered almost soap opera like Empire blew up with an impressive cast and guest stars. Terrance Howard and Taraji P. Henson, both Oscar nominees give performances of a life time as feuding business partners and ex-lovers. Unfortunately despite record breaking viewership the show’s story line didn’t win over the Emmy voters. Better luck next time Cookie. #PortiagetmydangEmmy

Celebration: Orange is the New Black
Taking a huge gamble this year and submitting in the drama category instead of comedy Orange comes out on top taking home a nominee as Best Drama Series. Typically when one hears comedy, one typically does not think women’s correctional facility, unless one has a very dark humor. One…anyway…finally recognized as a drama Orange is competing against veteran power players like House of Cards, Game of Thrones, and Mad Men. While the gamble hurt the show in acting categories Orange snags an elusive spot on top.
Lead Drama Actress:
Surprise: Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Finally. FINALLY. FINALLY!!!! After being ignored for two years and playing multiple characters with vastly different personalities Tatiana FINALLY pulled through with an Emmy nomination. Sci-fi shows generally are ignored by Emmy voters, but Tatiana not only plays multiple characters well, but she delivers intense performances as each character that could stand on their own as Emmy worthy. At the very least her nomination solidifies her acting chops for any haters out there and much deserved recogniaiton. Here is to you Tatiana and hoping you get an award for each clone you played. #actoftheclones #butreally

Snub: Caitriona Balfe (Outlander)
If there was ever a year and category to be stacked this is it. Oscar nominees, Golden Globe winners, Emmy winners, and even some of those actresses were snubbed. However, if there is one actress who broke through this year and deserves recognition it is Caitriona Balfe. The premise of a woman falling through time and falling in love with a Scottsman from the 1700’s might not sound Emmy worthy, but Balfe holds her own. In a time when men rule and women are treated like objects she puts men in their place and holds here own in a fight. The slap below alone shows how much of a Gansta she is. #OriginalGansta #butreally #1700sGansta #theyseemerolling #daEmmys_hating

Celebration: Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men)
After years of putting up with her sexist co-workers and being sidelined, Peggy comes out on top professionally and romantically ending her story on a high note. Her stroll out of the office looking like a champ with cigarette and sunglasses instantly became gif famous. LIKE A BOSS! The reason we celebrate Moss though is because she has been off and on again with Emmy nominations and with this being Mad Men’s final year we are glad she snagged a coveted nomination in an extremely stacked category. It is unclear if she has a chance with such strong competition, but hey we love you Elizabeth Moss and look forward to seeing you in more work. (Shout out to Liz Mitlak for help on this one.)

Lead Drama Actor:
Surprise: Liev Schreiber (Ray Donavan)
Liev Schreiber has……Showtime’s underdog sho……Being a hitman is hard when……I’m sorry stop. Stop. Cut. Cut.
Is anyone else completely confused by this nomination? I mean don’t get me wrong Liev Schreiber is a great actor, but his performance is hardly on par with actors like Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, and Kyle Chandler. It is a mystery worthy of every crime procedural show how Schreiber beat out actors like Terrance Howard, James Spader, and Michael Sheen who all gave fantastic performances this year and were way ahead of Schreiber in the Emmy line. However, if Scheiber is nominated I am will celebrate him even if his nod puzzles me to the point where I lose sleep at night. Congrats Scheiber and if anyone figures out how this happened please explain it to me. Seriously I don’t get it. #confusedkrazoozoo

Snub: James Spader (The Blacklist)
A likable villain with a soft side, but still can give you nightmares. Spader is what brings this show to the next level and beyond a normal crime procedural. He is charming, hilarious, and heartbreaking all at the same time. It is a wonder how Spader even ended up on this show since his performance is considered a supernova next to any his co-stars. He was even nominated for a Golden Globe this past year for his work, but sadly as we know that doesn’t always transition into an Emmy nomination. Don’t worry Spader, you’ll have your day and you’re still our favorite bad guy.

Celebration: Kyle Chandler (Bloodline)
Coach Taylor finds his dark side and gives an intense performance balancing between dashing hero and ruthless villain. Chandler is like you’ve never seen him before and his transformation through the season is a true testament to his abilities as an actor. Having won an Emmy for his role on Friday Night Lights over Jon Hamm, Chandler comes back with vengeance with an even more fierce performance in his pocket. If you have any doubt about Chandler’s chances this year watch Bloodline on Netflix and I guarantee you will be screaming #WhyCoachTaylor?! #WHY?!? Break a leg Chandler and we’ll be rooting for you!

Supporting Drama Actress:
Surprise Switcharoo: Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) & Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey)
This was certainly a shocker since Dame Maggie Smith has been a power house since the beginning of Downton Abbey dealing out unfiltered performances both dramatic and humorous. However, no one saw Smith being knocked out by her co-star Joanne Froggatt. Froggatt had quite a year with her story of surviving an assault and then being accused of murder. She won a Golden Globe this year for her performance and made a heartfelt speech hoping her character’s story will become retired and a story alone. Both are fantastic actresses, but this switcharoo left our heads spinning and left Emmy favorite Smith out in the cold.
       

Snub: Monica Potter (Parenthood)
Fine I will admit I am complete biased with this one, but come on! Potter has dealt with every single possible scenario a mom can go through and still managed to be snubbed time and time again. Her son was diagnosed with Aspergers, she births a child while working full time, she fights the school system for her child, SHE BATTLES CANCER, she runs for Mayor of her city, and opens a school all so her child can receive equal treatment. She at least deserves a nomination as the non stop Mom who is always willing to drive off a cliff to protect her children. Much love Potter and hopefully one day and Emmy. #PotterneedsanEmmy #NonotthatPotter #LightningScar

Celebration: Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
The Mother of Dragons lives again in the Emmy world. Clarke was nominated in the first season of Thrones, but since then has been sidelined due to powerful actresses in her category. However Clarke blew up this year trying to rule her city with understanding and ruthlessness. In addition her “Spokes on a Wheel” speech was just straight up hardcore declaring her unwavering determination to claim her birthright. PLUS she rode a dragon, if that doesn’t earn you an Emmy then I don’t know what does. #SHEGONNABREAK_DAWHEEL

Supporting Drama Actor:
Surprise: Peter Dinklege (Game of Thrones)
Peter Dinks! The fan favorite of G.O.T. and of the supporting actor category. One could almost say that this was the role Peter Dinklege was born to play and will be the role of his career. Why the surprise then? Well the reason is…he didn’t do anything this season. Now just hear me out before you gather your pitchforks and run me out of town, but what did he do this season? He drank a lot, was kidnapped, drank more, and flirted with Danny. Was he good of course he was, he’s Peter Dinklege, but to say he was better then other supporting actors this season is unfair in my opinion. Thus I must sadly say that I do not believe Dinklage deserves a nomination this year. I know that makes me worse then Joffery or that weird Bolton psycho, but I stand by my words. #Allmybest #TyrionfortheThrone

Snub: Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) & Craig T. Nelson (Parenthood)
Apparently torture and death are not enough to gain these two veteran actors nominations in what may be considered their best work on their shows. Mandy Patinkin often playing the calm and collected Saul completely lost it this season after being horribly tortured almost to the point of suicide. This was his best year on Homeland and it is an absolute shame he was passed up for a nomination. Parenthood again is left out in the cold to be ignored again despite providing heartfelt performances and an ending that even had house cats crying for days. Nelson’s final year on the show faced the reality of growing old and leaving your family behind. I mean this season was so real and raw mainly due to Nelson’s incredible acting skills. Two fantastic actors and two disgraceful snubs. You both are still loved and continue to provide amazing performances so please do not feel discouraged by the Emmys. #ZeekBraverman4ever #toosoon #stillcrying
             

Celebration: Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline)
And you thought your family had problems. Mendelsohn as the blackest sheep in existence simply steals the show in Bloodline. Coming out of nowhere and now competing with veteran Emmy nominated actors Mendelsohn could very well take the Emmy. He is heartbreaking, pathetic, scary, and devious all rolled up into one sick twisted burrito. Ben is my personal pick for this category because his performance sails over the other nominees this year. Just stay out of trouble for a bit Ben and it may earn you a well deserved Emmy win.

This concludes our segment on Emmy Surprises, Snubs, and Celebrations for Drama. If there are any actors you think we over looked or do not deserve nominations let us know. We want to know your opinions and feedback. Lets us know your thoughts using the hashtag #KrazoozooEmmys and let us know if there are any topics you want discussed on our blog. Peace out y’all and be sure to catch up on all the Emmy nominated shows. See you next time!

Last Thursday the 2015 Emmy nominations were announced. With so many powerful actors moving to television it makes the voting all the more difficult, but for the nominations this year there was strong new talent, veteran actors who were completely shoved aside, and those who had been left out in the cold finally welcomed inside to the party. This section I’ll focus on Comedy and Drama will come later this week.

For a full list of the nominees go to this link: Emmy Nominees

Now without further adieu let the surprises, snubs, and celebrations commence.

Best Comedy Series
Surprise: The Big Bang Theory
The whole universe came crashing down for the scientist and their girlfriends when the hit show was not nominated this year. Having been a contender for the past four years and the still the number one comedy on TV one would have thought The Big Bang would have been an easy pick. To everyones surprise TBBT was left out in the cold.

Snub: Jane the Virgin
The freshmen TV novela was praised as one of the best new shows on television this year, bringing all kinds of hilarity and mayhem with all the dramatic twists you would expect from a soap opera. With its charming characters, over the top narrator, and connecting storylines this is truly a show with heart. It is a shame the Emmys didn’t feel the same way.

Celebration: Parks and Recreation
After sitting on the sidelines since 2011 Parks snuck its way into the Best Comedy Category. Its almost epilogue style seventh season hit hard with laughs and emotions as all final seasons do. While the beloved characters from the parks department will leave us, Pawnee will always keep us laughing with its ridiculous citizens, ineffective government, and of course Ron Swanson.

Best Lead Comedic Actress
Surprise: Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer)
With her show’s third season and new movie Trainwreck, Schumer has become an unstoppable force of comedy and can be seen almost everywhere. The actress has truly found her comedic voice and her show received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes this year. Schemer certainly is hilarious and may very well earn her her first Emmy.
Double Snub: Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)
Ellie Kemper was the energy and life of Tina Fey’s new sitcom. She brought hilarity with her unstoppable determination and naive questioning. Its odd to think the show itself was nominated for best comedy when the title character wasn’t. Then there is Gina Rodriguez, the pregnant virgin/waitress/writer/teacher, and her journey through love, religion, and family. Her complicated life of unfortunate run ins and the drama of having her boss’ baby earned her a golden globe, but not an Emmy nomination.
           

Celebration: Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback)
Veteran Friends star makes her triumphant return to the Emmys with her revived HBO show The Comeback. The shows initial run in 2005 was not well received and cancelled after only one season, but its revival in 2014 was a welcomed breath of fresh air. Heres to you Miss Regina Phalange and hopefully your second Emmy award.
Best Lead Comedic Actor
Surprises All Around: Will Forte (Last Man on Earth) and Anthony Anderson (Blackish)
Will Forte is simply hilarious as the only man on the planet trying to court the only woman left on the planet and Anthony Anderson made his come back as a father trying to keep his family in touch with their heretigae. The reason their nominations are surprises is not due to their performances, but instead that power players like Jim Parsons and Billie Crystal were thought to snag nominations easily. However the TV Gods clearly decided other wise landing these two much deserved nods.
        

Snub: Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and fine *SIGH* Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
I am not an Andy Samberg fan. He was good on SNL and his appearances on shows like Parks and Rec were fine, but in Brooklyn Nine-Nine Samberg shines as the doofy-lovable cop just trying to get through the day. Despite being funny enough to host the Emmys he was not chosen to receive a nomination. SIGH. Then there is Jim. Oh Jim. Parsons has won four times over actors like Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell, and Ricky Gervais for his role as the know it all roommate/scientist, but it is about time he not be nominated. I think Parsons is a great actor, he was fantastic in the Normal Heart. However if you think his performance has been better then Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy you are sadly mistaken good sir and apparently the voters finally thought the same.
               

Celebration: Jeffery Tambor (Transparent)
With Ruth Wilson and Gina Rodriguez both winning Golden Globes for their roles, but being snubbed for the Emmys lets celebrate Jeffery Tambor who also won a Golden Globe for his role. Tambor has been nominated before for his work on Arrested Development as George Senior, but his work on Transparent has received countless praise. Currently Tambor’s performance has been hailed as the best work of the year category and gender aside, lets hope it will finally earn him that win he’s been itching for.

Supporting Comedic Actress:
Surprise: Gaby Hoffman (Transparent)
With so many star studded performers in this category Gaby Hoffman broke through and is rubbing elbows with Emmy veterans like Allison Janney, Julie Bowen, and Mayam Bialik. The major surprise comes from the fact that Hoffman’s co-star Judith Light was thought to be a favorite for a nomination this year, but Hoffman shocked the world by obtaining an elusive seventh spot in a category that normally only favors six entries. Congratulations Hoffman and best of luck!

Snub: Eden Sher (The Middle)
Once again The Middle is shut out of the Emmys and it is a huge crime especially for Eden Sher. Sher’s performance as the hopelessly optimistic middle child is what drives most of the show and more importantly the laughs. She gives everything to any scene she is in and that smile alone should earn her an award. Maybe one of these days Sher will break through to a nomination, but sadly it doesn’t seem likely. Don’t worry Sher we are mad about it too.

Celebration: Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Jenna Maroney lives again, but richer and far less attention obsessed. Krakowski has always been a fan favorite from her work on 30 Rock, but sadly she never won an Emmy for her role. Even though she is a fireball of talent, Krakowski was thought to be over looked this year due to the sheer amount of talent in her category. With her hilarious and heartbreaking performance this year hopefully Krakowski will win the Emmy she deserves and not have to use her sad face filter.

Supporting Comedic Actor:
Surprise: Keegan-Micheal Key (Key & Peele)
If you do not recognize the name Keegan-Micheal Key then search Substitute Teacher or Obama’s Angry Translator and you will be rolling on the floor. Key has always been a fiece comedian bringing his A game to every performance, but his sketch comedy performances never truly felt Emmy worthy. Clearly the voters felt otherwise and decided to recognize this up and coming star and we promise to say our names right during role call sir.

Snub: Nick Offermen (Parks and Recreation) and Jim Rash (Community)
Both Offermen and Rash are fantastic actors and not new to the Emmy snub world. Parks and Recreation cannot break any of it’s actors into nominations other then Amy Pohler and Community as a whole has been snubbed time and time again, but Rash especially is a shame. Both take normal lines and make them absolutely hilarious. Offermen continued to keep the laughs coming as the manliest man alive and Rash should at least get a nod for coming out as two sevenths of what he actually is. Sadly both shows ended this year, ending their chances at future nominations for their roles, but the viewers still love you Ron Swanson and Dean Pelton.
        

Celebration: Titus Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Anyone who has seen Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has fallen in love with the diva that is Titus Andromedon. After becoming a broadway success and a few guest appearances on 30 Rock Burgess landed his role on Unbreakable and took Netflix by storm. We aren’t sure if Burgess will win, but we are certainly happy to see one our favorites nominated. Here is to you Titus Andromedon star on the rise indeed.
And that wraps thing up for Comedy. If you think there are any actors we overlooked, shows given too much credit, or just in general angst about the nominations feel free to let me know using #KrazoozooEmmys. Check in later this week for an update on the surprises, snubs, and celebrations for the Drama category. As always keep on keeping on and hopefully we will see y’all again soon. Peace!

Hello there fellow Human Beings! About a week ago the beloved series Community ended it’s sixth installment. The season (possibly series) finale came out showing empty hallways and a lifeless cafeteria giving the feeling of a true end for the show. Not just the end of a year and come back next year for more shenanigans, but a true end all with the classic “give you the feels” music true to Community. The episode overall was one of the best in the season that was full of emotional moments, but still delivered laughs with sharp wit as our friends from Greendale contemplated different premises for their seventh season. Since the finale there has been a buzz on whether this is Community’s final season or if Yahoo will renew it for a seventh season. There is still no official news on Community’s future as Dan Harmon has taken a break from the internet, but personally I believe Community should end with season six.

When NBC cancelled the show back in 2014 fans were outraged because like all dedicated fan bases they wanted to see storylines wrapped up, where the characters would ended up, and most of all a chance to say good bye. With its cancellation fans were left feeling like the rug was pulled out from them only to assume that Greendale was hit by a meteor and everyone was killed. However with Community saved by Yahoo Screen and the show had a chance to end things on their terms and end things right. This final episode was a perfect farewell to Greendale and its gang, which is why there should not be a seventh season.

1. Losing More of the Cast
The biggest gamble is that if a seventh season were to happen who would be the next cast member to leave? Paget Brewster and Ken Jeong both have new series coming out and Joel McHale was just announced for the X-Files reboot so clearly the cast would have conflicts with filming. While Community has proven it can still thrive with interchanging cast members it leaves the question: what is the show any more? Sure the show is still good, but it is just not the same show fans fell in love with. Community would simply become a show where characters leave and are never heard from again just like all of Zack Morris’ girlfriends from Saved by the Bell. If another cast member leaves it would make the sixth cast member to peace out, if you include Professor Duncan and Professor Hickey, and it would simply create of feeling of mistrust. The audience would always be guarded and try to to be attached to the cast because a character may leave at any moment. Also and most importantly if there are any more changes to the cast I will start to develop abandonment issues and need a lot of chocolate and ice cream. (Side note was anyone else really sad when Elroy just got up and left at the beginning of the episode #Lockandload #Icoinedthat #whyistheITladyonabroom)


2. Jumping the Shark
This is a phrase most television fanatics know meaning a show has run out of ideas and the story takes a turn down a weird path which turns off its audience completely and stops the shows momentum. While some may say that Community already jumped its Shark with the dreaded season 4, but in my opinion the show has never taken a bad turn it hasn’t been able to bounce back from. Sure the sci-fi movie episode was a bit much, but it still held so many of those wonderful parody moments which make the show fresh (my favorite parody moment pictured below). Like Abed said, What shows peeked after their sixth season?” Not too many Abed. Not too many. That being said Community’s sixth season was pretty great and ended on a high note, so why not go out on top?


3. It Holds the Cast Back
Personally I would love another four seasons of Community with the hilarity never stopping and all of the characters sticking around at Greendale for whatever reason, but it stops the cast from doing more. When Donald Glover left Community the show took a major hit, but it also gave the actor a chance to go out and do more on his own. The same is true for the rest of the cast who are all equally as talented. Allison Brie is only in her 30s, but she is already a fire ball of talent and it would be a shame if she never explored other opportunities because she stayed on Community for another four years. Jim Rash is also hilarious and I would love to see him in another series or even a movie. This goes for the rest of the cast as well because they all hold such potential and deserve the chance to showcase their talents in different venues.

4. The Perfect Ending
Looking back at where Community started this little show has come a long way and so have it’s characters. Sure you can argue that Britta hasn’t changed or achieved anything and that Jeff is stuck at Greendale while his friends move on, but that is life. Annie and Abed get to start a new because they are still both so young (well we don’t know Abed’s actual age, but you get the idea) and have their chance to start the next chapter in their lives. For Jeff, Britta, Frankie, Chang, and the Dean (I can’t call him Craig) they are at a point where they need stability. It makes sense for their lives to reach a point where they are settling down and locking into a routine. Lastly the Annie Jeff moment was perfect. After years of stolen glances and daydreams they finally talked about it, but not in a “I’ve always loved you manner.” Instead they talked about missing their chance and regretting it, to which Annie simply says, “I think you should kiss me good bye or you might regret it for the rest of your life.” They accept that they love each other, but also that they won’t happen giving each of them the chance to truly move on. Community is just one of those special shows that makes us laugh and feel at the same time. Sure it will be hard to say good bye, but just like at the end of High School or College you know there is a time to start a new and let go of the past. So in short Community should end because it did it right. We had six seasons and a fantastic ending that made us ball our eyes out. The only question left unanswered is what about #AndAMovie?

Let me know your thoughts and whether Community should have a seventh season, go for the movie, or just end overall in the comment section below. Also if there are any other shows, movies, etc you would like me to talk about in my next blog post let me know. So cheers to a fantastic six years and Ill see you next Monday.

Five. Five is the number of black women who have been nominated for an Emmy in the category of Lead Actress in a Drama. In 1982 Debbie Allen was the first African American woman to be nominated for an Emmy in this category and since then only four other black women have been nominated in this category in the past 33 years and none of them have won. Now I cannot make the claim that any of these women were cheated because of their race because I have not seen all of their shows or the actresses they were competing against. Instead I am simply shining a light on a potentially great moment in Television history, the first ever Black female Emmy winner for a Lead in a Drama.

The Emmys are still a few months away, but there is already whisperings about the powerful performances given this year, especially by the leading ladies. Women on television have grown into masterful roles that go beyond housewives to their leading men. Now we have powerful lawyers, prison inmates, and several scandalous women manipulating the men around them. That being said all of these women certainly deserve their nominations for the past few years. Clair Danes as the bi-polar CIA agent is simply fantastic, Robin Wright has created such a wonderfully complex character with painful depth and ambition, newcomer Ruth Wilson took everyone by surprise and won the golden globe for her role in The Affair, and now Taylor Schilling has moved over from the comedy nomination to the drama side (really? a prison as a comedy? I mean a weed dealing mom that’s hilarious #MILFweed).

With such an impressive list its hard to believe there are any more names to add. WELL BELIEVE IT MISSY!!! Two of the biggest contenders for this year’s Emmys are Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson and with good reason. Both actresses have been nominated for an Oscar and both have had very successful careers displaying a wide variety of talent in terms of acting. In addition to simply being great actresses Davis and Henson both have dominated their series with performances ranging from anger, humor, and heartbreak. The wig scene from How to Get Away with Murder was the talk about moment of fall television that completely changed how we viewed the heartless Annalise Keating. Taraji P. Henson as the unfiltered Cookie blew it out of the water when she discovered her ex-husband was engaged and revealed a very fancy piece of lingerie highlighting her heartbreak and complete rage. Then there is the ever fantastic Kerry Washington who has been an Emmy nominee for the past two years. While her performance this year has not been extremely different then previous seasons she is still a great actress and a contender for the an Emmy slot.

#quicktangent #yesIsaidquick Also I want to give a quick shout out to the leading women in comedy this year like Constance Wu (Fresh of the Boat), Tracee Ellis Ross (Blackish), and Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin). Each are absolutely hilarious and have potential themselves to win the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy, but now back to our drama category. #tangentover #forreal

Davis and Henson are clearly both front runners for the category of Best Actress and depending on how the stars align Washington might also sneak a nod herself making half of the nominees this year black actresses which in of itself is fantastic! For the first time in Emmy history there would be a category that was not 85% white, which is also a huge deal! Now we still have time before the nominations are even truly considered, but you can bet we will be seeing some history made either in terms of nominations or a defining win for the black community. So will Viola Davis, Taraji Henson, or Kerry Washington take home the Emmy and first ever win in this category for a black women? Is there another front runner for the Emmy that I forgot? Let me know your thoughts on who should win Best Actress in a Drama and what you think about the possibility of an African American woman winning an Emmy for the first time in the comments below. Thanks y’all and if there are any topics you think I should talk about or feedback to give let me know. PEACE!

Its that time of year again when our favorite TV shows are getting the axe and FOX just cut two major players: the lovable island of misfits of the The Mindy Project and the creepy Kevin Bacon thriller The Following. Both of these shows had passionate, but not necessarily “watch every week” type dedicated fans. Unfortunately both of these shows ratings in their third year were extremely low, which most likely lead to their downfall into television purgatory where so many great shows lay. Say hello to Better Off Ted, Pushing Daisies, and Chuck while you’re there guys!

However only moments after each show was cancelled the internet rumor mills began spinning and the word was that the shows were going to be picked up by different venues like Netflix, Yahoo, or Hulu. These jelly rumors refrigerated and solidified over the days and the last unofficial word is that both shows are in talks with Hulu to be picked up for additional seasons.

BUUUUUUUUT the question I have is do these shows actually deserve a second chance? Scratch that, what makes a show worth of a resurrection at all? Clearly these are both good shows, their fan bases are each very strong, but what makes these shows different then a show like the beloved sitcom Happy Endings or the sci-fi mystery Revolution? Which of the Broadcasting mad scientists get to decide which shows recieve a second chance at life in a different body? (Forgive my Frankenstein reference, I’m rereading it now and it has been sneaking into my everyday life #Frankenstienisthedoctor #itainteasybeinggreen #hewasntgreen)

Typically in my blog posts this is where I provide my wild and crazy (but not always original) theory for the question I proposed. Well this time I do not have one. Truly. I am asking what makes one show more deserving then another? Is it the internet fan base? The show’s name recognition? The big actor actress names’? Who knows?

Even then if these shows are picked up is it for the best? There are two directions these shows could head in. The first could be like the infamous fourth season of Arrested Development, now the story of one good TV show, who lost everything and the one viewing platform that couldn’t bring it back. The second way it could go is like Community on Yahoo. A TV show brought back with differences in production and writing, but over all a triumph return for the show. So the question remains, what makes a show worthy of a full resurrection and can the show stay true to its original feel? We shall see in the next few days the fate of both of these shows. Do you want The Mindy Project or The Following back or should they simply settle into that big screen in the sky? Let me know what you think and what makes a show worthy of a Victor Frankenstein style resurrection. Peace out Folks!

Comic book and superhero fans rejoice! The next installment in the Avengers franchise has arrived and it will not disappoint. Is it better then the first? Potentially, but that is neither here nor there. The question today is why do people love the Avenger movies so much? Is it the action, the A-list stars, the spandex?!? To be honest it is most likely a combination of a lot of different variables, but what makes all of these elements so appealing is the ensemble of heroes who all bring something different to the table.

Marvel has made some great movies, but each movie has focused on one person. Thor’s fight to keep peace in the universe, Iron Man’s struggle to not let his ego rule him, and so on. The movies can feel slow because the story must always follow this one person and while they are great and can punch people through walls it can feel stale. After three Iron Man movies we pretty much knew how Tony would act in the third movie, but just wonder what was left to do except make another enemy whom he would eventually kill at the end of the movie.

With the Avengers series the group dynamic allows for so many more opportunities then one hero facing their inner demons. In the first Avengers movie there was the big stand off between Iron Man and Captain America. Two guys with clashing personalities who would eventually have to decided to work together in order to lead a team of superheroes to save the world. This allowed the rest of the cast to step in as supporting characters and add to the main concept of a group of heroes use to being on their own. Throw in some witty banter and hilarious one liners and we had a great movie.
This brings us to Age of Ultron. The main story sure was about how Tony Stark tried to play God and end all war, but if you noticed we learned so much more about characters who were in the background in the last movie. Black Widow and Bruce Banner’s relationship had me awing and torn up even though it had nothing to do with Ultron and we also had a chance to see into Hawk Eye’s life as well. A family man with a great wife, two and half kids, and a cozy ranch house. Sure these weren’t part of the main story, but it made these superheroes we’ve watched take on new roles we have yet to see them. This then put Cap, Thor, and Iron Man as secondary characters. I don’t recall Thor having a major story line, which I loved only because the movie was focused on telling certain character’s stories and not giving the actor’s screen time. Now in the next Avengers I would love to see Thor step up into the main role with a few of the other characters, maybe give us a look into Captain America and how he is dealing with living only as a solider. Who knows?

This rotation of characters is what separates this franchise from he rest of the Marvel movies. The ensemble cast keeps things fresh and with a group of different heroes there are fantastic moments like when Captain America immediately corrected Iron Man for using “bad” language resulting in all the Avengers giving him a hard time for his old school attitude. There are so many great moments because the story never relies on a single lead actor to be torn apart, depressed, or hilarious. With this group dynamic it leaves opportunities for the entire ensemble to show a range of their acting skills. This is why we love the Avengers so much because we get to see them argue, fall apart, and be way too sarcastic. My personal favorite moment of the movie was when Quicksilver picks up Scarlet Witch and runs her to the next fight leaving Hawk Eye stranded to which Hawk Eye pulls out an arrow and mutters, “No one would ever know. The last time I saw him Ultron was sitting on his chest.” Then promptly puts his arrow away and starts jogging after them.

Here is hoping that many more Avenger movies are in the future and the actors will not leave the franchise with its now growing cast with the introduction of War Machine, The Vision, Scarlet Witch, and that one guy from Captain American 2 whose name I cannot remember. So what do you love about the Avengers and why do you think their movies are so good? I highly recommend seeing Age of Ultron in Theaters if only to hear James Spader deliver brilliant dialogue as a giant scary robot.

Netflix is a name everyone knows. Almost every college student, house hold, and computer has access to it. Originally the big thing with Netflix is it replaced stores like Block Buster where renting movies was the big deal. Netflix then moved into the realm of television shows picking up popular series that had ended like 30 Rock, Heros, and Weeds. Who knows if Netflix knew how popular binge watching T.V. shows would become, but as a result Netflix decided to develop their own series like HBO or Showtime. Netflix had become a player in the competition against big networks like NBC, CBS, and ABC. Their first series House of Cards blew up obviously because of the outstanding Kevin Spacey, but also because the show had the ability to do what no other show on television could do. It had the ability to build.

Due to its binge ability House of Cards was able to take it show slow and not have to worry about keeping ratings week after week. The entire series could be written as one story where an episode could have no action, but introduce plot points that would later build toward a great twist. The greatest moment in the first season of House of Cards is when Frank kills Peter, but it was only a great moment because we saw Frank slowly use Peter and manipulate him. We also had a chance to see the rise and fall of Peter resulting in his death, which again was only satisfying because we had a chance to see Frank’s plan unfold slowly.

Most television shows are forced to take commercial breaks which destroys the audiences’ attention, but beyond that a show must keep viewers coming back week after week. If viewers take time to watch a show during the week night the expectation is that the show will provide some thrills, twists, or big laughs. This can be challenging when a good structured story in the end pleases viewers far better then each individual episode being action packed. This is the challenge of today’s television shows.

Take for example the show The Blacklist. The premise is edgy and has a great lead, James Spader, just like House of Cards. The difference though is The Blacklist’s episodes are structured like a normal solve a crime per episode with the backdrop of a far better show. The real draw of the show is what game James Spader’s character is playing which was almost completely revealed in the first season. Sure the show is great, but with its intense action packed episodes always trying to top each other the show is burning all of its potential material for future episodes. That is where Netflix comes in as the new and better formatted programing.

Now Netflix has pretty much hit it out of the park with all of their shows Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Daredevil, Orange is the New Black, and Bloodline and it is due to the freedom of Netflix. No time limits (even though most shows stick to less then an hour), no language limits, topis that might be too edgy for normal television, and who knows what else. The challenge now is Netflix’s marketing. The beauty of Netflix is they can drop an entire show and people can watch it all at once or a little bit at a time, but once they drop a show it is difficult to put it out there and truly advertise it. The other issue is recently Netflix has been dropping shows left and right, which is fantastic because these are fantastic shows! The down side is with all of these shows dropped at once there is no build up or people often abandon one show for another. There is no waiting for the new show, which is a good thing about Netflix, but it may also be its down fall.

Just from talking with people and friends the common person does not know what programs are being offered on Netflix. The original shows are great, but people do not seem to hear about them. Even if all of these shows are great it is still overwhelming to be dropped all in the same time period. After talking with two of my friends we came up with an idea for how Netflix should approach their shows and create a whole new way to view original programs and Netflix if you hear about this idea I would love to come work for you just a shameless plug.

Netflix should drop a new show or season each month. For example drop House of Cards in February and advertise it like crazy. Then pick the next show to drop March and so on. Plan out the whole year of shows. When House of Card season 4 or 5 comes out when you click to watch the show there should be a trailer for the next month’s show. So if Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt comes out in March you would see a trailer for season 2 when you watch House of Cards season 4. This would build the anticipation of the next show and keep viewers focused on one show at a time. Netflix could also use this to their advantage by choosing shows that fit the season. So Bloodline could come out in June because it is a summer drama that takes place on a tropical island and if Netflix wanted to they could produce a horror thriller and release it in October. All the same I think Netflix is a great company and bringing brilliant programming to an age where television is become staler and staler.

So what do y’all think? Should Netflix change how they advertise their shows and is normal television programing dying out? Let me know your thoughts and if there is anything else you would like to see on my blog. Peace out girl scouts!