The Emmy B-Team: Drama Series

It looks like I have yet another tradition on my blog. Last year, I had the idea of coming up with what I called my Emmy B-Team. The idea was to create an alternate ballot of all the leftover shows and people from the nomination list that weren't nominated by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Last year, I did this as an experiment to determine how badly the Academy picked their nominees. As it turns out, the B-Teams were altogether embarrassed by the actual nominees and I learned that the Academy doesn't do such a bad job. I've decided to make this list again this year. The main difference this time is that the goal is to highlight other deserving names that were submitted to the list more than proving that the B-Team is better, although that will still be a part of it. Thankfully, the Academy did a pretty good job picking this year, so my job is even harder this time.

Surely this will be a contentious day, right? There are so many good dramas out there, many of which the Emmy voters aren't at all aware of. Surely the B-Teams will pack the biggest punch in this, the final day looking at Emmy B-Teams.

Previously:
The Scruff
Reality Shows
Variety
Limited Series and TV Movie
Comedy Series

* Indicates a show that I haven't watched this season.
# Indicates a show I've seen before, not this season.

Drama Series

Actual Nominees:
Better Call Saul
*Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
#Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men
Orange is the New Black

B-Team:
The Americans
#Boardwalk Empire
*Empire
*The Good Wife
*Justified
The Leftovers
Rectify

It's odd to look at this B-Team because I realize that there's still so many shows I could've considered that didn't make it. The Bridge had much improved second season that no one watched. I didn't get to see The Knick or Orphan Black, which I've heard were solid. The Walking Dead is almost too popular to ignore (Think: The Big Bang Theory). Then there's the Parenthood final season. Sure it wasn't a great season. That doesn't mean a little recognition would be a bad thing.
I'll go ahead and start by saying that the B-Team is way more interesting. Network, cable, premium cable, and "do I even have that channel?" cable are all represented with shows both big and bold and small and subtle. That doesn't necessarily mean it's better.
The Americans continues to be one the best shows on TV. Boardwalk Empire and Justified ended with satisfying final seasons. Badly cut finale scenes aside, The Good Wife keeps having solid seasons. Empire is a cultural phenomenon that didn't fall apart by the end of the season. The Leftovers and Rectify are small shows that I absolutely LOVE yet I get why not everyone would love them.
House of Cards isn't one of the best dramas on TV. I can't say that with the same certainty about Downton Abbey, but that's a show that certainly has lost the buzz it started with (a natural occurrence). I specifically stopped watching Homeland after season 2 and it would take an exceptional turnaround for me to believe it belongs in this list. That makes 3 of the 7 actual nominees immediately suspect. Can the remaining four prop the group up? Mad Men is one of the best shows ever made and had a great batch of episodes at the end. Game of Thrones somehow maintains the same level of quality season after season. This is Season 2 of Orange is the New Black that we're talking about, which was loved by basically everyone. Better Call Saul far exceeded my expectations and rode a lot of Breaking Bad goodwill into near universal praise.
Winner: B-Team. The Actual Nominees have one questionable choice too many. I could handle Homeland or House of Cards, not both. Besides, I REALLY loved The Leftovers.

Lead Actress - Drama

Actual Nominees:
*Taraji P. Henson (Empire)
#Claire Danes (Homeland)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)
*Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
#Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

B-Team:
Hayley Atwell (Marvel's Agent Carter)
*Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)
*Juliana Margulies (The Good Wife)
Keri Russell (The Americans)
Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black)
#Kerry Washington (Scandal)

In general, the leading parts for females on TV are interesting me a lot more than the men these days. This basically confirms it. The Actual Nominees are as strong as I've even seen and I still had no trouble building a B-team.
Agent Carter may not have been a great show (I'd settle on "quite good"), but it would be nothing without Hayley Atwell at the center of it. She comes with a screen presence that you just can't replicate. Vera Farmiga and Julianan Margulies, I'm told, are always excellent on their shows. I'm still not sure how Keri Russell hasn't received more awards attention (Not even a Golden Globe? Seriously?) for The Americans. Taylor Schilling gets lost in the ensemble on Orange is the New Black and that obscures how good she is on it. Just look at the premiere or the furlough episode. Scandal lost some of its buzz to newer shows. That doesn't mean that former nominee Kerry Washington was any less great.
That said, find me which person you'd feel comfortable taking off the Actual Nominee list to make room. Tatiana Maslany finally got noticed. Danes and Wright are unimpeachable despite the questionable direction of their shows. Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson lead two of the biggest hits this year. Then there's Elisabeth Moss, smoking a cigarette, carrying tentacle porn down the hall as she moves into her new office.
Winner: Actual Nominees. Again I want to underline how strong both these groups are. In fact, I'd pick both above the Lead Actor nominees.

Lead Actor - Drama

Actual Nominees:
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
#Kyle Chandler (Bloodline)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
#Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom)
*Liev Shreiber (Ray Donovan)

B-Team:
Demian Bichir (The Bridge)
#Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)
*Timothy Olyphant (Justified)
Matthew Rhys (The Americans)
Justin Theroux (The Leftovers)
Aden Young (Rectify)

This is such a disappointing Lead Actor field. Jon Hamm is the only actual nominee that I'd say has to be in the list. Kevin Spacey is too hammy for my taste. I'm not sure what Liev Shreiber is doing there. Kyle Chandler was good in Bloodlines, but this feels like it's as much about residual FNL love as anything he did on Bloodlines. Jeff Daniels does nothing special from what I've seen on The Newsroom, although that show isn't quite my style and I at least get why he was nominated. Bob Odenkirk is really good on Better Call Saul. Three years ago, he wouldn't've cracked the field or come close to it. This is a weak group.
The B-Team almost gets this by default. Buscemi and Olyphant were solid on the final seasons of their shows. Like Keri Russell, it embarrassing that the voters keep looking over Matthew Rhys on The Americans. Demian Bichir did a lot of good stuff on The Bridge. Justin Theroux and Aden Young are the hearts of two shows that I adored last season.
Winner: B-Team. What happened to this category? It used to be so strong, with undeniable great performances.

Supporting Actress - Drama

Actual Nominees:
*Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
*Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black)

B-Team:
Kerry Bishe (Halt and Catch Fire)
Amy Brenneman (The Leftovers)
Adelaide Clemens (Rectify)
Carrie Coon (The Leftovers)
Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black)
Deborah Ann Woll (Marvel's Daredevil)

The fact that I had to leave out a half dozen Orange is the New Black performances, Ann Dowd's captivating work on The Leftovers, and January Jones' dignified end on Mad Men says all you need to know about the depth of this field.
Oh my god! It's not even worth looking at who was actually nominated. Go watch The Leftovers and explain to me how anyone could watch Carrie Coon's performance and not award that or even nominate it? Lorraine Toussaint essentially held season 2 of Orange hostage as Vee. Kerry Bishe took over Halt and Catch Fire every time she came on the screen. Amy Brenneman gave one of the most complex performances on TV for a character that said exactly 1 word for 9 of the 10 episodes of The Leftovers. Adelaide Clemons took only the slightest of steps back from her work in the first season of Rectify. Deborah Ann Woll was simply so much fun to watch on Daredevil. How do you beat this collection?
Ok, I won't take anything away from Clarke and Headey on Game of Thrones. They're always great. Christinas Hendricks should be "Emmy winner Christina Hendricks" by now. I love Crazy Eyes, but Uzo Aduba didn't have enough material to justify this nomination. Even if I assume that Baranski and Froggatt gave all time great performances in their seasons, there's still not enough here.
Winner: B-Team. It's like Secretariat winning the Belmont.

Supporting Actor - Drama

Actual Nominees:
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
#Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline)
*Jim Carter (Downton Abbey)
Peter Dinklidge (Game of Thrones)
*Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
Michael Kelly (House of Cards)

B-Team:
Clayne Crawford (Rectify)
Vincent D'Onofrio (Marvel's Daredevil)
Christopher Eccleston (The Leftovers)
Noah Emmerich (The Americans)
*Walton Goggins (Justified)
John Slattery (Mad Men)

Clayne Crawford made me like a character I previously hated on Rectify. Vincent D'Onofrio was deliciously evil on Daredevil. Christopher Eccleston had a fantastic showcase episode on The Leftovers. Noah Emmerich was steady as always on The Americans. The same goes for Walton Goggins on Justified. It's amazing that John Slattery's understated work on Mad Men was ever noticed by the voters in the first place.
I won't argue with the annual Peter Dinklage nomination and Jonathan Banks got a great showcase episode on Better Call Saul. The little I did see of Bloodlines has left me favorable about Ben Mendelsohn being recognized here. I still haven't seen Downton Abbey or The Good Wife, so I can't be fair about my estimation of Jim Carter or Alan Cumming's performances. Michael Kelly was fine on House of Cards, a show that I've grown very tired of.
Winner: B-Team. It's pretty close and greatly dependent on your preference of shows.

Guest Actress - Drama

Actual Nominees:
Margo Martindale (The Americans)
Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones)
Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards)
*Cicely Tyson (How to Get Away With Murder)
*Allison Janney (Masters of Sex)
*Khandi Alexander (Scandal)

B-Team:
*Christina Aguilera (Nashville)
Alison Brie (Mad Men)
Rosario Dawson (Marvel's Daredevil)
Julia Garner (The Americans)
Jessica Pare (Mad Men)
Elizabeth Reaser (Mad Men)

There weren't a lot of sturdy options here. My B-Team is filled up with a collection of always deserving Mad Men performances and Christina Aguilera. That decides it pretty quickly.
Winner: Actual Nominees. Although Martindale's nomination is laughable.

Guest Actor - Drama

Actual Nominees:
*Alan Alda (The Blacklist)
*Michael J Fox (The Good Wife)
*F. Murray Abraham (Homeland)
Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards)
*Beau Bridges (Masters of Sex)
Pabli Schreiber (Orange is the New Black)

B-Team:
*Andre Braugher (Law & Order: SVU)
*Gary Cole (The Good Wife)
Scott Glenn  (The Leftovers)
Rahul Khanna (The Americans)
*David Hyde Pierce (The Good Wife)
Mel Rodriguez (Better Call Saul)

Neither group is all that impressive. I had to struggle to even fill my B-Team.
Winner: Actual Nominees. Although I reserve the right to change this if I find out that Andre Braugher was playing Captain Holt on his episode of SVU.

Directing - Drama

Actual Nominees:
*Tim Van Patten - "Eldorado" (Boardwalk Empire)
David Nutter - "Mother's Mercy" (Game of Thrones)
Jeremy Podeswa - "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" (Game of Thrones)
*Lesli Linka Glatter - "From A to B and Back Again" (Homeland)
*Steven Soderbergh - "Method and Madness" (The Knick)

Actual Nominees:
"Walter Taffet" (The Americans)
"Pilot" (The Leftovers)
"Lost Horizon" (Mad Men)
"Thirsty Bird" (Orange is the New Black)
"Weird As You" (Rectify)

With only five available nominations, there's no way this will ever feel like they got it right. The Knick and Boardwalk Empire nominations were deserved locks. Two Game of Thrones nominations seems excessive. One is virtually required though. Direction has never been Homeland's weakness, so I'm sure that's a good episode too.
Throw in any mix of two submitted The Americans episodes, three for The Leftovers, five for Mad Men, four for Orange is the New Black, and the lone "Weird As You" for Rectify and that's a murderers row. I just included my favorite of each above.
Winner: B-Team. Leaving Mad Men out was a step too far.

Writing - Drama

Actual Nominees:
Joshua Brand - "Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?" (The Americans)
Gordon Smith - "Five-O" (Better Call Saul)
D.B. Weiss - "Mother's Mercy" (Game of Thrones)
Matthew Weiner - "Lost Horizon" (Mad Men)
Matthew Weiner - "Person to Person" (Mad Men)

B-Team:
"Stingers" (The Americans)
"Bingo" (Better Call Saul)
"Guest" (The Leftovers)
"Time & Life" (Mad Men)
"Donald The Normal" (Rectify)

My list isn't all that different. "Stingers" is an alternate episode of The Americans that I could pick. Not as good though. I'd maybe go with "Bingo" instead of "Five-O" for Better Call Saul. I'd like to recognize "Guest" for The Leftovers over Game of Thrones. "Time & Life" could match up against either other Mad Men nominee. I'm not sure the "Donald the Normal" episode of Rectify could hold up to one of the Mad Men episodes though.
Winner: Actual Nominees. It's pretty hard to dispute the writing nominees. There's a god-damn episode of The Americans in there. How did that happen? Mad Men has two nominations and that isn't excessive. "Five-O" is more of an actor's showcase, but the writing was solid on Better Call Saul. What Game of Thrones does on a macro scale with the writing is so impressive that finding an episode to nominate is nice.

Casting - Drama

Actual Nominees:
*Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
Orange is the New Black

B-Team:
The Americans
Better Call Saul
*The Good Wife
The Leftovers
The Walking Dead

As I've said before, I don't really know how this category works. I'm not sure anything matches up to the casting on Orange is the New Black. I'll throw Better Call Saul to the wolves on that. The Walking Dead has a high turnover rate, but Game of Thrones handles it better. Mad Men gets the period actors a little better than The Americans. The Good Wife handles political people better than House of Cards. That leaves The Leftovers vs. Downton Abbey which I don't even know how to compare.
Winner: Actual Nominees. I don't know. Orange, Mad Men, and Game of Thrones are on another level.

And another tie. That's fitting for the final day of this. Like last year, the Actual Nominees mostly blew away the B-Teams. That's really impressive when you think about it. This is a completely subjective examination based entirely on my personal taste in TV. I came up with every B-Team and who knows my tastes better than me? And still, a list made by a committee won out almost every time, virtually splitting me in the categories for shows that I mostly watched.
I've gone on long enough in this entirely self-congratulatory series so I'll keep it short here at the end.
There's a lot of great shows on TV and beyond right now. Awards are fun and mostly meaningless, unless you are nominated, or you win, or you get a news cycle's worth of stories written about how ridiculous it is that you weren't nominated, or your fans double-down their proselytizing about how great you are, or, well, you get the idea. The Emmys create a discussion, and the more discussion there is about all the great shows on the air the better.