2017 Schurmys - Television Awards

2017 Schurmann Film Awards

Television Awards

Bojack Horseman

Ah, television. I would like to officially welcome the medium to the Schurmann Film Blog. It's a big step in becoming a legitimate art form. In fact, I believe it only needs to get a former star elected to highest office in the land and oh wait... not him. He doesn't count. Let's just wait for President Oprah.

Anyways, welcome to the television section of the Schurmann Film Awards. I will be honouring the best the medium had to offer in 2017, or at least the best that I saw. There is so much television out there I can't even pretend that these awards are anywhere close to definitive. There's no Walking Dead or Big Bang Theory or Kit Harrington nominations so consider these to be above the Emmys but still below an actual awards ceremony like the Nobel Laureates. For your reference so you don't yell at me asking where season 3 of Fargo is (for the record I didn't really care for season 2 so I didn't watch season 3) I'll be linking a list of all the television I watched this year. That link is conveniently right here. And now, the 2017 Television Awards portion of the Schurmys.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Best Music:

Previous Winner - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Nominees:

1. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
2. The Deuce
3. The Leftovers
4. Legion
5. Twin Peaks

You'd think that at some point the songwriters behind Crazy Ex-Girlfriend would start to run out of ideas but then they turn around and give you something like "The First Penis I Saw" sung in the style of ABBA. The 70s are perhaps the easiest thing to soundtrack (see: Vinyl) where even mediocre shows and films can do pretty good just picking the hits but way The Deuce uses its period soundtrack is a step above its contemporaries. That's just the David Simon factor. Max Richter's work on The Leftovers is some of the best soundtrack work across all media of the last few years. Season 3 added some great soundtrack choices to mix. Legion's soundtrack picks classics from nearly all eras and peaks with a large section set to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero". The original Twin Peaks score is a legendary collection of music and it doesn't really show up in the return. The main showcase of music are the performances at the Roadhouse at the end of nearly episode from musicians such as The Nine Inch Nails and Edward Louis Severson.

Runner Up - Twin Peaks

Winner - CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND

Game of Thrones

Best Production Design:

Previous Winner - Bojack Horseman

Nominees:

1. Game of Thrones
2. The Good Place
3. The Handmaid's Tale
4. Legion
5. Twin Peaks

While the writing on Game of Thrones is suffering from no longer having George RR Martin's book to fall back on, the visual elements of the show remain very strong. The various environments and castles of Westeros continue to impress as much in season 7 as they did in season 1. It's not easy to design a concept for heaven but The Good Place did so admirably with its own machinations in mind. Further explorations of the afterlife in season 2 have been just as rich as the main neighbourhood. The dystopian future of The Handmaid's Tale is startling for similar it is to our modern society. The changes are noticeable and shocking but the strong bedrock of modern society is the really powerful stuff. Legion's production design borrows heavily from a wide variety of sources. 1970s San Francisco, classic mental asylums, dystopian military futures, 2017 America, Ice Cubes. Just about everything to create something that should be a complete mess but somehow everything works and complements every other element. Twin Peaks turns America into the stuff of nightmares. Now that's nothing new for David Lynch but the score of season 3 of Twin Peaks is beyond anything he has done in the past in that regard and produces many haunting, memorable images.

Runner Up - The Good Place

Winner - LEGION

Better Call Saul

Best Cinematography:

Previous Winner - The Girlfriend Experience

Nominees:

1. Better Call Saul
2. Big Little Lies
3. The Leftovers
4. Twin Peaks
5. The Young Pope

Vince Gilligan has used every trick in the trade to film the city of Albuquerque, first in Breaking Bad, and now in Better Call Saul and he and his teams have created some of the most innovative shots in all of television. Big Little Lies captures the lush oceanside of Monterey, California full of society's elites with skeletons in their closets. The Leftovers spent most of its time in Australia in its third and final season and it made the Outback look both harsh and gorgeous. David Lynch found new ways to create haunting images out of the both the mundane, the supernatural and the indescribable. Perhaps the signature shot of the new Twin Peaks is the multiple instances of a car driving alone down a dark and desolate road. Headlights making little headway into the dark unknown where all kinds of horrors lurk. Just masterful stuff. The Young Pope is all about excesses and the cinematography is no different. Every frame is crafted to be as lush and glamorous as possible. 

Runner Up - Better Call Saul

Winner - TWIN PEAKS

The Good Place

Best Writing:

Previous Winner - Black Mirror - "San Junipero" - Charlie Brooker

Nominees:

1. Better Call Saul - "Chicanery" - Gordon Smith
2. Better Things - "Eulogy" - Louis CK
3. Bojack Horseman - "The Old Sugarman Place" - Kate Purdy
4. The Deuce - "My Name Is Ruby" - David Simon and George Pelecanos
5. The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit" - Michael Schur
6. Halt and Catch Fire - "Goodwill" - Zack Whedon
7. Lady Dynamite - "Hypnopup" - Theresa Mulligan Rosenthal
8. The Leftovers - "The Book of Nora" - Tom Spezialy, Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta
9. Review - "Cryogenics, Lightning, Last Review" - Andy Daly
10. Rick and Morty - "The Ricklantis Mixup" - Dan Guterman and Ryan Ridley

A quick note: This category and the next one (Best Direction) will be determined by individual episodes rather than the entire season (or whatever aired during 2017). This is to honour individual writers and directors rather than whole teams (unless it's Twin Peaks)

Some amazing television in 2017 came from these incredible writers. Whether is was the long awaited climactic standoff between two brothers in Better Call Saul, a series of fake eulogies from close friends and family in Better Things, a trip through time exploring the history of the Horseman family in Bojack Horseman, a season ending tragedy that is the natural result of the way of life in The Deuce, probably the biggest twist in a television series since Lost in The Good Place, a somber reflection of life in Halt and Catch Fire, the comedic adventures of an accountant named Emily Bezzler in Lady Dynamite, one stunning story capping an incredible series in The Leftovers, the bleak, darkly hilarious ending of Review and an in depth look at the lives of intersecting Ricks and Mortys in Rick and Morty there was some amazing writing on display in 2017.

Runner Up - The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit" - Michael Schut

Winner - THE LEFTOVERS - "THE BOOK OF NORA" - SPEZIALY, LINDELOF AND PERROTTA

Twin Peaks

Best Direction:

Previous Winner - Bojack Horseman - "Fish Out of Water" - Mike Hollingsworth

Nominees:

1. The Americans - "Amber Waves" - Chris Long
2. Better Call Saul - "Lantern" - Peter Gould
3. Bojack Horseman - "Time's Arrow" - Aaron Long
4. Game of Thrones - "The Spoils of War" - Matt Shakman
5. The Good Place - "Dance Dance Resolution" - Drew Goddard
6. Halt and Catch Fire - "Who Needs a Guy" - Tricia Brock
7. The Leftovers - "The Most Powerful Man in the World (And His Identical Twin Brother)" - Craig Zobel
8. Legion - "Chapter 5" - Tim Mielants
9. Nathan For You - "Finding Frances" - Nathan Fielder
10. Twin Peaks - "Part 8" - David Lynch

More and more each year, television shows start to resemble long movies. A large reason for that is the work of directors like these 10 (of which at least 3 do have experience working on films). As budgets get bigger and production techniques get cheaper the only thing separating some of these series from films are the lengths and the lack of a theatre. Some outlets have even declared Twin Peaks to be one of the best films of 2017. They are wrong. Well, about Twin Peaks being a film. Not about the quality, especially the direction of David Lynch which is never more evident than the hour long nightmare that is Part 8.

Runner Up - Game of Thrones - "The Spoils of War" - Matt Shakman

Winner - TWIN PEAKS - "PART 8" - DAVID LYNCH

The Americans

Best Premiere:

Previous Winner - Lady Dynamite - "Pilot"

Nominees:

1. The Americans - "Amber Waves"
2. The Deuce - "Pilot"
3. The Good Place - "Everything Is Great"
4. Legion - "Chapter 1"
5. You're the Worst - "It's Been"

Season 5 was the first season of The Americans that cannot be described as masterful. It is a small step back as it mostly laid the foundation for a hopefully incredible final season but the opening episode that culminates in a dialogue-free scavenger mission is possibly the best spy action in the entire series. The premiere of The Deuce didn't have to do much to please me. It largely just needed to exist as a David Simon series but it went above and beyond possibly being the best pilot he's ever made. After the bombshell at the end of season 1, The Good Place had a brand new status quo to work with and then almost immediately moved past it as it would do so many times in the season. Other than Twin Peaks there wasn't a trippier show on television than Legion. The most ambitious super hero series (and yes, I feel confident saying that having never seen any of the others) on television explores the mind of a mentally ill mutant who happens to have incredibly strong psychic powers. You're the Worst opened strong with Jimmy and Gretchen reeling separately from the events of the season 3 finale.

Runner Up - The Americans - "Amber Waves"

Winner - LEGION - "CHAPTER 1"

Nathan For You

Best Finale:

Previous Winner - The Girlfriend Experience - "Separation"

Nominees:

1. The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit"
2. Halt and Catch Fire - "Ten of Swords"
3. The Leftovers - "The Book of Nora"
4. Nathan For You - "Finding Frances"
5. Review - "Cryogenics, Lightning, Last Review"

Just like in the movie world there were more great and memorable endings than beginnings in 2017 but I kept the nominations the same because I'm a sucker for order. Some more great endings include The Deuce, Bojack Horseman, SMILF, Lady Dynamite, American Vandal, Better Things, and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. But those were not nominated. Instead we have 1 series finale and 3 (possibly 4) series finales. The Good Place's season 1 ended with a moment that it is best to know nothing about. It's one of the bravest things to happen in a sitcom, a genre that normally always keeps the status quo. Halt and Catch Fire started as a B-level rip off of Mad Men set in the 80s computer age but grew by leaps and bounds to become one of the best shows on television and capped off its stunning growth with an all time great finale the perfectly balances looking to the past and the future. The Leftovers ended perfectly. In fact just about everything about the third season was perfect. "Finding Frances" may or may not be the series finale to Nathan for You, only time and Nathan Fielder can tell us if it is, but it certainly feels like an endpoint of sorts. If the show returns something will have to be different because the journey Nathan goes on in this episode is too monumental to return to the status quo. Review continued its quest to make sad sack life reviewer Forrest MacNeil the most miserable man on the planet in the most unexpectedly fitting way. I won't spoil it but it is a fate worse than death that is absolutely fitting for the man who has sacrificed everything but his life for this stupid show.

Runner Up - The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit"

Winner - THE LEFTOVERS - "THE BOOK OF NORA"

American Vandal

Best New Series:

Previous Winner - Lady Dynamite

Nominees:

1. American Vandal
2. The Deuce
3. Legion
4. SMILF
5. The Young Pope

American Vandal sucks you in with dick jokes upon dick jokes inside even more dick jokes and then eventually you realize that you are sucked into the central mystery and are watching an incredibly engaging spoof of true crime documentaries. The Deuce is a David Simon show. It's not The Wire but it doesn't have to be. It is an incredibly strong character-driven look at the underbelly of 1970s New York. Legion is the trippiest, most ambitious superhero series on television taking the X-Men universe in bold, strange directions. Every year there are several new half-hour dramadies created by, written by and starring an artist displaying their unique vision (eg Louie, Master of None, Atlanta, et al) and the best example of that this year was Frankie Shaw's SMILF. The Young Pope is a lavish exploration of a deeply complex character, the titular Pope, as he grapples with cardinals, world leaders, his past and his faith.

Runner Up - Legion

Winner - THE DEUCE

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Best Talk Show:

Previous Winner - Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Nominees:

1. The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
2. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
3. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
4. Late Night With Seth Meyers
5. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Some would argue that Donald Trump's fucking pile of shit presidency is fueling programs like these and allowing them to reach new heights. I would argue it is actually how fucked up seemingly everything thing is in America that really pushes these programs. Sure Trevor Noah has come into his own mostly discussing Trump but his real asset is as a befuddled foreigner. Samantha Bee is only on once a week and she seemingly spends her entire downtime getting angry before unleashing her wrath upon the world. She finds targets and just lets loose. It's glorious. John Oliver is of course, best known for his deep dives into (mostly) under reported issues and that continued throughout 2017 with the same level of quality he is known for. Seth Meyers' Closer Looks are a great look into the main stories of the day (again, mostly Trump related). Stephen Colbert continues to excel ever since The Late Show moved its focus to politics and 2017 was another strong year. It's no Colbert Report but it might be the next best thing.

Runner Up - Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Winner - FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE

Old Baby

Best Comedy Special:
Previous Winner - Hannibal Buress - Comedy Camisado
Nominees:

1. Maria Bamford - Old Baby
2. Dave Chappelle - The Age of Spin
3. Louis CK - 2017
4. Nick Kroll and John Mulaney - Oh, Hello on Broadway
5. Patton Oswalt - Annihilation

Maria Bamford performs her act in a way I've never seen before, gradually building from practicing alone in front of a mirror to a full auditorium of people before going to with interludes involving her selling merch. The material is just as strong as the presentation delving into her history of mental illness. Dave Chappelle returned for 4(!) specials this year and I liked his first one the best. Maybe because it was the first one it got the edge, or maybe it was the OJ stories. While not at the level of his comedic peak, they do showcase Chappelle as still an incredibly important comic voice. Yes, Louis CK needs a long timeout to hopefully learn and grow as a person and make some serious amends to those he wronged before he comes back but man, that 9 11 deniers bit is fucking hilarious. Nick Kroll and John Mulaney work so well together (see also, their monologue at the Independent Spirit Awards, both last year and coming up this weekend) and their Broadway show as a couple of old geezers is riotously funny. Patton Oswalt's Annihilation set starts with some solid Trump material, transitions into audience interaction and then gets to the heavy stuff, the death of his wife. What a masterpiece of balancing tone. Alternating with ease between pitch black gallows humour, unfathomable despair and reaching for a kernel of strength, Annihilation is a landmark comic set. 

Runner Up - Maria Bamford - Old Baby

WINNER - PATTON OSWALT - ANNIHILATION

Trial and Error

Best Scene:

Previous Winner - Game of Thrones - Sept of Baelor - "The Winds of Winter"

Nominees:

1. Better Call Saul - Cross on Charles - "Chicanery"
2. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - A Diagnosis - "Josh Is Irrelevant"
3. The Good Place - Michael's Smile - "Michael's Gambit"
4. Halt and Catch Fire - Phoenix - "Ten of Swords"
5. The Leftovers - Nora's Story - "The Book of Nora"
6. Legion - Bolero Fight - "Chapter 5"
7. Review - Last Review - "Cryogenics, Lightning, Last Review"
8. SMILF - Reading the Letter - "Mark's Lunch and Two Cups of Coffee"
9. Trial and Error - ...To Completion - "A Hostile Jury"
10. Twin Peaks - I Am the FBI - "Part 16"

There are some incredible scenes here. From the climactic battle between two brothers with opposite approaches to law to an optimistic song about mental health issues to an imagined future between two women with a strong but fractured friendship to an unbelievable tale of an impossible journey to a silent film influenced fight scene to a darkly comic fate for a plucky hero to a confrontation years in the making that is actually just a misunderstanding to the funniest scene of the year and best use of extended censor bleeps since Arrested Development to the return of an old hero. These all pale in comparison to the incredible moment from the season 1 finale of The Good Place. You know the one. And if you don't you need to see the show.

Runner Up - Halt and Catch Fire - Phoenix

Winner - THE GOOD PLACE - MICHAEL'S SMILE

SMILF

Best Episode Title:

Previous Winner - Lady Dynamite - "Bisexual Because of Meth"

Nominees:

1. American Vandal - "A Limp Alibi"
2. Angie Tribeca - "This Sounds Unbelievable, But CSI: Miami Did It"
3. Bojack Horseman - "Hooray! Todd Episode!"
4. The Leftovers - "The Most Powerful Man in the World (And His Identical Twin Brother)"
5. SMILF - "1,800 Filet-O-Fishes and One Small Diet Coke"

All of American Vandal's titles were dick jokes. The entire show was dick jokes. It was glorious. Believe it or not, somebody being murdered in space and falling to Earth is apparently an actual plot from CSI: Miami and it was also one of the best episodes of Angie Tribeca. I think "Hooray! Todd Episode!"  really says everything. I don't think I need to add to it. The Leftovers delved into "International Assassin" waters for a final time in its penultimate episode and it was everything I love about the series. Plot wise- a crazy beautiful insane mess, character-wise - overwhelmingly emotional and the title punctuated it perfectly. And finally, SMILF with the ideal order at a McDonalds.

Runner Up - American Vandal - "A Limp Alibi"

Winner - ANGIE TRIBECA - "THIS SOUNDS UNBELIEVABLE, BUT CSI: MIAMI DID IT"

The Deuce

Best Opening Titles:

Previous Winner - Stranger Things

Nominees:

1. American Vandal
2. Big Little Lies
3. Big Mouth
4. The Deuce
5. The Young Pope

A quick note for those of you looking for stuff like Game of Thrones here. I'm making this award only for new shows or shows that significantly change their opening title sequences because while, say, an actor can get nominated year after year for the same role, they are putting in work each year to earn it. If an artist (or group) comes up with an amazing opening title sequence (eg Game of Thrones) they only really needed to do it once and thus don't deserve credit year after year.

The opening credits of American Vandal play as a serious crime documentary but has dicks. The fake credits are a great touch as well. Big Little Lies is just a perfect HBO opening. Great song choice and great images from the series to really sell the vibe. Big Mouth demonstrates its hilarious take on puberty with an over the top animation montage. The Deuce gets nice and seedy but with a glossy sheen distracting from the rotten core. The Young Pope just sells the swagger of Pius XIII. He may not be a good guy, but man does he ever control everything he touches.

Runner Up - The Deuce

Winner - AMERICAN VANDAL

Veep

Best Ensemble Performance:

Previous Winner - Veep

Nominees:

1. THE AMERICANS - Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Holly Taylor, Noah Emmerich, Costa Ronin, Keidrich Sellati, Frank Langella, Margo Martindale, Alison Wright
2. BETTER CALL SAUL - Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Michael McKean, Giancarlo Esposito
3. BIG LITTLE LIES - Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard, Adam Scott, Zoe Kravitz, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordling, Laura Dern
4. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE - Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, Andre Braugher, Dirk Blocker, Joel McKinnon Miller
5. CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND - Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Donna Lynne Champlin, Pete Gardner, Vella Lovell, Gabrielle Ruiz, David Hull, Scott Michael Foster
6. THE DEUCE - James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Chris Bauer, Gary Carr, Chris Coy, Dominique Fishback, Lawrence Gilliard Jr, Margarita Levieva, Emily Meade, Natalie Paul, Michael Rispoli
7. THE GOOD PLACE - Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, Jameela Jamil, D'Arcy Carden
8. HALT AND CATCH FIRE - Lee Pace, Mackenzie Davis, Kerry Bishe, Scoot McNairy, Toby Huss, Kathryn Newton, Susanna Skaggs, Annabeth Gish, Anna Chlumsky
9. THE LEFTOVERS - Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Amy Brennaman, Christopher Eccleston, Ann Dowd, Regina King, Kevin Carroll, Scott Glenn
10. VEEP - Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole, Sam Richardson, Sarah Sutherland, Clea DuVall

Ok, there are way too many talented actors and actresses working in television. It just doesn't seem like enough to have one great performer on your show. Shows are just loading up whether they be filling their casts with Oscar winners (Big Little Lies) or a horde of comedic talents (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Veep, The Good Place) or just your standard cable drama fare of great talents who are generally underappreciated in the big picture of fame and fortune (The Americans, Better Call Saul, The Deuce, Halt and Catch Fire, The Leftovers).
Runner Up - The Leftovers

Winner - THE GOOD PLACE

The Leftovers

Best Guest Performance:

Previous Winner - Alison Wright - The Americans

Nominees:

1. Pilou Asbaek - Game of Thrones
2. Raymond J Barry - You're the Worst
3. Connie Britton - SMILF
4. Bill Camp - The Leftovers
5. Ann Dowd - The Leftovers
6. Tovah Feldshuh - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
7. Jason Mantzoukas - The Good Place
8. Tim Meadows - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9. Chris Pine - Angie Tribeca
10. Alison Wright - The Americans

Asbaek's awesome swashbuckling swagger was a much needed boost of energy for show showing some serious cracks in its foundation. Barry was a very welcome addition to pair with Jimmy in the season premiere, giving Jimmy a glimpse at a possible future he does not want. Britton is great as Bridgette's rich, suburban, alcoholic boss hilariously incapable of doing anything herself. Camp and Dowd provide great presences for the main characters of The Leftovers to confront both representing the larger mysteries of the universe. Feldshuh is amazing as a domineering Jewish mother pushing Rebecca into her vision of an ideal daughter. Mantzoukas is always hilarious, even more so when he has windchimes for genitals. Tim Meadows somehow perfectly balances sweetness and murderous psychopathy in his appearance in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I thought classic Anthony Hopkins Hannibal Lecter spoofs were long past their expiration date but Chris Pine proved there is still some life in them. Alison Wright continues to be incredible even as she has been relegated to the sidelines of The Americans.

Runner Up - Pilou Asbaek - Game of Thrones

Winner - ANN DOWD - THE LEFTOVERS

Legion

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

Previous Winner - Donna Lynne Champlin - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Nominees:

1. Amy Brennemann - The Leftovers
2. D'Arcy Carden - The Good Place
3. Donna Lynne Champlin - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
4. Laura Dern - Twin Peaks
5. Betty Gilpin - GLOW
6. Jayma Mays - Trial and Error
7. Rosie O'Donnell - SMILF
8. Aubrey Plaza - Legion
9. Rhea Seehorn - Better Call Saul
10. Naomi Watts - Twin Peaks

Amy Brennemann is incredible as a woman trying to be an emotional anchor for her loved ones but who is crumbling herself in season 3 of The Leftovers. D'Arcy Carden is such an incredible find by the casting director of The Good Place. Good Janet, Bad Janet, doesn't matter, the not-a-woman, not-a-robot character could only be brought to life by Carden. Similar to Brennemann, Champlin plays an emotional support who can't keep her own life together but Champlin sings as well. Laura Dern and Naomi Watts are the two most famous women from David Lynch's filmography so it's only fitting that they appear in his 18 hour epic return to Twin Peaks. Laura Dern provides a face for the longtime Cooper assistant Diane and she is not happy about anything. Naomi Watts plays Janey-E Jones (why is it spelt like that? I have no fucking idea), wife of the infuriating Dougie Jones and she takes the mild mannered housewife role and makes it sing. Betty Gilpin is the standout in GLOW playing the All-American "antagonist" to Alison Brie. Jayma Mays is the hilarious as the only female prosecutor in a town with a history that makes Pawnee look civilized. SMILF has made me respect and appreciate Rosie O'Donnell (yes, that Rosie) for the first time. Despite being a household name for decades now, I had no idea she had this kind of performance in her. Aubrey Plaza is absolutely terrifying as a demon / best friend / subconscious monster / literal monster / mental patient. Lenny is perhaps the first great superhero antagonist since Heath Ledger's Joker. Rhea Seehorn continues her amazing work as the moral compass in Better Call Saul.

Runner Up - D'Arcy Carden - The Good Place

Winner - AUBREY PLAZA - LEGION

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

Previous Winner - Ted Danson - The Good Place

Nominees:

1. Jonathan Banks - Better Call Saul
2. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Game of Thrones
3. Gary Cole - Veep
4. Jay Ellis - Insecure
5. Robert Forster - Twin Peaks
6. Lawrence Gilliard Jr - The Deuce
7. John Michael Higgins - Great News
8. John Lithgow - Trial and Error
9. TJ Miller - Silicon Valley
10. Joe Lo Truglio - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

That's not the actual list of nominees. That is merely a random selection from my full shortlist of over 80 actors. I guess it's not much of a shortlist. Anyways, the point is that this is the most competitive category across all of the Schurmys. The above 10 are not meant to be a definitive set of honourable mentions. They are merely 10 of over 70 honourable mentions and to list all the deserving men would be a little ridiculous (coming from somebody posting a massive, multi-part self-serving awards). Here are the actual nominees.

The Real Nominees:

1. Andre Braugher - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
2. Christopher Eccleston - The Leftovers
3. Manny Jacinto - The Good Place
4. William Jackson Harper - The Good Place
5. David Lynch - Twin Peaks
6. Michael McKean - Better Call Saul
7. Scoot McNairy - Halt and Catch Fire
8. Fred Melamed - Lady Dynamite
9. Alexander Skarsgard - Big Little Lies
10. Jimmy Tatro - American Vandal

These are the 10 men who made my list. For the record Ted Danson has been moved to lead with the change in status quo in The Good Place season 2. Several incredibly funny men who consistently make me laugh (Braugher, Jacinto, Jackson Harper, Melamed and Tatro) and several great dramatic actors showcasing the fully extent of the acting powers (Eccleston, McKean, McNairy and Skarsgard) and one man straddling the line between the two in the way only a demented genius acting in his own show can (Lynch).

Runner Up - Christopher Eccleston - The Leftovers

Winner - MICHAEL MCKEAN - BETTER CALL SAUL

Lady Dynamite

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

Previous Winner - Rachel Bloom - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Nominees:

1. Maria Bamford - Lady Dynamite
2. Rachel Bloom - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
3. Carrie Coon - The Leftovers
4. Mackenzie Davis - Halt and Catch Fire
5. Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep
6. Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid's Tale
7. Issa Rae - Insecure
8. Keri Russell - The Americans
9. Frankie Shaw - SMILF
10. Reese Witherspoon - Big Little Lies

Admit it, you're looking for Kristen Bell. Somehow I just couldn't make room for her. Or Nicole Kidman or Aya Cash (my winner two years ago) or Maggie Gyllenhaal or Pamela Fucking Adlon.  I've got some overwhelmed manic depressive crazy (Bamford) and singing Borderline Personality crazy (Bloom). I've got a secret-Soviet spy mother (Russell) and a broke single-parent with WNBA dreams mother (Shaw). I've got a former-President (Louis-Dreyfus) and a former-CTO (Davis) both stuck pursuing their dreams. I've got the WASPiest of WASPs (Witherspoon) and literally the polar opposite of that in a down-to-earth black woman struggling for success (Rae). I've got a sex slave in a dystopian future (Moss) and a grieving mother looking for meaning in a post-kinda-apocalypse world (Coon).

Runner Up - Rachel Bloom - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Winner - CARRIE COON - THE LEFTOVERS

Rick and Morty

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Previous Winner - Bob Odenkirk - Better Call Saul

Nominees:

1. Will Arnett - Bojack Horseman
2. Andy Daly - Review
3. Ted Danson - The Good Place
4. James Franco - The Deuce
5. Jude Law - The Young Pope
6. Kyle MacLachlan - Twin Peaks
7. Bob Odenkirk - Better Call Saul
8. Justin Roiland - Rick and Morty
9. Dan Stevens - Legion
10. Justin Theroux - The Leftovers

Will Arnett's voice work continues to be incredible (see also The Lego Batman Movie). Andy Daly's sad sack Forrest MacNeil just continues to attack every review with the same weary gung ho attitude that has been building ever the first episode and the place it leads him to in the finale is so incredibly dark and hilarious. As season 2 expanded Michael's role in The Good Place, Ted Danson continued to deliver one of the best performances on television showcasing that he truly is a legend of the medium. I'm seeing double, four Francos. That's The Deuce. James Franco playing identical twins in a way the never feels like a gimmick. And despite being identical there is never any confusion as to which character you are seeing. Jude Law hasn't given a performance this good in years (though perhaps he hasn't had a role this good). Pope Pius XIII is a wonderfully complex figure attempting to push the church forwards by looking backwards. Kyle MacLachlan plays at least 3 different characters (or versions of the same character or ???) in the return of Twin Peaks and each individual performance is phenomenal. Doing all three is legendary. Justin Roiland's manic energy is exactly what Rick and Morty needs to make its wild storylines and ideas work. Dan Stevens grounds the weirdness of Legion while being at the center of all of it. Justin Theroux is full of powerful emotions as the center of The Leftovers.

Runner Up - Kyle MacLachlan - Twin Peaks

Winner - TED DANSON - THE GOOD PLACE

Review

Best Episode:

Previous Winner - Black Mirror - "San Junipero"

Honourable Mentions:

1. The Americans - "Dyatkovo"
2. Better Things - "Eulogy"
3. Black Mirror - "Hang the DJ"
4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "HalloVeen"
5. Master of None - "New York, I Love You"
6. Rick and Morty - "The Ricklantis Mixup"
7. SMILF - "Mark's Lunch and Two Cups of Coffee"
8. You're the Worst - "Not a Great Bet"
9. Veep - "Georgia"
10. The Young Pope - "Episode 9"

Nominees:

1. Better Call Saul - "Chicanery"
2. Bojack Horseman - "The Old Sugarman Place"
3. The Deuce - "My Name Is Ruby"
4. The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit"
5. Halt and Catch Fire - "Who Needs a Guy"
6. Lady Dynamite - "Hypnopup"
7. The Leftovers - "The Book of Nora"
8. Nathan For You - "Finding Frances"
9. Review - "Cryogenics, Lightning, Last Review"
10. Twin Peaks - "Part 8"

A banner year for television is capped off these stellar episodes. All used the power of the medium building on foundations laid by the series to delivery the most satifying entries this year whether they were fitting finales, series or just merely season (The Deuce, The Good Place, Halt and Catch Fire, The Leftovers, Nathan for You, and Review) or just cogs in the big picture these were the episodes that impressed me the most in 2017.

Runner Up - The Good Place - "Michael's Gambit"

Winner - THE LEFTOVERS - "THE BOOK OF NORA"

Halt and Catch Fire

Best Series:

Previous Winner - Better Call Saul

Honourable Mentions:

1. American Vandal
2. The Americans
3. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
4. Difficult People
5. Nathan For You
6. Rick and Morty
7. Review
8. SMILF
9. Veep
10. The Young Pope

Nominees:

1. Better Call Saul
2. Better Things
3. Bojack Horseman
4. The Deuce
5. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
6. The Good Place
7. Halt and Catch Fire
8. Lady Dynamite
9. The Leftovers
10. Legion

No offense to the other nine nominees but only one of these shows did an entire episode on a lion themed orgy celebration murder ferry that our characters were only on because of a crazy naked guy in a nuclear submarine. And then the show used that scenario to confront God. Yes, that was The Leftovers and yes, it's one of the greatest shows of all time.

Runner Up - The Good Place

Winner - THE LEFTOVERS

And that's a wrap for television coverage here at Schurmann Film until next year's Schurmys. I hope you enjoyed reading about how much I loved The Leftovers. Perhaps you should watch it. It's only three seasons. Come back tomorrow when I return to world of film with the Genre Awards. Best Comedy, Best Documentary, Best Short Film!!!

Television Award Stats:
Number of Nominated Series - 34
Most Nominated Series - The Leftovers - 16
Series With Multiple Nominations:
16 - The Leftovers, 14 - The Good Places, 10 - Better Call Saul, Twin Peaks 9 - The Deuce, Halt and Catch Fire, Legion, 6 - Bojack Horseman, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, SMILF, 5 - The Americans, Big Little Lies, Lady Dnamite, Review, 4 - American Vandal, The Young Pope, 3 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Game of Thrones, Nathan For You, 2 - Angie Tribeca, Better Things, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, The Handmaid's Tale, Rick and Morty, Trial and Error, Veep
Number of Winning Series - 10
Most Winning Series - The Leftovers - 6
Series With Multiple Wins:
6 - The Leftovers, 3 - The Good Place, Legion, 2 - Twin Peaks

The Leftovers