Welcome back to the 3rd Annual TeleFilmiest Awards. Click here for the first group of winners. I will now present the winners for the final 13 categories:
Our first category tonight is Outstanding Comedy Ensemble.
And the nominees are:
Brooklyn Nine-Nine:
Stephanie Beatriz, Dirk Blocker, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joel McKinnon Miller, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti and Andy Samberg
Orange is the New Black:
Uzo Aduba, Jason Biggs, Danielle Brooks, Michael J. Harney, Natasha Lyonne, Taryn Manning, Kate Mulgrew and Taylor Schilling
Parks and Recreation:
Aziz Ansari, Billy Eichner, Jim O'Heir, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Retta and Adam Scott
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt:
Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Ellie Kemper and Jane Krakowski
Veep:
Sufe Bradshaw, Anna Chlumsky, Gary Cole, Kevin Dunn, Tony Hale, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons and Matt Walsh
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
The cast of Parks and Recreation
Through the final season of Parks and Recreation, the show’s amazing cast showed why so many of them have gone on to have great careers. From Chris Pratt to Aubrey Plaza to Retta to Amy Poehler, each cast member received their own perfect send-off in the final season. It is so rare to have a sitcom where all of the characters truly love each other, and that warmth was electric through every episode.
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Next up is the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
And the nominees are:
Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tony Hale as Gary Walsh in Veep
Taran Killiam as various characters in Saturday Night Live
Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
When Brooklyn Nine-Nine began I was never the biggest fan of Andre Braugher’s presence. While he was mostly a straight-man playing against a bunch of goofballs in season 1, season 2 sees Braugher’s Ray Holt have his own original type of goofiness that made me laugh every episode. Highlights include his rivalry with Munch (Kyra Sedgwick) and his awkward presence at the beach house. Who knew a man of Braugher’s gravitas had such winning comedic timing within him?
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Now to the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
And the nominees are:
Uzo Aduba as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in Orange Is the New Black
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer in Veep
Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett in Mom
Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline Voorhees in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett in Mom
In season 2 of Mom, Allison Janney’s Bonnie transforms from the classic crazy sitcom mom to a woman with deep and empathetic flaws. She loses her lover Alvin (Kevin Pollak), she relapses, she loses friends and family and so much more. But Janney’s complex performance is rare for a multicamera show and just as you start to feel sorry for Bonnie, she reminds you that she’s still the same monster as ever — but always in the best way.
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Next up we have the category of Outstanding Variety Series.
And the nominees are:
Comedy Bang! Bang!
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Inside Amy Schumer
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Portlandia
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Inside Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer broke out in a major way this year. Her show’s mix of pop culture parodies, satire on the role of women in society and just poking fun at herself made Inside Amy Schumer one of the funniest shows on television this year. Some of the best sketches include the 12 Angry Men parody, the “Last Fuckable Day” skit, the celebrity talk show guest parody and many more. She is truly one of America’s funniest, sharpest actresses.
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Next up we have the award for Outstanding Drama Ensemble.
And the nominees are:
The Americans:
Noah Emmerich, Lev Gorn, Annet Mahendru, Susan Misner, Matthew Rhys, Costa Ronin, Keri Russell, Keidrich Sellati, Holly Taylor, Richard Thomas and Alison Wright
Bloodline:
Jacinda Barrett, Norbert Leo Butz, Linda Cardellini, Kyle Chandler, Jamie McShane, Ben Mendelsohn, Enrique Murciano, Sam Shepard and Sissy Spacek
Game of Thrones:
Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Dean Charles-Chapman, Gwendoline Christie, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Liam Cunningham, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jerome Flynn, Aidan Gillen, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Kristofer Hivju, Michiel Huisman, Michael McElhatton, Hannah Murray, Iwan Rheon, Sophie Turner, Carice van Houton, Indira Varma, Maisie Williams and Tom Wlaschiha
Mad Men:
Jay R. Ferguson, Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Vincent Kartheiser, Elisabeth Moss, Jessica Pare, Kevin Rahm, Kiernan Shipka, John Slattery, Rich Sommer, Christopher Stanley and Aaron Staton
Transparent:
Jay Duplass, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker, Judith Light and Jeffrey Tambor
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
The cast of Mad Men
No Mad Men actor has ever won an Emmy for their work on the show. And that is a crime. The final episodes of Mad Men, like Parks and Recreation, served as a showcase for the period drama’s deep ensemble. Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss continued to lead the show with confidence while Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, January Jones, Kiernan Shipka and more got to have their moments in the sun as well. Luckily, the offers will continue to pour in for all of them now that the series is over.
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The next category is Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
And the nominees are:
Christopher Eccleston as Matt Jamison in The Leftovers
Noah Emmerich as Stan Beeman in The Americans
Joshua Jackson as Cole Lockhart in The Affair
John Slattery as Roger Sterling in Mad Men
Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon in Empire
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Christopher Eccleston as Matt Jamison in The Leftovers
Religious leaders are often depicted as fanatical and ridiculous in TV and film, but Christopher Eccleston’s take on Matt Jamison is the exception. Matt is not immune from fanaticism, but Eccleston finds a sweet spot of innocent vulnerability in everything as he grapples with the fact that he was not taken away in the Sudden Departure.
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Next up is the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
And the nominees are:
Carrie Coon as Nora Durst in The Leftovers
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones
January Jones as Betty Francis in Mad Men
Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper in Mad Men
Holly Taylor as Paige Jennings in The Americans
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones
After three consecutive nominations in this category, Lena Headey’s complicated performance finally takes the cake. Season 5 is easily Cersei’s biggest season ever as she has conflict with her son’s new wife and orchestrates monstrous laws in King’s Landing. When this backfires and she is sent to prison, Headey displays emotions we haven’t seen thus far in the series and in her finale walk of shame, she becomes surprisingly sympathetic.
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Now let’s move on to the lead acting categories. First up is Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
And the nominees are:
Anthony Anderson as Andre 'Dre' Johnson in black-ish
Fred Armisen as various characters in Portlandia
Louis C.K. as Louie in Louie
Will Forte as Phil Miller in The Last Man on Earth
Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Louis C.K. as Louie in Louie
Like Headey, the third time is the charm for Louis C.K. in this category. C.K.’s acting is usually less talked about than his directing or writing, but I found the arc of his character and his performance quite brilliant in season 5. Fighting claims that he was becoming too dramatic/self-indulgent, Louie grapples with the concept and art of comedy throughout the season and his vulnerabilities shine through, allowing some genuine honesty like he hasn’t shown before.
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Next is the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
And the nominees are:
Anna Faris as Christy Plunkett in Mom
Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish in The Comeback
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow Johnson in black-ish
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish in The Comeback
Lisa Kudrow’s performance was legendary during The Comeback’s first season in 2005 and it reached new heights when the show returned in 2014. Now starring in an HBO show, Valerie Cherish is just as selfish and fragile as ever but when her career starts to push everyone she loves away, she is forced to deal with reality. Kudrow perfectly captures Valerie’s cringe-worthy behavior and her performance in the finale is the stuff of legends.
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Now to the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
And the nominees are:
Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men
Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates in Bates Motel
Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn in Bloodline
Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings in The Americans
Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman in Transparent
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman in Transparent
To my knowledge, no performance this year was more affecting than Jeffrey Tambor’s in Transparent. Playing a 70-year-old man who finally comes out as transgender to his adult kids, Tambor’s performance is filled with grace, tenderness, and an honest understanding of a hidden yet beautiful community. Tambor never plays Maura for laughs, allowing her inner beauty to shine through as she deals with her dysfunctional kids and goes on her personal journey.
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And now for the final acting award, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
And the nominees are:
Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson in Masters of Sex
Viola Davis as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder
Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates in Bates Motel
Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon in Empire
Robin Wright as Claire Underwood in House of Cards
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates in Bates Motel
Farmiga is quietly giving one of the best performances on television on a show that isn’t as good as her. As the damaged mother of a “psycho,” Norma Bates is a huge character that Farmiga embodies with excellence. Season 3 features Norma coming to grips with the realization that her son is mentally ill while also working through her own dark past. Norma is often self-centered, pushy and downright unlikable, but Farmiga makes you feel hope that she will one day be happy, even if you know she won’t.
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Now we come to the two biggest awards of the night. First, we’ll start with Outstanding Comedy Series.
And the nominees are:
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Mom
Orange Is the New Black
Parks and Recreation
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
Mom
TV shows (and particularly sitcoms) are often criticized for being too formulaic in nature. A family has huge conflict for a half hour, then everything is fine in the end and they all forget about things the next episode. But Mom is different. In Mom, the characters make life choices and things don’t automatically work out in the end. In fact, they often make things worse. In season 2 of Mom, Christy (Anna Faris) and Bonnie are kicked out of their house and are forced to hop from location to location. Alvin comes back into the picture and Christy and Bonnie get used to having him around. But out of nowhere, he has a heart attack and dies, leaving the family in shambles. This is the level of trust Mom has with its audience, to know that viewers will stick with it through the hard times because of its dark sense of humor and for the emotional attachment to the characters. While other shows like ABC’s Modern Family are touted as “a reflection of the times,” Mom is the show that actually reflects the realities of the working/lower class, which makes up a majority of the country. And it is Mom that proves that the multicamera format is alive and well.
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And finally, we have arrived at the last award. The award for Outstanding Drama Series.
And the nominees are:
The Americans
Empire
Game of Thrones
Mad Men
Transparent
And the TeleFilmiest Award goes to…
The Americans
A rare example of a show continuing to improve in quality with each season, The Americans kicked things into high gear with an amazing third season. Expertly plotted with devastating character moments, the third season is a shining example of what television drama can be without succumbing to cheap “OMG” tweet-able moments. Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) are forced to confront their own identities as KGB spies as they both begin to question whether all the blood shed, the families torn apart, and the sacrifices are worth it. Every character in The Americans is putting on a mask in some way, particularly in season 3, and the struggle to keep up a false identity while knowing the truth deep down is part of the show’s quiet tragedy. The third season features less action than the previous two, but the psychological drama within the Jennings family is more than enough of a driving force. It is the most underrated show on television and it is the best drama of the past TV season.
And with that, the third TeleFilmiest Awards ceremony is complete. It was another great year for television and I have hope that things will continue to get better as we live through the Golden Age of TV. Thanks for reading. I would encourage you to check out any of the shows nominated and awarded this season. Until next time...
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