I mean, these ladies, tho.
****
Sisters were really doin’ it for themselves this past TV season, with a wave of powerful and complex female-focused narratives—often also written and directed by ladies—like we haven’t seen before.
This, of course, resulted in countless, richly deserving performances from actresses in both comedy and drama, but I’ve managed to narrow down to the cream of the crop in my second-to-last Emmy Dream Ballot.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
- Pamela Adlon, Better Things (FX)
- Alison Brie, GLOW (Netflix)
- Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
- Ilana Glazer, Broad City (Comedy Central)
- Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
- Justina Machado, One Day At A Time (Netflix)
- Tracee Ellis-Ross, Black-ish (ABC)
Behind My Ballot: Talk about an embarrassment of comedic riches. Let’s start with Adlon, who not only stars in the show she co-created, but also directed every episode this past season. To think that she guided her own performance—at turns hilarious and heartbreaking, while always keeping it grounded and real—is a dual achievement that cemented her a slot on my ballot.
Brosnahan and Brie were also no-brainers, starring as women at a crossroads in two of the best new shows to debut last year. As Midge, Brosnahan puts a unique spin on the tired ‘repressed 50’s housewife’ trope with a sharply intelligent performance that defies stereotypes, while Brie—a versatile cross-genre MVP for years—literally tackles Ruth’s last gasp at a career in entertainment while dealing with the fallout from betraying her best girlfriend in 1980’s Hollywood with aplomb (and a body slam).
It seems no award nomination roster is complete without Janney these days, but the recent Oscar winner’s place here isn’t just a rubber stamp: she’s never less than excellent as a woman struggling with sobriety, wringing dark humor out of her character’s struggles. And as Ellis-Ross’ character struggled with difficulties of a different kind this past season—specifically, marital strife—the actress showcased her extensive range and surprisingly moving depth.
That brings me to two revelations. Glazer—another co-creator of her show—has always been reliable for an outrageous laugh, but in season four, she took her characterization from surface fun to deeply introspective as she revealed the pathos behind Ilana’s wacky antics. (Check out the excellent ‘Just the Tips’ episode as one example.) Equally as adept at playing emotion-infused comedy is Machado, whose lived-in performance as a veteran and single mom who also tries to traverse a romantic life ground her show’s humor in refreshing, touching reality.
Almost a Contender: Tiffany Haddish, The Last OG; Issa Rae, Insecure; Anna Faris, Mom; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie; Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
- Jodie Comer, Killing Eve (BBC America)
- Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Deuce (HBO)
- Mandy Moore, This Is Us (NBC)
- Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
- Sandra Oh, Killing Eve (BBC America)
- Keri Russell, The Americans (FX)
Behind My Ballot: A quick glance at my runner-up list tells you everything about how crowded this category is with stellar performances, but there’s something special about each of my seven picks that landed them a spot.
Moss continues to astonish in her raw portrayal of a woman torn between the fight against her forced captivity and love for an unborn child she never wanted, while Gyllenhaal is similarly captivating as a hooker with a softer side who battles for her corner of the Times Square block and doing things on her own terms.
Increasingly, Moore has become the heart of her already love-filled show, but she truly staked her claim this season in the Superbowl episode as she dealt with her husband’s death while trying to be strong for her kids in a bare and utterly believable performance.
Not to be outdone is the uber dynamic duo of Comer and Oh, who turn in absolutely pitch-perfect performances as a psychopathic killer and her secret agent prey/chaser. Both women are fireworks incarnate in every scene, but none more so than when they come face-to-face (four words: kitchen, knife, Shepard’s Pie).
As for Russell, her final run as a Russian spy whose fight for her country takes unexpected turns as she realizes she’s a pawn instead of in power was, in a word, breathtaking. Relaying every ounce of Elizabeth’s internal turmoil with a simple glance (or desperate, clinging look out a train window), the final act of Russell’s six-season portrayal—as physically impressive as it was emotionally—deserves all the damn awards recognition.
Almost a Contender: Christine Baranski, The Good Fight; Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones; Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder; Claire Foy, The Crown; Holly Hunter, Here and Now; Laura Linney, Ozark; Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black; Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld