There was nothing funny about trying to narrow down the most deserving nominees.
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It’s pretty much a universal truth that the better part of the past year hasn’t exactly lent itself to many knee-slapping ‘LOL’s. Thanks to the entertainment angels on high, though, Hollywood inadvertently decided that it would rock out a banner year for TV comedy just when we needed the boost the most. And lemme tell you: I binged on that line-up like Lucy stuffing her face full of sugary goodness at the chocolate factory, which also ended up being a pretty solid way to get a couch-bound lockdown ab workout in from all the chuckles.
And now, after sorting through the season’s (many) offerings, I’ve nailed down the shows and performances whose humor and heart have stuck with me as the year’s best.
So, giddy up, folks: Here’s the first of my three Emmy Dream Ballots, this one focused on the funny.
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Better Things
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dave
Insecure
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schitt’s Creek
Sex Education
What We Do in the Shadows
Behind My Ballot: Surprisingly, this was one of the easiest categories for me to siphon down to the top eight. Better Things has truly never been better, and the same can be said of Curb Your Enthusiasm 2.0, which didn’t miss a beat in its 10th(!) season. Dave burst onto the scene and rightfully went viral like Lil’ Dicky wishes he would by tee’ing up full-on cackles, while What We Do in the Shadows similarly broke out in its second season thanks to a massive word-of-mouth movement about just how damn funny the show is. Sex Education’s uniquely hilarious and heartfelt qualities put it on the map with a raised profile in season two, while Insecure mined three seasons’ worth of character development to deliver its most layered, must-see-TV season yet in its fourth year. And, of course, the pitch-perfect swan song season of already-missed gem, Schitt’s Creek, couldn’t possibly be denied. That leaves me with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which only landed a spot due to the season’s final batch of episodes (the finale especially) that offered new dimension to characters and stories that had almost become cartoonish parodies of themselves… and just in the nick of time.
If I Could Pick One More Contender: The Good Place
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Christina Applegate, Dead To Me
Awkwafina, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Gwyneth Paltrow, The Politician
Merritt Wever, Run
Behind My Ballot: Having only six picks in this category under the new rules meant inevitable ballot casualties, and while it was this close, my list of final contenders each had something special that set them apart. I’ll start with Catherine O’Hara because, let’s face it, everything she did on Schitt’s Creek was, in two words, hilariously dope. Awkwafina also went for big laughs with the debut of her own show, and Merritt Weaver almost single-handedly made it worth watching the absurd, one-and-done Run. Christina Applegate’s ability to go from broken widow to guilt-ridden murderer to GFY badass within a scene similarly anchored her show, as the storytelling floated off into fun but ridiculous territory. And though I think she properly belongs in the supporting category, I couldn’t leave out Gwyneth Paltrow for serving as the sage heart and soul of The Politician, in what is perhaps her best, most lived-in performance ever.
If I Could Pick One More Contender: Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Dave Burd, Dave
Asa Butterfield, Sex Education
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Martin Freeman, Breeders
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
Behind My Ballot: Another ‘sixer’ category, and if my picks prove anything, it’s that producing your own material is a great way for an actor to land a top spot on the ballot. No less than five of these guys – Dave Burd, Larry David, Martin Freeman, Eugene Levy and Ramy Youssef – either created or co-created their shows, and well… it shows. Each impressively brought to life material shaped around their specific comedic strengths, and it’s certainly nice work if you can get it (and make it as good as they did). That leaves Asa Butterfield as the messily commanding lead of Sex Education‘s stellar ensemble, who made me laugh, cringe and sympathize – a trifecta that takes true talent to pull-off.
If I Could Pick One More Contender: Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Gillian Anderson, Sex Education
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Lori Tan Chinn, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens
Anne Hathaway, Modern Love
Jane Lynch, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Rita Moreno, One Day At A Time
Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones
Behind My Ballot: There were so many submissions in this category that eight nominees are guaranteed, and it’s a good thing, because this was by far the toughest one of the bunch for me to edit down (I started with a ‘short’ list of 21, y’all). But each of these women set themselves apart in a big way to make my final ballot, starting with the two Mrs. Maisel MVPs, Alex Borstein and Jane Lynch, who continue to find something new and fresh in each scene (especially when playing opposite each other). Ditto vets Lori Tan Chinn and Rita Moreno, each of whom gave performances that provided moving, weighted multigenerational depth to their shows underneath silly surface punchlines. Gillian Anderson also harnessed her decades of experience to hit the bullseye (again) by seamlessly playing the ironic duality of being a fiercely smart sex psychologist who can’t seem to heal her own relationship issues. And Anne Hathaway found herself on the other side of doctor’s desk to heartbreaking effect as a woman trying desperately to navigate her romantic and professional lives while in the throes of unmanaged bipolar disorder in her episode of Modern Love. That leaves us with two sister acts that outshined their on-screen siblings: Edi Patterson as arguably the nuttiest yet most endearing Gemstone, and Annie Murphy, whose consistent standout work – from the final season premiere straight through to the series finale – made for some of the funniest and sweetest moments in Schitt’s Creek’s six season run.
If I Could Pick One More Contender: Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Mahershala Ali, Ramy
GaTa, Dave
Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education
Walton Goggins, The Righteous Gemstones
John Goodman, The Righteous Gemstones
John Malkovich, Space Force
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
JB Smoove, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Behind My Ballot: This category is a character actor’s playground, with some highly skilled, career-best scenery chewing from the likes of John Malkovich, John Goodman, Walton Goggins and JB Smoove, all of whom landed lots of laughs by going broad. Ncuti Gatwa’s endearing, high-energy earnestness on Sex Education makes you wish you had a friend like him in high school, while Tony Shalhoub’s dismissed professor continues to steal every family scene in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – all done with fresh originality by both actors. Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali was the gravitational center of this season of Ramy, owning the deft balancing act of playing both a calmly insightful Sheikh and overprotective father to the protagonist’s latest conquest. But duality took on a whole new meaning in GaTa’s breakout turn on Dave, serving up big gaffaws and deep emotion as a reliably high-energy hype man and best friend struggling with an unmedicated depressive downturn due to hidden bipolar disorder.
If I Could Pick One More Contender: Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Now that my comedy picks are officially in the books, stay tuned for my next Dream Ballot this weekend, where I tackle the epic task of narrowing down the best in Limited Series and TV Movies. Wish me luck, because with that embarrassment of TV riches, I’ll need it.