The Emmys 2007: Many surprises, not all of them pleasant

  “The Sopranos” won the top honor at Sunday night's Primetime Emmy Awards, but little else was preordained -- or, apparently, rehearsed -- during a sloppy three-hour-plus Emmycast on Fox.

  Despite taking three Emmys for best drama, writing and directing, “The Sopranos” was overshadowed by free-network shows in the individual acting awards.

  “30 Rock,” the little-watched but critically adored sitcom about life at NBC, won best comedy, leading its star, writer and creator Tina Fey to offer her thanks to the show's “dozens and dozens of viewers.”

  America Ferrera took home an Emmy for acting in a comedy. “Wonderful things happen when your dreams come true,” said Ferrera, who could've been talking about her character in ABC's “Ugly Betty.”

  Inexplicably, James Spader won another Emmy for best actor in a drama on ABC's “Boston Legal,” which some observers have argued should be entered as a comedy. Looking over in the general direction of “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini, whom he bested, Spader said, “I feel like I just stole a pile of money from the mob.”

  Robert Duvall, who didn't win an Emmy when the miniseries was riding high -- he was in “Lonesome Dove” -- accepted two Emmys Sunday night for “Broken Trail,” which dominated a diminished miniseries category. In the slightly stronger movie category, HBO's remake of “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” won. Helen Mirren added to her trophy case with another Emmy in her swansong for “Prime Suspect” on PBS.

  The coronation for “The Sopranos,” which signed off in June after seven seasons on HBO, began in the Emmys' second hour, with back-to-back wins for directing (Alan Taylor) and writing (the show's creator, David Chase), a tribute by the cast of the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” and a perp walk by the show's many character actors to center stage.

  The show itself got off to an embarrassingly bad start and only improved marginally, plagued by production goofs and at least two presenters who forgot they were on live television. Ryan Seacrest, as ill-suited to the role of Emmys host as people thought he'd be, actually looked good compared to a lot of other stuff Fox threw against the screen.

  Apparently bored with the standard proscenium design of an awards stage, Fox put the stage in the middle of the Shrine Auditorium, with audience on all sides, including several staring right out at the home audience. It made the Emmys seem like “American Idol,” or a baseball game (Fox, of course, airs both).

  Seacrest's monologue, which mostly poked fun at his selection as host, was unsurprisingly weak. And he should've used what creative clout he supposedly has at Fox to prevent the opening sketch, which featured two cartoon characters from “Family Guy” trashing other TV shows in a musical number. It was the kind of thing that probably sounded good in a meeting -- but once underway it was obvious someone had made a mistake.

  I think “Family Guy” is hilarious, but Stewie, the British-accented toddler, is not somebody you just drag out in front of America and have him sing a number filled with more industry references than the front page of Variety. The first show mentioned in the song was “Scrubs,” a low-rated comedy on NBC. When Stewie sang that “Scrubs” is proof “that a sitcom doesn't have to make us laugh,” the camera cut to Jeremy Piven of “Entourage” in the audience -- who didn't laugh. Ouch. A few minutes later, Seacrest told a joke and the camera cut again to Piven, who laughed heartily. Double ouch.

  Even the much-hyped tribute to “The Sopranos” fell well short of its potential. The stars of “Jersey Boys” sounded great covering the hits by the Four Seasons, but the camera dwelled too much on them and not enough on the “Sopranos” clips showing in the background. Then came a long perp walk by the cast of the show, who stood in the circle and turned in circles, acknowledging the audience in 360-degree turns.

  The first glimmer of hope came when “Lost's” Terry O'Quinn, a wonderful role player who seemed destined to being passed over by better hyped nominees, especially Masi Oka of “Heroes” and T.R. Knight of “Grey's Anatomy,” won supporting actor in drama. The 6,000 audience members seemed stunned, but O'Quinn won them over with a charming improvised acceptance speech.

  Ellen DeGeneres brightened her corner of the Emmys with just a little nothing about TV shows and caller ID. An hour before the Fox broadcast she was on E! with her partner Portia de Rossi, joking about the designers of their outfits. Even then, she had me wishing she was the host instead of Seacrest. Also acquitting themselves were current and former stars of “The Daily Show,” including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Lewis Black, who delivered a hilarious rant against on-screen clutter and cable news channels (“The only thing we get from you is attention deficit disorder!”).

And in a little-noticed but wonderful development, the writers of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" finally hoisted the show's first Emmy Award after 14 years on NBC.

  There were other problems that made you wonder if Fox was up to the challenge of putting on four straight hours of TV. There was a 6-second cutaway shot and silence during Romano's segment; according to wire reports, he dropped an F-bomb on the air. The show's announcer mispronounced the name of presenter Katherine Heigl (who later won an Emmy, and also cursed on live TV). And the was a poorly edited clip reel of late-night comedians' jokes with a too-short tribute to the late Tom Snyder tacked on at the end.

  With Gandolfini and co-star Edie Falco denied their moments of glory, the brightest star power from these Emmys belonged to Tony Bennett, who duetted with Christina Aguilera and later picked up two Emmys for his NBC special (which won a total of seven, counting last week's Creative Emmys ceremony); Al Gore, who followed up his two-minute plug for the environment at the Oscars with a two-minute plug for his cable channel, Current TV, which won an Emmy for interactive TV. And in the night's other infomercial, Kanye West gamely lost a round of “Don't Forget the Lyrics” to Rainn Wilson of “The Office” by mispronouncing a word in his own song.

Comments

[Mark Jeffries]

Supposedly, Romano said something about Kelsey Grammer having his way with Patty Heaton--but he didn't say it that way.

And this morning on "Democracy Now!", Amy Goodman pulled her own boner on Sally Field's bleep by saying that the telecast was on "Fox News." Hey Amy, before you go back in the closet, even the "corporate media" got that right--Fox News Channel is not the Fox Broadcasting Company. (And between you and me, she wouldn't have been bleeped if she hadn't said "God damn"--Using the name of the Diety in vain seems to be a bigger sin these days than saying "piss," "ass" as in the posterior and "sucks" as in something else besides a Hoover vacuum cleaner.)

Surprisingly, there was no bleeping for Sally Fields on the Canadian simulcast of the show. I must have missed the Ray Romano comment.

As Aaron's front page noted, the best moment of the night was when Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert decided to give the trophy won by an absent Ricky Gervais to their pal Steve Carrell - the resulting scene was the funniest of the night. With Stewart back at the Oscars, perhaps Colbert should host the Emmys next year.
John in Canada

[Craig in KC]

I didn't think the Emmys were as bad as Aaron thought they were. I loved the opening (I also love Family Guy though!) I agree that it was ridiculous that Spader won over Gandolfini. I also think it was a travesty that none of the actors from The Office won anything. The Office is the best show on TV! Although if Steve Carrell didn't win, I am glad Ricky Gervais did. Extras was a brilliant show & I am upset that it will no longer be on! It's funny how I feel when the Emmys are on. If someone wins from a show I don't watch, that show sucks! Ugly Betty may be a good show, but I don't watch it, therefore it shouldn't win!

[PGage]

As awkward as the Sopranos celebration by the Jersey Boys noted by Aaron, was the Roots celebration. Like many elements of the Emmy's broadcast, these seem like good ideas in the abstract, but were just not executed well. I guess you can’t really blame the host for that lack of polish, but it really did seem like they were letting the “B-Team” produce the show this year.

[Dave]

.... and just a note.
Studio 60 won an Emmy (John Goodman as guest star) - and people actually WATCHED Studio 60 -unlike this year's "Joey"- 30 Rock.

I thought that the animated opening number was hilarious.

[Mark Bunker]

30 Rick is brilliant and deserved to win. That made me very happy. As did the award for Terry O'Quinn who has done great work for years.

I was just so happy to hear O.J was in jail, I forgot to watch!

[Ed Dravecky III]

I thought it was an entertaining Emmys that moved along well enough that you didn't feel the bulk of the 3:14 running time. The set design was an interesting experiment and grouping the various casts together was a nice touch. It was great to see The Heigl react to her win even if the emotion made her forget she was on live television. Too bad Colbert had to lose to another legendary singer hosting a one-shot celebrity-choked special of his greatest hits.

[matt stechel]

next year colbert loses to a Kenny Rodgers special! Dolly Pardon live! Michael McDonald in his comeback tour! Hello is it me, the Todd Rungren special! Michael Bolton in his comeback special...The Forever Young Rod Stewert Special There are an endless amount of singer songwriters out there just chompin at the bits to steal Colbert's glory!

30 Rock is verrry funny...wildly funny, very much a worthy successor to Arrested D.)but i can't believe 2 and 1/2 Men got shafted in favor of it..that makes 2 low rated shows (arrested d--again) that beat it. (3 if you count The OFfice but at least that's grown significantly in size over the years) i'm not saying 2 and 1/2 men is the funniest show on tv but it is frequently laugh out loud funny ...and as tv's top (and pretty much the only real proof that the live action sitcom isn't in fact as dead as everyone says it is and is in fact living solid ratings) sitcom i'm surprised it didn't win last night. The only thing i would have expected to beat it was a repeat win by The Office which had another terrific year. (Thank god Ugly Betty didn;t win best comedy...ugh the show is not funny! its not even a comedy most of the time! jeez i would have much preferred if that 5th slot went to My Name Is Earl or How I Met Your Mom which should be nominated next year.)

[Paul Murray]

I found a news story that said Romano did not drop *the* F-bomb, but the closest euphemism that also starts with F. The Family Guy animation was unfunny (why some people insist it's a funnier show than The Simpsons is beyond me). And absolutely, the best moment was Carrell's "acceptance" ... a breath of spontinaeity in a telecast that seemed determined to be different -- not better, just different.

[Alex R.]

Sorry, but anyone who blogs for Barnhart's post and thinks "2 1/2 Men" is 'laugh out loud funny', obviously has no concept of good television.

"The Office" and "30 Rock" were easily the 2 best sitcoms nominated and 'Rock' deserved the win. I am also glads 'Rock' won because it will hopefully give the show a much needed cache boost.

(NOTE: It's not an either/or. 2.5 Men is the best of a dying breed of TV show, the studio-audience sitcom. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of vitriol this show gets. Save it for Jim Belushi, folks! 30 Rock, though, is fresher, snappier, more creative -- in part because it's not confined by an old template. Same goes with the Office. I just wish I'd voted my heart over my head, and I'd have been 1-for-6. --AB)