TV Recap: Golden Globes Reactions – Television

Golden Globes Reactions – Television Winners

Thoughts on the telecast: Amy Poehler and Tina Fey kicked off this show with one outstanding monologue, as was expected. They really didn’t hold back with their jokes either. Their comments on the Bill Cosby fiasco were especially scathing. I mean, damn. Those two absolutely torn the man apart. The audience was suitably surprised but the humor was definitely warranted. That’s wasn’t all too. They played some jokes on Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Steve Carell, etc, each one better than the last. They didn’t even let The Interview debacle go by without comment.

Once the monologue was done though, the humor stopped hitting home as often. There were a few great presenters, but the majority of jokes just didn’t work. One that stands in my mind especially was Margaret Cho as some representative from North Korea. What the hell was that? It’s obvious what the intended message was, yet it was such an unbelievable bomb. The speech by the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was a much better way to mark the occasion. Other moments that stay with me are Ricky Gervais’s bumbling presentation, and Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader’s laughfest for themselves. I’m also pretty disappointed by the lack of drunken debauchery.

Speaking of lacks, Poehler and Fey were almost completely absent. How can you buzz about them hosting and then knock them off to the side? Without them, the sense of fun the past two Globes had just wasn’t there.

There were also plenty of upsets among the television categories. Below I break out each category, who the winners were, and my individual thoughts.

Check out our predictions piece to see how we did.

The Nominees for Best Television Series – Drama: The Affair (Showtime), Downton Abbey (PBS), Game of Thrones (HBO), The Good Wife (CBS), House of Cards (Netflix).

Winner: The Affair

Reaction: *Sigh* Someday Game of Thrones will win a drama award that’s not acting. I mean, it absolutely deserves it. Does The Affair? I honestly cannot say, I haven’t seen it and am aware that people love it. Yet is it really the best drama of the year? The jury is definitely still out on that one. In cases like this, it’s easy to see why people don’t hold the HFPA in super high regard It’s almost as if being a successful new program is a guarantee for a win. Fans will praise this, and outsiders, like myself, will continue to wonder why. That’s what this boils down to.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime), Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC), Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS), Ruth Wilson, The Affair (Showtime), Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix).

Winner: Ruth Wilson, The Affair

Reaction: That’s what happens when you have a talent packed category like this one. I had pegged Viola Davis to take this home because she absolutely crushed How to Get Away with Murder. Yet it was clear that this category was very much up in the air. Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, and Robin Wright are all on extremely popular and critically lauded programs. They easily could have taken this home too. Clearly though, being on a new show gives an edge that everyone else doesn’t have. Next year I plan to pick only new people. Those are better odds.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama: Clive Owen, The Knick (Cinemax), Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (Showtime), Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix), James Spader, The Blacklist (NBC), Dominic West, The Affair (Showtime).

Winner: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Reaction: This was the right pick hands down. Kevin Spacey has been nominated for House of Cards eight times now. Seriously, it was freaking time. This was the category to allow this too. What a weak bunch. There was no way Spacey wasn’t getting this.

The Nominees for Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Girls (HBO), Jane the Virgin (The CW), Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Silicon Valley (HBO), Transparent (Amazon).

Winner: Transparent

Reaction: It’s tough to argue with this win. Sure, I pegged Orange is the New Black to take this in my predictions. I really wanted this Netflix smash to finally get one. Yet Transparent deserves this. It gives attention to a horribly ostracized group of people and the win here sends a powerful message. This is also the very first Globe win for an Amazon program, something that Netflix still has yet to boast. Good job HFPA.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO), Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO), Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (The CW), Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black (Netflix).

Winner: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

Reaction: I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it: The HFPA is obsessed with new programs. Case in point, Gina Rodriguez. Jane the Virgin has received some incredible praise and now she has won the Actress Globe. This is last year’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine win all over again. It’s honestly tough to make a judgement here. I was happy with Andy Samberg’s win last year so saying that Rodriguez shouldn’t have this year because she’s in a new show would be hypocritical of me. So I’m not doing that. What I will say is that Taylor Schilling needs to win a freaking award already for Orange is the New Black.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Louis C.K., Louie (FX), Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime), Ricky Gervais, Derek (Netflix), William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime), Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon).

Winner: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Reaction: This was the one category with an obvious winner. There was no way Jeffrey Tambor was going to lose this to anyone else. Why would he, anyway? Not only is this category filled up with weak names, Tambor gave the performance of his career. He absolutely owned this role that tackles such an incredibly current issue. It’s tough to beat that speech too. Bravo, Tambor. I can’t wait to see what you can do at the Emmys.

The Nominees for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Fargo (FX), The Missing (Starz), The Normal Heart (HBO), True Detective (HBO), Olive Kitteridge (HBO).

Winner: Fargo

Reaction: This made me extremely happy. Sure, I pegged True Detective in my predictions piece, but I fervently believe that Fargo was the overall better program. Fortunately the HFPA agrees with me. Plus, it’s okay that True Detective lost this because there’s no way Matthew McConaughey isn’t getting the Acting globe.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Martin Freeman, Fargo (FX), Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart (HBO), Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo (FX), Matthew McConaughey, True Detective (HBO), Woody Harrelson, True Detective (HBO).

Winner: Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

Reaction: *Drinks beverage* “The Globe goes too….Billy Bob Thornton!” *Spits all over computer*. Really? Thornton over McConaughey? This was the biggest shock of the night for me. I think Fargo was better overall but McConaughey’s performance as Rust Cohle was the best acting between the two. To put it simply, he was robbed.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX), Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS), Allison Janney, Mom (CBS), Michelle Monaghan, True Detective (HBO).

Winner: Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey

Reaction: I have never seen an episode of Downton Abbey and have absolutely zero knowledge of Joanne Froggatt’s performance. Her repeated nominations are the only evidence I have that she is one incredible actress. Yet her beating out Uzo Aduba absolutely shocked me. Aduba dominated Orange is the New Black’s coverage and she seemed like a shoe-in for this. I’m sure Downton Abbey fans are really happy though.

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman (SundanceTV), Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show, Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO), Frances O’Connor, The Missing (Starz), Allison Tolman, Fargo (FX).

Winner: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman

Reaction: The buzz for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s performance in The Honourable Woman was near deafening when this premiered. Her taking this Globe home is not a shock in the least. I honestly almost pegged her to pick this on attention alone. Yet I went with Allison Tolman, an equally deserving winner, and now this is another wrong prediction on my end. Thanks for making me a fool HFPA!

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart (HBO), Alan Cumming, The Good Wife (CBS), Colin Hanks, Fargo (FX), Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO), Jon Voight, Ray Donovan (Showtime).

Winner: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart

Reaction: Our Editor-in-Chief, Bill Bodkin, called this completely. There really was no way The Normal Heart was going without an award and this category was the perfect fit. Matt Bomer received an insane amount of praise for his role. He deserves this without a doubt.

=============================================================================================================
Luke Kalamar is Pop-Break.com’s television and every Saturday afternoon you can read his retro video game column, Remembering the Classics. He covers Game of Thrones, Saturday Night Live and The Walking Dead (amongst others) every week. As for as his career and literary standing goes — take the best parts of Spider-man, Captain America and Luke Skywalker and you will fully understand his origin story.

=============================================================================================================