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Matt Roush
Friday, April 18, 2008
Will Battlestar Battle for an Emmy?
Question: Do you think that, in a season so utterly frakked up by the writer's strike, the Emmy voters might finally change channels over to Sci Fi and watch Battlestar Galactica? Of course, the season is only two episodes deep at this point, and one would have to be living in a fantasy land to think the voters would actually bring due celebration to this show, but these two episodes have been as good as anything the cast and crew have done so far. I'm particularly struck by "Six of One" and the performances of Katee Sackhoff and the irreplaceable Mary McConnell. Do you think the continuity of shows like BSG take away their chances at major awards? I've seen every episode, which qualifies me to recognize how fantastic these two actors (and the rest of the cast) have been so far, but it also puts me at the advantage of having four years of context to draw from that the voters likely would not. The awards-show success of series like 24, Lost and to a much lesser extent The Shield, make me think there is hope that dramas that use complex continuous story arcs have hope for that kind of recognition, yet I still can't see it happening. Please tell me I'm wrong. — Adam S.
Matt Roush: You're not wrong, but it's not an altogether hopeless battle for attention. Battlestar Galactica not only has the disadvantage of a dense and mystifying mythology, but its title and genre also work against it getting serious consideration among the more mainstream dramas. And yet it did get writing and direction nominations a year ago, which is pretty significant. Keep in mind that while Lost won for best drama for its first season and The Shield also broke through in its first season with a win for Michael Chiklis and writing and directing nominations, it gets tougher for these shows to be recognized the longer they stay on the air and their storylines become more challenging for the non-hooked to follow and appreciate. Lost and some of its stars still get recognition, but it hasn't been nominated for best drama since its first-year win. (24 is in a somewhat different situation since it starts somewhat from scratch each season with a new adventure, albeit with baggage from past years.) But you're right in one respect. Anyone watching the emotional workout Katee Sackhoff went through last week in particular would have to think she'd be Emmy bait if she were doing this work on HBO or on a more accessible franchise drama. As if I've often said, if you look to the Emmys for validation, you're going to be cruelly disappointed.
**snippage**
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