The hijacking of the Emmy Awards was obvious in recent seasons, as television’s big night tilted away from the mainstream to become a celebration of tiny shows on niche cable networks.
You had to be a paying customer to enjoy the wins by “The Sopranos,” “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” and that created a parade of humiliation for the broadcast networks that were actually televising the awards, an in-joke for smaller and smaller audiences.
Last year, Julia Louis-Dreyfus said she was “glad to be presenting on the last official year of network television.” And Neil Patrick Harris, last year’s host, appeared in his Web-series guise as “Dr. Horrible” to pronounce that “Television is dead!”
The networks weren’t laughing.
Suddenly, it’s a new era. Tonight, plain old, over-the-air television is poised to reclaim the glory — and perhaps the fun — that marked the best of Emmys past.
After an amazing breakout season for three freshman broadcast shows, “Modern Family,” “Glee” and “The Good Wife,” a standout lineup of nominees ensures that the mainstream audience won’t be left out, wondering who is being celebrated.
The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live coast to coast for the first time (to the delight of Mountain-time-zone tweeters?), at 6 tonight, locally on KUSA-Channel 9, with self-deprecating late-night comer Jimmy Fallon as host.
It looks to be a reassuring night for network-TV viewers, proof that over-the-air TV is in the midst of a golden age. Yes, there’s a lot of junk on the tube. But look how good it can get.
George Clooney will receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, Jewel will perform during the “in memoriam” segment, and Conan O’Brien’s name will be uttered on NBC. He may even show up to claim an award.
And then there’s the touchy subject of comedy.
The most suspenseful and contentious category of the evening concerns two superior freshman series battling to be named outstanding comedy. Will “Modern Family” take the prize over “Glee”?
As a fan of both shows, I favor ABC’s pure domestic comedy over Fox’s musical dramedy for this award. Without the music, “Glee” would be less than half the accomplishment, less than half the phenomenon. The perfectly cast and smartly written “Modern Family” should be the series to end the “30 Rock” three-year winning streak. (Also in contention are “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Office” and “Nurse Jackie.”)
Too bad there’s not a category for best new show of the year, in addition to the “outstanding comedy” slot. That would be a way to honor “Glee” alongside “Modern Family,” as the Television Critics Awards did last month. At least “Glee” is already on a roll from last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys.
On the drama side, the battle might also be dominated by a freshman broadcast series, “The Good Wife” on CBS. Contenders are “Breaking Bad,” “Dexter,” “Lost,” “Mad Men” and “True Blood” — returning favorites all, but the expertly written, cast and acted newcomer “Good Wife” deserves to take the prize.
For those keeping score at home, the miniseries “The Pacific” has the most nominations of any show this year, a total of 24. “Glee” has the most nominations of any comedy, 19. And “Mad Men” has the most of any drama, 17.
A first: live streaming
In addition to the live national broadcast, tonight’s spectacle will be streamed live online for the first time, with a backstage “thank you-cam” for those too-long-for-primetime expressions of gratitude.
I’ll be happy if . . . Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”) takes the much-deserved comedy-actor award; Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”) wins the comedy-actress nod for her not- really-a-comedy series; Jane Lynch (“Glee”) takes the award for supporting actress in a comedy; and Hugh Laurie (“House”) once and for all is recognized as the most deserving dramatic actor in the field.
I won’t be surprised if the “Modern Family” cast members cancel each other out in the supporting-actor category, handing a win to the deserving Chris Colfer of “Glee,” whose emotional performance in the comedy was wonderfully dramatically tinged.
I’ll be glad if Fallon’s performance is anywhere near as good as his promotional spots for the Emmy show, in which he satirizes “Mad Men” with help from Christina Hendricks.
Finally, I’ll be delighted if, given the early start time, the whole thing is over by 9 p.m.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
