The Dope Box TV Blog

The Golden Globe nominations were announced today and most of them could have been easily predicted. However, there was a little vampirific surprise in the mix. True Blood got a nom for best drama series and Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse) got best dramatic actress. It would really have been a shocker if they’d been cool enough to nominate Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette). In Treatment dominated. I suppose I should watch it then, huh?

Here are the other TV Series Noms (faves are in bold):

Best Television Series - Drama

Dexter; House; In Treatment; Mad Men; True Blood

Thoughts: While I admit Mad Men has had some truly brilliant moments, they lost me during the beginning of the second season. Watching started to feel like a chore (I have several unwatched episodes on my DVR to prove it). Dexter, House, and True Blood dependably deliver and I never put off watching any of them. I wonder what it says about me that my favorites are all bloodbaths. Pretty sure In Treatment will take the Globe though, since they’ve garnered so many noms.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama

Sally Field – Brothers & Sisters

Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order

January Jones – Mad Men

Anna Paquin – True Blood

Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer

Thoughts: Sally Field is lovely but she hasn’t done anything surprising or different from her usual bag of tricks. Plus, I’m not sure I can handle another of her speeches. I know people love Mariska but I’m not a Law & Order fan. I can’t comment on the whole second season of Mad Men (see above) but January put me to sleep during the first few eps. Kyra will probably take it but I would get a kick out of Anna winning. Sookie 4 life, y’all!

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama

Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment

Michael C. Hall – Dexter

Jon Hamm – Mad Men

Hugh Laurie – House

Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors

Thoughts: If the award was for Hottest Portrayal of a King who had Gout, Jonathan would be the man. Gabriel has a real shot at the win. But I would love to see Hugh or Michael walk away with the Globe. Michael’s genius performance as my favorite sociopath has only gotten space-related awards (Satellite, Saturn) and nobody cares about those. But Hugh deserves the award too, since his character is the axis around which everyone else spins.

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy

30 Rock; Californication; Entourage; The Office; Weeds

Thoughts:This is perhaps the most competitive category. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of them won. Weeds kept me laughing with its brand of risqué and unexpected humor but I would reckon this is 30 Rock’s year.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy

Christina Applegate – Samantha Who?

America Ferrera – Ugly Betty

Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Debra Messing – The Starter Wife

Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds

Thoughts:Although I enjoy Christina as amnesiac Sam, she’s not the funniest lady on the show. Actually, Jennifer Esposito, Melissa McCarthy, and Jean Smart run comedic circles around her. America is in a similar spot, only to a much larger degree. She seems to setup the jokes for her much funnier cast-mates. The Starter Wife was a bit of a snooze. Tina Fey is on a winning streak I wouldn’t mind seeing continue. And Mary-Louise is dependably and creatively amusing as the drug-dealin’ mama of two.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy

Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock

Steve Carell – The Office

Kevin Connolly – Entourage

David Duchovny – Californication

Tony Shalhoub – Monk

Thoughts: Is Monk still on the air?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Eileen Atkins – Cranford

Laura Dern – Recount

Melissa George – In Treatment

Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters

Dianne Wiest – In Treatment

Thoughts: The smart bet would be for one of the In Treatment gals. Out of the bunch, I’ve only seen Rachel Griffiths performance so I have no input on the others.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother

Denis Leary – Recount

Jeremy Piven – Entourage

Blair Underwood – In Treatment

Tom Wilkinson – John Adams

Thoughts: Another competitive one, I think. All these guys are talented but Neil’s Barney is the highlight of HIMYM for me.

Obvious snubs: Grey’s Anatomy– Even with all the strange plotlines of late, there have been some good performances. I think people may just be too frustrated with the series to even consider it. Also, Lost, Friday Night Lights, Pushing Daisies (cancelled, I know, but fantastic nonetheless).

True Blood, HBO television series, Sundays

We revisit Fangtasia in the bloody, chunky aftermath of Longshadow’s slaying. Ginger wades through what remains of the vampire bartender. I would have liked to see the actual staking, honestly. Is that morbid?

Hippy-girl/vampire-drainer Amy convinces Jason to bring their sad, portly, gay catch back to his basement for siphoning. Jason gets to feeling guilty about the whole affair and resists full participation. Amy beckons him to “come with” her as she is about to down a thimble of their liquid prize. Since he has no ability to defy the lure of pleasure, he relents. 

The happy couple start copulating in front of the drainee, after politely thanking him for his donation. Then a visual sequence shows us that being high on V is like swimming through air in front of a jumbo projection of those lame screen saver images that are pre-downloaded to every PC.

During a picnic of raw food in tiny bowls, they profess their love for each other, virtually unbothered by the screams from the basement. They also listen to the leaves giggle…because trees are, um, ticklish. Aren’t they just the cutest psychotic blood-addicted couple ever?

Meanwhile, back at the exorcist’s double wide, Tara is getting the full spiel on why she needs a $799.95 exorcism. Apparently it cures addiction, loneliness, a-type personality flaws, and self-hatred. She should start stock-piling possums cuz I think that covers everybody.

Sam shows up with I’m-sorry-I-said-you-grunt-during-sex flowers. In a sweeping romantic gesture, he tells her he’d rather deal with her “fucked up shit” than be alone.

Sam could take a lesson from Bill on being a gentleman. Yes, he occasionally bites but he also opens doors for ladies. He and Sookie come home from their date to a beheaded cat spinning around the ceiling fan. Bill feels guilty, Sookie feels guilty; they cuddle. The next day he plays a little Wii Golf and heads for a tribunal for staking Longshadow. Vampire road trip!

And the latest in totally obvious revelations is…Sam is the shape-shifting collie.

 ”There’s vampire in your cleavage.” -Pam