If We Had an Emmy Ballot: The Best TV of 2010 to 2011

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Steve Carell of The Office Photo credit: NBC

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Danny McBride, “Eastbound & Down”
Joel McHale, “Community”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

When did this category get so tough to fill? No offense to the six talented men listed above, but this is easily the category with the least amount of worthy candidates. Larry David takes a year off and Tony Shalhoub ends his series and no one steps in? Rob Lowe even submitted himself as lead for “Parks and Recreation,” probably due to ego but also probably because his agent told him that this is a much easier nomination to land. Sorry Rob, you’re NOT lead on that show. It’s Amy’s show and everyone else is supporting. Even Adam Scott, who submitted as supporting, is a more likely lead. Hell, I think Aziz has more screen time. So, while I might have championed you for supporting, you’re out in the cold here.

Who else is chilly? Last year’s nominee Matthew Morrison of “Glee,” Lucas Neff of “Raising Hope,” and Matt LeBlanc for “Episodes.” All good, but not good enough. And if they nominate William Shatner for that awful sitcom that CBS has already canceled, I’m boycotting that sh*t.

Who does that leave? Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”), Steve Carell (“The Office”), and last year’s winner Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”) are all guaranteed nominees and well-deserving. In fact, I expect Mr. Carell to finally win the trophy that has long eluded him.

But there are still three open spots. In case you haven’t been able to tell, we’re big “Community” fans, and Joel McHale delivered all season long. He deserves it and I may be optimistic, but I think if any aspect of the program gets nominated this year, it will be Joel.

I really wanted Danny McBride to score a nod for the brilliant first season of HBO’s “Eastbound & Down,” but that didn’t happen. The second season wasn’t nearly as strong, but McBride was still utterly fearless. He should get in.

My last choice is a bit out of left field, but there are very few comedians on TV who have successfully brought their vision of comedy to the tube as much as Louis C.K. does on FX’s “Louie.” He writes, edits, stars, and crafts every episode, driving the program in the way that Larry does “Curb” or Jerry did “Seinfeld.” He truly is a “Lead Actor.” It’s probably the least-likely of all of my suggestions, but it would be a fantastic surprise.

Amy Poehler of Parks and Recreation Photo credit: NBC

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy

Toni Collette, “United States of Tara”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Laura Linney, “The Big C”
Martha Plimpton, “Raising Hope”
Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”

Remember when this category was hard to fill? When as long as an leading actress had a name, she was pretty much guaranteed a nod? Hello, Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “The New Adventures of Old Christine”! Well, times have changed radically and there are at least nine solid candidates here for only six spots. It’s a shame that the same can’t be said about male lead.

Luckily, it seems like many of the most-deserving actresses will get the nod. Showtime seems likely to OWN this category as Toni Collette (“United States of Tara”) won in 2009 and Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”) won in 2010. Both will get nominated again and both deserve it. I even expect that Showtime will make this a perfect hat trick and that the deserving Laura Linney will get a nod this year for “The Big C” and win. Sadly, “Weeds” has gone steeply downhill or else Mary-Louise Parker could make it a four-peat.

With the three Showtime ladies taking up half the spots in the category, it leaves three spots for six talented ladies. One will almost certainly and deservedly go to Tina Fey for “30 Rock.” The show was a bit down this year, but she was typically fantastic.

Even more fantastic was Amy Poehler, who did the best work of her career in the past season of “Parks and Recreation.” Loosening up Leslie Knope and allowing her character to feel less like a goober and more like an actual person really took the show to another level of comedy. She would actually be my choice to win in this category in a landslide.

Although I’d also be pretty happy if an ’80s icon took the prize because then more people would watch “Raising Hope.” Martha Plimpton is SO good on the underrated FOX show and a few Emmy nods might keep it on the air. It’s a really funny show and Plimpton is the main reason.

That’s six. Who’s on the outside? Lea Michele was nominated last year for “Glee” and could be again and Melissa McCarthy is riding such a wave of goodwill for “Bridesmaids” that a nod for “Mike & Molly” isn’t out of the question. The most deserving alternates would be a pair of ABC stars — Patricia Heaton of “The Middle” and Courteney Cox of “Cougar Town.” Both women are fantastic and would have been guaranteed much-deserved nods in lesser years.

Raising Hope Photo credit: FOX

Best Comedy

“Community” (NBC)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“The Office” (NBC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
“Raising Hope” (FOX)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

The peacock network may be in dire straits, but they still do comedy right as they deserve two-thirds of the nominations here. NBC stalwarts “The Office” and “30 Rock” deserve spots again (although just barely… neither had their strongest season and had to end strong to get back into my personal top six). And, of course, last year’s winner “Modern Family” will and should be here. (And will win again. Count on it.)

But what about the other three spots? “Curb Your Enthusiasm” isn’t eligible this year. And other nominees from last year, “Nurse Jackie” and “Glee,” had down enough years that there are better choices. But what should take their place? Other Showtime series like “The Big C” or “United States of Tara”? Good, not great. HBO programs like “Hung,” “Bored to Death,” “Eastbound & Down,” or “Entourage”? Not yet, nope, get real, and maybe a few years ago.

What does that leave? ABC’s “Cougar Town” and “Happy Endings” are better than you think, but neither quite deserves it. CBS series “The Big Bang Theory,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Two and a Half Men” have the ratings, but not the critical support. I’d be surprised (although least so if “TBBT” gets in the club.)

In some great alternate universe, FX’s consistently-hilarious “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” would have a shot here. But it doesn’t and so I won’t set my dreams that high. (It’s a dream ballot, but I’m not crazy.)

I hope that the Academy looks to the new blood at NBC, two programs that had stronger seasons than the comedies headlined by Mr. Carell and Ms. Fey — “Community” and “Parks and Recreation.” I think at least one will get a nod, the other will headline my eventual “Biggest Emmy Snubs” piece.

One more spot. It’s about as unlikely as “Philadelphia,” but FOX’s “Raising Hope” was consistently hilarious and heartfelt all year. And it was only getting funnier as the season came to a close. There aren’t nearly enough people watching this comedy and an Emmy nomination could change that.