'The Crown,' 'Atlanta' Win Top TV Honors at the Golden Globes, Jimmy Fallon Bombs as Host

I actually did better on my predictions this year than last, going 8 for 11 in the TV categories. I should have trusted my instincts on The Night Manager a little more, which the Globes loved so much they gave it all three acting wins, despite feeling obligated to go for OJ in Best Limited Series. But the new prevailed overall with the rest. I should mention here how host Jimmy Fallon fared on the actual ceremonial duties, and that was pretty pitifully. He tried to go slightly edgier (for him) in the opening monologue with some Trump jokes, but coming from the guy who helped normalize the racist, sexually assaulting monster on national television, it's a little too late for that shit, buddy. I will not forget or forgive. Aside from that he bombed most of his bits and then all but completely disappeared in the second half, so even though the ratings were higher this year, who knows if he'll be back to host these again. Good riddance. The funniest bit of the night came from Kristen Wiig and Steve Carell presenting Animated Feature with ironically tragic recollections of their first time seeing animated movies as kids. Get them to host next time.

• Best Comedy Series: Atlanta
• Best Actress in a Comedy: Tracee Ellis-Ross, Black-ish
• Best Actor in a Comedy: Donald Glover, Atlanta
• Best Drama Series: The Crown
• Best Actor in a Drama: Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath
• Best Actress in a Drama: Claire Foy, The Crown
• Best Limited Series/TV Movie: The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie: Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
• Best Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie: Sarah Paulson, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Supporting Actor: Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
• Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Colman, The Night Manager

Traces Ellis-Ross's beautiful acceptance speech about inclusion:

Golden Globes TV Predictions

On the TV side of things, the HFPA pretty much just goes for what they like, which is usually the new, shiny nominee with the most recent buzz. In most categories anyway. Let's have at, shall we?

BEST DRAMA SERIES

• The Crown
• Game of Thrones
• Stranger Things
• This is Us
• Westworld

This may be trickier than it looks to predict, because we've got four hot new shows here. Hmm. So which one does the HFPA love the most? I'm thinking The Crown. Prestige period drama about the royal family? Yeah, that's Globe catnip if ever there was any.

Winner: The Crown

Alt: This is Us

Dark Horse: Westworld

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL SERIES

• Atlanta
• Black-ish
• Mozart in the Jungle
• Transparent
• Veep

They really love this Mozart in the Jungle show, but do they go for it yet again? Seems like too much for them. But what wins instead? To be honest, none of these other shows feel like their type. Is it Veep, after five seasons? New kid on the block, Atlanta? I'm stumped on this one.

Winner: Atlanta

Alt: Mozart in the Jungle

Dark Horse: Veep

BEST DRAMA ACTOR

• Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
• Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
• Matthew Rhys, The Americans
• Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
• BIll Bob Thornton, Goliath

I thought for sure Rami Malek would win this last year and he didn't, so maybe they catch up with him this time, after his Emmy win. Otherwise, I think Matthew Rhys may have a shot. None of these actors' shows got nominated in drama series, so it's kind of a free for all.

Winner: Rami Malek

Alt: Matthew Rhys

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS

• Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
• Claire Foy, The Crown
• Keri Russell, The Americans
• Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
• Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

I think Foy should take this one, as the young Queen Elizabeth. The HFPA almost always chooses a first time nominee from a hot new show here, but Winona Ryder is tempting, as a veteran star in a comeback role.

Winner: Claire Foy

Alt: Winona Ryder

Dark Horse: Caitriona Balfe

BEST ACTOR COMEDY/MUSICAL

• Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
• Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
• Donald Glover, Atlanta
• Nick Nolte, Graves
• Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

I'm saying Donald Glover for this, following the hot newcomer trend. 

Winner: Donald Glover

Alt: Gael Garcia Bernal

BEST ACTRESS COMEDY/MUSICAL

• Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
• Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
• Issa Rae, Insecure
• Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
• Tracee Ellis-Ross, Black-ish

Yikes. With two previous first time winners here, I'm not sure if they'll repeat or go for someone new. They've never gone for Julia Louis-Dreyfus, despite her epic awards run for Veep- could the Globe finally be hers? Or maybe Tracee Ellis-Ross is the new winner? I could honestly see any one of either Bloom, Louis-Dreyfus, Rodriguez or Ellis-Ross winning.

Winner: Tracee Ellis-Ross

Alt: Rachel Bloom

Dark Horse: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

BEST LIMITED SERIES

• American Crime
• The Dresser
• The Night Manager
• The Night Of
• The People vs. OJ Simpson

I'm guessing People v. OJ, although to be honest, I'm not sure if the HFPA's tastes align with that show. If not for all the hype, I'd be tempted to go with something like The Night Manager. But it was a little too much of a cultural, zeitgeisty thing to be ignored by them.

Winner: The People vs. OJ Simpson

Alt: The Night Manager

BEST ACTOR- LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE

• Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
• Bryan Cranston, All the Way
• Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
• John Turturro, The Night Of
• Courtney B. Vance, The People vs. OJ Simpson

I should maybe go for OJ in all these categories, same as the Emmys did. But I'm less certain about it, knowing this voting group. I'm saying Tom Hiddleston.

Winner: Tom Hiddleston

Alt: Courtney B. Vance

BEST ACTRESS- LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE

• Felicity Huffman, American Crime
• Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
• Sarah Paulson, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
• Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Paulson it is, with less competition here, seeing as how these other shows don't have as much Globes attention.

Winner: Sarah Paulson

Alt: Kerry Washington

Dark Horse: Riley Keough (don't ask me why- I just have a feeling the HFPA knows this is Elvis Presley's granddaughter)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Sterling K. Brown, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
• John Lithgow, The Crown
• Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
• John Travolta, The People vs. OJ Simpson

Okay, I'm deviating from OJ here. I'm gonna go with John Lithgow, who was extremely good and a total scene-stealer as Winston Churchill. Again, it feel like Globes catnip.

Winner: John Lithgow

Alt: John Travolta (they would like this performance)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
• Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
• Chrissy Metz, This is Us
• Mandy Moore, This is Us
• Thandie Newyon, Westworld

I'm at a disadvantage here, having not seen any of This is Us or Westworld. I don't even know if those shows are up Golden Globe alley or not. It'd be nice to see Lena Headey win something for Game of Thrones someday, but the Globes do like the new. I'm thinking Thandie Newton. On the other hand, there is precedent for the Globes using this category to catch up with someone who's overdue, and Headey would be the most obvious beneficiary of that. Hmm.

Winner: Lena Headey

Alt: Thandie Newton

Dark Horse: Mandy Moore

PGA Nominations for Television Honor 'Black Mirror,' 'Westworld,' 'Stranger Things'

The producers guild nominations for TV picked some cool, new stuff and of course some of the same old, same old (when are these guys finally going to let go of House of Cards? It's over, man). On another note, I wonder if Stranger Things can actually win any of these many awards it's being nominated for by the industry.

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
· Black Mirror (Season 3- above)
· The Night Manager (Season 1)
· The Night Of
· The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (Season 1)
· Sherlock: The Abominable Bride

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
· Better Call Saul (Season 2)
· Game of Thrones (Season 6)
· House of Cards (Season 4)
· Stranger Things (Season 1)
· Westworld (Season 1)

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
· Atlanta (Season 1)
· black-ish (Season 2)
· Modern Family (Season 7)
· Silicon Valley (Season 3)
· Veep (Season 5)

The CW Reinvents the Archie Characters with New 'Riverdale' Show

I've been in need of a trashy new teen drama for while now, ever since Gossip Girl ended. I've always gotta have a good guilty pleasure. Before that it was The O.C., before that the classics of the WB like Dawson's Creek and Felicity (Buffy doesn't count as a guilty pleasure, that was high art which I will defend as such until the end). So I've been waiting for one for some time- could this finally be it? Produced by the superhero maestro Greg Berlanti (although he was formerly the creator of Everwood), this reinvention of the classic Archies comics is supposedly Gossip Girl meets Twin Peaks, but early word from TV critics is that the first four episodes are deliciously addictive. I'm in. But how funny is it to see the original 90210's Luke Perry as the dad in a teen soap?? Riverdale starts January 26th.

Sherlock's Secret Comes Out in New Promo for Season 4

They've been teasing the end of Sherlock for a while now, so I think we should all prepare ourselves for this to be the last season. The first of the final three episodes will air on New Year's Day everyone, so mark your calendars! 

Quinn Returns in New Trailer for 'Homeland' Season 6

It's ridiculous for Quinn to still be alive frankly, but I'm with Homeland til the bitter end at this point. Even if they did jump the gun with their optimism in predicting a female president (and this is not an optimistic show, which makes it even more bittersweet). But really, Quinn can't possibly be mobile this season. And his entire role on the show was as the action hero Jack Bauer type, so what are they going to do with him? I know they didn't want to get rid of Rupert Friend, but I can't imagine the use of a debilitated Quinn, can you?

SAG TV Nominations Go for 'Stranger Things,' 'The Crown'

The TV side at SAG is the one television awards group not totally dominated by OJ, since there's no ensemble award for miniseries and no supporting acting categories. And most of the noms are filled by longtime vets as usual, but there is some cool stuff in here, specifically Mille Bobby Brown for Stranger Things! Now that's awesome. Also cool is the nomination for Bryce Dallas Howard for her tour de force performance in her one Black Mirror episode. That's thinking outside the box in a good way. I don't appreciate the snub of Tatiana Maslany though. Whuttup with that, SAG?

Best Comedy Ensemble
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Black-ish”
“Modern Family”
“Orange is the New Black”
“Veep”

Best Comedy Actor
Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”
Titus Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

Best Comedy Actress
Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black”
Jane Fonda, “Grace & Frankie”
Ellie Kemper, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace & Frankie”

Best Drama Ensemble
“The Crown”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Stranger Things”
“Westworld”

Best Drama Actor
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
John Lithgow, “The Crown”
Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Best Drama Actress
Millie Bobby Brown, “Stranger Things”
Claire Foy, “The Crown”
Thandie Newton, “Westworld”
Winona Ryder, “Stranger Things”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Best Movie/Miniseries Actor
Riz Ahmed, “The Night Of”
Sterling K. Brown, “The People v. O.J. Simpson”
Bryan Cranston, “All The Way”
John Turturro, “The Night Of”
Courtney B Vance, “The People v. O.J. Simpson”

Best Movie/Miniseries Actress
Bryce Dallas Howard, “Black Mirror”
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Audra McDonald, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill”
Sarah Paulson, “The People v. O.J. Simpson”
Kerry Washington, “Confirmation”

Best Stunt Ensemble
“Game of Thrones”
“Daredevil”
“Luke Cage”
“The Walking Dead”
“Westworld”

Bryce Dallas Howard is recognized for her episode of 'Black Mirror'

Alan Thicke 1947-2016

Beloved sitcom dad Alan Thicke passed away suddenly from a heart attack today at the age of 69. The Canadian actor was best known for playing Jason Seaver on ABC's Growing Pains from 1985-1992, but had also hosted a Canadian daytime talk show, The Alan Thicke Show, on the CBC from 1980-83, and had had a successful career as a composer of TV theme songs in the 1970's. The best known of these were the themes to the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life. He went on to make various guest appearances on TV shows throughout the years and hosted many TV events, including game shows and beauty pageants. He is survived by his wife and his three children, including pop star Robin Thicke.

Opening to Growing Pains Season 3: (confession: I've always had a weird affinity for this show's theme song and opening credits- I watched it in reruns as a kid but the song was particularly memorable to me for some reason)

'People v. OJ Simpson' Leads the Golden Globe Nominations on the TV Side

As always, on the television side of things, the HFPA did its own thing, recognizing a lot of new shows and unknown actors, while still showering People vs. OJ with the expected five nominations. Last year these guys were all over the place in terms of winners, so I really don't know what to expect this time as far as who they'll pick. Looks like my predictions will be complete shots in the dark. But here's a fun fact that stood out from these- NBC's hit This is Us gave the network its first drama series nomination in ten years! :0

Best Television Series – Drama

• “The Crown”
• “Game Of Thrones”
• “Stranger Things”
• “This Is Us”
• “Westworld”

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• “Atlanta”
• “Black-ish”
• “Mozart In The Jungle”
• “Transparent”
• “Veep”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

• Rami Malek – “Mr. Robot”
• Bob Odenkirk – “Better Call Saul”
• Matthew Rhys – “The Americans”
• Liev Schreiber – “Ray Donovan”
• Billy Bob Thornton – “Goliath”

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama

• Caitriona Balfe – “Outlander”
• Claire Foy – “The Crown”
• Keri Russell – “The Americans”
• Winona Ryder – “Stranger Things”
• Evan Rachel Wood – “Westworld”

'The Crown' got three nominations

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• Anthony Anderson – “Black-ish”
• Gael García Bernal – “Mozart in the Jungle
• Donald Glover – “Atlanta”
• Nick Nolte – “Graves”
• Jeffrey Tambor – “Transparent”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• Rachel Bloom – “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus – “Veep”
• Sarah Jessica Parker – “Divorce”
• Issa Rae – “Insecure”
• Gina Rodriguez – “Jane the Virgin”
• Tracee Ellis-Ross – “Black-ish”

Best Limited Series

• “American Crime”
• “The Dresser”
• “The Night Manager”
• “The Night Of”
• “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Riz Ahmed – “The Night Of”
• Bryan Cranston – “All The Way”
• Tom Hiddleston – “The Night Manager”
• John Turturro – “The Night Of”
• Courtney B Vance – “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”

Elvis's granddaughter Riley Keough gets nominated for 'The Girlfriend Experience'

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Felicity Huffman – “American Crime”
• Riley Keough – “The Girlfriend Experience”
• Sarah Paulson – “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
• Charlotte Rampling – “London Spy”
• Kerry Washington – “Confirmation”

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

• Olivia Colman – “The Night Manager”
• Lena Headey – “Game Of Thrones”
• Chrissy Metz – “This Is Us”
• Mandy Moore – “This Is Us”
• Thandie Newton – “Westworld”

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

• Sterling K Brown – “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
• Hugh Laurie – “The Night Manager”
• John Lithgow – “The Crown”
• Christian Slater – “Mr. Robot”
• John Travolta – “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”

More love for HBO's 'Westworld'

Critics Choice Awards Pick 'Game of Thrones,' 'Silicon Valley,' 'People vs. O.J.' as Best Shows of 2016

The Critics Choice awards also honored television tonight, going for some of the mainstream, obvious choices in the top awards, but some new faces in acting, with Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, and John Lithgow winning for their show's inaugural seasons. It's also really cool to see Kate McKinnon win Best Actress in a Comedy for SNL, although I've finally given up watching every episode- as far as I'm concerned, that show has blood on its hands and helped to contribute to the national tragedy we suffered and will be suffering for however long it goes on. I will never forget them normalizing that asshole by letting him host a whole show last year. But I still love me some Kate McKinnon.

2016 CRITICS CHOICE TV WINNERS

• Best Reality Show Host: Anthony Bourdain
• Best Talk Show: The Late Late Show with James Corden
• Best Animated Series: BoJack Horseman
• Best Reality Competition Series: The Voice
• Best Structured Reality Series: Shark Tank
• Best Unstructured Reality Series: Parts Unknown
• Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
• Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, The Walking Dead
• Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series: Sterling K. Brown, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series: Regina King, American Crime
• Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Louie Anderson, Baskets
• Best Actor in a Limited Series: Courtney B. Vance, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Actress in a Limited Series: Sarah Paulson, The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Thandie Newton, Westworld
• Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: John Lithgow, The Crown
• Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Donald Glover, Atlanta
• Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
• Best Actor in a Drama Series: Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
• Best Actress in a Drama Series: Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
• Best TV Movie/Limited Series: The People vs. OJ Simpson
• Best Comedy Series: Silicon Valley
• Best Drama Series: Game of Thrones