posted August 6, 2009 at 12:45 EST in Other Props
Entertainment Betting on the Emmys - Best Drama Series
by Charles Jay
Entertainment Betting
THE EMMYS: BEST DRAMA SERIES
I remember having a discussion with a friend of mine a long time ago, and the subject came around to my harsh criticism of the kind of garbage that was on TV, and how movies were so vastly superior.
That conversation keeps popping up in my mind because in the year 2009, I find myself watching what is in the movie theater less and less (notable exception - "The Hurt Locker," which I highly recommend) and more and more my attention turn to TV, which has, in my opinion, the superior stuff. There are some truly great, engrossing programs on television that aren't even nominated for any Emmy awards, and that is a testament to the "depth" we've seen in recent years, particularly as HBO and Showtime are still going strong and we've had new entrants like AMC in the field.
The Emmy Awards take place on September 20. Here are the nominees for Best Drama Series, along with the Entertainment odds as they are posted at BetUS Sportsbook:
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men Even
Damages +250
Breaking Bad +300
House +300
Big Love +350
Lost +450
Dexter +500
MAD MEN (Even Money at BetUS) -- It looks like another big year for this AMC series, which has generated 16 nominations, the same as last year, when it took home this award (Outstanding Drama Series). Mad Men also won a Golden Globe award, as did lead actor Jon Hamm (+200 at BetUS for Best Actor, Drama series) and writer Matthew Weiner, who was best known before this is a writer for The Sopranos. This series, which focuses on a Madison Avenue advertising agency during the explosion of commercial television in the early 1960s, has gotten rave reviews right from the start.
You want to talk about awards? Mad Men has captured four of the five writing award nominations. Also on the BetUS board are Elizabeth Moss, formerly of The West Wing, nominated for Best Actress, Drama series (+300) and John Slattery (+200 for Best Supporting Actor). This past season the show took on some interesting storylines, including a transition at the agency that may find lead character Don Draper (Hamm) out of a job. In fact, the season finale left a cliff-hanger as to whether he was going to come back to work, or under what circumstances, after the agency is sold. Quick side note - Hamm is also up for Guest Actor on a Comedy Series for his hilarious turn on 30 Rock (and he's +500 at BetUS).
DAMAGES (+250 at BetUS) -- This F/X legal drama, which takes a storyline and stays with it all season long, will basically put you on its back and take you for a ride. In case you haven't seen it, Damages gives you the end of story first (well, sort of), then with each passing episode, you get to fill a little more of the puzzle. The second season was dazzling and intricate, as you quickly come to expect from this show, although I will say that it would be tough to top the initial season. I don't know how much longer they can keep it up, but this is a cast to die for, which includes Glenn Close (+175 at BetUS for Best Actress, Drama series, and who won last year) and the estimable Rose Byrne (+150 at BetUS for Best Supporting Actress, Drama series). Oscar winner William Hurt showed up in this year's roller coaster, and he is up for Best Supporting Actor (+150 at BetUS). Ted Danson, who won last year for Supporting Actor, is nominated here for Guest Actor (+125 at BetUS). This is a strong contender, but I think it will fall a little short.
BREAKING BAD (+300 at BetUS) -- This is one of those shows I came around late to watching, but it can grow on you quickly. It's about a high school chemistry teaches who is struggling to make ends meet, and finally puts his theoretical experience into the practical realm by producing and selling methamphetamine. The writing is masterful, and this is really a great double play for AMC, which also has Mad Men. Bryan Cranston is just sensational in the lead role, and he won last year's Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series. This year he's +275 at BetUS. This year's other nod is Aaron Paul for Supporting Actor (+225 at BetUS). I can't wait for the next season to begin. This show didn't even get nominated in this category last year, so some "make-good" might be in order. If there is any series that could challenge Mad Men here, this could be it.
HOUSE (+300 at BetUS) -- Hugh Laurie is no stranger to awards. He has won two Golden Globes for his performance as the cantankerous Gregory House, M.D. He has been nominated for Best Actor in 2005 and again this year (where he is +250 at BetUS) and the show has been nominated in this category in 2006, but Emmy has not decorated this program too well. I wonder if that changes this year. It could, but the timing is not terrific, because while House has been around for several seasons now, shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad are still pretty fresh in everyone's mind.
BIG LOVE (+350 at BetUS) -- This HBO series about a successful polygamist businessman and the soap opera that surrounds his family has a number of actors who have made a nice career for themselves in the movies, like Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, Melora Walters and the priceless Harry Dean Stanton. Yet Big Love is curiously devoid of any major acting nominations. That does not bode well for it.
LOST (+400 at BetUS) -- I'll make the confession right up front that I do not watch "Lost," although I know that it's about a group of plane crash survivors who are, well, trying to continue surviving. They get rescued sooner or later, I gather, which we'll find out at the close of this season (in May) because this is the final year before they start syndicating it. I am not lying when I tell you that it was inspired by Gilligan's Island in part, not to mention the movie Cast Away (with Tom Hanks) and the reality show Survivor. In its first season, it won the Emmy in this category, but the show has won only one Emmy since. That's the way it goes with the Emmys. This year, Michael Emerson gets a Supporting Actor nod (+175 at BetUS) and maybe the fourth time will be the charm for him.
DEXTER (+500 at BetUS) -- This Showtime series is like the book I just can't put down. Michael C. Hall is nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series (+400 at BetUS) and he deserves it. He understands his character so well, and since his character is a sociopathic serial killer, that a pretty fine line to be treading. Dexter has managed to remain fresh through its first three seasons, and one of the reasons the storyline was so dynamic last year was the addition of Jimmy Smits (+325 at BetUS for Guest Actor in a Drama), who played a district attorney who had some Dexter-like sensibilities. John Lithgow is in this coming season’s cast, and I can almost guarantee that he'll be there at next year's Emmys. There may be an outside shot for this show.
