clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

Because I couldn't bring myself to let it go, I was among those who waited and watched the final season of Friday Night Lights on NBC this spring/summer, rather than bribing a Direct TV subscriber into being friends with me or tracking down an advance copy of the DVD.

So, last week marked the end of my Friday Night Lights adventure. I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts on the last season and the series as a whole. Seems so darn overwhelming. If only Coach Taylor was here to give me a pep talk...

2011 emmy noms: glad, sad, mad

The 2011 Emmy nominations were announced this morning. There's always lots to say about this often frustrating awards program, but rather than list the nominees (you can see them here), here are my reactions according to a brief, but strong range of emotions.

I'm glad that....

• Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler are going out in style. Friday Night Lights for the win!
• Amy Poehler and Martha Plimpton were nominated as best comedy leading ladies in Parks & Recreation and Raising Hope, rounding out a category that may be stronger than the men's side for the first time. I hope Amy wins it.
• Parks & Recreation earned a first show nomination for its best season yet. Watch this show!
• Cat Deeley AND So You Think You Can Dance earned nods this year. Finally.
• All four Modern Family men garnered supporting actor nominations (with some reservations about that category though - see below under "mad").
• Josh Charles and Alan Cumming made the cut of supporting drama actors, even though the drama category seems a little Good Wife heavy overall.
• The awesome "Suitcase" (Remember it? Think back real far...) episode of Mad Men got a bunch of nominations, including writing. Elizabeth Moss and Jon Hamm (both nominated) rocked that episode.
• Mad Men actually has the chance to sweep the drama acting categories this year (no one from the cast has won).
• Conan beat Leno.

I'm sad that...

• This will be Steve Carrell's last nomination for The Office. It's crazy that he's never won. I hope Emmy voters give him one of those (sometimes undeserved) sentimental awards. He had a great season.
• It took this long for the Emmys to recognize Friday Night Lights - the best show on television.
• As much as I love Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother just didn't provide the material for a nomination this year (definitely don't think Jon Cryer deserved the slot though).
• Glee doesn't have my support this year (and Matthew Morrison and Lea Michelle's absences don't bother me). The show nomination slot should have gone to Community or Cougar Town or even Louis CK. 
• Ray Romano didn't join Andre Braugher in the supporting actor category for Men of a Certain Age. It could have boosted the show's chances for renewal. Big claps for Andre though. 
• Cable actors like Shawn Hatosy (awesome work this season) and Regina King from Southland aren't recognized. 

I'm mad (actually angry, but that doesn't rhyme) that...

• Ron Swanson is nowhere to be found. Nick Offerman killed it this season on Parks & Recreation. 
• Community got NOTHING. Not even in the technical categories. I realize the show caters to a specific taste, but no one can deny the talent in that cast.
• Danny Pudi. Abed. Where are you? 
• There isn't more room in the supporting actress in a comedy series. I'd keep the nominees, especially Julie Bowen and Sophia Vergara, and add Busy Phillips and Alison Brie.
• The Killing was smothered with questionable love, but my favorite character Joel Kinnaman's Holder got spongecake. 
• Johnny Galecki got a lead actor nod over Joel McHale. I like The Big Bang Theory, but seriously? (should be noted that Larry David wasn't eligible this year)
• The amazingly talented John Noble seems destined for an annual snub for his awesome work on Fringe.

The Emmys will air on September 18th.