Emmy 2003

    I am embarrassed to admit it but I didn’t find out the Emmys were on Sunday until the afternoon of the day before! At least I didn’t miss the program, but it came up so fast I wasn’t able to build up to it.
    Despite being such an avid TV watcher, I really don’t seek out too many new shows and I actively avoid those damnable reality shows (which really need a name change to something more appropriate, like “on-location game shows””), so I was unfamiliar with many of the nominees. So, looking back, having the same people win again last night doesn’t bother me too much.
    One thing I am sick of is this crap about how The West Wing had a “lackluster” year because ratings were down. Ratings were down because ABC counterprogrammed The Bachelor. That doesn’t mean The West Wing suddenly became less of a show; it simply means stupid viewers flock to stupid shows. Good riddance to them. Heaven knows how those viewers stuck with TWW as long as they did without a bikini or a hot tub in sight. And this season was far from lackluster. I might concede season three was a bit unfocused, but I thought the last season (with its subplot about a Qumari assassination) was back to form.
    I admit I\’m surprised The Sopranos didn’t finally get Emmy recognition; but I’m glad The West Wing won because I still believe it was, is, and hopefully will be the superior show. I’ve heard that James Gandolfini was upset backstage (I haven’t seen the E! tape yet) that his show didn’t win the big award, but I would suggest they got what they deserved. For me The Sopranos is best when it focuses on Tony and Carmela (and certainly not their kids), so it’s fitting that both James Gandolfini and Edie Falco got best actor awards. I’d also suggest that The West Wing‘s direction award and The Sopranos‘ writing award be flipped, which would be even more suitable. (And did Joe Pantaliano get the Emmy for his acting or because of the way his character was bumped off?)
    The biggest thrills for me, apart from all the cleavage of course, were the two wins for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. If any show had to break Letterman’s five year streak, I’m glad it was this one.
    Highlights: James Gandolfini blowing a razzberry into the microphone for his son. Lowlights: Wanda Sykes trying to get the crowd to dance.
    Lowlights runner-up: more replays of Madonna and Britney kissing. Oo, women kissing — big deal! If you watch enough E! or even Insomniac you’d know two women kissing means only one thing: there was a videocamera nearby.