Question: Are you at all surprised that John Spencer didn't receive a posthumous Emmy nomination for his work on The West Wing? I thought his death would earn him a nod at least in an honorary sense. But given the condition of the current system, I cannot say that I am completely surprised.
Answer: It is surprising, but really, with this year's nominations, where do you start and where do you end? Truthfully, and with all sincere respect to the terrific and much-lamented John Spencer, this was not Leo's greatest season on the show, and I think the nomination in that category for Alan Alda was more appropriate. A sentimental nomination for an actor taken from us too soon is without doubt the sort of thing you'd expect from a conservative group like the Emmy voters, so it is kind of jarring. But overall, this is one of the more interesting, eclectic categories this year, and just having Gregory Itzin (24's President Logan) in the running is very satisfying. (He's my pick over Alda,
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Question: Could you give me any news or spoilers about The Sopranos, please?
Answer: According to the New York Daily News, Christopher (Michael Imperioli) will find love again in the arms of Third Watch's Cara Buono.
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Question: Aargh! This anti-Boston Legal drivel that I've been encountering all over the place is really starting to infuriate me. First and foremost, this was not a second straight win in the category for Shatner — he won as guest actor last year, while The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli who got the supporting actor in a drama award. Putting that misconception aside, I feel it is completely unfair to call Spader's win an undeserving one, citing the "era of remarkable drama on network and cable" as a reason and questioning Boston Legal's "rise to the top." You're faulting the actor for what may or may not have been the show's shortcomings, perhaps forgetting that it's a single episode these actors are judged on. While Boston Legal is nowhere near the level of 24 and Deadwood, Spader's courthouse performance on a Texas death-penalty case (which was, from what I gather, his episode submission) is quite possibly the most compelling piece of monologue acting I've seen on TV in quite a long ...
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