Girls, HBO
Nurse Jackie, Showtime
Louie, FX
Orange is the New Black, Netflix
Entourage, HBO
In a room of 500 television junkies, I'm pretty confident that every single person would raise their hand in support of a statement along the lines of "Do these shows make you laugh?". But the same amount would probably agree with a statement regarding the weight of these programs, the depth and drama they also provide their audiences.
There are two types of comedy, an idea that isn't all that new in the media and entertainment. On one hand you have the cutesy, gut-busting comedy that distracts you from the turmoil and hectic drama that is real life. The other, the more profound of the two, makes you laugh, yes, but it strikes a strange nerve that makes you say "Hold up, this is deep". The latter floods your mind with questions about why you're laughing and what that says about you or the society you find yourself in. Think the Colbert Report and other satirical news shows that are actually more reliable than some of the more accepted news programs. The classic "HAHAH... oh wait" moment that the internet probably has amazing memes for.
For the aforementioned shows, their comedic lines and plots are backed by some serious writing chops, magical story-tellers, and phenomenal actors that are not afraid to tackle real issues in shockingly honest ways. They don't take the light-hearted approach and challenge their viewers to mentally engage. Not to belittle Modern Family in any way (I am a huge fan), but it's a bubbly sitcom. I don't typically sit there and analyze the conflicts the characters face and invest in their situations. I sit and laugh, that's about it. It's an escape for 30 minutes and by nature (because it is a sitcom) you aren't begging for it to be next week the minute the program ends. Whereas with Orange is the New Black, I binge-watched the whole second season in about two days because I needed to follow the character growth and was compelled by the enticing and passionate acting.
Besides that, things get political. The internet has voiced its opinions on the stagnant views of the Primetime Emmy's time and time again. Case in point, Modern Family now holds a tie with Frasier for five wins for Best Comedy. Cheers and All in the Family follow with four. Let it be known, that these are ALL sitcoms. Anyone else sense a pattern? On the flip side, OITNB's show runner, Jenji Kohan, placed the program in the Comedy category to up the chances of winning (which didn't work). Also getting the thumbs up from the Academy to switch over was John Wells and Shameless, a move done in hopes of boosting William H. Macy's chances of taking home the prize (again, failed attempt). I still can't decide whether this is a shady cop out or not. And I can't help but think it degrades the programming. I want to believe that it takes more talent to act in dramatic scenes. Utilizing more talent should probably be a factor when deciding on awards, no?
Sidebar! To the same extent, Matthew McConaughey spoke of his transition from rom-coms to dramas on NPR: "There's a lightness that you are able to keep and maintain in those that they need...You're not supposed to get, you know, Hamletian about it. You're not supposed to go deep. You go deep on those, you sink the ship."
Is it wrong to want actors that "go deep" to be rewarded for their efforts, as preparation for such hard-hitting scenes probably requires much more soul searching and grit than comedic banter sequences that you just have to apply your voice to?
The bottom line is- Can you put shows like Modern Family up against something as powerful and satirical as Nurse Jackie or as poignant as Orange is the New Black? It seems like an unfair battle. The mini-series and TV movie categories have been adjusted time and time again, so it's not like the Emmy's are scared of change. That said, Emmy's, dear sweet Academy, please add "dramedy" to your lexicon and quit overlooking programs that make us giggle, cry, think, and question. Their worth needs to be verified.
