When the stars come to shine and on Twitter we whine, that’s the Emmys!
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, September 20th. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
67th Primetime Emmy Awards (Fox, 8 p.m.): Once again, it’s time to roll out the red carpet for the annual parade of glitz and glamour, insufferable bits that go on too long, and resentment that truly worthy shows are snubbed in favor of picks the Academy phones in. That’s right, it’s the Emmys! Will fresh-faced newcomers Transparent and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt be enough to dislodge Modern Family from its five-year winning streak? Is Mad Men’s final (half) season enough to qualify for a victory loop of awards, or does Better Call Saul keep the Breaking Bad momentum going? Can Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany follow her improbable nomination with an improbable win, or will Empire’s Taraji P. Henson show her how the Cookie crumbles competitors?
To be honest, the fact that Jane The Virgin’s Latin Lover Narrator didn’t win the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Narrator means we’ve given up on these awards before they even start. But despite this snub and the usual glaring omissions (Rectify, The Leftovers, Penny Dreadful, etc.) there’s still a lot of talent represented in this year’s nominations and an open question as to how some various rule changes will play out on awards night, which could keep things interesting. And while unfortunately they didn’t listen to Joshua Alston’s complicated yet incredibly reasonable proposal to fix the Emmys, there’s some new blood involved in the ceremony: Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andy Samberg is a first-time host, and the show’s writing room includes Comedy Bang! Bang!’s Scott Aukerman and Neil Campbell.
As always, The A.V. Club will be pairing this annual event with our annual livechat to snark, grumble, and maybe even cheer our way through the proceedings. Join us, won’t you?
Also noted
Sunday Night Football, Seahawks at Packers (NBC, 8:20 p.m.): Your What’s On Tonight correspondent is a Wisconsin native and long-time Packer fan, and can’t wait to see the latest installment of a rivalry that’s only gotten more heated in the years since the infamous “Fail Mary” call. As Aaron Rodgers and Packers look to avenge last year’s NFC Championship loss to Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, please bow your cheeseheads and offer your prayers for the coming of the Giant Spider Invasion Prophecy:
Fear The Walking Dead (AMC, 8 p.m.): The National Guard is taking control of the situation in Los Angeles, if anyone can be said to have control over this situation. Given the track record of this franchise with people in positions of authority, Josh Modell is pegging the time it takes the National Guard to become a worse threat than the zombies at an episode and a half.
Project Greenlight (HBO, 10 p.m.): Matt Damon got more than a little egg on his face in the season four premiere for his answer to a question about diversity, which mostly served to illustrate how badly Hollywood continues to handle diversity. Scott Von Doviak is more than a little dubious that Not Another Pretty Woman will be the answer to this problem as it goes through development.
Regular coverage
The Strain (FX, 9 p.m.)