Emmy FYC: Supporting Actress in a Comedy - Donna Lynne Champlin in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 5:00PM Emmy nomination voting begins Monday. For the next week or two we'll be sharing FYCs of some kind. Here's Dancin Dan...
Let's get one thing out of the way first: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend deserves Emmy nominations for pretty much every category in which it's eligible. Golden Globe winner Rachel Bloom gave the most fearless, consistently great performance on TV this year as Rebecca Bunch, an attorney from New York who had a nervous breakdown and moved to West Covina, CA to chase after her ex-boyfriend from summer camp (Vincent Rodriguez III, taking a bland character and shading him just enough to make him more and more worthy of Rebecca's obsession). Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna created the musical comedy that fans of the genre have been waiting for, cleverly challenging expectations at every turn while maintaining a consistent level of quality that has eluded TV's other attempts at the genre (sorry, Glee and Smash).
But if the show can only get one nomination, the one I'm hoping for most - aside from Bloom, who will get and deserve plenty of articles like this until the nominations are announced - is for Donna Lynne Champlin as Best Supporting Actress. Champlin plays Paula, the office manager Rebecca's new law firm. In the pilot episode, Paula becomes as obsessed with Rebecca as Rebecca is with Josh...
But she's also the one who shakes Rebecca out of her craziness - at least for a little while. The problem is that Paula is more than a little crazy herself.
The role of "crazy but endearing best friend" something of a stock part of any sitcom, but I can't think of any that have gotten the level of specificity and depth Paula has. Paula's marriage is "like The Walking Dead", and Rebecca's pursuit of Josh not only gives her something to do, but something to root for. She becomes Rebecca's best friend, confidante, partner in crime, and surrogate mother. That's a lot of different roles to play, especially when you factor in that she's also a wife, mother, amateur sleuth, most competent person in her workplace, and collector of all sorts of fabulous animal jewelry. Champlin not only makes sure that Paula always believably fills these roles, but somehow makes this very made-for-TV character feel recognizably real, and really likable despite all her questionable antics (hacking numerous email accounts, breaking and entering, spying... and that's just for starters).
The degree of difficulty on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is higher than any other comedy on TV, walking a tightrope between satire, romantic comedy, and Judd Apatow-style improv-filled raunch. And on top of all that, it's a musical. And boy does Champlin shine in that light, too, able to perfectly parody any genre not just with her voice, but with her whole body.
So, Emmy voters, face your fears - of the CW, of new shows, of hour-long comedies - and give this woman an Emmy nomination! It's Donna Lynne's turn!
Reader Comments (9)
Totally agree, Champlin delivers fantastic moments in S1, and her Rose's Turn-esque scene in the season finale is nothing but brilliant
Like Bloom, she gives a primarily comic character surprising depth. Any scene they share is captivating. Champlin deserves an Emmy for the last scene in the party bus episode alone.
Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. Please make this happen.
"...while maintaining a consistent level of quality that has eluded TV's other attempts at the genre (sorry, Glee and Smash)." Yes, you nailed it, and I only just realised this. Finally a musical show that didn't drop it's bundle halfway through Season 1.
Agreed so much! And I just saw her in Shakespeare in the Park yesterday in the all-female cast of Taming of the Shrew. She's a hoot!
She needs to take down Allison Janney at this year's Emmys pronto, with Rachel Bloom toppling JLD simultaneously. Both of them are brilliant, hilarious and downright gutsy. Her Amy Grant-esque "Face you Fears" to the ferocious "After Everything I've Done For You" are just some of the highlights of her role.
lmao -- i totally forgot that face your fears number. Brilliant.
Yes! I've loved Donna Lynne Champlin from the premiere. She absolutely deserves an Emmy for this season.
My favorite scene of the whole season is the scene where Paula and her husband recite the show's theme song in dialogue form.
Suzanne - I think she (and the show) deserves the Emmy for that scene ALONE.
Yes! Co-signing all of this.
@Suzanne - Yes! Before that happened, I said out loud to my bf, "hmmm, no theme song this episode. Are they not doing that anymore?" And then 5 minutes later that happened and it was perfectly integrated into their conversation.