Emmy Analysis: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Monday, August 30, 2021 at 11:40AM
by Juan Carlos Ojano
Unlike other categories, Lead Actor in a Comedy Series has been a foregone conclusion even before nominations were announced. With Ted Lasso skyrocketing to the frontrunner status with 20 nominations, Jason Sudeikis is poised to take this as one of the easiest calls come Emmy night. Two of the nominees also came from Comedy Series nominees, but both are nowhere near Ted Lasso’s winning chances. Meanwhile, two of the nominees are sole representations of their shows - one in its first season, one in its last.
Without further ado, here are the nominees...
Anthony Anderson as Andre Johnson in Black-ish (ABC)
Episode Submission: “What About Gary”?
In this episode, Dre finds himself in an awkward spot as his White cousin asks to be educated about race relations in America. Anderson’s ability to go big and small with his gestures is on display here. His endearing braggadocio in his banter with Tracee Ellis Ross has always been enjoyable. Meanwhile, his nuanced negotiation of his space in a casually racist workplace is keenly observed. However, perhaps the core of this episode is his interaction with his cousin. In a performance that mostly relies on broad strokes, Anderson manages to settle into a quaint intersection of the show’s comedic tone and the seriousness of the moment as he expresses enthusiasm, discomfort, disbelief, exhaustion, and ultimately, compromise. This is Anderson’s seventh consecutive nomination for this role and is yet to win.
Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky in The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Episode Submission: “Chapter 20. The round toes, of the high shoes”
For a season that started on a really dramatic note, this episode brings the show back to its brand of cozy drama-comedy. After an acting exercise with Morgan Freeman, Sandy spends most of the episode rekindling his relationship with his ex-wife and an overdue acting opportunity. This allows Douglas to tap into something deeper. How does he feel about the return of his ex-wife? How will he handle an acting offer that comes in probably a bit too late in his life? Will he be able to confront his ex-wife’s mortality the same way he did with his best friend? Douglas answers these questions with quiet tenacity as Sandy experiences change and growth in real-time. Douglas delivers dialogue like a pro, but he mesmerizes in his quiet reactions. This is Douglas’s third consecutive nomination for this role.
William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher in Shameless (Showtime)
Episode Submission: “Father Frank, Full of Grace”
For the series finale, we see Frank pacing around the city after an overdose, ending up inside a church where he dresses up and acts as an altar boy. Even before he is hospitalized and dies due to COVID-19, there is already a weary quality to Macy’s performance. This makes sense even just by watching the episode in itself. However, the submission itself is baffling. The episode spends more time on people talking about Frank and looking for Frank than being just about Frank. This disadvantages Macy who, in the short screentime that he has, spends most of his time unconscious or clueless. His sardonic narration in the final scene of the episode might send off the series into an emotionally effective moment, but there is not enough to judge in this episode. This is Macy’s sixth nomination for this role.
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Episode Submission: “Pilot”
The introduction to the titular character is a tricky setup for Sudeikis - having that viral video of an uber-energetic Lasso dancing gives him the challenge of finding the true human being behind that image, to mine the context of the character. Sudeikis fills this role with grounded earnestness, one that sells his good-natured enthusiasm without shying away from the more emotional subtext of the character. This performance relies on restrained physicality. His body language constantly reminds us of the purity of this character while refusing to whittle the character down to caricature or saintliness. Sudeikis also has terrific chemistry with the cast, especially with Hannah Waddingham, with his relaxed immediacy complementing her cunning strategizing. This is Sudeikis’s first nomination for this role.
Kenan Thompson as Kenan Williams in Kenan (NBC)
Episode Submission: “Flirting”
This episode finds Kenan wanting to start dating again, but his father-in-law refuses to support his decision. Thompson is a master of facial contortion, one that could easily sell a punch line through sheer physical commitment even if the material itself is wanting. That is the case here: the show itself feels broad, simplistic, and lacking. However, Thompson surprises by learning how to navigate his character beats with restraint. In fact, I would even go as far as saying that those moments work more than his comedic moments (which do work). Thompson’s choices ring true even when it does not necessarily elevate his material. Needless to say, I do not mind this nomination. This is Thompson’s first nomination for this role.
Ranking (predicted winner):
1. Jason Sudeikis - Ted Lasso
2. Michael Douglas - The Kominsky Method
3. Anthony Anderson - Black-ish
4. William H. Macy - Shameless
5. Kenan Thompson - Kenan
Ranking (personal preference):
1. Jason Sudeikis - Ted Lasso
2. Michael Douglas - The Kominsky Method
3. Kenan Thompson - Kenan
4. Anthony Anderson - Black-ish
5. William H. Macy - Shameless
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Reader Comments (12)
"The episode spends more time on people talking about Frank and looking for Frank than being just about Frank."
I'd like to think this is the show giving slight shade to the TV Academy over its willingness to nominate just one actor among it ridiculously talented roster. I know she wasn't part of the final season, but the Academy did Emmy Rossum dirty for not recognizing her. And frankly (heh), I'll be glad for the show to end so they are forced to stop lazily nominating Macy.
I remain genuinely surprised that Macy is nominated. His show never seemed particularly well loved, and I find it interesting that he has bounced back after the college scandal when his wife hasn't.
Usually, performers who are really acclaimed for their first season win (e.g., America Ferrera, Glenn Close, Kelsey Grammar). The only time they seem to lose is when there's another performer, usually well known and liked, with a better submission (e.g., Kyra Sedgwick over Margulies in 2011; Shalhoub over Steve Carell in 2006). However, Sudeikis submitted reasonably well, and I don't think any of the other nominated actors have a submission that is undeniable. Add to that the fact that voters don't really have to watch tapes, and I think it's his in a cake walk.
I'd say Anthony Anderson is the runner-up. He deals with relevant subject matter in a likeable way, and nails the humor of his character while being real.
Uninterested in this category this year. The winner seems to be a foregone conclusion and he happens to be the only one whose show I actually watched.
My personal ranking:
Sudeikis
Prediction:
Sudeikis
Sudeikis is very good in the pilot but his performance really gets to the next level in the second half of the season : the seventh episode was a true revelation to me.
Anyway i absolutely love Ted Lasso and i dont even like football, so i hope they get as much Emmys as they can.
There are shows that are just entertaining and then there are shows that give you everything. Ted Lasso is one of the latter. I freaking love it so much. And Sudeikis should win everything. That said, the creators should end it after their planned arc of three seasons. I will be bereft, though, when it's over.
Just give it to Jason Sudeikis. I can't help but engaged by his optimism.
This is, year after year, one of the most dire categories at the Emmies.
Sudeikis is great, and I like Anderson well enough, but I’m hard pressed to view anyone here besides Sudeikis as the ‘best of the year’ in any regard. It feels like every year they have between one and three performances that are actually worthwhile, and the rest are just famous filler.
Consider how they could’ve nominated William Zabka or Ralph Macchio for Cobra Kai, Rob McElhenney for Mythic Quest, Alan Tudyk for Resident Alien, Ben Feldman for Superstore.
Or in previous years, how they’ve failed to nominated Matt Berry or Kayvan Novak for What We Do in the Shadows, Nicholas Hoult for The Great, Joel McHale for Community, Andy Samberg for Brooklyn Nine Nine.
Duncan -- it will forever aggravate me that there's not more discourse around who "deserves" a nomination every year (like there is for the Oscar ceremony). It's just lazy lazy lazy. That said I tdont think Macchio is awards worthy at all in Cobra Kai though surprisingly i think Zabka is. I was just stunned because he helps you rethink the character and seems so committed in every season.
Not nominating the WWDITS gang is nuts each time and the lead of Mythic Quest (I forget his name) would have also made a good nominee here.
so relieved the Macy reign of terror will soon be over.
While I am not following any of those series, I should add that Sudeikis is an underrated performer... he should have been nominated as Lead or Supporting (possible category fraud) for Nacho Vigalondo's "Colossal", in a performance that twists with the film during the runtime... it's one of my favorite films of all time, already, and to my opinion, the best of its year... intelligent, fun, poignant, deep, with multiple layers to peel, and extremely original.
It's a shame it bombed comercially and critics were gentle but not enthusiastic about it... common complain about it? It doesn't know which film it wants to be. At all, it always knows what film to be, at every point, completely subverting expectations again and again, till everything becomes crystal clear in the last 20 minutes.
Anyway i absolutely love Ted Lasso and i dont even like football, so i hope they get as much Emmys as they can.Dissertation Writing Services UK
While I hope Anderson wins, he seems to be going the path of Steve Carrel- holding down a hit network comedy for years but ultimately never getting the big reward at the end. For that matter, Tracie Ellis Ross seems to be heading in the same direction. The show is not perfect but Anderson and Ellis Ross are passionate about it and hopefully- maybe next year or during a sentimental final season they end up winning. Sudeikis has this locked up and unless Jean Smart splits the vote with herself in another category, Ellis Ross isn't winning this time either.
While I hope Anderson wins, he seems to be going the path of Steve Carrel- holding down a hit network comedy for years but ultimately never getting the big reward at the end. For that matter, Tracie Ellis Ross seems to be heading in the same direction. The show is not perfect but Anderson and Ellis Ross are passionate about it and hopefully- maybe next year or during a sentimental final season they end up winning. Sudeikis has this locked up and unless Jean Smart splits the vote with herself in another category, Ellis Ross isn't winning this time either.