Most Wanted Special Edition: The Emmys!

10 shows either premiere or end this week on this super-packed Special Edition

Awards season is in full swing and I’ll be having full coverage of the ceremonies LIVE here on JuniorTV! With the Emmys nearing, that also means another thing: Fall TV! Make sure to look further down the list to see a few new shows (mostly from The CW) premiering this week! Because this is a Special Edition, I’ve decided to supersize this week’s list to ten! This is Emmy week here at JuniorTV and it begins with this week’s Most Wanted List! It’s all down below:

1. The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards

TV’s biggest night is finally here! Will ‘Modern Family’ take home the Best Comedy Emmy for the second year in-a-row? Will ‘Boardwalk Empire’ finally end Mad Men’s three-year streak for Best Drama? And who will win the hotly-contested Best Actor in a Drama category?

2. Big Brother – Season Finale

In what could be one of the show’s worst possible turnouts, Big Brother ends up with 1 Veteran (Rachel), and 2 Newbies (Porsche & Adam) in the final three. The next and final question is: Who will win it all? I’ll make predictions on Wednesday, but it’s not looking to bright for the newbies, even as they outnumber Rachel. I don’t think I’ll be fully satisfied with any winner, but I hope and pray that it’s not Adam! Tune in Wednesday to see who is crowned the winner of $500,000!

3. Ringer – Series Premiere

Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to television in The CW’s only hope for a hit show this season. Gellar plays a woman who plays her twin sister in a world completely opposite of her character. Confused? Yeah, so am I.

4. Survivor: South Pacific – Season Premiere

Last year marked ratings lows for CBS’ hit series. Could it rebound this year? We’ll see, as two former cast members return for another chance at a million dollars. I haven’t seen the show in the last few years, but I will begin to watch again, as I need some kind of quality-reality fix throughout the Fall.

5. Real Time with Bill Maher – Season Premiere

THANK GOD HE’S BACK! I need his hilarious insight on politics, especially these insanely boring Republican debates! This is a must-see show for anyone remotely interested in politics.

6. Up All Night – Series Premiere

The star-studded new comedy starring Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph premieres on Wednesday, and with those three, I have to at least give it a chance!

7. The Vampire Diaries – Season Premiere

Will Stefan ever return to his good ways? Will Jeremy keep seeing his dead ex-girlfriends? What about Caroline and her twisted relationships with Matt and Tyler? We’ll get answers, as season 3 of The CW’s best show returns on Thursday!

8. Free Agents – Series Premiere

The other comedy on Wednesday nights for NBC, the Hank Azaria-starring ‘Free Agents’ is about two trying a new kind of relationship: co-workers with benefits. What could possibly go wrong?

9. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Season Premiere

FX’s long-running comedy is back, and I haven’t seen one episode of it. Since I’ll be tuning in seven seasons late, I’m bound not to get the jokes, but I’m willing to figure them out. This show is a modern cult classic, and early reviews are nothing but raves. Season 7 of ‘Sunny’ premieres this Wednesday on FX.

10. Parenthood – Season Premiere

Season 3 is business as usual for the busy and large family that is the Bravermans. Will this be the show’s breakout year? We’ll see. Many cast members were this close to getting some Emmy nominations.

That’s a wrap! Come back next week where we will see more Fall shows premiere and more on the Most Wanted List!

Emmys: Favorite Performers in Drama

NOTE: As of this post, we are just one week away from the Primetime Emmy Award nominations!

As I mentioned in my last Emmy post, the Drama category has greatly improved versus seasons past, but I don’t expect a gigantic change in the performing categories. First, lets begin with the actors. For Outstaning Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Bryan Cranston is out of consideration this year, so someone new will get the Emmy this year, and god willing, it will be Kyle Chandler (DirecTV/NBC’s Friday Night Lights), but I’m also hoping that Timothy Olyphant (FX’s Justified) gets one as well for his outstanding performance as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. Others likely to get nominated are Jon Hamm (AMC’s Mad Men), Michael C. Hall (Showtime’s Dexter), and a new entry, Steve Buscemi (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire). Another newcomer to the category could be Peter Krause (NBC’s Parenthood,) who critics say had a monumental season on the show, and Sean Bean (HBO’s Game of Thrones) who pleased viewers and critics alike on the most anticipated new series of 2011. One more thing: Remember this name, William H. Macy (Showtime’s Shameless), you might hear it.

For Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, there are at least two slots open for newcomers, since the guys from ABC’s Lost (Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn) are obviously out of contention. Expect a big change with this category, as John Noble (Fox’s Fringe), and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) are very likely to get nominations. Martin Short (FX’s Damages) and Andre Braugher (TNT’s Men of a Certain Age) got nominations last year, but anything can happen, and newcomers could take over in this very vulnerable category, although this is rather unlikely. Other names that I’m just going to throw around are the guys from The Good Wife, Alan Cumming and Chris Noth, who had audiences reeling during the sophomore season of CBS’ older-skewing drama. Also, Walton Goggins (Justified) and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) could get a nomination as well.

Next: The actresses! For Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, I barely expect a change, but if I had to choose one who won’t get a nom, it would be Mariska Hargitay (NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), which is becoming a more repetitive character on the show. Who could fill in her slot? I definitely hope it’s Regina King (TNT Southland) who’s performance of Detective Lydia Adams has gotten universal praise from critics and viewers alike. Some other possible candidates are Lauren Graham (NBC’s Parenthood) and Anna Torv (Fox’s Fringe). For this category, I’m going full force with support for Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights,) and no one else. Her performance on FNL is hands down the best in all of television. Also, don’t be surprised if Emmy voters flip-flop on the leading women of AMC’s Mad Men. January Jones was nominated last year, and Elisabeth Moss could possibly have her turn this year, as they both go head-to-head for the first time this year. Kyra Sedgwick surprisingly won last in when pretty much everyone (including me) thought it would be Julianna Margulies from The Good Wife, chances are she’ll win this year. Before the next category, here’s another name you might hear: Mireille Enos (AMC’s The Killing).

Last but not least, the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which had a pleasantly shocking winner (The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi,) but will that win hold up this year? Possibly. Competition is stiff and Panjabi’s costar Christina Baranski could steal her thunder. Margo Martindale’s incredible performance in FX’s Justified might just get her her first Emmy, and Kelly MacDonald could get a nomination; this time in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. Although I don’t expect Sharon Gless from USA’s Burn Notice to get a nomination like she did last year, I do expect to see Rose Byrne get another nomination for Damages.

That was a lot of typing, but it was completely worth it! That’s a wrap of Emmy nomination analysis! Stay tuned next week as I’ll have full coverage of the 63rd Primetime Emmy nominations! I have tons of stuff in store for next week, so stick around!

TV News: LOLA Put On Hiatus, Skins, Harry’s Law Open Big; Plus Life Unexpected’s Finale

Tons of TV news has broken throughout the day: Here are some of the news: Law & Order Los Angeles is being put on hiatus indefinitely according to TVLine’s Michael Ausiello. NBC has reportedly given Dick Wolf’s newest rendition of the franchise more time to develop with the new, unannounced cast. It was slated to air on Tuesdays at 10, when Parenthood usually airs, but with the show being put on hiatus, Parenthood is going to stay right where it is for the meantime.

Life Unexpected ends its run tonight with a 2 hour finale on The CW. With a very bad average of about 1.5 million viewers per episode, those numbers are too low, even for The CW’s already flooring-low standards. The show has been said to be looking for a new home on a new network, but the chances of that happening are highly unlikely.

Some ratings notes for the day; Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana Forever aired its series finale on Sunday at 7 and delivered the highest numbers ever for that time-slot, over 6.2 million viewers tuned in. MTV’s Skins performed solid as well with 3.3 million viewers tuning in. The show also got a 3.1 rating with people 12-34, it’s highest ever for a new series. No numbers yet on how Jersey Shore did last night, the show was Skins’ lead in. NBC’s Harry’s Law delivered big numbers last night, with over 11 million viewers tuning in. It’s 2.1 adults 18-49 rating was lackluster, but with Kathy Bates as the lead star, (she’s 62) I’m sure NBC wasn’t too surprised or too disappointed by the numbers. Lots of stuff, right? More series premieres of shows will be airing this week, so look forward to more numbers.