Top 5: Emmys Edition

Hallelujah! Sunday is finally Emmy night! I've been waiting 3 whole months for Ryan Seacrest to host something (that man really should host more stuff. He is horribly underused in Hollywood). Wait. What? You don't care about the Emmys? Could it be because they, more than any other award, seem to get things wrong year after year after year?

I'm not really sure how Emmy nominations work (I think they are determined by a panel of "experts" who watch only one submitted show and determine the best), but it's obviously a flawed system. Just look at the Outstanding Drama Series category. You cannot tell me Boston Legal is one of the top 5 dramas on TV...you just can't. No way it's better than The Wire or Battlestar Gallactica or Veronica Mars. It's just not possible. And I think the nomination process makes it difficult for shows like The Wire to get nominated. It's not a show you can pin down to one episode; you need to watch the entire season to really witness it's brilliance. So, again, the Emmys don't truly represent the best of TV. Let's remedy that.

Here are my Top 5 Criminally Overlooked Emmy Performances:

1. Lauren Graham - Gilmore Girls: You know that scene in Bad Santa with Lauren Graham and Billy Bob Thornton having sex in the car? (you know the one I mean). I was so disturbed to hear Lorelei Gilmore saying such things...that's how believable she is in this role.

2. Kristen Bell - Veronica Mars: I kinda want to be Kristen Bell. She is so smart and sassy as Veronica Mars...she's the girl you'd want to for a best friend. I am still pissed they canceled this show before at least shooting a final episode. I imagine Veronica joins the FBI, works her way to the top and eventually becomes the next female president. She'd have no trouble finding Bin Laden...and teaming with Weavel to have him "taken care of" (I take my TV characters a little too seriously...sue me).

3. The entire cast of The Wire: Widely regarded as the best show on television, The Wire is truly an ensemble work. Every season has different characters and people come and go on the mean streets of Baltimore. You'd be hard pressed to deem just one performance "Outstanding." This season introduced a group of middle schoolers, all so brilliant and talented, you'd think the weren't acting at all...and that's the wonderful thing about The Wire. It seems so truthful, you forget you are watching television.

4. James Gallis - Battlestar Gallactica: You know you've got a great character when you can't decide if he's good or bad...tortured genius or evil villain. James Gallis is so good as Gaius Baltar, I want to have him killed and jump his bones at the same time. (okay, now I'm starting to scare myself...)

5. Jon Krasinski - The Office: The Office would be nothing without Jim. Along with Pam, he is the heart of the show...the character you most often root for, who breaks your heart and also makes you laugh your ass off. I love Jim. There aren't enough Jims in the world (probably because he is a fictional character...I'm beginning to think I have trouble separating the two...call it Nurse Betty syndrome). Sure, Michael and Dwight get more laughs, but without Jim, Dunder-Mifflin would be soulless. How do you recognize a TV show and 3 other actors (all very deserving) and not recognize the actor who holds it all together?

Maybe someday the truly deserving will be represented at the Emmys, but unless they overhaul the entire nomination process, I seriously doubt it...