® SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020 / VOL. 42 / NO. 45 / LAWEEKLY.COM EMMY’SL.A. Weekly’s Critics Share Th eir Picks 2020 for Award-Worthy TV fore culminating into a pop culture behemoth 2 which most recently included a tour, social media pop-ups and three-story billboards. Th e show’s sixth and fi nal season was packed with laughs but wrapped up each character’s arc beautifully, making their journeys from sea- WEEKLY WEEKLY son one to six rewarding and transformative LA to watch. (MICHAEL COOPER) | Outstanding Competition Program: RuPaul’s Drag Race If you are not watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, it is safe to say your life is half lived. Th e show is not only challenging for its contestants – who must compete as designers, singers, actors and models – but also challenges everyday norms. While Season 12 saw the fi nal showdown be- tween Gigi Goode, Jaida Essence Hall, and September 18 - 24, 2020 September Crystal Methyd competing from home, the | positive message of the show remained intact. By bringing LGBTQ+ fi gures to the forefront of pop culture and focusing on themes of in- clusion, community, and support, Drag Race breaks down previous prejudices, creating ex- traordinary spokespeople for societal issues and allowing once taboo subjects to become part of a national conversation. Now with a decade under its belt, Drag Race has not just WWW.LAWEEKLY.COM evolved, but forced the genre in which it thrives to evolve as well. (ERIN MAXWELL) Outstanding Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver As of 2020, John Oliver is no longer hosting a comedy show. He is saving the world, one sarcastic remark at a time. A sane voice that Regina King in counters the insane situations we’re all living Watchmen through, Oliver off ers acumen through the lens of laughter in a time where few things are funny. engaging in a relationship with Ruth (Julia Gar- In a year where Murder Hornets is a reprieve ner), while making mob lawyer Helen (Janet from larger horrors, his reactions to the lunacy McTeer) a little anxious with his capricious of the current news cycle mixed with British behavior. Season One was a gut punch which sensibility is the exact amount of snark we need introduced us to a cast of characters that was to carry us through the tough times. But what EMMY’S 2020 both Don Winslow and William Faulkner. makes him stand out from his fellow late-night L.A. Weekly’s Critics Share Th eir Picks for Award- Season Two was a bit of a slog as the Byrdes funny folks is that he isn’t merely reporting Worthy TV struggled to gain a foothold in the community. the absurd, he’s along for the ride. He is just as Season Th ree strikes a perfect balance with a angry and scared as we are, and it’s a comfort narrative that’s both gritty and immersed in to know we are not alone in our exasperation. he 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards fi lm and TV writers share their picks for the character. And for all its pulp and backwoods (ERIN MAXWELL) are this weekend and things will shows and performances that deserve the most melodrama, Ozark’s third season is an hon- be decidedly diff erent this year in celebration. est refl ection of a country at war with itself. Outstanding Variety Sketch Series: the wake of Covid-19. Th at means Th e Emmys air Sunday, Sept. 20 on ABC and (CHAD BYRNES) Saturday Night Live no big show at Downtown L.A.’s via livestream on Hulu with Live TV. In a world where current events have tak- Microsoft Th eater, no red carpets, no design- Outstanding Comedy Series: en on an a skit-like absurdism, SNL not only Ter promo parades, and no aft er-parties are Outstanding Television Drama: Schitt’s Creek maintained its rep as the defi nitive showcase for planned. Instead, the virtual ceremony may Ozark With a year like 2020, it’s great that we have comedy refl ecting and dissecting culture, it rose take on a talk show or variety show feel, with In its third and arguably best season, Net- so many great comedies to choose from – who to the moment, making us laugh, even when Jimmy Kimmel hosting and at the helm as an fl ix’s Ozark drops us back into the saga of the doesn’t need a good laugh? While every com- the news cycle made us want to do anything executive producer. We’re intrigued to see what Byrde clan, who are still waist-deep in Missouri edy series nominated is no doubt deserving of but. Th is year, the show adapted to quarantine Kimmel and company will do within the con- mud as they continue to launder money for the award, it’s Schitt’s Creek that should take by presenting “at home” editions that conveyed fi nes of online presentation because truth be the Mexican Cartel. Th is time, Marty (Jason it home this year. If you haven’t fallen in love (and in the process unifi ed) the country. But told, most of the virtual programs of this kind Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) come with the Roses then you must not be watching even before that, Season 45 had some stellar we’ve seen have been uninspired Zoom-style to blows on how to utilize the cartel’s cash fl ow. the show. Schitt’s Creek manages to fi nd the guests (Woody Harrelson, Adam Driver, Har- aff airs thus far. Th is is “TV’s biggest night” aft er Not only are they forced into couples’ therapy perfect balance between acerbically witty and ry Styles and Eddie Murphy, to name a few), all, so there’s no reason the program shouldn’t but Bateman ends up in the cartel leader’s tor- universally heartwarming. Its sharp writing and some of the funniest cold opens ever, with engage viewers as powerfully and creatively as ture den. Meanwhile, Wendy’s bipolar brother and masterclass comedic performances hooked returning players including Fred Armisen, Ra- the content it celebrates. Here, L.A. Weekly’s Ben (Tom Pelphrey) unexpectedly shows up, in more and more viewers every season be- chel Dratch, Maya Rudolph and Larry David fore culminating into a pop culture behemoth which most recently included a tour, social 3 media pop-ups and three-story billboards. Th e LA show’s sixth and fi nal season was packed with WEEKLY WEEKLY laughs but wrapped up each character’s arc beautifully, making their journeys from sea- son one to six rewarding and transformative to watch. (MICHAEL COOPER) | 18 - 24, 2020 September Outstanding Competition Program: RuPaul’s Drag Race If you are not watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, it is safe to say your life is half lived. Th e show is not only challenging for its contestants – who must compete as designers, singers, actors and models – but also challenges everyday norms. While Season 12 saw the fi nal showdown be- tween Gigi Goode, Jaida Essence Hall, and Crystal Methyd competing from home, the | positive message of the show remained intact. WWW.LAWEEKLY.COM By bringing LGBTQ+ fi gures to the forefront of pop culture and focusing on themes of in- clusion, community, and support, Drag Race breaks down previous prejudices, creating ex- traordinary spokespeople for societal issues and allowing once taboo subjects to become part of a national conversation. Now with a decade under its belt, Drag Race has not just evolved, but forced the genre in which it thrives to evolve as well. (ERIN MAXWELL) Outstanding Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver As of 2020, John Oliver is no longer hosting a comedy show. He is saving the world, one sarcastic remark at a time. A sane voice that Regina King in counters the insane situations we’re all living Watchmen through, Oliver off ers acumen through the lens of laughter in a time where few things are funny. engaging in a relationship with Ruth (Julia Gar- In a year where Murder Hornets is a reprieve ner), while making mob lawyer Helen (Janet from larger horrors, his reactions to the lunacy McTeer) a little anxious with his capricious of the current news cycle mixed with British behavior. Season One was a gut punch which sensibility is the exact amount of snark we need introduced us to a cast of characters that was to carry us through the tough times. But what EMMY’S 2020 both Don Winslow and William Faulkner. makes him stand out from his fellow late-night L.A. Weekly’s Critics Share Th eir Picks for Award- Season Two was a bit of a slog as the Byrdes funny folks is that he isn’t merely reporting Worthy TV struggled to gain a foothold in the community. the absurd, he’s along for the ride. He is just as Season Th ree strikes a perfect balance with a angry and scared as we are, and it’s a comfort narrative that’s both gritty and immersed in to know we are not alone in our exasperation. he 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards fi lm and TV writers share their picks for the character. And for all its pulp and backwoods (ERIN MAXWELL) are this weekend and things will shows and performances that deserve the most melodrama, Ozark’s third season is an hon- be decidedly diff erent this year in celebration. est refl ection of a country at war with itself.