Why I Am Boycotting the Emmys

The Emmys will be on Sunday night and I will be watching something else. Definitely. This year I am boycotting. Grrr. They bypassed Maura Tierney....again. By all rights, Tierney and Goran Visnjic should have been nominated for the 13th season's premiere, 'Bloodline', alone. That fact that they weren't was an outright crime. Toss the riveting 'Murmurs of the Heart' and the sweetly done 'I Don't' later that season and the crimes multiply. Bloodline? THAT episode was a wonder to behold. The editing, writing, direction, sound, the acting enemble....everything came together....but especially the characters of Abby and Luka. Watching the two actors play off one another...well...see for yourself. These clips were provided by friends. The music is choppy because I edited out the bloodiest bits. SHE was in a bed for the entire episode and flat on her back for a good chunk of time. HE was working from behind a surgical mask. The fact that Goran Visnjic was able to convey his character's horror and anxiety and frustration while half his face is covered is important. The little tricks they use, hand holding, sighing, eyes rolling....and watch his slight rolling on the balls of his feet when he needs to convey indecision. The look in his eyes transversing from intense studying to sick worry in an instant. And the subtle touches between the two of them that convey the intimacy between two people very much in love. Wow.


The past 14th season totally belonged to Maura. She dragged her character - and her audience - kicking and screaming - into the lowest possible place Abby Lockhart could have gone.....and brought her out again slowly but surely. 'Blackout' - the episode in which Abby reaches the depths of despair made me physically ill even thinking about it. For days. I lost my writing muse. For weeks. Watching the character - finally - ask for the help she needs weeks later...was heart wrenching. Watching this actress ply her craft was a wonder to behold. You see, when you are hearing impaired you rely on so many other things to get the gist of a scene rather than just spoken dialog. And she delivers....every time. Needless to say, these two can convey more with a hug than others can with pages of dialog.


The 15th and final season of ER is upon us. Maura Tierney has already filmed the last of her regular appearances on the show. She is off and onto new things. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has lost it's chance to recognize her work on 'ER.' And this one viewer isn't watching. I think I 'll pull out a movie....or give myself a pedicure....or sort the straight pins in my sewing box....or pack. Because on Tuesday morning, I am off to New York City for a couple of days. I have been planning this for months. I have tickets to see a new Off Broadway play titled 'Three Changes'.....which stars Maura Tierney. Heh.