The 2008 Emmy Awards will be handed out this Sunday, but we're grappling with the same question we face every year at this time -- Why?The honorees are always safe and often misguided choices. ("Boston Legal" over "The Wire"? Really?) OK, so occasionally greatness is honored ("Arrested Development"), but more often than not, mediocrity triumphs. (Was anyone actually laughing at the final season of "Frasier"?)
Take a look at our list of questionable winners from years past and let us know which one of your favorites got passed over. In the meantime, assume this weekend will be marked by Ryan Seacrest getting a statue for his profound work on "American Idol," and that "House" will beat "Mad Men" for best drama.
Questionable Emmy Winners
"Dinosaurs" (Best Art Direction, 1991) In a way, "Dinosaurs" was a bit like "The Wire," tackling topical issues (Who can forget the show's classic Persian Gulf War parody?), while winning multiple Emmys along the way. Oh, wait, "The Wire" has never won an Emmy. That's right, folks: we're living in a world where "Dinosaurs" has won more Emmys than "The Wire."
Walt Disney Co. / Everett Collection
Barry Manilow (Outstanding Individual Performance In a Music or Variety Program, 2006) Emmy voters showed their old-fogey stripes by awarding Manilow over the hipper, more patriotic choice, Stephen Colbert. On the other hand, Colbert did get a lot of comedic mileage out of his loss. And you don't see hockey team mascots being named in Manilow's honor. Advantage, Colbert.
Paul Fenton, ZUMA Press
Burt Reynolds (Outstanding Lead Actor In a Comedy Series for "Evening Shade," 1991) Reynolds beat out John Goodman and Ted Danson, among others, for his role in this by-the-numbers sitcom which miraculously ran for four seasons. When CBS gets knocked for being the "old person's network," it's because of shows like "Evening Shade." Then again, folks of any age can get a few chuckles out of that hair piece.
Bob Galbraith, AP
"Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" (Best Visual Effects, 1986) Fans who complain about the current "Clone Wars" glut should remember that Lucas once subjected us to not one, but two, Ewok TV movies. The second outing starred Wilford Brimley as a surly old coot who befriends Wicket and his furry pals, and utilized stop-motion effects that ceased to be cutting edge around 1977. Continuity geeks can quibble over whether "Battle for Endor" falls before or after "Jedi." The rest of us can just close our eyes and try to pretend it never happened.
LucasFilm
"Sheena Easton...Act One"(Outstanding Lighting Direction For Series Or Special, 1983) Easton's NBC variety special was made during her pre-Prince days, and featured pop-ins by the likes of Kenny Rogers and a contractually obligated Johnny Carson. All the fancy lighting in the world can't hide the fact that Easton desperately needs the Purple One's assistance.
Chris Walter, WireImage.com
Helen Hunt (Best Actress In a Comedy Series for "Mad About You," 1996-1999) Anyone who can tolerate Paul Reiser for seven seasons deserves kudos, but it's a testament to the monumental laziness of Emmy voters that Helen Hunt won a whopping four times in a row in this category. Perhaps it was a make-up call for her not nabbing a statue for that after-school special where she took PCP and jumped out a window.
Damian Dovaganes, AP
"Ally McBeal" (Outstanding Comedy Series, 1999) For a brief period during the '90s, America was tricked into thinking that dancing babies and coed bathrooms were actually funny. Thus "McBeal"'s sole win in this category, beating out "Frasier," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Friends," and "Sex and the City." Viewed today, "McBeal" is an embarrassing relic of our shared past, like snap bracelets or Lou Bega.
FOX
"Talespin" (Best Animated Series One Hour, 1991) As Disney afternoon entries go, "Talespin" was certainly more Emmy-worthy than, say, "Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers," but its win was solely due to the fact that it was the only nominee in the category. We're not sure why this makes us so angry, but we still lose sleep over it.
Disney
Jay Thomas (Outstanding Guest Actor for "Murphy Brown," 1990-1991) Thomas was fine in his recurring role as Murphy's boorish boyfriend, but his multiple Emmy wins are directly responsible for his short-lived sitcom "Love & War." The show was so bad "LA Law"'s Susan Dey bailed after one season, only to be replaced by Annie Potts, with whom Thomas had even less chemistry. Thomas would go on to host "Who Wants To Marry A Multimillionaire?," and then promptly be banished from TV forever.
Ron Galella, Ltd., WireImage.com
Eileen Brennan (Supporting Actress for "Private Benjamin," 1981) Brennan's a fine actress (see "Clue"), but reprising her Oscar-winning role for the small screen was just plain lazy. Costar Lorna Patterson actually made us long for the subtle comic timing of Goldie Hawn.
Ron Galella, WireImage
