The Hollywood Foreign Press will prove again tonight that its edgier, smarter and hipper than the Emmys as the 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards are televised at 8 o’clock on KING-TV, Channel 5.
Here is my expanded take on tonight’s TV awards:
Should win: “Lost” — the only drama that has folks digging for their own clues and reading into every inch of what’s on the screen all the time. It’s a joyride that’s capturing viewers’ imaginations like no other.
“Commander-In-Chief” — Great new show with a lot of fire, but less than a dozen episodes in, I can’t see it winning.
“Grey’s Anatomy” — My personal favorite, “Grey’s,” along with “House,” is reinvigorating the medical drama.
“Prison Break” — The fact that “Prison Break” is even nominated shows how cool the Globes are. It can’t win, but it’s a well-deserved nomination.
“Rome” — They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, I only wish this show would have gone away that quickly.
Will win: “Lost”
Should win: “My Name is Earl” — OK, OK. I said “Commander” hasn’t been on long enough to get an award, but “Earl” has already proven himself. It a short run, “Earl” has hardly missed a beat and there’s no reason to believe it won’t just get better.
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” — Fifth season lost some luster, but we still love Larry David and applaud this nomination.
“Desperate Housewives” — Second season sunk a bit, but where do you go after making such a first-season splash? It’s picking up a bit, but not quite enough to top the competition, in my book.
“Entourage” — One of my favorites, following Vincent Chase and his pals around Hollywood. This HBO show is a gem that too few people have discovered.
“Everybody Hates Chris” — The lovable tale based on comedian Chris Rock’s childhood in Brooklyn is a joy to watch and belongs among the top choices.
“Weeds” — This Showtime comedy was a minor hoot, but missed too many beats to keep me jonesing for more.
Will win: “Desperate Housewives”
Should win: “Lackawanna Blues” — This fast-paced, musically charged thrill ride was a blast with a powerful central figure.
“Empire Falls” — HBO’s take on Richard Russo’s novel was a solid effort, but doesn’t stand out much among this crowd.
“Into The West” — Is this thing finally over? Steven Spielberg’s epic miniseries bogged down the cable TV schedule for a seemingly endless summer.
“Sleeper Cell” — Showtime’s daring eight-hour series about a terrorist cell in Los Angeles failed to show us anything we didn’t already think we knew.
“Viva Blackpool” — BBC’s short but frenetic drama about a small-time casino owner is shrouded in murder mystery — especially to an American audience that hardly noticed it.
“Warm Springs” — HBO’s gripping movie about Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s search for a miracle cure for his polio could take home the prize.
Will win: “Viva Blackpool”
Should win: Hugh Laurie in “House, M. D.” — I still can’t believe this guy’s really British! He’s basically the John Wayne of TV doctors.
Patrick Dempsey in “Grey’s Anatomy” — Our next favorite TV doctor, Dempsey has come a long way from the awkward teenager in the 1987 film, “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Matthew Fox in “Lost” — The leading man in the best ensemble cast in recent memory couldn’t do it alone.
Wentworth Miller in “Prison Break” — Miller plays it cool and intense as he pieces together his gang of convicts’ plan to bust out of the big house.
Kiefer Sutherland in “24” — Still as riveting as ever, but newer, more daring choices have burst onto the scene.
Will win: Hugh Laurie
Jason Lee in “My Name Is Earl” — Lee’s first real shot at the small screen has given us a new memorable character in just a few months.
Zach Braff in “Scrubs” — Wouldn’t mind a bit if Braff took home a trophy for his underrated role as Dr. John Dorian.
Steve Carrell in “The Office” — Funny, but a little overdone. Carrell is fantastic, but the comedy isn’t subtle enough to deserve an acting award.
Larry David in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” — I’ll support his nomination until he decides to call it quits, but he shouldn’t take home the Globe amid this competition.
Charlie Sheen in “Two And A Half Men”: This isn’t the “competition” I’m talking about. This nomination is the funniest thing the show has ever produced.
Will win: Larry David
Should win: Kenneth Branagh in “Warm Springs” — Branagh absolutely embodied Roosevelt in a captivating performance.
Ed Harris in “Empire Falls” — Like the film, a solid performance without standing out much.
Bill Nighy in “The Girl In The Café” — This guy can do it all. Completely underrated, Nighy can be an uproarious, over-the-top laugh machine, and subtle just the same.
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in “Elvis” — Another Irishman playing an American icon (Branagh is the other), Rhys-Meyers captured the young and exuberant Elvis we all want to remember.
Donald Sutherland in “Human Trafficking” — A nod for the Lifetime miniseries is a pretty high accomplishment in itself, but the other choices are too strong.
Will win: Jonathan Ryhs-Meyers
Should win: Glenn Close in “The Shield” — Close’s explosion onto “The Shield” is the perfect example of not knowing what you’re missing until you have it. When it seems the show couldn’t get any more tense and dramatic, Close kicked it up a notch.
Patricia Arquette in “Medium” — Is it that hard to look shocked when you see dead people? Actually, Arquette is just fine here but not enough to win.
Geena Davis in “Commander-In-Chief” — It’s only TV, but even here we need a believable presence as the first female president and Davis plays it up right.
Kyra Sedgwick in “The Closer” — Sedgwick did her best to bring some life into this series, but her overdone southern accent illustrates just how predictable this show really is.
Polly Walker in “Rome” — If only I’d stayed awake long enough to see more of her performance.
Will win: Polly Walker
Marcia Cross in “Desperate Housewives” — It’s tough to pick a housewife out of the bunch, but Cross’ on-screen struggles with a cheating husband, then a dead husband (same guy, by the way), and a reckless teenage son have given her more chances to shine.
Teri Hatcher in “Desperate Housewives” — The follies just aren’t enough anymore.
Felicity Huffman in “Desperate Housewives” — Could deserve a win as much as Cross for her low-key — as low-key as anything gets on this show — but brilliant work.
Eva Longoria in “Desperate Housewives” — No longer shut out of the awards race. It’s good to see her here, but she still trails her peers.
Mary-Louise Parker in “Weeds” — Parker made for some good laughs and turned serious when needed. (Yes, even a pot-dealing mom has to get serious now and then).
Will win: Marcia Cross
Should win: S. Epatha Merkerson in “Lackawanna Blues” — Her turn here as the matriarch of a boarding house in upstate New York was one of my favorite TV experiences of the year.
Halle Berry in “Their Eyes Were Watching God” — If anything Oprah touches is gold, and anything Berry touches is gold, what does that make this?
Kelly Macdonald in “The Girl In The Café” — Understated, for sure.
Cynthia Nixon in “Warm Springs” — For those who didn’t already know, Nixon that she can do it all.
Mira Sorvino in “Human Trafficking” — Nothing special here, but the nomination is a boon for Lifetime.
Will win: Cynthia Nixon
Should win: Jeremy Piven in “Entourage” — Instantly lovable, even though this is a guy you’d hate in real life. Piven embraced this hotshot Hollywood agent from the first minute on screen and he’s stolen every second since.
Naveen Andrews in “Lost” — How to pick just one “supporting” actor from this cast seems impossible, but Andrews is as good a choice as any.
Paul Newman in “Empire Falls” — Inspired more than a few chuckles as the crotchety old dad, but this is some heavy competition.
Randy Quaid in “Elvis” — Finally, a TV movie role worthy of Quaid’s tremendous talent.
Donald Sutherland in “Commander-In-Chief” — This guy scares me. And that’s a good thing.
Will win:Jeremy Piven
Should winSandra Oh in “Grey’s Anatomy” — I’d like to see this show get something, and Oh never fails to grab a laugh.
Candice Bergen in “Boston Legal” — Bergen shines as always.
Camryn Manheim in “Elvis” — Manheim was good here, but not good enough to top the pack.
Elizabeth Perkins in “Weeds” — The brightest spot in this show while making it look easy.
Joanne Woodward in “Empire Falls” — Eh.
Will win: Candice Bergen
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