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I'm taking a break from the weekly Tuesday ratings deluge to say:
Son's Of Anarchy Was Robbed.
ROBBED!
Not a single, solitary Golden Globe Award nomination. But, despite thinking the show was robbed, I am not surprised by it because of how I would predict how old guys in Suits would vote, or more precisely how I might have voted if I wore a suit all the time instead of being a blogger in lounging attire. Because if I was wearing a suit all the time, I'm not sure I would've gotten around to ever watching SOA.
But since I *did* get around to watching SOA, I know it was robbed. I know the artsy folk will prefer Mad Men straight from the get go. I am a Mad Men fan, and if you're into period pieces, and a lot of good acting, and dialog and slipping back into the early 1960s, I highly recommend it. But even in its most plot-driven season so far, Mad Men had about as much story in a full 13 episodes as Sons Of Anarchy had in 3 episodes. If you love little things like story and plot, SOA, for me, is the far the better show. Mad Men at least did deserve its nomination which is more than I can say for some of the shows that got a best drama nod.
I think the reason SOA didn't get any love is pretty simple. It's covering turf never before covered. Bikers. Some of the archetypes might have been covered before, but not leather clad Harley riders. Old men in Suits can't relate to bikers. Ad executives in the 1960s? Sure, that they can relate to. It has at least a few old guys in Suits!
I know you'll say but The Sopranos was about mobsters and those same old guys in Suits slobbered all over it. The thing with mobsters is, it's an archetype that has been around pretty much as long as there has been film. I don't think there's been a decade since the 1920s where some mobsters haven't gotten some celluloid love and the critical acclaim to go with it.
Though my belief is that anyone who loved the Sopranos will LOVE Sons Of Anarchy, it's a harder sell because outlaw bikers is not a known archetype. That's why I was late to the party. I had to listen to several people sing the show's praises (notably my brother) and see that its season two ratings kicked some serious cable ass in the premiere to join the party. And I'm glad I did.
And I am not hating on Dexter, it might have deserved the nod in 2006 and 2007 but there's no freaking way it should've gotten a best drama nod over SOA in 2009. I know a lot of you loved the finale of season 4, but I tuned out in mid-season because I just didn't care about the story. Dexter is a difficult premise to pull off over 4 seasons (and I thought they did a wonderful job for two seasons). It could be by season 4 I no longer care about SOA either (and of course, that's when it will get its Golden Globe nomination!).
House? Really? I LOVE House, and I'm absolutely fine with Hugh Laurie winning best actor award every year. Even after House leaves the air and even if Laurie doesn't have another gig I'm fine with them giving him the acting award. But best drama? Of 2009? You have to be kidding me!
I'm happy for the fans of the other shows, and I won't say anything bad about True Blood because season two was fun. Fun! Best drama? I dunno about that. But damn fun at least. And I've never seen Big Love so I can't offer any opinion on that. But my opinion is this, as dramas go, in 2009 SOA was better than Mad Men, Dexter, True Blood and House. And it was robbed.
I don’t watch this show and you can see what I think of the Golden Globes if you read my comment on the nominations thread but I understand your frustration. *virtual hug*
I agree with you in all things but one: Dexter deserves the nomination.
The TV Golden Globes aren’t worth a damn. I’m not surprised SoA isn’t nominated.
Precisely.
This is the same crap like with The Shield (after season 1) or Deadwood. I think the main reason that they don’t get any awards love is that they are 100% “men shows”. Of course there are exceptions of the rule like Mo Ryan who loved The Shield and sings praises for SOA, but I’m sure they didn’t get a lot of female votes.
Awards may not mean much, but it is depressing, after all is said and done, to be remembered as “arguably the best this-or-that to never have won such-and-such”. Bjorn Borg is mentioned more often than not for never winning the US Open. Everybody on ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ won at least one Emmy, except for Peter Boyle. And Deborah Kerr, Richard Burton at the Oscars, etc, etc. Worse yet is to never be nominated and watch lesser things (e.g. Sean Penn/Oscar) win.
Save your complaints for the Emmys. As discussed in the comments of the GG post, they mean absolutely nothing. But when SOA doesn’t get an Emmy nom (and it wouldn’t surprise me if it didn’t, it gets more press for its ratings than its quality, though that doesn’t mean much) you can complain all you want.
The Golden Globes are run by foreign reporters, and are all about Hollywood glamour, especially in television.
As such, nominations for gritty shows such as Shield, Deadwood, (or this season) Breaking Bad & Sons of Anarchy are going to be unlikely to nonexistent.
Just about the only awards that are worth a damn are the various Guild Awards, IMO.
I completely agree. I have NEVER been so disappointed in a list of nominations as I was this morning.
It’s a damn shame!
Julia, I can complain all I want right now. Saving my complaints for the Emmys would be stupid!
My complaining now isn’t any less effective than complaining about the Emmys.
It won’t be effective at all in either case! But it makes me feel better
Ah, but complaining now perpetuates the idea that the Golden Globes are worth something.
SoA was robbed I watch a lot of HBO and SoA is by far better than more than half of those show. Great story and every episode gets better. SoA is like the Sopranos but with commercials and bikers.
Absolutely embarrassing nominations. Most of these shows are not known by the masses of people.
SoA getting robbed is a damn shame. Where’s Burn Notice or CBS procedurals? Where’s TBBT or iCarly?
I don’t watch this anyways, I will only watch the Grammys this award season.
BIASED ASS AWARD SHOW!
Couldn’t agree more! And also Breaking Bad.
Hear! Hear! SOA is absolutely one of the best written and best acted programs on television today. Most of its fans have come about through word of mouth, just as you discovered it and just as I discovered it. I’ve passed on the word and gotten a number of people to check it out. Inevitably they love it. It’s that almost underground sort of growth that proves the show’s worth. Unfortunately, it’s also why none of the suits know anything about it. Too bad they don’t have friends to whisper in their ears. I’m awfully glad I have.
Sons of Anarchy is one, if not THE best TV show on the air right now. Best Written, Best Acted, period!! Nuff said
(GG should be bound and left alone with Tig….)
” think the main reason that they don’t get any awards love is that they are 100% “men shows”.” Are you kidding me? All that leather, all those bikes, all those Alpha Males. The cast may be predominately male, but we girls love our SOA, of that you can be sure. We got mad love for Tara and Gemma too. There’s really nothing to not love about SOA. I too was late to the part, but I’m glad I made it. It’s my favorite show. The writing is insanely good as is the acting and they need to buy their casting agent anything he/she wants for the holidays because they haven’t made a mistake yet. They take chances (a black actress for Chib’s wife, complete with an Irish accent? C’mon, that takes balls) and they don’t tie everything up with a nice little bow (Zobelle gets away). Don’t count the girls out, we love SAMCRO!
I’m a huge SOA fan but the last half of the 5th season of House was excellent. Probably the best House I’ve seen since the Tritter arc. SOA was a ton better than anything on television though, and in my opinion got GANG RAPED by not getting a nomination.
I am very disappointed in the GG noms. Sure they were mostly, well-acted finely produced shows. But as you rightly pointed out not the BEST televsion of the year.
Sadly, I know the AMAZING! S4 of Supernatural will never win any awards.
Mr. Seidman you speak the TRUTH!
In 2009, SOA kicked all flavors of butt! From the acting (Katey Sagal dissed for a bland blonde? WTF?), the writing, direction, etc. SOA was on point! I’m female and never viewed SOA as a “men’s show” since 2 of the baddest bad-asses were Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) and Dr. Tara Knowles (Maggie Siff) are on SOA!
Politics is the reason it was dissed! Politics! A show about gun-running outlaw bikers is not alluring. Same thing happened with the superb program The Wire, about drug dealers! Politics from old, set in their ways, fat cat, tasteless clowns!
Sincerely
–Visan
An absolute SAMCRO Fangirl