Emmy, Where's Your Trousers?

I'm not going to rant about this year's glaring Emmy nomination exclusions, because it always just sounds snooty. I'm not even going to rant about how no recognition for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (save a sound editing nod) or Life (did they even submit considerations?) factors into my opinion of the Emmys as a meaningful honour. But I could, because everyone involved in at least the last four episodes that closed Terminator, and Life's mid-season "Badge Bunny" deserves to be recognized for putting out the highest-quality TV I've seen in twenty years as a watcher. Heck, I'd send them a plaque myself.

What I am going to do is take an opportunity to point your attention towards the gentleman who, amidst two remarkable ensemble casts, is the one I believe to be most deserving of award-based recognition this year: supporting actor (and master artist) Garret Dillahunt. Playing a total of three very different characters on two very different shows - Terminator and Life, natch - and kicking ass and taking names across the board, Dillahunt proved himself to be the epitomy of the writer/director's dream: the actor who will not only take everything you throw at him, but deliver it. His performance on Terminator as a (literal) killing machine whose body gets repurposed to house a childlike artificial intelligence prototype was one of if not the most convincing turns I've seen on-screen (see especially: "Cain Raised An Abel"). On Life, as crimelord Roman Nemikov, his portrayal was so strong and thorough that Roman's presence loomed over the entire second half of the season. He only appeared on-screen in three episodes, but I remember him as having been a regular.

And the little TV clips on Terminator of the Hercules/Beastmaster-type program starring the man whose body Dillahunt's terminator originally stole? Brilliant on so many levels.

The full casts (and writers, directors, art directors, cinematographers, music directors) of Terminator and Life were extraordinary talents who will be missed, at least by me, who doesn't believe HBO and House are the crowning achievements of dramatic television. But if one just person outside the sound crew from either show could be recognized for their work. I'd want it to be Garret Dillahunt. Well done, sir.