Let's hear for the Emmy girls!

Last week,the Emmy nominations were announced with the usual fanfare and raised eyebrows over who was on the list and who was not.

Since my TV tastes are rather erratic,to say the least,I try not to worry about who gets what here. I am happy to see Mad Men,Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones earn several spots for these awards and thought it might be best to highlight some of the ladies vying for the win this time out(plus a nod to one that shouldn't have been left on the sidelines,in my opinion)that I will be particularly rooting for.

While it's wonderful to see such DA actresses as Michelle Dockery and Joanne Froggett(who play Lady Mary and her equally troubled in love maid Anna)up for Best Lead and Supporting Actress,the true gem of the show is Maggie Smith as Violet,The Dowager Countess(also in the Best Supporting Actress category) who seems to be never at a loss for words no matter what the occasion.

Not only is her verbal timing immaculate,Maggie Smith also breathes humanity into a character that could otherwise be simply used as comedy relief. Granted,she does provide that but the Dowager Countess offers much more than that and the series wouldn't be the same without her.:

The gals on The Big Bang Theory may have become more than the feminine sidekicks to the main male quartet but the true breakout star amongst them is Mayim Bialik,who is up for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy series.

Granted,the former child star has a leg up there yet her winsome portrayal of Amy Farrah Fowler,the oddly ideal soulmate of quirky Sheldon Cooper,makes those sharply blunt edges of her tight knit personality very endearing.

Another plus in the character's favor is her developing embrace of social interaction combined with those moments of silly sweetness that Amy allows herself to have,which makes more than worthy of a tiara there:

Julianne Moore appears to be a shoo-in for the win in the Best Actress in a Miniseries or Made for TV Movie section with her amazing performance as Sarah Palin in Game Change. However,I don't see her possible victory for her work in this role as mere partisan politics.

Moore showed the inner woman inside the ambitious VP candidate,who was hoisted to incredible heights very much like an overnight sensation that was never meant to last,kind of like a boy band or a super model. Her troubles in keeping a firm grip on that brass ring she was handed seemed to be partly due to the dwindling support from the male power brokers that placed Sarah in the spotlight in the first place.

Regardless of how you feel about her politics(which I am not a fan of),Moore gave
Sarah Palin some of the emotional dignity that many of her real life counterparts weren't willing to grant her towards the bitter end of the campaign:

As good as it is to see Game of Thrones receive plenty of nominations,especially Peter Dinklage for Best Supporting Actor,it would be nice to honor the women in the cast as well. Those vibrant characters are just as strong a draw as the men and the dragons to this series.

One fine example is Lena Headey as Queen Cersei,the devious matriarch whose power struggles with her hated younger brother have been a cornerstone of both plot and character development in the second season.

Cersei,in lesser hands,could come across as a one note villainess but Headey is able to flip from brutal boldness to tender vulnerability with alarming ease that even puts her already suspicious sibling in doubt of how to connect with her. It's a shame that Headey's brilliant work is being overlooked,similar to how her character feels about her own position of power:



The Emmys will be handed out in September,which allows for some time to catch up on the nominees or get reacquainted with your favorites. So,if you're looking for a bit of entertainment relief during the dog days of summer,tuning into some of these ladies might be your best bet.

As to who wins or loses,we all win by seeing more and more talented women in the spotlight both in front of and behind the camera. A big song and dance is not necessary to achieve this but if like recent Emmy winner Melissa McCarthy you get the prime opportunity to have one,then put on those dancing shoes and do a victory romp around the stage: