'MEN OF FEW WORDS MAKE BIG IMPRESSION' By STUART LEVINE Two of the newcomers in this category are men who choose their words very carefully.
Both Gabriel Byrne and Jon Hamm never talk just to hear themselves speak, or chatter just for the sake of conversation. Rather, they use their vocabulary to act as a guide for their patients, clients and colleagues.
Byrne, in particular, doesn't even have to use words to express a point. A furrowed forehead, interlocking fingers or look of disappointment often conveys the message.
"In Treatment" was a rare foray into television for Irish-born-and-bred Byrne, who will return next season to the HBO drama with new patients to dissect and analyze.
Already beginning season two is Hamm, an actor who had many smaller roles in episodic television but made a huge impression in AMC's "Mad Men." His quiet but deliberate demeanor fit perfectly in Matthew Weiner's world of '60s chauvinism and loveless marriages.
Bryan Cranston also has received his first Emmy nom in the category, and while AMC is over the moon with the reaction to "Mad Men," Cranston's inclusion here certainly comes as more of a surprise. While he was nominated three times as a comedic foil on Fox's longtime laffer "Malcolm in the Middle" and never had to stretch out of character, his acting chops are being acknowledged now on a whole new level.
James Spader and Hugh Laurie are both Emmy faves, and Michael C. Hall has been down this road once before: He was nominated for his role as a gay mortician in HBO's "Six Feet Under."
GABRIEL BYRNE
Show: "In Treatment"
Emmy pedigree: First nom
Best scene: Byrne engages in a shouting match with Blair Underwood, when Underwood starts pushing emotional buttons that Byrne has a difficult time dealing with.
Why he might win: Kudos to the casting folks at HBO who thought Byrne would be a good fit. He most certainly is, and it's hard to imagine another actor who could approach the role with as much pathos, intelligence and determination in working with his clients as Byrne delivered.
Maybe not: There are very few of the scenery-chewing moments that Emmy voters love, and without those, Byrne might have a hard time breaking through.
BRYAN CRANSTON
Show: "Breaking Bad"
Emmy pedigree: Three noms ("Malcolm in the Middle")
Best scene: Cranston approaches a violent drug dealer and sets off an explosion while escaping with thousands of dollars.
Why he might win: It's a very gutsy performance -- especially with Cranston walking around half the pilot in nothing but his underwear -- about a man drifting through life who doesn't come alive until he finds out he's dying.
Maybe not: Because of the writers strike, only seven episodes were shown, and that might not warrant enough work for voters to mark their ballot for Cranston.
MICHAEL C. HALL
Show: "Dexter"
Emmy pedigree: One nom
Best scene: Dexter finds out who murdered his mother, and, despite his best intentions, when he confronts the killer, Dexter's rage get the best of him.
Why he might win: Nary a critic has a bad thing to say about Hall, who earned lots of plaudits on "Six Feet Under" and has now brought that good will over to "Dexter." If Hall doesn't deliver just the right amount of menace and compassion to the title character, the whole show falls apart.
Maybe not: Not sure if a blood-splattering, serial-killing Hall is the image Emmy voters want to put out as their top choice of the year.
JON HAMM
Show: "Mad Men"
Emmy pedigree: First nom
Best scene: After Roger (John Slattery) suffers a heart attack after spending the night with a woman, he's rushed to the hospital. When he doesn't call out for his wife, Hamm's Don Draper slaps him in the face and says he needs to be with his wife, not someone else.
Why he might win: Being handsome helps, but it wasn't just women who were taken under Hamm's spell. The actor came out of relatively nowhere and brought such gravitas to Don Draper that he'll remain in high demand with casting agents for both TV and film projects for years to come, and Emmy voters might want to beat everyone to the punch.
Maybe not: If the show receives top drama series honors, which is a distinct possibility, voters might want to spread the wealth and pass on Hamm for someone else.
HUGH LAURIE
Show: "House"
Emmy pedigree: Two noms
Best scene: In an effort to try to remember what happened to a critically injured Amber, House gives himself a heart attack to try to jog his memory of the bus accident.
Why he might win: Laurie's so good as the cranky Princeton, N.J., doc that his British roots are almost forgotten every time he turns off the Blighty accent and goes into House mode. No one would argue with a Laurie win.
Maybe not: The performance is so consistently solid, it's practically taken for granted. Might be hard for it to get attention with buzz and blog chatter landing elsewhere.
JAMES SPADER
Show: "Boston Legal"
Emmy pedigree: Three wins ("Boston Legal," "The Practice")
Best scene: Alan argues a case with the Supreme Court and calls them out on how they make decisions.
Why he might win: Nobody has a better winning percentage at Emmy time than Spader, who's won every time he's been nominated. Although the competition here may be tough, remember that last year he beat out James Gandolfini.
Maybe not: Can he pull off the upset for the second year in a row -- or third if you consider he beat Kiefer Sutherland and Ian McShane in 2005? At some point, one would think his streak has to come to an end. Right?
SOURCE:
Variety --
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