So I'm not sure how much y'all know about the Emmys, but apparently, from what I understand, for the acting categories, they all have to submit an episode, which gets shown with only the chosen actor's parts in it, which is what the Emmy voters use for nomination and voting on the final five. For best overall series, they have to submit six half hours. It sounds confusing and stupid, but I guess it's unfair to ask a voter to watch a bazillion episodes of many television shows that they have no interest in. So, I came up with some suggestions for what The Office and its actors could submit for Emmy consideration for Season 4.
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Steve Carell (Michael Scott): Goodbye Toby
The Deposition and Money are also very good choices. Each gives him a boatload of screentime and great comedic acting, and he's also got big dramatic and sympathetic moments in all of them. I almost chose Money for "I. DECLARE. BANKRUPTCYYY!!!!" but then again, if Rainn submits Money, watching the same episode twice (albeit with somewhat different parts) might not go well with the voters. And Goodbye Toby does have "I'll kill you," which basically kills me every time I watch it. They should not submit Dunder-Mifflin Infinity, because the screaming will turn off people who don't watch the show on a regular basis.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Leslie David Baker (Stanley Hudson): Did I Stutter?
Obviously. That last scene with him and Michael really is an utter killer, though.
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin Malone): Chair Model
Another obvious one. His part in Goodbye Toby is obviously hysterical, and I'm almost tempted to recommend it instead, but his part in Chair Model has more depth and backstory.
Creed Bratton (...Creed Bratton): Dunder-Mifflin Infinity
I don't think he has a chance, but in this one you get his usual insanity combined with that little undercurrent of him being worried about new technology. Maybe Survivor Man, just for the dance around the room.
Ed Helms (Andy Bernard): Launch Party
He sings! He's got a bullhorn! HE STOLE IT! Chair Model's another option.
John Krasinski (Jim Halpert): Branch Wars
Apparently there's a massive push to get him a nomination, so yay. There was last year, too, from what I've read, but he submitted the wrong episode (Business School?!?!?! Okay the vampire thing is funny, but WHHHYYYYY???!!!), which sunk his chances. Branch Wars is an obvious choice; I read somewhere else that when the car pulls into the Utica lot, you can "see his heart eating itself." Plus, I think in her "awesome stuff of 2007" list on her blog, Mindy Kaling noted his performance in that episode. Goodbye Toby might be an option, too, because he goes through about a billion emotions in it. Both Branch Wars and Goodbye Toby conjure up tons of sympathy toward Jim, too.
Paul Lieberstein (Toby Flenderson): Goodbye Toby
He might as well take the episode with his name in it, right? Night Out is another option, but it might weird out or confuse voters who don't watch the show.
BJ Novak (Ryan Howard): Night Out
His big episode, obviously, and also the only one in which he's in any way sympathetic. He could always submit Dinner Party or Chair Model ;) (he should submit the latter... for writing)
Oscar Nunez (Oscar Martinez): Money
His "big episode," I guess. His interaction with Michael is indeed awesome. I also like him in Branch Wars because I think he's the redeeming factor in making the Finer Things Club not a total wash (along with Andy trying to get in). He doesn't really have a lot of screen time in many episodes, but he's got a bazillion killer one-liners/talking heads.
Craig Robinson (Darryl Philbin): Did I Stutter?
Again, I guess. Did you know he originally tried out for Jim? And John Krasinski originally tried out for Dwight? And Angela Kinsey originally tried out for Pam?
Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute): Money
Much like Steve in this episode, this gives him lots of screentime, a bunch of comedy, and some really great sympathetic scenes. Submitting stuff like Fun Run or Dunder-Mifflin Infinity might weird out non-viewers.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly): Job Fair
Even those who seem to dislike FNB like her in Job Fair, and she's pretty awesome between the snarking at Michael and the Jim-inspiring and the looking for an art job and all that. I heard she submitted Fun Run a while back (they can submit episodes early on and change them up to May 31), and that's also a good choice, from the sex tape to pepping up Michael.
Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer): Fun Run
The only episode in which she gets a lot of screentime, really. Unfortunately, a lot of the tertiary characters have no chance, but that's why The Office should win the SAG award for Best Ensemble Cast from now into the future forever.
Melora Hardin (Jan Levinson): Dinner Party
Duh. Oh man, that bitch is crazy.
Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor): Dunder-Mifflin Infinity
That "why not?" after Ryan tells her they're never getting back together really tells you all you ever need to know about Kelly. She could also submit The Deposition as it gives her a lot of screentime, but I'm of the minority opinion that, aside from her talking head about smack talk vs. trash talk, she is so incredibly annoying in that episode. The way some people feel about Michael in Dunder-Mifflin Infinity is the way I feel about Kelly in The Deposition.
Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin): Fun Run
She's as awesome and bitchy and conniving as ever, but way more sympathetic than she is in other episodes. I don't think they should put in a post-strike episode, because the weird purse/desk/copier/etc. placement might confuse non-fans that don't know she was pregnant.
Phyllis Smith (Phyllis Vance): Chair Model
If they include deleted scenes, she could also enter Goodbye Toby, which might also work for Kate/Meredith.
and finally...
Outstanding Comedy Series (six half hours)
Fun Run, Part 2
Launch Party, Part 1
Local Ad
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Steve Carell (Michael Scott): Goodbye Toby
The Deposition and Money are also very good choices. Each gives him a boatload of screentime and great comedic acting, and he's also got big dramatic and sympathetic moments in all of them. I almost chose Money for "I. DECLARE. BANKRUPTCYYY!!!!" but then again, if Rainn submits Money, watching the same episode twice (albeit with somewhat different parts) might not go well with the voters. And Goodbye Toby does have "I'll kill you," which basically kills me every time I watch it. They should not submit Dunder-Mifflin Infinity, because the screaming will turn off people who don't watch the show on a regular basis.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Leslie David Baker (Stanley Hudson): Did I Stutter?
Obviously. That last scene with him and Michael really is an utter killer, though.
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin Malone): Chair Model
Another obvious one. His part in Goodbye Toby is obviously hysterical, and I'm almost tempted to recommend it instead, but his part in Chair Model has more depth and backstory.
Creed Bratton (...Creed Bratton): Dunder-Mifflin Infinity
I don't think he has a chance, but in this one you get his usual insanity combined with that little undercurrent of him being worried about new technology. Maybe Survivor Man, just for the dance around the room.
Ed Helms (Andy Bernard): Launch Party
He sings! He's got a bullhorn! HE STOLE IT! Chair Model's another option.
John Krasinski (Jim Halpert): Branch Wars
Apparently there's a massive push to get him a nomination, so yay. There was last year, too, from what I've read, but he submitted the wrong episode (Business School?!?!?! Okay the vampire thing is funny, but WHHHYYYYY???!!!), which sunk his chances. Branch Wars is an obvious choice; I read somewhere else that when the car pulls into the Utica lot, you can "see his heart eating itself." Plus, I think in her "awesome stuff of 2007" list on her blog, Mindy Kaling noted his performance in that episode. Goodbye Toby might be an option, too, because he goes through about a billion emotions in it. Both Branch Wars and Goodbye Toby conjure up tons of sympathy toward Jim, too.
Paul Lieberstein (Toby Flenderson): Goodbye Toby
He might as well take the episode with his name in it, right? Night Out is another option, but it might weird out or confuse voters who don't watch the show.
BJ Novak (Ryan Howard): Night Out
His big episode, obviously, and also the only one in which he's in any way sympathetic. He could always submit Dinner Party or Chair Model ;) (he should submit the latter... for writing)
Oscar Nunez (Oscar Martinez): Money
His "big episode," I guess. His interaction with Michael is indeed awesome. I also like him in Branch Wars because I think he's the redeeming factor in making the Finer Things Club not a total wash (along with Andy trying to get in). He doesn't really have a lot of screen time in many episodes, but he's got a bazillion killer one-liners/talking heads.
Craig Robinson (Darryl Philbin): Did I Stutter?
Again, I guess. Did you know he originally tried out for Jim? And John Krasinski originally tried out for Dwight? And Angela Kinsey originally tried out for Pam?
Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute): Money
Much like Steve in this episode, this gives him lots of screentime, a bunch of comedy, and some really great sympathetic scenes. Submitting stuff like Fun Run or Dunder-Mifflin Infinity might weird out non-viewers.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly): Job Fair
Even those who seem to dislike FNB like her in Job Fair, and she's pretty awesome between the snarking at Michael and the Jim-inspiring and the looking for an art job and all that. I heard she submitted Fun Run a while back (they can submit episodes early on and change them up to May 31), and that's also a good choice, from the sex tape to pepping up Michael.
Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer): Fun Run
The only episode in which she gets a lot of screentime, really. Unfortunately, a lot of the tertiary characters have no chance, but that's why The Office should win the SAG award for Best Ensemble Cast from now into the future forever.
Melora Hardin (Jan Levinson): Dinner Party
Duh. Oh man, that bitch is crazy.
Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor): Dunder-Mifflin Infinity
That "why not?" after Ryan tells her they're never getting back together really tells you all you ever need to know about Kelly. She could also submit The Deposition as it gives her a lot of screentime, but I'm of the minority opinion that, aside from her talking head about smack talk vs. trash talk, she is so incredibly annoying in that episode. The way some people feel about Michael in Dunder-Mifflin Infinity is the way I feel about Kelly in The Deposition.
Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin): Fun Run
She's as awesome and bitchy and conniving as ever, but way more sympathetic than she is in other episodes. I don't think they should put in a post-strike episode, because the weird purse/desk/copier/etc. placement might confuse non-fans that don't know she was pregnant.
Phyllis Smith (Phyllis Vance): Chair Model
If they include deleted scenes, she could also enter Goodbye Toby, which might also work for Kate/Meredith.
and finally...
Outstanding Comedy Series (six half hours)
Fun Run, Part 2
Launch Party, Part 1
Local Ad
Chair Model
Goodbye Toby (both parts)
These aren't necessarily my six (five) favorite episodes this season, though I love them all. The darn hour-longs keep messin' me up =/ The second half of Fun Run starts with that adorable "we're dating" scene and the actual fun run employs pretty awesome ensemble work. A lot of people seem to really like Launch Party, and the first half has a lot of the comedy and none of the kidnapping of the pizza boy plot, which goes on too long. Local Ad got nominated for the WGA, so someone there obviously liked it. The last scene, with the employees all being cute and bonding, is just so awesome. Chair Model has great ensemble work too, plus it'll melt the hearts of many a viewer. Goodbye Toby is just great in every way The Office is; it's hysterically funny and twisted, but also really sweet in the best of ways, and incredibly well-acted. I'm dying to include Money because it's just so fucking good, but I can't imagine just including one half and I don't want to cut out Goodbye Toby or the two halves of the hour-longs. Then again, the producers/whoever sends these in could go many ways with the episodes they submit. The only one I would suggest they don't submit is Night Out, because it's both very very dark and very very weird.
Goooo Office!!!! Only a month and a half until Emmy nominations get announced!
Goodbye Toby (both parts)
These aren't necessarily my six (five) favorite episodes this season, though I love them all. The darn hour-longs keep messin' me up =/ The second half of Fun Run starts with that adorable "we're dating" scene and the actual fun run employs pretty awesome ensemble work. A lot of people seem to really like Launch Party, and the first half has a lot of the comedy and none of the kidnapping of the pizza boy plot, which goes on too long. Local Ad got nominated for the WGA, so someone there obviously liked it. The last scene, with the employees all being cute and bonding, is just so awesome. Chair Model has great ensemble work too, plus it'll melt the hearts of many a viewer. Goodbye Toby is just great in every way The Office is; it's hysterically funny and twisted, but also really sweet in the best of ways, and incredibly well-acted. I'm dying to include Money because it's just so fucking good, but I can't imagine just including one half and I don't want to cut out Goodbye Toby or the two halves of the hour-longs. Then again, the producers/whoever sends these in could go many ways with the episodes they submit. The only one I would suggest they don't submit is Night Out, because it's both very very dark and very very weird.
Goooo Office!!!! Only a month and a half until Emmy nominations get announced!
