Predictions for the Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Drama tend to focus on In Treatment’s competition: Bryan Cranston, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie, and Michael C. Hall.

Bucking the trend, though, is Robert Licuria over at the LA Times’ The Envelope, who is pushing the envelope for our man:

But then I watched Gabriel Byrne’s episode. Although the episode runtime is under 30 minutes, Byrne is practically in every frame, front and center. It’s very much like a play, with a huge spotlight on him, where he gets to play against one of the greats in Dianne Weist.

There’s anger, frustration, and then the dynamite scene at the end of the episode where he cries over the deathbed of his estranged father. It really is the perfect Emmy submission, and had me in tears. The question here is whether voters can be bothered voting for a show that appears to be dead and buried, and definitely lacks the buzz of those actors in best drama series contenders “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men” and “House.”

I am very tempted to go with Bryan Cranston, but have decided to go out on a tiny limb for Gabriel Byrne.

Hey, Rob, good call! We are all out there on that limb with you. The show may surprise you, though, and come back for a third season.

In the meantime, Mr. Byrne should be acknowledged for his amazing performance: The Best on TV, cried all the Byrneholics, shaking that tree!

 

Mesmerizing. Yes indeed.

4 Comments

  1. I agree that Mr. Byrne is an amazing actor and that In Treatment has showcased his talent. I’m pulling for a Season 3, too, and am pretty frustrated that HBO has left all of us devoted fans “out on a limb.”

    By the way, love your new website.

  2. Ann, yes, we are out on a limb (LOL) but at least we are still in the tree. Or something. Stay hopeful! And thanks for loving the new site. Still working on it, but things are coming together!

  3. I try and be optimistic but there is something in my nature that sometimes prevents it. I’m beginning to get scared that Gabriel will not win this year, because people will focus more on quantity rather than quality – quantity of episodes, quantity of viewers, quantity of money that can be milked out of a win. The Emmys are well known for honouring money. What it often boils down to, is how bankable is a show? And “In Treatment” is so hard to quantify in that way. Even viewer numbers for it are hard to establish.

    Still, trying to keep me pecker up, though. A friend of mine who posts on Twitter will be attending the ceremony and will ‘tweeting’ regular updates in real time. She knows who I am rooting for. In fact, she met and spoke to Gabriel briefly the other day, telling him about her project, a new advice-giving website for actors, http://www.hollywoodactorprep.com

  4. Re: what you are keeping up. Oh Lozzie, you make me laugh. :-)

    Thanks for the info about your Twittering friend. I will keep my eyes peeled for her Tweets on the night.

    I tell myself that it doesn’t matter if he loses or wins. Recognition is what I want for him and he is getting it. A statue would be nice, but getting the nod and the nom is really the achievement. I’m so proud. Gawd. I’m sounding like his mom or something…

    :-P

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