Jane Leeves - "Frasier"
(6-1)Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Christine Baranski - "Cybill" (10-1)
It was not, I repeat, not, Baranski's fault that "Cybill" emitted a odor more hideous than a sewage plant this season. I stomached the initial two or three episodes in the fall, and quickly fled, only to return for the finale, which found a dishonorable time slot among the reruns of this summer. If Baranski is to have any chance in this race, she should submit the finale for consideration. Compared to those wretched episodes of the fall, it was much more bearable, but not because of any improvement in Cybill Shepherd's comedic chops. One second she had no accent; the next second she had a deeper drawl than Scarlett O'Hara. Thank goodness she wasn't nominated as well. No, the only funny things in the finale were Baranski's reactions after her once glorious character, Maryanne, learned that her ex-husband, Dr. Dick, had managed to steal away all of her money. Maryanne in the poor house! If they had come up with this storyline any earlier, maybe "Cybill" wouldn't be in the television graveyard right now. But as it stands right now, Baranski's overall season, or at least what I saw of it, was painfully sabotaged, and one funny episode usually isn't, and shouldn't, be enough to win Emmy gold.
Kristen Johnston - "3rd Rock From the Sun" (4-1)
Johnston won last year. What else can I say? I felt last year should've belonged to Baranski or Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. The Academy didn't. What else is new? The Academy almost always votes for a supporting actress whose character carries dominating, sometimes masculine character traits. Bebe Neuwirth's work as Frasier's browbeating wife, Lilith on "Cheers," got her two Emmys. Laurie Metcalf's performance as Fred's browbeating wife, Jackie on "Roseanne," earned her three statuettes. Heck, even Baranski's Maryanne is an aggressive woman scorned, and she has one prior win to prove it. So why wouldn't voters like Johnston? Like the preceeding three winners, her character is funny and dominating. Not only that, but she's really a male alien trapped in a woman's body! You can't get more masculine yet feminine than that! But seriously, unless the voters wish to be submissive yet again, I hope they pass on Johnston this time around. She was funnier last year, and I didn't even think she was the best of the bunch back then. This year, they've paired her character, Sally, with her boyfriend Don much more often. Don is played by Seinfeld's Wayne Knight. Who wouldn't seem funnier around Newman? Recognize Knight's talents if you must, but realize that Johnston's perormance was weaker when it stood alone. Even though weaker scripts can be blamed, an Emmy winner should be able to overcome mediocre material. Not so in this case
Lisa Kudrow - "Friends" (7-1)
Kudrow's plot line sounds like something out of one of this year's fine Best Drama nominees. Instead, Phoebe carried a child for another couple, all for laughs. It was a shrewd way for the producers of "Friends" to work Kudrow's real-life pregnancy into the show. Shrewd, yes. Clever? No. Any change from the normal triviality of "Friends" is welcome, but instead of making this a permanent change, by having Phoebe explore her own yearning for a child by insemination or such methods, this will all be explained away by next season. Great. Back to sitting around a coffee shop like Kudrow and the gang always do. That's sure to bring the show back into the Best Comedy category
Jane Leeves - "Frasier"
(6-1)
Finally, a nomination for Leeves! Why the delay? After all, Leeves has, for five years, perfectly acted out Daphne Moon's blissful ignorance towards the affections of David Hyde Pierce's Niles Crane. She's my choice in this race, and I'll tell you why. Even though she's a major player in TV's sweetest comedic plot, Daphne has never been in on the joke. Do you know how hard that is to portray? Niles, Frasier, Martin, Roz, the studio audience, the television audience, and Leeves herself are all well aware that the comedy of "Frasier" often derives from Niles' longing for Daphne. Yet, episode after episode, Leeves is counted on to keep Daphne center stage, and keep reminding the audience how smart and funny the character can be, and yet she must never give the slightest impression that she is aware of Niles' infatuation. A perfect example from this season was the episode in which Daphne helped Niles prepare dinner for an imaginary woman, unaware that Niles actually wants Daphne to dine with him. Leeves flawlessly played the part of the helpful friend, as well as caring confident, after she assumes that Niles has been stood up by his non-existent date. With Daphne, Leeves has painted a pitcure of innocence, with a sparkling wit, whenever it gets the rare chance to shine through. Honor this splendid actress already!
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Seinfeld" (2-1)
I've got a hunch that this will be Louis-Dreyfus' second and final Emmy-winning year for her role of Elaine. The Academy will look for some way to honor "Seinfeld," and since Louis-Dreyfus is the only nominee from the show that has won in the past, she has the best chance to receive that recognition. That's not to say that she wouldn't be deserving. She always turns in gut-busting, Emmy worthy outings. Some examples from this year include: her reaction when her boyfriend, the dumb but devoutly religious Puddy, tells her she's going to hell; her trip to India for the wedding of her enemy, Sue Ellen, before which she got drunk and admitted she slept with the groom; and the series finale, out of which her comedic reputation was the least unscathed. Elaine has always been a funny character, and Louis-Dreyfus has always been a gifted comedienne, but while she's a perfectly acceptable choice, I feel Leeves' ever-improving understatement is slightly more worthy this year.
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