Golden Globes 2014 Predictions: Best TV Comedy or Musical [Poll]
While critically acclaimed dramas always receive a lot of attention at award ceremonies, the popularity of television comedies should not be understated. Television comedies allow viewers to sit back and take a break from the drama both on television and in their daily lives. Five comedies are nominated for a Golden Globe for their ability to make fans laugh time and time again with smart, witty brands of comedy.
The nominees for the Golden Globe for Best Television Comedy or Musical are:
"The Big Bang Theory"- The comedy about four supremely brainy friends and their pretty, blonde neighbor continues to be a fan and critic favorite for seven seasons. The quirky, nerdy antics of brainiac scientist Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), his friends and their neighbor across the hall, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), is a continuous hit. The show continues to evolve each week as the hilarious nerds continue to learn about things that don't come quite as easily to them as do physics or quantum mechanics: romantic relationships.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine"- The rookie comedy is about a Brooklyn police precinct with lots of clashing personalities, which yields hilarious results. The show, which is produced by Emmy Award-winning writer/producers Dan Goor and Michael Schur, stars "Saturday Night Live" alum Andy Samberg as Detective Jake Peralta, the star of the police force who is brought down a few pegs when he gets a new strict commanding officer, Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher). There is also competitive detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), who is constantly competing to one-up Jake.
"Girls"- Breakout HBO hit "Girls" is a comedy-drama that focuses on the tribulations of four aimless, 20-something girls trying to navigate life in New York City. The series stars writer and show creator Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath, an aspiring writer who was cut off financially from her parents. Like many others, she is trying to find a way to make ends meet while also working toward her dream of publishing a novel. Hannah is selfish and increasingly neurotic, but her haplessness allows her to connect with struggling twenty-somethings everywhere. Her three very different friends, Marnie (Allison Williams), Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) are similarly trying to figure out their lives.
"Modern Family"- Another fan and critic favorite, "Modern Family" is one of the best-loved comedies currently on television. The series focuses on three connected families: the Dunphy's, whose matriarch, Clarie (Julie Bowen) is the daughter of Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill), who is married to a much younger Columbian wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara). Claire's brother, Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), is married to Cam (Eric Stonestreet), and they have an adopted daughter, Lily. The show chronicles the three families' hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings, but in the end, it celebrates family in a quirky, heartwarming way.
"Parks and Recreation"- The cleverly witty series focuses on Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), a mid-level bureaucrat who wants to make her small town of Pawnee, Indiana the best that it can be. The series follows Knope and her ascension up the local political ladder, and as well as the evolution of her romantic life. It also follows the lives of her hilarious office mates, including health nut Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe), Leslie's boss, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), who hates the government he works for, her best friend, Ann (Rashida Jones), the ostensibly dim-witted Andy (Chris Pratt) and his sullen wife, April (Aubrey Plaza) and wannabe player Tom (Aziz Ansari).
Prediction: "The Big Bang Theory"
While many think "Girls" should take home the award, the Golden Globe will most likely go to the award-winning series "The Big Bang Theory" once again. The quirky show surrounding Sheldon, Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) is always witty and constantly shows characters' personal progression. The social ineptitude of the four geeks is offset well by Penny's social intelligence. The show continues to be a favorite, and will most likely take yet another award to add to its growing collection.