MORE spy reports on Emmy's not-so-secret judging panels
"I saw in the Envelope forums some people questioning how 'Friday Night Lights' went over" at the Emmy panels, notes Judge #1. "It was fine. Very predictable, but def. not bad. I don't think it will be enough to make it into the top 5."
A few days ago Judge #1 hooked up with a pal who'd attended different comedy and drama screenings 
and asked for her report. We're calling her Judge #4. He says that she claimed other judges "were not that impressed with '30 Rock.' After the comedy screenings ended, my friend claims to have sneaked a peak at a great deal of the other ballots. (She said) that the group was very responsive to all of the programs screened except 'Scrubs' and 'Desperate Housewives.' I was pleasantly surprised to learn how highly people were talking of 'Weeds' during the break, considering how it went over like a lead balloon in my session. 'Two and a Half Men' once again seems to be . . .
. . . the show that impresses the most. I am told that it occupied the number 1 or 2 spot on almost every single ballot my friend could lay eyes on. Others to mention that made the top of lists are 'Entourage' and 'Betty.' My friend really loved 'Extras,' ranking it very high on the list. The bottom 3 spots were given to 'Office,' 'Earl' and 'Scrubs.' She says that those three shows in addition to 'Desperate Housewives' dominated the bottoms of ballots."
(NOTE: These reports come to us unsolicited. We pass them along when we know the sources to be usually credible, but information is unofficial and unverified. We stress that this is merely one person's opinion and may not reflect the group's consensus. Also, we do not encourage judges to break any agreement of confidentiality that they may have made with ATAS.)
I have to say though, that the submitted episode of 2.5 Men was pretty funny. Just because it's a terrible show doesn't mean it couldn't have one or two good episodes a year.
Posted by: chasgoose | July 07, 2007 at 09:17 AM
Joe Bua.........
I agree with you, but these people that are sending in these reports arent Academy members. The Academy memebers already voted and that is how they came up with the top ten nominees in every category. If you live IN LA or NYC, I think that even you could have signed up to be one of the panel viewing people based on what I saw on the Emmy website. Its also kind of hard for me to believe that some chick was able to see a whole bunch of ballots, a couple maybe but they are making it out to be that she saw a ton. I am not going to even express myself on how I feel about that report. Its also funny to me how in the chat session not to long ago every had the Office in the top 5, and the majority picked The Office to win again,and I have seen every episode that was submitted in the top 10 comedy section, but yet these "judges" are coming out saying how its in the bottom 3 etc, I'm not buying it.
Posted by: Damian | July 07, 2007 at 02:56 AM
I totally agree with John, the people who vote should love tv, and definatly should have seen most of these shows continually and be up to date on their plots. Lost seems to be doing bad because you have to have been watching it to understand it, well if its been in the top ten panels for all three of its seasons someone should understand it enough by now. Plus dont any of these voters happen to like maybe catch some of these shows all season long on their own time like all the other viewers out there? It sounds to me like these top secret judges we're hearing from dont watch tv. There top five in both I think are going to be right on the money and this bums me out. How many people in the industry and outside of the industry have to get riled up before there is an overhaul to how these award winners are determined. I'm looking at it now and without Rome syphoning Sopranos votes on the HBO front, and Greys and 24 having weak seasons its clearly gonna win. And that finale was the worst piece of shite...And then on the comedy side I dont watch two and a half men. Its like one of two comedy shows in the top ten I dont watch. Its scoring well, it'll make the cut and then probably win. And if those are the two best shows then I'm out.
Posted by: Mr Vent | July 06, 2007 at 11:47 PM
Clearly these judges don't understand comedy.
2.5 Men? Really?
Such broad, easy, recycled old humor. Yawn.
Let's give the Emmy to a show that DOESN'T suck, please.
Posted by: Kayla | July 06, 2007 at 11:45 PM
You know what kills me, it's that all these reports give the impression that this is the first times that these people are watching these shows, which once again confirms that people in the Academy aren't so much the TV watchers, and that just kind of sucks.
I mean, who are these people? The person I want deciding the preeminent TV award for the industry is someone who's passionate about television, not someone who bitches and moans about having to show up somewhere to - ugh - watch tv? on a holiday weekend?, anyone reading this knows what I mean because you're reading this at home at your desk on a holiday weekend.
I would also like the person voting to be in their 30s or 40s and have a decent sense of humor.Now, any person who's passionate about TV whose in their 30s or 40s that has a decent sense of humor has been Tivo-ing 30 Rock all season, so how can you NOT be impressed.
Maybe we should know who's doing the voting before pissing and moaning about it more. Otherwise, it just seems silly.
So, someone out there, tell me who these Academy voters are.
Posted by: Joe Bua | July 06, 2007 at 07:55 PM
My I'm starting to think that How I Meet Your Mother could of barley go in the top ten but sneak into the top 5.
Posted by: Paul8148 | July 06, 2007 at 07:18 PM