A Person's 'Emmy Episode'...

[Farscape One]

I don't know if anyone else has heard the phrase 'this is their Emmy episode'. What it means is the performance of the actor/actress is so stellar that they shpuld have gotten an Emmy. Or at least a nomination.

I wanted to see what episodes people feel are their Emmy episode. I'm going to start with a few easy ones.


Wiliam Shatner - "BALANCE OF TERROR". While Shatner can be accused of hamming it often, and there are episodes where it's hard to argue the point, he does a fantastic job here. He truly held a command presence throughout, from his strategizing to his calling out Styles' bigotry. His best scenes, though, are the quiet contemplative ones where he questions if he's doing the right thing. He really gave great nuance in this episode, which was part of the reason why it's one of my two absolute favorites from TOS.

Patrick Stewart - "Chain Of Command, Part II". Honestly, he's one of the hardest to find one, because he is just that damned good. His mind-meld with Sarek, his other life in "The Inner Light"... so many to choose from, really. But I think this was his best because it was so hard to watch. "There are four lights" is ingrained in me as a call of defiance. And his final confession to Troi at the end... you really felt for him. It truly is criminal he never got nominated.

Avery Brooks - "IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT". Everything about this episode was perfect. The script, the dialogue, the staging, the plot, and most especially the performances. Crafting this as a theater play with Avery staring at the camera itself was a stroke of genius. Slowing taking off his uniform as he bares his soul was a great touch. He really gave his all throught DS9, but he is phenomenal here.

Kate Mulgrew - "SCORPION". I specifically give mention to the first part, because there's a lot of great scenes for her here. From her light hearted side negotiating space with Da Vinci to her quiet desperation staring at the shadowed wall looking for a solution to her justifying the alliance to Chakotay. It was really a shame she was written all over the place because Kate really brought a LOT to Janeway.

Scott Bakula - "TWILIGHT". He was perfectly cast, in my opinion. He brought a lot of heart to ENTERPRISE. He had some great episodes, but he tuly shines here. Those scenes where he's giving suggestions only realize he's done it all before was heartbreaking. He truly showed how useless he was starting to feel. And when he was told just how few humans are still alive... you could feel the anguish, despair, and tidal wave of horror just wash over him. It was a magnificent performance.


What about you all? Temba, his arms open.

 

[Oddish]

I could see Avery Brooks taking one for "Far Beyond the Stars", too. And while "The Visitor" was really Tony Todd's episode, Brooks was great in that, too.

 

[Vger23]

Jonathan Frakes "Frame of Mind"

Leonard Nimoy "All Our Yesterdays"

Brent Spiner "The Offspring"

William Shatner "City on the Edge of Forever"

 

[Farscape One]

"Frame of Mind" is definitely my choice for Frakes, too.

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

Nana Visitor: Duet.

 

[CorporalClegg]

While all of these are all well and good and all, none are really Emmy worthy.

 

[Farscape One]

I'm talking about the acting, not the episodes themselves. Many situations where an actor gets an Emmy, but the episode they are nominated for is not even on the ballot.

Though many of the mentioned are excellent themselves.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I know.

 

[dupersuper]

While all of these are all well and good and all, none are really Emmy worthy.

Why ever not?

 

[CorporalClegg]

In any given year, there are many tens -- if not over 100 -- TV shows. Each of those shows has a dozen or two of episodes. That's well over 1000 performances -- a lot of them very good -- with Emmy eligibility. Of all those, they pick five.

Now, the Academy is by no means perfect. But for the most part, they do their best to pick the exceptional of the exceptional. And if anyone objectively weighs the performances that usually get nominated each year against the Trek ones, the latter just don't hold up.

 

[Farscape One]

There's also the stigma, for lack of a better term, of being part of a scifi series. Particularly in the 20th century, genre shows and movies would never really get the recognition many deserve because the Academy, I feel, is quite snooty.

But that aside, my point of this was for people to showcase what they feel were outstanding performances of the various shows.

 

[Finn]

While all of these are all well and good and all, none are really Emmy worthy.

To be fair, I bet a good handful of actual emmy wins weren't really "emmy-worthy", but whoever...won an emmy due to....reasons.

 

[Farscape One]

I think I'll go to the XOs now.


Leonard Nimoy - "THE NAKED TIME". Honestly, he had the toughest job of the cast. He had to play the stoic, logical Vulcan, but still was able to bring emotion into an inherantly emotionally controlled role. It's really hard to find a standout performance because he was just so great throughout the whole series. But I pick this one because it really showcased his range in a single episode.

Jonathan Frakes - "Frame of Mind". Frakes deserves a lot of credit overall, because he really does love to just go with it. But here he really puts his all in. His constant shifting from certainty to confusion and back again, all the while losing it... this was his best performance, and one of Brannon Braga's best solo scripts.

Nana Visitor - "DUET". I don't think I have to explain why this one is on my list.

Robert Beltran - "NEMESIS". While I never thought of him as Emmy worthy overall, Beltran did pull some very solid performances over the course of the series. Here, the episode plays more to Beltran's strengths of a quiet man. Yiu can see his slow descent into indroctination. And the last scene was really, really good... and frankly, the most realistic end.

Jolene Blalock - "TWILIGHT". While I feel Russ and Nimoy were stronger Vulcan performances, Jolene did a good job throughout the series. I feel she did an outstanding job here. From her silent anguish of failing to stop the Xindi weapon to her telling Archer how many humans are left to her meeting with Soval.

 

[gweeps]

Ethan Phillip's performance in Voyager's 'Mortal Coil' struck me as his most impactful outing as Neelix.

 

[Oddish]

Picard's dual role in "Life Line" was pretty good. He also helped write the episode.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

There’s been a lot of good performances in Star Trek over the years, but I feel there hasn’t been much that’s worthy of an Emmy. That’s in terms of writing, direction, design or performance. Star Trek is too content generally to just hang out in the middle of the road.

 

[Farscape One]

I guess I should have chosen a different title for this thread. I was looking for what people felt was an outstanding performance from the actors/actresses. 'Their Emmy Episode' is a term that has been used to quickly define that.

I get that you think a lot probably aren't actually worth an Emmy or a nomination, but it's the quickest way to describe my meaning.

(Though I do disagree with you... there are multiple performances that are Emmy contenders. Genre shows were never really represented by the Academy back then... just look at the winners and nominations. Few, if any, were scifi/horror/fantasy.)

 

[Farscape One]

Moving on to the doctors now...


DeForest Kelley - "BREAD AND CIRCUSES". I have always liked McCoy. Though many might think some of his remarks to Spock seemed racist, I never got the vibe that he was racist toward him. Keep in mind McCoy was the one who said Spock was the best XO in the fleet. He had great chemistry with both Nimoy and Shatner throughout the entire run. In this episode, though many don't seem to like it, his chemistry with Nimoy was outstanding. Particularly in the cell after Spock saves him from that fighter. That exchange was brilliant, and Kelley was pure gold here.


Gates McFadden - "The High Ground". This isn't the character's strongest episode, but Gates showed good range here. From her immediate healer mode when the explosion went off to her quiet anger in captivity to her heartfelt plea to Finn. Crusher the character had better episodes, but Gates the actress dud a great job here.


Alexander Siddig - "THE QUICKENING". Personally, Bashir is my favorite doctor in the franchise. This episode was not just a great showcase for why he is my favorite, but also showed Siddig at his finest. From his disgust at simply killing people who have quickened to his cheerful demeanor talking about Kukalaka to his complete despair at seeing all his patients die from the devices to his realization that Ekoria's baby doesn't have the blight. He showed a wide range of emotions here. And his final scene might be his most powerful... he created the vaccine that will save all their children, but he is still dismayed that he can't cure the adults. And you can't help but feel his sadness. This is precisely why Bashir is my favorite.


Robert Picardo - "LIFE LINE". It's hard to argue that Picardo was among the most talented and versatile actors in the cast. He has done so many excellent performances. While this is not my favorite episode for The Doctor, Picardo pulled a stellar performance with his dual act of Zimmerman and The Doctor.


John Billingsley - "THE BREACH". While the episode may not be the character's strongest, I feel his performance truly shines here because there was a lot in his face and voice that was unsaid, yet spoke volumes. His conversations with Hudak and Archer were very potent. Throughout the, Billingsley was clearly having a blast with Phlox. The joy the character experiences at simple things was a nice change from the 'alien on board who finds humans sometimes a chore to be around'. I don't think he gets enough credit for the work he did overall.

 

[Brennyren]

A few random ones:

Garrett Wang - "Timeless." Wang showed surprising range in this episode, playing both his young, hopeful self and an older, embittered, desperate version. Who would have expected a Harry episode to be so engaging? That it is, is largely down to Wang's performance. (And also, I'm guessing, LeVar Burton's direction.)

Roxann Dawson - Gotta be "Faces." She essentially played three different, and entirely distinguishable, characters in this one: B'Elanna, human B'Elanna, Klingon B'Elanna.

Wil Wheaton - "Final Mission." Wesley's earnestness, fear, and love for Picard come through clearly, and the one-time Marty Stu is relatable and engaging in his last go as a regular character.

Denise Crosby - ""Yesterday's Enterprise." Crosby's another one who's in no danger of being mistaken for a great actor, but she turned in some nice work in this episode, playing sweet and tough, vulnerable and heroic.

 

[Turtletrekker]

The Visitor, but I don't know if I'd give the award to the script, Tony Todd or Avery Brooks.