OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Adam Taylor for ("Night"), The Handmaid's Tale

Paul Haslinger for ("The Threshold"), Halt and Catch Fire

Max Richter for ("The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)"), The Leftovers

Gabriel Mann for ("All I'm Sayin'"), Rectify

Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein for ("Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers"), Stranger Things

AND THE WINNER IS:

MAX RICHTER FOR ("THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD (AND HIS IDENTICAL TWIN BROTHER)"), THE LEFTOVERS

This is the second win and third nomination for Max Richter. He wins yet again for his music composition for The Leftovers. He's been nominated for all three seasons of The Leftovers (2015-2016).

Richter's score is so ingrained into the series of The Leftovers that when the music builds to it's climax when in sequence with the usually highly emotional scenes of the series it's the perfect collaboration. Richter's score from day one has always been one of my favourite elements of the series just for how highly dramatic it chooses to go. In the series finale I appreciated the return to some original themes because I love all the instrumental elements that were featured in the score for the show.

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Yves Bélanger for ("Somebody's Dead"), Big Little Lies

Colin Watkinson for ("Offred"), The Handmaid's Tale

John Grillo for ("The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)"), The Leftovers

Mark Schwartzbard for ("The Thief"), Master of None

R. Derek Keener for ("A House Divided"), Rectify

AND THE WINNER IS:

COLIN WATKINSON FOR ("OFFRED"), THE HANDMAID'S TALE

This is the first win and nomination for Colin Watkinson. He wins for his cinematography for The Handmaid's Tale episode "Offred".

There are so many elements that I love about The Handmaid's Tale. One of the standout elements is the esthetic of the show. Watkinson in collaboration with initial director Reed Moreno created a visual esthetic that the show kept the entire series. The choice of shooting inside the habits of the Handmaid's really was a smart choice as we got to see these women emote while experiencing this horrifying narrative situation. The colour choices are also so great especially when the contrasting red Handmaid's outfits are set against the dark and dreary backgrounds. Watkinson really helped to carry on Moreno vision for the series and their work together made the show visually pleasing week to week.

OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLES DESIGN

American Gods

Big Little Lies

Feud: Bette and Joan

Westworld

The Young Pope

AND THE WINNER IS:

FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN (Designed by Ryan Murphy, Alexis Martin Woodall, Nadia Tzuo and Margherita Premuroso)

These are the first wins and nominations for Nadia Tzuo and Margherita Premuroso. Alexis Martin Woodall wins her second award on her sixth nomination. Murphy wins his third on his twelfth nomination. Woodall won for producing Glee (2010) and was previously nominated for producing American Horror Story (2012-2013), The Normal Heart (2014) and American Crime Story (2016). Murphy won for producing Glee (2010) and designing the credits for American Horror Story (2012). He was also nominated for producing American Horror Story (2012-2013), The Normal Heart (2014), American Crime Story (2016), directing Nip/Tuck (2004), Glee (2010), The Normal Heart (2014), writing: Glee (2010) and designing the credits for American Horror Story (2013).

OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLES THEME MUSIC

American Gods

The Crown

Feud: Bette and Joan

Stranger Things

Westworld

AND THE WINNER IS:

STRANGER THINGS (Music by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon)

These are the first wins and nominations for Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon. They win for their main titles theme music for Netflix's Stranger Things.

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Production Design by John Paino; Set Design by Amy Wells for ("Burning Love"), Big Little Lies

Production Design by Martin Childs; Set Design by Celia Bobak for ("Smoke and Mirrors"), The Crown

Production Design by Judy Becker; Set Design Florencia Martin for ("Pilot"), Feud: Bette and Joan

Production Design by Jonathan McKinstry; Set Design by Philip Murphy for ("This World Is Our Hell"), Penny Dreadful

Production Design by Zack Grobler; Set Design by Julie Ochipinti for ("Chestnut"), Westworld

AND THE WINNER IS:

PRODUCTION DESIGN BY JUDY BECKER; SET DESIGN BY FLORENCIA MARTIN FOR ("PILOT"), FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

These are the first wins and nominations for Judy Becker and Florencia Martin. They win for their production/set design for Feud: Bette and Joan.

The detail in completely recreating Joan Crawford's hollywood home is a thing of art. That house down to the finer details is so well lived in by Joan and everyone who visits her home. The entire rest of the series is just as focused on accurate details to the time. The design is so well thought out that I had no choice but to pick this design element as the best production design for the year.

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Susie Coulthard for ("San Junipero"), Black Mirror

Michele Clapton and Timothy Everest for ("Smoke and Mirrors"), The Crown

Lou Eyrich for ("And the Winner is... (The Oscars of 1963)"), Feud: Bette and Joan

Ane Crabtree for ("Jezebels"), The Handmaid's Tale

Gabriella Pescucci for ("This World Is Our Hell"), Penny Dreadful

AND THE WINNER IS:

LOU EYRICH FOR ("AND THE WINNER IS... (THE OSCARS OF 1963)"), FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

This is the first win and fourth nomination for Lou Eyrich. She was previously nominated for Glee (2010) and American Horror Story (2014-2015). She wins for costume design for Feud: Bette and Joan.

It's not surprising that the costumes for Feud were going to amazing. Murphy was likely living his fantasy when creating this series and working with his long time collaborator Lou he was able to respectfully create costumes that were a real send up of the 1960's and beyond. The fifth episode focused on everything Oscars was especially impressive because everything worn on that night are so well known that recreation this strong was especially worthy of praise. Eyrich paid attention to costumes for many characters but the stand out was the recreation of Joan's dress which was made wearable enough that Lange could feel like herself and Joan in one when wearing the dress. Impressive work by Eyrich for the entire season.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Becky Ann Baker as Loreen Doring for ("Latching") in "GIRLS"

Angela Bassett as Catherine for ("Thanksgiving") in "MASTER OF NONE"

Laura Dern as Wendy Hebert for ("Kimmy Can't Help You!") in "UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT"

Trace Lysette as Shea for ("The Open Road") in "TRANSPARENT"

Lorraine Toussaint as Almaviligerais for ("Auntsgiving") in "BLACK-ISH"

Samira Wiley as Justina Jordan for ("Fix Me, Dummy") in "YOU'RE THE WORST"

AND THE WINNER IS:

BECKY ANN BAKER AS LOREEN DORING FOR ("LATCHING") IN GIRLS"

This is the first win and second nomination for Becky Ann Baker. She was previously nominated for Girls (2016).

Becky Ann Baker is like many a character actress who's been working for years on television with little to no recognition past "Oh I've seen her before". Like last season Baker became even more important to the success of the season of Girls. Baker was able to be both funny, sad and incredible geniune on her reactions with her daughter Hannah as portrayed by Lena Dunham. I'm thankful to Dunham for giving Baker the space to shine and for Baker to blow away expectations in my opinion.

OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Fargo ("Law of Vacant Places")

Feud: Bette and Joan ("And the Winner is... (The Oscars of 1963)")

The Leftovers ("The Book of Nora")

Penny Dreadful ("This World Is Our Hell")

Westworld ("The Original")

AND THE WINNER IS:

THE LEFTOVERS ("THE BOOK OF NORA") (Makeup by Angela Conte)

This is the first win and nomination for Angela Conte. She wins for her makeup for the series finale of The Leftovers "The Book of Nora".

From the very first episode of season 3 it was clear that at some moment during the season a lot of prosthetic makeup was going to be needed when we first saw an older Nora Durst. This came to be during the series finale when the entire back half was Nora and Kevin at an older age reunited. Being so familiar with Kevin and Nora's face over the years of this series having them look much older and it not be distracting was an impressive feat. It's really about the creation of Nora and Kevin as their older selves which is why the series wins this makeup award.

OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Big Little Lies ("Somebody's Dead")

Feud: Bette and Joan ("Pilot")

Penny Dreadful ("A Blade of Grass")

Transparent ("Exciting and New")

Westworld ("The Original")

AND THE WINNER IS:

FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN ("PILOT") (Hairstyling by Ralph M. Abalos, Chris Clark, Wendy Southard and Helena Cepeda)

This is the first win and nomination for Ralph M. Abalos and Helena Cepeda. Chris Clark and Wendy Southard each win their second award on their second nominations. They previously won for their work on American Crime Story (2016). These four win for their hairstyling for the Feud: Bette and Joan's pilot.

Having such recognizable actors play even more recognizable actors is always going to be hard to believe. Joan, Bette and basically everyone featured in this series are so well known it's quite impressive by how little I thought of whether the craft was accurate. The hairstyling for all our broads were so well done that and so well integrated to our leading stars that I for once never saw the actor but saw the real life figure as portrayed in the series. Really impressive work that added to the great thinking for the series.

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

David Rubin for Big Little Lies

Nina Gold and Robert Sterne for The Crown

Robert J. Ulrich and Stephanie Goran for Feud: Bette and Joan

Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas for The Handmaid's Tale

Carmen Cuba, Tara Feldstein Bennett and Chase Paris for Stranger Things

AND THE WINNER IS:

RUSSELL SCOTT, SHARON BIALY AND SHERRY THOMAS FOR THE HANDMAID'S TALE

These are the first wins and nominations for Scott, Bialy and Thomas. They win for their casting for season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaid's Tale was the tv surprise of the season. The novel is iconic  at this point and translating it to the small screen after a terribly flawed film adaptation was going to be tricky. I like most consider the adaptation a great success. The characters we are follow during this first season are very cut off from their emotions which is why casting was key. The first choice having tv veteran Elisabeth Moss play our hero Offred (June) was a stroke of genius because she brings the quiet emotional journey as well as her usual rebellious spirit to her role that I consider her casting especially successful. The rest of the cast also add the complexities that surround Offred a she lives through this horrifying world of The Handmaid's Tale. Each choice was strong which is why we look forward to a second season to see these characters again.

18th "An Irish Person" TV Awards ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Welcome yet again to my rundown of what I consider the best in tv. For the 2016-2017 tv season the trend you might notice is new. More than any recent tv season a lot of discussion was about new series and how great it is. I watch and love a lot of tv so my nominees usually cover a variety of different shows. I will be starting to announce nominees and winners in all categories for the next while leading up to the actual emmy awards in the beginning of September. I will start first tomorrow with "Outstanding Casting for a Series, Miniseries or Movie". Feel free to read along for the next while.