Charlie Hunnam, left, holds forth with Ron Perlman at the Sons of Anarchy panel.
The Television Critics Association press tour usually has the assembled journalists peppering network executives with difficult, sometimes even hostile questions. But then there are networks like FX, which airs a roster of critical darlings. President John Landgraf took the stage yesterday and was greeted with questions about how much the network was going to add to its acclaimed roster, and why it got so ripped off at the Emmys: in the words of NPR critic Linda Holmes, essentially variations on “How’d you get so awesome?” So how did they? And what are their awesome plans? Read on:
* Landgraf told critics that the network will be expanding its comedy offerings, and is picking up freshman comedy Louie for a second season. As for the drama side, why not more Emmy love for the network’s shows? Maybe it’s their hair. Said Landgraf, “I think we do have a tendency as a brand. Damages [now departed for DirecTV] is an exception to this. It features well-coiffed women and men in Manhattan. We have tendency to want to do the literature of the common woman and the common man.” Somebody get Denis Leary a mani-pedi!
* Well, maybe a public charm offensive might help. Asked about Sons of Anarchy‘s being slighted in the Emmy nominations, star Charlie Hunnam replied, “I personally don’t subscribe to Emmys or awards or any of that shit. I think it’s all a crock of shit.” He concluded: “Fuck ’em.” And the Emmy for Most Convincing Performance As Someone Who Didn’t Want Your Dumb Emmy Anyway goes to…
* What’s the secret to the chemistry between Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James, of FX’s buddy-PI series Terriers? Burritos. As it is with so many things in life.
* Oh, and on the comedy front? Two years ago, I wrote on this blog that TV needed a good sci-fi comedy. Yesterday FX announced that it’s picked up U.S.S. Alabama, a sci-fi comedy set on a ship in deep space, from the makers of Reno 911! You see why critics are so nice to FX? They get us.