The Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Wimey Watchlist: The 2010 BAFTA Television Awards
Doesn’t matter how much of an Anglophile you consider yourself to be; you, like myself, are still likely bewildered by many of the names and titles on this year’s list of BAFTA TV nominations. (Perhaps they and BBC America have slightly different standards?) And like me, you likely can’t take an interest in any sort of awards ceremony where you can’t place at least two of the names in each category.
Here, then, class, is your BAFTA TV Awards primer — or, at least, the major categories. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.
Best Actor
- Kenneth Branagh: Cripes, if you don’t know who this is by now, there’s not much I can do for you. He’s nominated for the title role in the crime series “Wallander,” based on the novels of Swedish writer Henning Mankell.
- Brendan Gleeson: You’ll know him as Mad-Eye Moody from the Harry Potter films. He’s up for an award for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the WWII biopic “Into the Storm,” which also garnered three Golden Globe nominations.
- John Hurt: One of British acting’s old boys, with a CV as long as your arm. He’s been nominated for his portrayal of controversial writer Quentin Crisp in “An Englishman in New York.”
- David Oyelowo: Danny Hunter of “Spooks,” also known for being the first black actor to portray a British monarch in an RSC production. He’s up for a nod for his role in the historical drama “Small Island.”
Best Actress
- Helena Bonham Carter: Tim Burton’s lady — you’ve seen her in Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, and pretty much everywhere. Her nomination is for the title role in the Edwardian drama “Enid.”
- Sophie Okonedo: You’ll have seen her most recently as Liz 10 in Doctor Who: “The Beast Below.” She’s been nominated for her title role in “Mrs. Mandela.”
- Julie Walters: Best known nowadays as Molly Weasley, she’s doubling down on nominations — both for the based-on-a-true-story “A Short Stay in Switzerland” and the title role in the biopic “Mo.”
Best Supporting Actor
- Benedict Cumberbatch: If you don’t know him yet, you will; he’s about to take the title role in Steven Moffat’s “Sherlock.” He, too, is up for an award for his work in “Small Island.”
- Tom Hollander: He was Cutler Beckett in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Here, he’s been nominated for his portrayal of Monty Banks in “Gracie!”
- Gary Lewis: Hrothgar in Eragon and the father in Billy Elliot. He, too, has been nominated for “Mo.”
- Matthew Macfadyen: Another “Spooks” alum who also appeared in the newest Robin Hood film as the Sheriff of Nottingham. He’s up for an award for his role in the crime drama “Criminal Justice.”
Best Supporting Actress
- Rebecca Hall: Most recently in Frost/Nixon, she’s up for her role in the crime drama “Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974.”
- Sophie Okonedo: Doubling down as well, this time in different categories. Her nod here is for her supporting role in “Criminal Justice.”
- Lauren Socha: A relatively new name, here nominated for her role in “The Unloved,” a look at the U.K.’s care system for orphans.
- Imelda Staunton: A “Little Britain” regular known most recently for her role as Dolores Umbridge. Her nomination is for her role in the 18th-century drama “Cranford.”
Entertainment Performance
- Stephen Fry: Again, if you don’t know this guy, there’s not much I can do for you. He’s nominated here as the quizmaster for the popular panel show “QI.”
- Harry Hill: Writer, comedian, and TV presenter, up for an award for “TV Burp,” which spoofs television clips from the week before.
- Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly: Otherwise known as Ant & Dec, now the presenters of “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!” Which I’m sure needs no explanation.
- Michael McIntyre: Nominated for “Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow,” which does exactly what it says on the tin.
Female Performance in a Comedy Role
- Jo Brand: The laid-back lady comedian seen regularly on “QI,” nominated for her role as Nurse Kim Wilde in the comedy series “Getting On.”
- Rebecca Front: A regular on “The Catherine Tate Show,” here nominated for her role in the political comedy series “The Thick of It.”
- Miranda Hart: Comedienne with her own self-titled show, “Miranda” … which is what she earned her nomination for.
- Joanna Scanlan: You’ll have seen her as the witch Mormo in Stardust. She, too, is up for an award for her role in “Getting On.”
Male Performance in a Comedy Role
- Simon Bird: Best known currently for his role in the source of his nomination, “The Inbetweeners.”
- Peter Capaldi: Most recently seen as John Frobisher in the Torchwood serial “Children of Earth,” he’s also picked up a nomination for “The Thick of It.”
- Hugh Dennis: Piers in the sci-fi comedy series “My Hero,” here up for an award for his role in the “Outnumbered” Christmas special.
- David Mitchell: One of the two comedians behind “That Mitchell and Webb Look,” nominated for his role in the properly weird sitcom “Peep Show.”
For the rest of the nominees — and there are plenty — check out the official BAFTA website.
The 2010 BAFTA Television Awards ceremony airs this Sunday at 9 PM on BBC1, hosted by Graham Norton. Maybe the Doctor will pop onscreen and interrupt him.
Posted on June 2, 2010 at 00:26 by Kara Dennison · Permalink
In: Columns, Television: British and Canadian · Tagged with: awards, bafta, comedy, drama, starring everyone, television, tv movies
In: Columns, Television: British and Canadian · Tagged with: awards, bafta, comedy, drama, starring everyone, television, tv movies