‘Bodyguard’ and ‘Atlanta’: TV Surprises and Snubs of the 2019 Golden Globes

The TV portion of the Golden Globes is equally stupid and special, sometimes nominating people who are very famous but not necessarily doing anything wonderful, and other times giving small or out-there shows a moment in the spotlight, something the Emmys can’t or won’t do as often.

As with all grab bags, the unpredictability is part of the game — which makes the good parts more fun to treasure and the lousy parts easier to dismiss. Here are some of the big hits and misses from this year’s nominations.

DRAMA SURPRISES AND SNUBS

“Bodyguard” is definitely the surprise nominee here, up against the big guns of “The Americans,” the star wattage of “Homecoming” and the universal acclaim of “Killing Eve” and “Pose.” Left out is last year’s winner, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which had a less-good second season but still plenty of buzz. “This Is Us” was also nominated the past two years but not this year. I didn’t expect “The Good Fight” to notch a nomination, so I don’t know if it’s a snub per se, but “The Good Fight” is an excellent drama that almost no one watches.

Well, sort of: “Westworld” is not actually that good, but it’s a scale-and-spectacle show, and one with a lot of terrific performances. Thandie Newton earned the show’s only nomination this year.

COMEDY SNUBS AND SURPRISES

No “Atlanta,” no “GLOW,” no “One Day at a Time,” no “Jane the Virgin,” no “BoJack Horseman,” no “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” — there’s a long, long list of comedies that should have been nominated ahead of, oh, “The Kominsky Method.”

On the bright side, just when fans of “The Good Place” thought the show was destined to be unjustly ignored forever, there it is: a nomination for best comedy, and a nod for Kristen Bell, too.

Not only was “Atlanta” snubbed in the comedy category — which it won last year — but somehow Donald Glover was the show’s sole nomination. Nothing for Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield or Zazie Beetz, which stinks.

Leave it to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to also wonder “Who Is America,” I guess?

Usually the Globes love a high-profile, high-star-power miniseries, and “Maniac,” starring Emma Stone, Jonah Hill and Justin Theroux, seemed like just the ticket. It’s also pretty good and visually mesmerizing, and it has that awards-show magnetism of seeming a lot better than it truly is. Oh, well! It’s your lucky day, “The Alienist.”

LEADING ACTOR IN A DRAMA: SURPRISE

Stephan James, Richard Madden and Billy Porter are all big surprises — and in a category that has a lot of interesting competition. “This Is Us” was shut out completely, so no Sterling K. Brown (last year’s winner) or Milo Ventimiglia (who was nominated for an Emmy in this category) — not snubs exactly, since “Us” has been wobbly this year. No “Westworld” nominees, either. In fact, Jason Bateman is the only carryover in this category from last year.