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There's a Kind of Hush

© Ellen Ross

Let's face it - genre shows are always getting a raw deal.

SF (science fiction and fantasy) shows seldom receive recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. If SF shows are nominated for an Emmy in any category, it is generally makeup or special effects. Teen-oriented shows are likewise pigeonholed as frivolous fare not worthy of serious Emmy consideration.

For the past few years, the superlative work of Joss Whedon and his creative team on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and now, Angel as well) has been ignored at the Emmys, due to the double curse of being identified as both a genre and a teen show.

This has remained true despite the growing acclaim of critics who have recognized that BtVS and Angel constitute a body of work which ranks among the very best on television.

Joss Whedon's daring and innovative experiment on BtVS this past year in the episode "Hush," in which approximately half of the episode contained no dialogue whatsoever, has finally earned some faint glint of recognition from the Academy, with a nomination for Outstanding Writing.

However, the actors whose performances made "Hush" work on the screen as well as on paper, and Joss Whedon's other role as director of the episode, were once again ignored.

Still, this nomination may be the ice-breaker that BtVS and Angel have needed. Perhaps in future years, the high quality of both shows will receive more recognition.

After all, while the makeup in the Angel episode "The Ring" was ... interesting, it was hardly the high point of Angel's first season.

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