The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation generated seven Primetime Emmy nominations and won three at the 40th annual ceremony August 28, 1988. The Creative Arts awards ceremony was held the previous evening.
Television during the 1987-1988 season had some pretty great series, and a couple of pretty lame ones as well. I highlighted the wins from my favorites. I liked Cheers, but never connected with it.
Star Trek: The Next Generation faced intense scrutiny won during its first season, since the original series from the 60's had been elevated to cut status, with four blockbuster movies. Yet, the newest installment in the Star Trek franchise stepped up to the challenge. It won Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for the episode Conspiracy. This was well-deserved achievement if you have seen the episode. It also won Outstanding Costume Design for The Big Goodbye, in which the officers of the USS Enterprise become trapped in the holo-suite running a 1940s noir program. The episode 11001001 won for Outstanding Sound Editing.
The series was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling, Outstanding Achievement in Makeup, Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.
The Golden Girls was nominated for eleven Primetime Emmys and won three. Bea Arthur won Outstanding Lead Actress and Estelle Getty won Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. The Golden Girls won Outstanding Technical Direction/Electronic Camerawork/Video Control of the episode Old Friends.
Rue McClanahan and Betty White were nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress. Herb Edelman and Geraldine Fitzgerald were nominated for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. The Golden Girls was nominated for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Editing for a Series-Multi-Camera Production, and Outstanding Sound Mixing.
The series was nominated for Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series but lost to The Charmings. Seriously?
The Vietnam War series China Beach won Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for a Series for the pilot episode. It received three more nominations: Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series, Outstanding Editing for a Series-Single Camera Production, and Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series.
Designing Women won Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for the episode I'll Be Seeing You. The show was nominated for Outstanding Editing for a Series-Multi-Camera Production and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.
I watched the TV movie The Secret Garden, which won for Outstanding Children's Program. Well-deserved.
Angela Lansbury was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series her work on Murder, She Wrote, but lost to Sharon Gless for Cagney and Lacey. Oh, well. The show was nominated for Outstanding Costume Design for a Series.
Newhart was nominated for Outstanding Editing for a Series-Multi-Camera Production. Peter Scolari and Julia Duffy were nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress.
