Emmy-nominated shows that got beat, but still deserve your time

Now that all the Emmy hullabaloo has died down, it’s time to turn an eye on those creations that aren’t “Olive Kitteridge” or “Game of Thrones.” And even though it’s an honor just to be nominated and all that, let’s be real -- sometimes things go overlooked. So here’s our list of standout nominees who didn’t win but still are big winners in our book.

'Key & Peele'

"Key & Peele," created by and starring comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, is a comedy sketch series that has tackled everything from "Les Miserables" to Neil deGrasse Tyson. The Television Academy nominated their work for a whole host of Emmys including nods for best variety sketch series, supporting actor, writing, and editing. But just because they didn't beat "Inside Amy Schumer" (another great sketch-centric series) doesn't mean we should forget the quality contributions this show put out. There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that in the future hall of comedy greatness, sketches like "Aerobics Meltdown" will have a place of honor. 

'Silicon Valley'

HBO had a killer night at the Emmys, but the total gem of a series that didn't get a ton of play  was "Silicon Valley." The half-hour series takes place inside the new tech world of engineers and entrepreneurs. The show itself is cobbled together by some of the greatest comedians working right now including co-creator Mike Judge ("King of the Hill," "Beavis and Butthead"), Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjiani, T.J. Miller and Martin Starr. Each episode is a tightly packed construction of humor and insidery tech jokes, but mostly folks tune in to watch Starr and Nanjiani spar with each other. And they do so very, very well. "Let Blaine Die" could be one of the more horrifyingly delightful jokes of 2015.

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'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'

Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's Netflix series, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" wasn't just a viral sensation first getting points for its highly addictive opening theme song and later finding fame in actor Tituss Burgess (whose "Pinot Noir" singing and rapid delivery landed him an Emmy nom). The series focused on a woman (Ellie Kemper) who is rescued from an underground doomsday cult and takes up residence in New York City. It's a great series for those folks who missed the fast release, multi-joke humor that "30 Rock" was famous for, plus Kemper is a delight. As is actress Jane Krakowski, who was also nominated for an Emmy. This is high-quality binge material right here. 

'The Last Man on Earth'

In what started out as a one-man series, "Saturday Night Live" alum Will Forte was double nominated for writing in a comedy series and acting in a comedy series for his work in "The Last Man on Earth," a dark comedy from Fox that cracks open the gross reality of isolation and humanity. The odd series goes from light humor to crushingly dark jokes when you realize that the main character you've been watching for many episodes may be the absolute worst. And yet, you keep cheering him on. It's a mix of the writing and the impossible-to-hate antics of Forte that really win the audience over on this. It's a weird series, but totally worth it. 

'Orphan Black'

Internet favorite actress Tatiana Maslany got some much deserved recognition for playing the ever growing list of cloned characters in "Orphan Black." This show is worth watching just for Maslany, and the whole series absolutely woudn't work without her -- again this actress somehow convincingly plays over six different characters in the same series. And "Orphan Black" maintains a compelling angle past the whole "what will Maslany do next?" intrigue because of the writing, the rest of the characters, and of course Maslany's ability to trick us all into thinking she's six people. 

'Better Call Saul'

Origin story to popular meth-drama "Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul" is actor Bob Odenkirk's time to shine. The drama was loaded with nominations for Odenkirk and best drama series. You don't have to be a fan of "Breaking Bad" to watch this series, although it would certainly add to your appreciation of the series, but it stands alone as great Odenkirking and storytelling. 

Twitter: @MdellW