Who’s No. 1? ‘Ted Lasso’ or ‘The Bear’?

I’m singing a song or three for Fernando Valenzuela as the Dodgers prepare to retire his number while pondering which of the these 25 things to do before summer ends I want to do before ... summer ends.

Wait ... is summer almost over? Is it just because Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has left town? I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope’s Friday newsletter. Make your hands into a heart and let’s look at what’s happening as the final round of Emmy voting is set to begin.

Emmys comedy races no joke

Final round Emmy voting begins next week, uncorking an array of intriguing questions that probably won’t be answered until ... apparently Jan. 15. That’s the date Fox has circled on the calendar. I’ll believe it when I’m fighting traffic to get to the ceremony. Can’t you envision a double-header with the Oscars in March? Or will the Academy Awards be postponed too?

With the writers’ and actors’ strikes continuing and negotiations moving slowly, the only certainty is that Television Academy voters will be filling out their ballots this month, and they might still be playing football when we learn the results.

Meanwhile, with a comedy class that includes “The Bear,” “Ted Lasso,” “Barry” and “Abbott Elementary” (and ... what’s this ... “Jury Duty”?), there’s a lot to like — and a lot to discuss — about how the comedy races will play out. Which I did in this column, where I go back and forth over whether “Ted Lasso” will win a third consecutive series Emmy or if “The Bear,” propelled by good will and a superb second season, will end its reign.

Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri in “The Bear.”

(Chuck Hodes / Hulu)

‘Does it work out with her and the Dutchman?’

That’s one of the questions Hannah Waddingham has about Rebecca’s future after the “Ted Lasso” season (series?) finale. For me, it’s the only question. I’d like a standalone movie with Rebecca and this charming houseboat owner (deftly played by Matteo van der Grijn). Yes, Rebecca and Dutch Dude were together in the end at Higgins’ BBQ bash, along with his adorable daughter. Do they live together now? If so, do they need a bigger boat? That “Sunflowers” meet-cute episode was the highlight of the season and I want more.

What does Waddingham want now that she’s at least temporarily done with the role of a lifetime? The Envelope’s London contributor Emily Zemler spoke with her before the actors strike and found out that the woman who lives by the motto “onward” is still pondering her next move. And also: There’s a musical holiday special, “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas,” which she recorded live at the London Coliseum. I suppose I’ll have to wait until I’ve crossed a few more of those “things to do before summer ends” items before I get to watch this.

Hannah Waddingham has won an Emmy for her work on “Ted Lasso” and is nominated again.

(Joseph Sinclair)

R.I.P. Robbie Robertson

A couple of days ago, I was talking with an editor about our upcoming fall preview issue, and he mentioned we were doing a story on Robbie Robertson and the music he made for Martin Scorsese’s upcoming drama “Killers of the Flower Moon.” I told him I was jealous. I’d never spoken with Robertson and loved his bluesy score for the Scorsese film, which gives the movie a propulsive energy over the course of its generous 206-minute running time.

Sadly, that interview never happened, as Robertson, the driving force behind the mythic Americana group the Band, died Wednesday at the age of 80. Times contributor Tim Greiving, who had been set to interview Robertson, wrote an appreciation of the celebrated musician, honing in on his many collaborations with Scorsese over the years.

On Robertson’s work on “Flower Moon,” Greiving writes that “the movie was the pitch-perfect canvas for Robertson’s gifts — not just his Native ancestry but also his rootsy songwriting DNA and skills as a musical storyteller.”

I spent most of the evening listening to his music, putting his haunting “Theme for The Irishman” on repeat. It felt right. I might just have to watch the movie again tonight.

Musician Robbie Robertson passed away this week at the age of 80.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)