Tag: Emmys

2023 Emmy nominations: The shows we forgot and remembered

The 2023 Emmy nominations were announced today.

Of course, we’re still in a writer’s strike, and an actor’s strike is looming. Not exactly the best time to announce television show nominees (including writers), but the Emmys honors those who are on strike, not the TV execs they’re fighting.

The presenters had to mention the Emmys are currently planned for September, because who knows if they’ll actually happen.

But for now, let’s discuss some observations from the nominations:

The shows people forgot

“The Crown” has been a big hit with the Emmys in the past, with 21 previous wins and 69 nominations to date. This year, there are only six nominations for the Netflix drama. It still managed to get Elizabeth Debicki a nomination, and the show is up for best drama, but it seems mostly ignored this year (Where’s the Queen?).

While “Only Murders in the Building” was recognized (11 nominations this year), Martin Short is the only actor in the main trio nominated, which seems odd. The show might’ve been hurt by not airing its third season, featuring Meryl Streep, quite yet.

The shows people remembered

“Dead to Me” and “The Diplomat,” both Netflix comedies, received nominations for their lead actresses, Christina Applegate and Keri Russell, respectively. Those are the shows’ lone nominations, but it’s nice to see their talent recognized.

Disney+ seemed to be on it this year, getting nominations for “Andor” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” two Star Wars shows I’ve forgotten about. (I’m curious how much money they spent on promotion; “Hocus Pocus 2” also got a nod.)

Also, I had no idea “Welcome to Chippendales” was going to pop up in the nominations; it received five. Guess I’ll have to watch it now.

The shows people will miss

Long-running shows “Succession,” “Barry,” “Better Call Saul,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” all aired definitive series finales.

“Succession” has 27 nominations this year, the most of any show this year. But three of its nominations are in best actor, four in best supporting actor, two in guest actor, three in guest actress and 3 in directing. Clearly, the show is well-acted, but it halts the overall number of wins. (Plus the debate of where Brian Cox should have campaigned seems moot.)

Can Bob Odenkirk finally win for a role he’s been playing for more than 10 years? We’ll see: He could pull ahead with the actors of “Succession” splitting votes, but the show finished last year, so it’s not fresh in people’s minds.

Overall, there are some great first-time nominees, and HBO didn’t dominate quite as much as I thought it would, though it does have half of the best drama series nominations and all but 8 of the main drama acting categories.

But at this point, I’m more curious about if the Emmys will actually air Sept. 18 or not.

Emmys nominations 2021: By the numbers

The 2021 Emmy nominations were announced July 13, and as always, there are surprises and snubs.

For example, remember Quibi? It has nominations even though the platform no longer exists.

Here are some number-related tidbits for this year’s nominations.

Conan

Conan received a nomination for outstanding variety talk show series, his ninth for the show over its 10-year run. The show had zero nominations in 2020, and it ended earlier this year, so there may be a final hooray win for him.

Broadcast shows

“This Is Us” made a comeback in the outstanding drama series category; it missed last year. It’s never won, and with seven other nominees this year, I doubt it’ll win this year.

Sterling K. Brown has been nominated for his work in the NBC show every year he’s been eligible. He won in 2017, but I doubt he’ll win this year. He’s the only broadcast drama lead actor nominee.

On the comedy side, “black-ish” received an outstanding comedy nomination, its first since 2018. Anthony Anderson has been nominated every year; Tracee Ellis Ross has been nominated every year except for 2019. Neither has won.

First time nominees

More than 40 people are nominated for an Emmy for the first time.

Some interesting first-time nominees? Yvette Nicole Brown, Jason Sudeikis and Kaley Cuoco.

You’ve seen these performers on your TV for years, so I was suprised to learn they are first-time nominees.

Sudeikis is likely to win after winning Critics Choice and Golden Globe awards earlier this year.

Multiple nominations

There are usually a few categories with multiple nominees from the same show, but the supporting categories are filled with this conundrum.

Out of the lead actor in a limited series or movie, two are from “Hamilton.” Out of the lead actress in a drama, two are from “The Crown.”

But those are mild compared to the supporting categories. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Actor in a comedy: 8 nominees, half are from “Ted Lasso,” two are from “SNL”
  • Actor in a drama: 8 nominees, three are from “The Handmaid’s Tale”
  • Actor in a limited or anthology series: 6 nominees, half are from “Hamilton”
  • Actress in a comedy: 7 nominees, two are from “Ted Lasso,” three are from “SNL”
  • Actress in a drama: 8 nominees, four are from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” three are from “The Crown”
  • Actress in a limited or anthology series: 6 nominees, two are from “Hamilton,” two are from “Mare of Eastown”

Normally with overlapping nominees, you risk losing, but that hasn’t been the case the last two or so years, so it’s anyone’s game.

The 73rd Emmys will air Sept. 19 on CBS.

Emmy Awards 2019: How ending shows fared during the boring telecast

Let’s be real, here, last night’s Emmys weren’t good.

The show took a risk with no host a la the 2019 Oscars. And while that worked at the Oscars, it bombed here.

I was so bored during the broadcast that I looked up the venue that my friend’s cover band is performing at this weekend, not that it really mattered, and bridesmaid dresses for my friend while texting her about the show’s lack of excitement.

Yes, there were upsets (hello, hi and hey to Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Yes, there were some funny moments (Bill Hader calling limited series canceled TV shows comes to mind). But overall, the cadence lagged and it wasn’t entertaining.

And seriously, who thought it was OK to make jokes about Roseanne and Bill Cosby? Yes, it was done in the vein of “Family Guy,” which isn’t PC per se, but still, too soon.

But since we said goodbye (assuming no reboots, which, let be real, is totally possible given our TV culture these days) to a few shows, let’s see how they fared.

GAMES OF THRONES

Number of nominations: 32
Number of wins: 12

As I predicted, the HBO drama won many creative Emmys, with only two during the telecast.

But it did win Best Drama, which I, again, stand by the idea that it’s more about the show as a whole, not the last season.

FLEABAG

Number of nominations: 11
Number of wins: 6

More than 50 percent of this Amazon show’s nominations pulled through for a win, which no one saw coming but many seemed happy for.

Waller-Bridge is still saying there will not be another season, but we’ll see with all the buzz since last night’s upsets.

VEEP

Number of nominations: 9
Number of wins: 0

This was the upset of the night. Everyone expected Julia Louis-Dreyfus to win since she has comedy prowess and personal triumph.

But “Fleabag” took the two seemingly guaranteed awards for “Veep.” It’s a bit sad for Louis-Dreyfus, but she has won other times (this is the first time she’s lost in this role).

SCHITT’S CREEK

Number of nominations: 4
Number of wins: 0

For this show, it was simply an honor to be nominated.

HOUSE OF CARDS

Number of nominations: 3
Number of wins: 0

As I mentioned before, most people forgot about this show.

And with all the scandal, it’s no surprise voters stayed away from the Netflix drama.

What did you think of the 2019 Emmys?

It’s the last hurrah for some at the 2019 Emmys

The Emmy nominations are here, and it’s time to say goodbye (officially) to so many shows.

Now the question is: Will the awards love continue with wins?

In a word: doubtful.

Let’s look at some of these shows and see what their chances could be.

Games of Thrones

Number of nominations: 32

The fantasy saga has concluded, while the books’ future is TBD.

But this final season was uneven at best, with critics and fans less than happy with the outcome. If it wins for Best Drama, it will be based on the series as a whole, not these last 6 episodes.

For its more technical award nominations, it’s more likely the show will win, especially considering how tough it was to shoot the long episodes.

The Emmys were nice and nominated many of the cast members. Unfortunately, the cast is too big for the number of acting categories.

With the supporting categories half-filled with GoT actors, it’ll split the vote and leave them all empty-handed. Congrats on the pity nominations.

Fleabag

Number of nominations: 11

This little hit snuck its way in, much to critics’ happiness.

With only two short seasons, it’s a quick watch, but the characters reel you in. (There are currently no plans for a third season.).

I don’t know if it has enough traction or presence to win best comedy, but an actress win for Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be the Emmys version of Olivia Coleman winning at the Oscars.

Veep

Number of nominations: 9

This is the rally cry comedy needs.

Veep wasn’t in Emmy contention last year since it was off the air while Julie Louis-Dreyfus took care of her health after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

But it came back strong for its final episodes, even if it didn’t get the buzz GoT did. (It also didn’t get the criticism GoT did, so there’s that.)

The lead actress category is a tough one, but with this well-recieved, multiple-Emmy-winning comedy ending, voters could be inclined to reward it one last time, especially for the beloved actress who conquered cancer.

Schitt’s Creek

Number of nominations: 4

It’s the little engine that could. Or this show is finally paddling with the creek’s current and with a paddle.

While this isn’t a Netflix show, Netflix certainly helped this Canadian comedy get some traction.

And now that the creator Dan Levy has announced the show will end with season six, it seemed to time to finally honor the quirky cult show.

Will it win? Probably not, but like they say, it’s an honor to be nominated.

House of Cards

Number of nominations: 3

Did anyone remember this show aired?

Crowded in controversy after Kevin Spacey’s dismissal, the show’s final season quietly premiered on Netflix.

And then no one cared. 

Robin Wright could sneek in a win just for making it through the last season with grace, but that seems unlikely.

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 22 on Fox.

Emmys 2018: 3 ways to improve the award show

If the most talked about thing that happened during the Emmys is a surprise on-camera proposal, you’ve done something wrong.

The 2018 Emmys aired Monday night, and no one seemed too interested.

Here are three ways the award show could improve:

stop airing on Monday nights

I’m sorry, but when has it become the norm to air a 3-hour award show on a Monday?

I used to work weird hours, and I watch The Bachelor (for the workout, only, I swear) so I understand that some people can watch a Monday night show without issues.

But many people work normal hours, so they don’t have time to devote to an award show on a Monday vs. a Sunday.

Plus sitting through a 3-hour show that’s not that interesting gets so old, so fast, especially on a weekday.

find good hosts

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are the gold standard. Period. Who’s missing their hosting?

Michael Che and Colin Jost (the current Weekend Update hosts on “SNL”) were fine, but not memorable. No one is raving about their performance.

Hosting can make or break an award show. They typically aren’t around much, but they start and finish the show, so they need to keep viewer’s attention in an entertaining, unique way.

Or hey, do what the Grammys did for a while and don’t bother with a host. The attendees are wired to perform, so producers can figure something out.

No one needs an annoying reminder of a bad host.

Change the voting process

It makes perfect sense that the Emmy nominations are picked by people in the respective peer category (acting, directing, etc.). In your peer category, you can best understand the nuances within that division.

And it also makes perfect sense that nominees submit best work to be watched, and you have to confirm you’ve watched the content to submit a vote.

But if you’re voting for a winner, you can vote in any category, so how easy would it be for the same voter to pick the same show?

It seems too easy, given that the same few shows swept multiple categories Monday night.

If you have to nominate within your peer category, why shouldn’t you vote for winners in only your peer category?

Also, as I’ve suggested before, it may be time to divide awards by cable/streaming and broadcast. Too many restrictions restrict broadcast TV, and it’s causing a discrepancy.

Emmys 2017: 3 disappointments from the TV awards show

The 2017 Emmys have one leg up on the 2017 Oscars: There was no mixup.

But is it just me, or are these starting to get boring?

Maybe there are just too many shows to keep up with nowadays, but I felt much less invested in the winners this year.

Here are my 3 biggest gripes from the show:

Have award shows gotten too political lately?

It’s not news to say we live in a tumultuous political climate. Tensions have been running high for about two years, and it’s not ending anytime soon.

The Emmys, like other award shows this year, took time to make sly (or not-so-sly) jabs at the current political environment. Some were funny, some were poignant…but overall, I’m done.

Award shows are supposed to be a time of celebration. Is it really necessary to bring down the great spirits with divisive talking points?

It’s not that we need to be politically correct all the time, but I don’t believe award shows are the place for that commentary.

If it’s part of someone’s acceptance speech, fine. You can’t control that. But for a bit, let’s leave out the scripted bits.

Stop dividing awards into unique categories

While I appreciate that this year the show wasn’t one hour of comedy, one hour of limited series and one hour of drama, this format wasn’t much better.

They announced by award types by category (lead actress/actor in 3 categories, director/show in all categories, etc.). It felt so stale.

Mix it up. I hate how shows leave the top awards for the end of night just to keep up ratings. But it’s overdone and makes the show seem routine.

Where was Stephen Colbert?

Colbert hosted this year, right?

Admittedly I wasn’t paying attention the whole time, but I felt like I saw Jermaine Fowler from CBS’ “Superior Donuts” more.

Fowler was the show’s “announcer,” giving anecdotes and fun facts throughout the 3-hour show. But he doesn’t have the clout that Colbert does, so it was confusing to see him show much.

I’m not the biggest fan of Colbert, but I hope Fowler got paid as much. Doubtful.

I hope next year’s show is better.

Golden Globes 2015: Some surprises in TV nominations

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Jan. 6, 2015. The 2017 Golden Globes air Sunday, Jan. 8, on NBC.

If you’ve heard any buzz about a TV show, there’s a good chance it was nominated for a Golden Globe.

The Golden Globe nominations were announced Dec. 11, and most of the obvious choices were present.

The Emmy winners weren’t much of a shock, and with this list of nominees, it’s doubtful the Golden Globes, hosted for a third time by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, will be much different.

That said, there are some surprises, such as:

CW IS ON THE LIST … BECAUSE OF ‘JANE THE VIRGIN’

Blah, blah, blah, Gina Rodriguez is a star. I’m so sick of hearing that — it’s such a broken record.

Yes, she’s talented. But I still don’t get why the show is so beloved. The premise for “Jane the Virgin” is absurd, reading more like a soap opera/crime procedural than the next “Ugly Betty.”

“The Flash” is a much better show and its effects are worth an award.

Also of note is the fact that it’s the first time the CW has been in the nominations.

‘THE BIG BANG THEORY,’ ‘MODERN FAMILY’ OUT

Nominated year after year, these two sitcoms are out of the running, as a show and for the actors.

“Modern Family” won a record-tying fifth Emmy in 2014. All of the adult leads have been nominated for an Emmy, and Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara have Golden Globe nominations. Jim Parsons won a Golden Globe for playing Sheldon Cooper on “The Big Bang Theory” in 2011 and has won four Emmys for the role.

I’m not saying they have to be nominated, or that they deserve to be, but it’s a surprise not to see them on the list.

TATIANA MASLANY CAN’T CATCH A BREAK

I don’t know what it will take for Tatiana Maslany to get any award nominations, but she plays how many characters on “Orphan Black”?

With all those personalities, she should be honored.

The Golden Globes air Sunday, Jan. 11, on NBC. My early predictions? Look for “Transparent,” “The Affair” and “Fargo” to be big winners.

New Year 2016: My 3 TV wishes for 2016

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Dec. 27, 2015.

It’s almost 2016, and there’s still myriad TV shows to watch.

Last year I made a list of TV wishes, and some of them came true. So here’s hoping some of these wishes will come true!

NO MORE SPINOFFS

“Chicago Med.” “Chicago P.D.” “Chicago Fire.”

“Real Housewives of Atlanta.” “New Jersey.” “Potomac.”

“The Bachelor.” “Bachelor Pad.” “Bachelor in Paradise.”

Seriously? I’m over it.

Just because one show is good doesn’t mean a spinoff will be. Sure, it makes sense because, in theory, there’s a built-in audience. But it also saturates the channels with shows some people don’t want to bother watching.

Where’s the variety? I want it back!

DON’T TAKE SHOWS OFFLINE TILL AFTER MIDSEASON BREAK

I’m a TV blogger. I love TV. But do I have time to keep up with every show? No. I’m sorry, but there aren’t enough hours in the day. Plus, you know, there are other parts of life.

That’s not to say I don’t want to eventually watch episodes of current seasons. But I messed up this year.

I didn’t make time to watch “Scorpion” or “The Flash” when their second seasons premiered. By the time I could, the premiere episodes weren’t online for free anymore. These are not shows that you can start in the middle of the season.

So I’m out of luck. And I don’t even mind watching ads!

Especially in today’s binge-watching culture, current shows should keep their full slate of episodes in the current season until after the midseason break. That way, viewers who fell behind can catch up.

LET EVERYONE SEE AWARD-NOMINATED EPISODES BEFORE THE AWARD SHOWS

Even I have been that person who hasn’t seen what has been considered a popular, acclaimed show. (I’ve never seen a single episode of AMC’s “Mad Men.”)

Many shows contend for the Emmys and the Golden Globes. And while some years a few shows dominate the nominations, there are still many shows and respective episodes in the races.

Unless you have all access to all networks and shows, you can’t see the shows after nominations. So, why can’t viewers have the chance to do so?

These award show sites should allow viewing of nominated episodes (shows and actors submit episodes for consideration) so people who watch the shows have a better idea of the competition.

What do you think will make TV better in 2016?

Emmys 2015: 3 takeaways from this year’s TV awards show

In preparation for Sunday’s 2016 Emmys, here is a blog about the 2015 Emmys, originally published on elkharttruth.com on Sept. 21, 2015.

If only I could hide in a cave and watch all these good TV shows.

The Emmys were last night, so in case you didn’t watch, here’s my take on the awards show.

WERE THERE ONLY THREE SHOWS ON TV THIS YEAR?

This year, the show was in three parts: one hour for comedy, one hour for reality/variety/etc. and one hour for drama.

I thought it was odd to be so focused on one category instead of mixing it up. It also made it seem like only three shows won Emmys: “Veep,” “Olive Kitteridge” and “Game of Thrones.”

In reality, this wasn’t the case. But let’s put it this way:

It’s not that these shows are bad. It’s just many other shows deserve praise, too. I haven’t watched everything, but I think the voters could’ve shared the love.

PEOPLE SEEMED GENUINELY HAPPY TO WIN

If you haven’t heard, history was made during this year’s Emmys.

But some, including Davis, made passionate speeches, and it was endearing to watch.

Uzo Aduba, who won for “Orange is the New Black,” cried during her speech, and she was thankful, especially for her sister.

HOST ANDY SAMBERG HAD FUNNY MOMENTS, BUT HOW ABOUT A DUO FOR 2016?

Samberg wasn’t the funniest host, in my opinion. The show overall had lower ratings. He could’ve brought Justin Timberlake, but Samberg said very early on in his monologue that the singer wouldn’t appear.

But hey, I’ll take an HBO Go password, which reportedly worked for a bit.

My favorite joke was when he said, “The red carpet: significantly less glamorous after you leave it.”

Some duos that presented during this year’s awards show would be excellent candidates for the 2016 host spot.

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey proved comedic gold at the Golden Globes, so it’s time for the Emmys to try it (hint hint, Poehler and Amy Schumer!)

What did you think of the 2015 Emmys? 

2015 Emmys: Surprises, more from Emmy nominations

In preparation for Sunday’s 2016 Emmys, here is a blog about the 2015 Emmys, originally published on elkharttruth.com on July 16, 2015.

Is it September yet?

Cat Deeley (“So You Think You Can Dance”) and Uzo Aduba (“Orange is the New Black”) announced the 2015 Emmy nominations Thursday, July 16, and as usual, it’ll be an interesting race.

While numerous expected nominations filled out the list, there were some surprises, as there are every year.

SURPRISES

It’s not a miniseries anymore, it’s a limited series. Not sure why the name change happened, but my best guess is it has to do with the plethora of shows that run for only a few episodes.

Jeff Daniels received a nomination for “The Newsroom.” It’s not that the HBO show isn’t good, but it was short-lived, and other actors such as Terrence Howard of “Empire” or James Spader of NBC’s “The Blacklist” could’ve been in Daniels’ spot.

Tatiana Maslany finally got an Emmy nomination. “Orphan Black” has been on the air for three seasons, and considering she plays multiple characters, it’s about time she got nominated.

SNUBS

“Empire” was practically shut out. Taraji P. Henson was nominated, but considering the show’s popularity and crazy amount of guest stars, it’s strange not see the drama more represented.

Also surprised “black-ish” didn’t receive more nominations. I didn’t enjoy the ABC show but many others did. I thought Tracee Ellis Ross would’ve gotten an actress nomination.

“Jane the Virgin” is out. An Emmy nod would have been huge for the CW, and many adore Gina Rodriguez. She did win the Golden Globe but failed to receive an Emmy nomination.

EARLY PREDICTIONS

“Mad Men” will finally win an acting Emmy. It’s the show’s swan song, and it’s not like the AMC drama isn’t deserving.

“Modern Family” will finally fall. The ABC show has won a record-tying five consecutive Emmys, but it’s far time for another show to win.

David Letterman will be recognized in some capacity. His show is nominated, and again, it’s a swan song, which seems to go over well with voters, but maybe he’ll even get a tribute during the show.

Andy Samberg (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) will host the 67th Emmy Awards at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, on Fox.