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.