I Finally React To This Year's Emmy Nominations, Part 1: Drama

 

First, let’s deal with the facts on the ground. No, I don’t think the fact that the Screen Actors Guild strike is going to keep Hollywood at a standstill; if anything, I’m inclined to think the bosses are now going to be more inclined to get a solution.

To be clear, Hollywood is all about self-promotion.  The PR machine might have been able to maintain a hardline against the WGA even though they basically create their product. Now that the actors are on strike, their position got worse.  It’s a lot harder to promote your product when the public faces of it refuse to stand and smile for the camera, when your red carpets are empty, when you schedules have no one to speak for them. The bosses are now fighting against their two most critical fronts and it just makes them look worse saying they don’t need both of them. I predicted earlier this year that the strike would be over by late August; I now given them until the end of that month at the latest before they come to their senses. Those of you who read the post on the last writer’s strike will know why I think that they’ll get there.

Now, on to business.

This year I was less surprised with the Emmy nominations in almost every category than I usually am. I’m actually willing to give the Academy more credit than usual in some of the acting categories as well as a certain respect for acknowledging that they didn’t make the same mistakes. They basically ignored The Handmaid’s Tale and The Mandalorian; they nominated House of the Dragon for Best Drama but gave it almost no other major nods and many of their acting nods, particularly in Best Actress in a Drama showed improvement.  I had a similar level of satisfaction with the comedies.

But I will not take them off the hook because yet again they showed their tendencies to go into excess for so few shows in so many categories. I am particularly aggravated by the domination of the Supporting awards by Succession and The White Lotus at the expense of, well, basically every other drama. I’m not happy at all they’ve decided to stay with five acting nominees in comedy even though I have no problem with all the nominees.  And many of their choices in Limited Series – and particularly their exclusions – really lead me to wonder what they are seeing in some of these series that I am not.  I grant you they did a better job in the acting nominations in these categories, but for the second straight year I question their judgment.

In any case, I will go about my reactions to the nominations. I will start with Drama this year.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

I am not truly surprised by any of the nominees in this category – indeed, I predicted five of them. Few would question that Succession, The White Lotus, Better Call Saul, The Crown and Yellowjackets deserve to be here. I now agree sincerely that Andor deserves it as well and I can’t argue with The Last of Us or House of the Dragon being here either. Where I draw the line is how the acting nominations broke down, and even here I’ll go to specifics. Am I disappointed Will Trent and The Old Man aren’t here? Yes, but even I would admit they were longshots.

 

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Again I predicted five of these nominees. Bob Odenkirk, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Jeff Bridges and Pedro Pascal all deserve to be here.

Brian Cox, however, is really pushing the term. I know he was heavily favored going into this but it does not change the fact he was only in four episodes of the seasons and was really only a presence in two. The decision to nominate Cox in this category is a questionable one – I am reminded of Jimmy Smits’ nomination for Best Actor in his last year of NYPD Blue, and even in that case, you could make the argument based on how he died. We did not get that with Logan Roy.

Considering how many superior choices there were – Diego Luna and Matthew Rhys are the most obvious ones – this is Succession overkill.

 

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

I can’t argue with Sarah Snook, Bella Ramsey or Melanie Lynskey. Elisabeth Moss was inevitable though no one was happy about it.  As to the last two choices… I have to admit I’m impressed.

I’m not thrilled, to be sure, that Juliette Lewis and Imelda Staunton were ignored, but the Emmys clearly did the work when they were willing to nominate Keri Russell for The Diplomat and Sharon Horgan for Bad Sisters. It would have been easy – too easy – to just nominate Emm D’Arcy for House of The Dragon, but they chose not too and nominated two performers that will likely be around in years to come. I’m irked about the absence of Lewis and definitely Hilary Swank, but this is better work than most of the rest. By which I mean….

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Okay, this is excessive. Did they have to make all the nominees either from Succession and The White Lotus? I’ll grant you Matthew MacFayden and Nicholas Braun, and I’m happy to see Alan Ruck. I was expecting to see F. Murray Abraham. The rest…well, this is a variation on everything that happened with the first season of The White Lotus in Limited Series last year and The Handmaid’s Tale and Hamilton the year before?  The entire supporting cast?

I’m not saying this out of pique that Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito weren’t nominated for Better Call Saul; in my heart of hearts I knew both were long shots. But nothing for John Lithgow? Nothing for Jonathan Pryce? You nominated Alexander Skarsgard but not his father for Andor? Were Theo James and Will Sharpe really better than all of the nominees I just listed?  This is HBO overkill and not even the kind that makes sense: Matt Smith would have been a better choice. At least some of them will get a chance next time.

 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS

This is slightly better. Rhea Seehorn is here, which is fine. Elizabeth Debicki, of course. No one would question the presence of Jennifer Coolidge, I’m fine with Meghann Fahy and Aubrey Plaza obviously and I’m actually glad to see J. Smith Cameron here one last time?

But again, why is there all this excess for The White Lotus and it’s even more egregious considering who they excluded? Nothing for Christina Ricci or anyone else in Yellowjackets? Nothing for Carol Burnett in Better Call Saul? Nothing for any of the actresses in Bad Sisters? This is the third straight year the Emmys are actually begging for a cap on the number of nominees they can recognize from a given series. The only reason it isn’t five straight years is because there was pause between the last season of Game of Thrones and 2021’s excess for Handmaid’s Tale. I don’t care how much you love these shows; you have to allow room for other series; otherwise we might as well just call these categories for HBO and be done with it.

 

WRITING AND DIRECTING

All right, I’m more forgiving.  There’s only one nominee for Succession and The White Lotus and two for Better Call Saul in writing. I’ll also give credit for nominating Andor and Bad Sisters. As for direction, I was expecting Succession to get at least three nominees. I’m inclined to give more credit for the nominations for Bad Sisters and Andor. Last of Us in both was to be expect.

As for Guest Actor and Actress,  three for Succession, three for Last of Us. I’d be angrier if I didn’t love Cherry Jones and Melanie Lynskey and I’m thrilled to see Anna Torv finally get an Emmy nod.  The Last of Us dominating both categories was actually predicted by many and I’m not going to fault Nick Offerman or Murray Bartlett. Still they couldn’t find room for Aaron Paul or Betsy Brandt? Sigh.

 

I’ll deal with comedy tomorrow.

 

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