you’ve read
my articles this past few years you know all too well that drama has frequently
driven me to great heights of fury. It always seems like an undeserving series
was getting too much recognition in every category, if it wasn’t Game Of
Thrones, it was The Handmaid’s Tale and last year drove me off a
cliff when all of the categories were basically the sole property of Succession
and The White Lotus with a little room left over for The Last of
Us. So the fact that the first series is over and we’re not getting the
next two for awhile meant we could only go up from there.
And that’s
kind of what happened. I’m not saying that most of acting categories weren’t
dominating by three or four series but in this case I’m fine with it because at
least three of them were series that deserving the acting
nominations. There’s also the fact that,
in at least two occasions, the Emmys is for the first time ahead of the
Astras (though trailing in quite a few others) both in its nominated series and
performers. Throw in the fact that several of the actors are favorites of mine
who have never gotten a fair shake from the Emmys over their distinguished
careers and I’m a lot happier with this lost of dramas then I’ve been in at
least three years, maybe longer.
So let’s
get starred.
OUTSTANDING
DRAMA SERIES
I’m
naturally thrilled to see The Gilded Age represented, if not to the
degree I had hoped. I’m overjoyed to see The Crown, Shogun and Slow
Horses here – particularly the last because the Astras basically ignored it
last week. And having seen the first two episodes of Mr. & Mrs. Smith (which
I’ll be reviewing for my blog next week) I acknowledge it deserves to be here.
I predicted
The Morning Show being represented though not to the extent it was and I’m
going to get to Fallout within a few weeks. I’m not shocked to see 3
Body Problem. The most glaring absence, in my opinion, is The Curse which
was completely shutout. Maybe the ending was just too polarizing for the voters
to accept? I didn’t really expect Will Trent or Elsbeth to be
here, but The Curse’s absence is kind of odd.
OUTSTANDING
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA
The Wire fans
rejoice! Jimmy McNulty and Stringer Bell finally face off! And while Raylan
Givens was ignored, the Emmys did acknowledged Boyd Crowder!
I will now
translate. I’m thrilled to see Dominic West here for The Crown, particularly
considering the Astras ignored him. Overjoyed to see Gary Oldman in the hunt,
though not shocked. Walton Goggins has been part of Peak TV for nearly a
quarter of a century and had only gotten one Emmy nomination for all of his
iconic roles. So I’m thrilled to see him here for Fallout. Hiroyuki
Sanada looks like the early favorite in this category and having seen the first
two episodes of Mr. & Mr. Smith I’m glad to see Donald Glover
here.
Now I won’t
lie and say I’m not overjoyed to see Idris Elba here; he’s never gotten
anywhere approaching the love he deserves from the Emmys. That being said, it’s
kind of strange that Cosmo Jarvis isn’t here for Shogun considering that
it received a record 25 nominations. Oh well, he’ll get another chance.
OUTSTANDING
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
I am
shocked that Emma Stone isn’t here, I won’t lie. Considering the Golden Globe
nomination as well as multiple awards as well as her Oscar earlier this year, I
honestly thought she had a nomination locked up. That said, having gone through
the six women in the group I’m having a hard time figuring out who you’d leave
out.
Obviously
I’m thrilled to see Carrie Coon, who’s been lacking recognition from the Emmy
even longer than many of her nominees in the Best Actor category, in the hunt
for her work on The Gilded Age. Anna Sawai’s work on Shogun makes
her the heavy favorite in this formidable category. Jennifer Aniston was almost
certainly going to be here and I’m thrilled that Imelda Staunton joins her
predecessors as Queen Elizabeth, Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, in the hunt for
Best Actress in a Drama. Having seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith and having been
a huge fan of her work on the gone too soon Pen15 I’m thrilled to see
Maya Erskine here. And considering that Reese Witherspoon went 0-for-3 for
three incredible performances in 2020 with nominations, she deserves the love
she can get for The Morning Show.
Yes I
would have loved to see Carrie Preston here but I’m sure she’ll get here
eventually. Besides she already has an Emmy: five of the performers in this
category don’t. This will be a tough
category to pick through.
OUTSTANDING
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Most glaring
absentee; Nathan Lane for The Gilded Age. After all the love he got from
the Astras I expected he’d be here. I blame The Morning Show.
Most
pleasing inclusion, Jack Lowden for Slow Horses. I wasn’t sure he’d be
here considering the Astras ignored him. Glad to see Jonathan Pryce here for The
Crown as were his predecessors as Philip, Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies. Pryce
is doubled dipping for his role in Slow Horses which is deserved. Tadanobu
Asano is deservedly here for Shogun and I confess to being surprised
Takehiro Hira is too.
Were they
excessive for The Morning Show? Absolutely. But considering how much of
a fan I am of Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass and Jon Hamm, I’m not going to object
that much. This will be a tough category to try and handicap.
OUTSTANDING
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
I am
obviously over the moon to see Christine Baranski here for The Gilded Age, not
at all shocked to see Elizabeth Debicki present for The Crown and
honestly thrilled to see Lesley Manville getting her due as Margaret in The
Crown. I’d like to think Manville could succeed where her predecessors in
the role, Vanessa Kirby and Helena Bonham-Carter failed, but she will likely be
eclipsed by a brighter sun.
Were they
excessive when it came to The Morning Show? Hard to say. Nicole Beharie
and Karen Pittman had been getting nominations from both the Critics Choice
Awards and the Astras. I’m always glad to see Holland Taylor nominated for
anything (and she can come with her significant other as a co-nominee for a
change). And I’ve always like Greta Lee on Russian Doll. I’m somewhat
shocked not to see Juliana Margulies here and I’m disappointed neither Cynthia
Nixon nor Kirsten Scott Thomas are present. But they’ll both get another
chance.
OUTSTANDING
GUEST ACTOR
As I said,
thrilled to see Pryce. Have seen both Paul Dano and John Turturro in Mr.
& Mrs. Smith they earned it. Glad to see Tracy Letts in the hunt for Winning
Time; he should have been nominated for his work on Homeland. But
hopefully this will be the time that Nestor Carbonell gets the Emmy he’s been
owed since he played Richard Alpert on Lost.
OUTSTANDING
GUEST ACTRESS
Claire Foy
is back in the hunt for the second time in this category. I’m glad Marcia Gay
Harden got nominated, even if it wasn’t for So Help Me Todd. I’m not up
to their work in Mr. & Mrs. Smith but as a fan of Parker Posey and
Michaela Coel, glad to see them here. Sarah Paulson does just get nominated for
anything.
WRITING AND
DIRECTING
Not Surprised
Shogun is here for both. Glad to see The Crown and Slow Horses
up for writing and directing and I’m always glad to see Donald Glover
continue to double dip as he does for writing the pilot of Mr. and Mrs.
Smith as does his partner in crime Hiro Murai. Kind of shocked to see Fallout
nominated for writing and not directing and The Morning Show only
for directing. Winning Time makes it mark before it goes.
If you
hadn’t noticed diversity rules the day in a way it just didn’t in drama last
year. It’s not merely the number of Japanese actors nominated (as well as the
Asian-American Erskine and Greta Lee) but there’s a heavy presence of
African-American actors as well as quite a few British ones of African descent
(Elba and Coel) Latinos are still not strongly represented this year but
hopefully Carbonell can manage to get a win that he deserves. In any case it’s
a huge improvement from last year’s list where the level of diversity was not
present in drama at all. (Blame the Roys.)
Tomorrow I
will wrap it up with the nominees for Best Limited Series. I’m actually happier
with several of the choices than I was with the Astras.
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