Worst: “Atlanta” takes a fall
The critically acclaimed FX series won three Creative Arts Emmy Awards including Guest Actor (Katt Williams), but lost Directing and Best Actor in a Comedy. Donald Glover won both categories last year and, at worst, many thought Hiro Murai would win for the incredible “Teddy Perkins.” That did not come to pass. This was even more disappointing since Lakeith Stanfield came to the show in full Teddy Perkins makeup! -GE
Worst: Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen’s Emmy History bit
Y’know, Rudolph and Armisen had great chemistry on “SNL,” but after the Emmys and their new Amazon show “Forever,” maybe we’ve had just enough? Their first bit with Che and Jost about the history of the Emmys and then a second one about the history of the Emmy award itself was a total bomb. At least we had Maya and Tiffany Haddish at the Oscars, right? -GE
Best: The Oscars director wins the Emmys
Glenn Weiss winning Best Direction for a Variety Special was probably going to be a boring speech you could run to the bathroom too during, right? That was until Weiss, the director of the Oscars telecast, stole the show by asking his girlfriend to marry him on the live telecast. We’ve already been given a Leslie Jones gif from it and it was just the sort of out of the box moment that helped us forget about Che and Jost’s hosting performance. -Gregory Ellwood
Leslie Jones GIF – https://gph.is/2NOV8Pg
Best: Hannah Gadsby
As Gadsby introduced herself as the ‘nobody from nowhere,’ she quickly became the somebody who’s award intro the audience was laughing at the most. The thoughtful, talented creator behind Netflix’s hit “Nanette” delivered her impeccable, on brand awkward comedy by noting how some men ‘can’t take a joke.’ But not all men, of course. “#NotAllMen,” she later chimed in amid laughter. It was great to see Gadsby on a stage like the Emmys. If folks haven’t seen Nannette maybe that will take them to her astonishing special. If not, perhaps she’ll be available for next year’s Emmys? -Julia Teti
Best: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” finally comes through!
Do you know how hard it is to win an Emmy after being on the air for 10 seasons? When you started off on a barely watched cable network, Logo, and had to grow through word of mouth? “Drag Race” winning was part of a very gay content year for the Emmys as “Queer Eye” and “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” took the top honor in their categories. But for “Drag Race” it was a shocking win. VH1 has never won an Emmy of this magnitude and the amount of money spent on ads was minuscule compared to their competitors. It was done through old-fashioned campaigning and, frankly, a serious love from the membership for the show. I believe the correct response is “Dead.” -GE
Worst: “Handmaid’s Tale” Goes Home Empty
While the recent season of last year’s Emmy winner “The Handmaid’s Tale” may have gone too far for some fans, there was no denying the amount of talent behind the show. Especially in the Supporting Actress Category where half of it was dominated by actresses from the show, it was a surprise to see “Handmaid’s Tale” go home with no major awards during this telecast. Of course, the show is able to boast its previous wins and Samira Wiley’s exceptional and earned performance from this season. Still, it was a bit of a surprise to see last year’s big winner go home with nothing. -JT
Best/Worst: “Game of Thrones” Gets Its Crown Back
For fans of the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” the series winning the Outstanding Drama category was a huge win to close out the night. But with the show’s absence last year, the field was at play for shows the likes of “The Americans” “Stranger Things” and “Westworld.” Having the series come back and regain its place on top of the drama fare felt predictable. With the show heading into its final season, there’s no doubt the show will continue its reign into its final Emmy round. -JT
Best: Mrs. Maisel’s Big Night
Undoubtedly one of the most decorated shows of the evening was Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” The show won practically each of its major awards, with Amy Sherman Palladino earning two Emmy’s, one right after the other. The series is heading into its second season at Amazon and fans are waiting. “Maisel” is a favorite of critics, viewers, and (as of tonight) the Television Academy. While the show has seemingly hit a solid stride after only one season, watching the show grow will and the response of the Television Academy will be an interesting case to follow. -JT
Until next year!
