Worst: Two of the final three acting nominees for “Girls” were…men
It was an obvious trend over the past few years, but when it came down to its final season Emmy voters were clearly over HBO’s “Girls.” The show had a stellar end, but the only nominations it earned were in the Guest Actor categories for Matthew Rhys, Riz Ahmed and Becky Ann Baker and for Outstanding Music Supervision. What a way to go out, eh?
Best: “Black Mirror: San Junipero”
“Black Mirror” is one of those shows that didn’t get the Emmy love it deserved, but one piece of the silver lining was the writing nomination for the “San Junipero” episode that went to Charlie Brooker. Arguably already the most beloved episode in the anthology series, it proved the Television Academy’s writing branch could take the time to recognize a truly outstanding piece of original science fiction.
Best: “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and no Jimmy Fallon
Boy did the Television Academy send a message to Jimmy Fallon and the “Tonight Show.” It only earned nominations in the Outstanding Interactive Program field after landing two major nominations last year. We’re not saying Hollywood feels Fallon is complicit in Trump’s rise to power, but we’re not “not” saying it either. It was a huge morning for Samantha Bee on the other hand. The TBS series scored seven nominations for both “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and the stand-alone “White House Correspondent Dinner Special.” Considering the boy’s club that has long dominated the Variety Talk Show categories this was something to celebrate.
Best: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” finally breaks through
Can I get an amen? After 11 seasons including the traditional series and All-Star seasons, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” cracked the Emmy ceiling. RuPaul Charles won Best Reality TV Show Host last year, but 2017 found the show with eight nominations including the big fish, Best Reality Competition Show. Moreover, two former contestants Gabriel Villarreal (aka Delta Work) and David Petruschin (aka Raven) earned nominations in both the hairstyling and makeup categories. Overall it was a huge sea change for a show that was completely ignored by Emmy voters over its first seven years of existence.
Worst: A sad goodbye for “The Leftovers”
This was not how it was supposed to end. After perhaps its most critically acclaimed season, HBO’s “The Leftovers” was once again uniformly snubbed by Emmy voters. No love for Carrie Coon (granted, she earned a nod for “Fargo”), Justin Theroux, or the writing staff for some incredible dramatic storytelling. No, the only nod went to Ann Dowd in the Guest Actress in a Drama category and while we’re ecstatic for her, the lack of other nominations seems like a grave mistake historically for the Television Academy.
Best: “Stranger Things”
We told you Emmy voters loved the Duffer Brothers creation. The cultural phenomenon earned 18 nominations including Best Drama Series, and nods for Millie Bobby Brown in the Supporting Actress category, as well as writing and directing honors. What wasn’t expected by many was that David Harbour would earn a Best Supporting Actor nomination (this pundit might have predicted it) or that Shannon Purser (aka Barb) would land a nomination in the Guest Actress field. Some may wonder why Winona Ryder was snubbed (she didn’t really campaign), but the idea Purser was nominated just shows how much the acting branch of the Television Academy loves this show.
Worst: Movies intended for theatrical release still getting nominations
The Emmys have to figure out a way to solve this. Once again, Oscar-nominated documentaries such as “O.J.: Made in America” and “13th” earned Emmy nods after campaigning as theatrical releases less than a year ago. Moreover, “Suite Francaise,” a movie released three years ago overseas and sold to Lifetime as a “TV movie,” stole a spot in the crowded Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special category. This is simply wrong and an embarrassment for the TV Academy. Fix it, people.
What did you think the big snubs and surprises were this year? Share your thoughts below.
