The television Academy giveth and the Television Academy taketh away. In a year where HBO and HBO Max combined for the most nods for a network or platform ever (140), it was clear that achievement came at the cost of a number of other streamers and networks. That was actually not a surprise. The surprise was just how much certain shows dominated some historically competitive categories. Voters did not spread the wealth. The Television Academy members clearly liked what they liked and this year that meant kicking some incredible programs and performances to the curb. Here are some major snubs and surprises for the 2022 Emmy class.
READ MORE: “Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “Ted Lasso” lead the 2022 Emmy nominations
Surprise: “Euphoria”
Zendaya was always going to make it, but the fact that the now polarizing HBO series took 16 nominations including another Drama Series nod was a surprise. Sure, we’re not complaining about Sydney Sweeney earning some love (she was also nominated for “The White Lotus”), but two song nods? Two guest actress nods? When they like you, they clearly like you.
Snub: “This Is Us”
One of the biggest snubs this year has to be that the Emmy favorite earned just one nomination for its final season. The NBC staple had 39 nominations and 4 wins previously. It also had been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series four times. Sterling K. Brown was nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama Series every year previously (he won in 2017).
Snub: Selena Gomez
It should be noted that Gomez did earn an Emmy nomination today as an executive producer on “Only Murders in the Building.” That being said, she was also the only one of her three co-stars not to earn an acting nomination. With a third-season renewal, it looks like she’ll have two more shots at it down the road.
Snub: “Yellowstone”
After earning a Production Design nomination in 2021, it was something of a shock that the Tyler Sheridan phenomenon came away completely empty-handed. Especially since it earned PGA and SAG Awards nods earlier this year. Moreover, Paramount spent a ton campaigning the series (and for “The Offer” too which also came away empty-handed). If there is any solace for Sheridan, the “Yellowstone” prequel limited series, “1883,” did earn three below-the-line nods.
Snub: Elisabeth Moss, “Shining Girls”
She may have 14 Emmy nominations and two wins to her name. She may even have 10 individual Emmy acting nominations and a win (“The Handmaid’s Tale” in 2017), but that wasn’t enough this time around. Moss didn’t make the cut for her performance in “Shining Girls,” a role that qualified for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Snub: “Legendary”
It landed a TCA Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Reality this year, but the HBO Max ballroom competition got chopped when it came to Emmy’s Outstanding Competition Program category. That’s gotta sting considering the award expanded to six nominees for 2022.
Snub: Julia Roberts, “Gaslit”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Movie was always going to be historically competitive, but this was a surprise.
Snub: Michelle Pfieffer, “The First Lady”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Movie was always going to be historically competitive, but this was a disappointment.
Surprise: Barack Obama
I mean, this is why you pay the former POTUS the big bucks, right? 44 was nominated in the Outstanding Narrator category for his work on the docuseries “Our Great National Parks.” He’ll face off against Oscar winner Luipta Nyong’o, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sir David Attenborough and W. Kamau Bell.
Snub: “The Staircase”
It was seen as a late-season party crasher, but despite critical acclaim and – seemingly – online buzz, the HBO Max mini-series only saw nominations for Colin Firth and Toni Collette. Should it have waited to qualify for 2023? Ponder.
Surprise: “Inventing Anna”
The deluge of limited series this spring was supposed to kick the Netflix hit to the curb, but instead, the streamer’s power prevailed. The Shonda Rhimes-produced program earned three nominations including two in the coveted Limited Series and Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Julia Garner) categories. Speaking of Garner, the future big-screen Madonna also repeated in the Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category for “Ozark,” a category she won in 2020.
Snub: “Atlanta”
FX’s critical darling earned just three nods including Outstanding Lead Actor for Donald Glover. That being said, was his performance the one that needed to be recognized this season?
Snub: Sarah Lancashire, “Julia”
A case of awards media getting ahead of themselves, Sarah Lancashire generated a lot of buzz for her role as Julia Child in the HBO Max comedy series, but it appears not enough of the Television Academy’s 20,000 or so members watched it to matter.
Surprise: Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”
Another case of awards media getting too in the weeds, both stars of Hulu’s comedy series were expected to be pushed aside by newcomers this year. Instead, the two leads made the cut in their respective Comedy Series acting categories in the program’s second season.
Snub: Sarah Goldberg, “Barry”
Bill Hader, Henry Winkler and Anthony Carrigan all earned acting nominations for “Barry’s” third season. In a major head-scratcher, Goldberg did not. Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series was competitive, but most would have bet money she would have gotten in over “Ted Lasso’s” Sarah Niles.
Surprise: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls”
The Outstanding Competition Series expanded to six nominees this year and with that came some new blood. The Amazon Prime Video program not only earned the top Emmy nomination but earned six nominations overall. That put it just behind longtime winner “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (10 essentially) and ahead of “The Voice,” “The Amazing Race,” “Top Chef” and “Nailed It!”
Surprise: “The White Lotus,” “Succession,” “Hacks,” and “Ted Lasso” acting categories domination
If you had a speaking role on any of these shows and didn’t get an Emmy nomination were you even really there? Taking the main and guest categories into account, “Succession” landed 14 acting nominations (!), “Ted Lasso” took 10 nods, “The White Lotus” earned eight nominations and “Hacks” earned seven nods. It should also be noted, the Television Academy’s acting branch not only nominated the now-familiar Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon, but Park Hae-soo, Oh Yeong-su, and Lee You-mi as well. That had to be a massive surprise to Netflix this morning.
Snub: “Reservation Dogs”
Despite wins at the Gotham Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and a Peabody Awards honor, the Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi program didn’t make the Comedy Series cut. A huge disappointment considering the FX breakout is a rare program that focuses on indigenous Americans.
The 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards will be handed out Monday, September 12 on NBC.