Is Quibi a hit? Shoot, will Quibi even survive to 2021? Well, founders Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Witman have already tried to blame its tepid launch on the Coronavirus pandemic so that’s probably not a good sign. And, almost eight weeks after launch it’s currently ranked no. 143 on Apple’s App chart which puts it right above Bumble, but behind Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video who land at 33 and 35 respectively. There are a lot of reasons why Quibi is in this position (lack of shareable content and inability to watch on a large screen might be at the top of the list). Still, one thing Quibi inherently has in abundance that few of its competitors have is short-form content. And if you’re in the Emmy game those are five categories that rarely have significant competition.
How weak are the Short Form categories? While a funny bit at first, somehow Megan Amram‘s comedic bid for an Emmy award, “An Emmy for Megan,” earned nominations in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy Series the past two years. The Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series field has basically been dominated by “behind-the-scenes” series (or extended featurettes) on established long-form programs. And Short Form Variety Series saw YouTube series “Honest Trailers” and “The Randy Rainbow Show” earn nods (fun content, but Emmy worthy? Really?). Thanks to some not-so-smart investors, Quibi had the funds to spend on big names such as Anna Kendrick, Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas, Liam Hemsworth, and Chance the Rapper, among others, so they should at least get Emmy voters’ attention. And, oh yeah, some of the shows and performances actually deserve the recognition.
In a break on Deadline, Quibi revealed what shows and performances they were submitting for Emmy consideration this year. One show that has an excellent shot at multiple nods is “The Stranger,” a thriller from former Emmy nominee Veena Sud (“The Killing,” “Seven Seconds”). “Dummy,” starring the aforementioned Kendrick, is arguably much better and creative than her new HBO Max series “Love Life” and could land a Comedy or Drama Series Short Form nod. And voters will see returning and familiar series such as “Punk’d” and “Reno: 911!” in the mix. Of course, our heart is with “Nikki Fre$h.”
I know what you’re thinking. “A short-form faux-documentary comedy series with Nicole Richie playing an exaggerated version of herself”? A series where she describes herself as “A Gardner, a speaker for the bees and a trap icon?” A series that features original songs produced by her husband, Joel Madden, that are actually…good? A series that features Jared Goldstein stealing every scene he’s in as her assistant? Yes, that one. Honestly, it’s a program you wish was on Netflix because then at least we’d be guaranteed more episodes and the world would have actually seen it. Now, the question is whether Emmy voters will care.
Granted, this could all fail dramatically for Quibi. The brand may be so tarnished with voters they don’t take any of the submissions seriously. Or, the service will come out of the Emmy nominations announcement with more nods than some major broadcast networks. An achievement truly worth hyping (perhaps along with an Apple TV app assuming that’s still happening). We’ll be watching to see what happens and, yes, we’re well aware there is a shrinking audience who care.
Here’s a list of the categories and 19 series Quibi is planning on submitting for the 2020 Emmy Awards. Ponder the possibilities.
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
Anna Kendrick, Dummy
Jasmine Cephas Jones, #FreeRayshawn
Kaitlin Olson, Flipped
Kether Donohue, Royalties
Maika Monroe, The Stranger
Nicole Richie, Nikki Fre$h
Sophie Turner, Survive
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
Christoph Waltz, Most Dangerous Game
Corey Hawkins, Survive
Dane DeHaan, The Stranger
Darren Criss, Royalties
Laurence Fishburne, #FreeRayshawn
Liam Hemsworth, Most Dangerous Game
Stephan James, #FreeRayshawn
Will Forte, Flipped
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
Meredith Hagner, Dummy
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC & LYRICS
Nikki Fre$h
Royalties
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
50 STATES OF FRIGHT: A horror anthology featuring the scariest stories from every state in the country.
Executive Producer Sam Raimi brings each terrifying tale to life.
DUMMY: Cody needs a friend. She meets one in Barbara. Only problem? Barbara is a sex doll with an appetite for adventure. And, well, sex.
#FREERAYSHAWN: Rayshawn Morris finds himself in an all-day standoff with New Orleans police.
Desperate to protect his family, while proving his innocence, he turns to social media to clear his name with the help of one sympathetic cop.
KIRBY JENNER: Kirby Jenner shows us his reality as a member of the world’s most famous family.
MOST DANGEROUS GAME: A man (Liam Hemsworth) desperate and in debt. In a dystopian thriller where the hunter turns out to be the hunted. Game on.
NIKKI FRE$H: Nicole Richie spreads her message of environmental love through her new musical persona, “Nikki Fre$h,” a trap music artist who makes eco-conscious choices while dropping sick beats and performing in over the top music videos.
RENO 911!: The deputies of the Reno Sheriff’s Department are still in the line of duty. And they’re
ready to do what it takes to keep this city safe.
SURVIVE: Jane wants to end it all. Then a plane crash almost ends it for her. Now she’s crawling from the wreckage with Paul, the only other survivor, and a new drive to stay alive.
THE STRANGER: Clare picks up her rideshare passenger, Carl E. It’s a story of boy meets girl, but in this case he relentlessly stalks and tries to murder her.
WHEN THE STREETLIGHTS GO ON: A double-homicide in a small midwestern suburb rattles the lives of a group of teenagers and sends investigators searching for answers in the fall of 1995. A meditation on growing up, the passing of time, and the insidious violence that lurks in the suburbs.
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
BLACKBALLED: The series highlights the five days during the 2014 NBA playoffs, when Doc Rivers, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and the LA Clippers led an unprecedented movement of athletes to hold racism accountable.
CUP OF JOE: Joe Jonas has toured the world as a pop star. Now he’s ready to explore it as an average Joe. As he journeys through eight cities worldwide, celebrity friends will help him experience them as a local.
DISHMANTLED: Take two blindfolded chef contestants. Blast a dish into their face. Then make them recreate it for celebrity judges to win a cash prize. Did we mention it’s hosted by Tituss Burgess?
GAYME SHOW: Glitter. Rainbows. Grand entrances. Matt Rogers & Dave Mizzoni host as two straight contestants compete in a series of physical, mental, and performance challenges to test their gay knowlege. Who will reign forevermore as “Queen of the Straights”?
I PROMISE: An intimate look inside the highs and lows of year one at LeBron James’ I PROMISE School, serving the most at-risk students and families in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
MURDER HOUSE FLIP: An unconventional home renovation show that takes on the country’s most infamous homes: ones known for the mysterious murders within their walls. Designers Joelle and Mikel remove the stains of the past and make once morbid homes marvelous.
NIGHTGOWNS: The stage awaits. Sasha Velour and her cast members are preparing for the biggest drag showcase of their lives. Expect heart, humor, and a hell of a lot of glamour.
THANKS A MILLION: Big names. Big money. Big Giving. Celebrities kickstart a chain of kindness, each gifting $100,000 to an unsuspecting individual who have had a positive impact on their lives — with a catch. Watch as the “pay it forward” chain unfolds.
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM VARIETY SERIES
PUNK’D: Punk’d is back! And no one is safe! The iconic series returns with Chance the Rapper as host masterminding the biggest pranks behind the scenes. The biggest stars are about to learn what happens if their fates were up to Chance.