Covering the Emmys during the Golden Age of Television is, honestly, a chore. There are just too many shows to watch – so many air across hundreds of channels, streaming platforms, and even social media sites. It is physically impossible for one person to watch every show. So, a TV critic faces a choice: watch the shows that the Emmys are more likely to nominate (they tend to repeat nominations, even when a show is past its prime), or just watch what interests them and hope the Emmys’ voting body has similar taste.
As such, Emmys nomination morning is a complicated day, with seemingly every TV aficionado emerging from the woodwork to talk about the snubs they’re most upset, or to cheer on their favorite performers that heard their names called from the podium. There are surprises and disappointments every year – 2018 is no different. But, for this critic, it doesn’t make sense to tweet angry thoughts immediately after hearing the nominees. So, after a good night’s sleep, these are the nominees – and my takes (hot and otherwise) on what could win the biggest award in television.
Drama
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Vanessa Kirby, The Crown
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Quick thoughts: Giving this to anybody but Thandie Newton feels like a mistake to me. What Newton has done on Westworld elevates the series to a whole different level, and while the material she’s been given hasn’t been quite as impressive as Season One, she’s still a complete joy to watch. Elsewhere, all three Handmaid’s Tale actresses have done nice work. The Crown has escaped me, so I have no thoughts on Kirby, while Lena Headey has always been the best part of the generally overrated Game of Thrones. And, of course, Millie Bobby Brown turns in a legendary child performance in Stranger Things, though I’m not quite sure she had the material in Season Two to warrant a win.
Who’s missing?: Yet again, it is insane that Winona Ryder missed out on a nomination. Her work in Stranger Things is consistently great.
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Matt Smith, The Crown
Joseph Fiennes, The Handmaid’s Tale
Quick thoughts: A boring batch of nominations from a generally dull category. As good as they may be, Mandy Patinkin and both GoT men feel like filler nominations, while Fiennes gives one of the less remarkable performances in The Handmaid’s Tale. Again, The Crown has flown under my radar, making David Harbour the de facto winner for me. Not that he wouldn’t deserve it … he’s quite good, and elevates what could have been a shlocky supporting character into a genuinely lovable hero.
Who’s missing?: No one immediately jumps out as a snub, but it would have been nice to see a supporting player from Westworld, like Clifton Collins Jr., make the list.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Ed Harris, Westworld
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Quick thoughts: This one goes to Bateman or Wright for me. Both actors do tremendous work with character tropes we’ve seen before, elevating the material to a must-see TV level. But, with The Americans (unfortunately) unseen, there isn’t a bad performance in this bunch – any man would be worthy.
Who’s missing?: While no snub immediately jumps out, it would have been cool to see Dan Stevens garner some recognition for his balls-to-the-walls-crazy performance in the uneven but entertaining Legion.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Keri Russell, The Americans
Claire Foy, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Quick thoughts: This feels slightly unfair for me to weigh in on, as I only watch two of the shows on this list – The Handmaid’s Tale and Westworld. Even worse, I’m only caught up on the latter! That being said, the real story here is that Sandra Oh became the first Asian actor to be nominated in the leading category for their performance on a TV series, which is wonderful! But, also, it’s 2018, and we should be ashamed of ourselves if it took this long for a record like that to be broken.
Who’s missing?: I’m not sure if she’d qualify as lead or supporting, but it feels weird to have Mandy Moore sit this round out. Her work in the post-Superbowl episode of This Is Us is insanely impressive, and marks a career peak for the star.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Americans (FX)
The Crown (Netflix)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
This Is Us (NBC)
Westworld (HBO)
Quick thoughts: Unfortunately, two of these shows have fallen through the cracks for me – The Americans and The Crown look great, but have failed to become appointment viewing for me. Game of Thrones, quite simply, is not my cup of tea, although I can respect it as a monumental achievement in terms of production design and sheer scope. Last year’s winner, The Handmaid’s Tale, was well made and timely… so much so that I can’t bring myself to watch the second season just yet. It’s too painful to watch in this political climate.
And while I haven’t fallen under This Is Us‘ spell like a majority of the country, I do respect it – it takes some interesting risks with storytelling, and features a strong ensemble of actors. The two highlights for me, however, are Westworld and Stranger Things, both of which avoided the sophomore slump and delivered wholly entertaining seasons. I prefer Stranger Things ever so slightly, but would happily root for either series.
What’s missing?: Ozark, Netflix’s fabulous deconstruction of the “white male antihero” sub-genre that has been all the rage since Breaking Bad.
Miniseries or Movie
The Supporting Performers
Actor:
Jeff Daniels, Godless
Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar
Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Édgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Finn Wittrock, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower
Actress:
Sara Bareilles, Jesus Christ Superstar
Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Adina Porter, American Horror Story: Cult
Merritt Wever, Godless
Letitia Wright, Black Mirror: Museum
Quick thoughts: Embarassingly, the only title I’ve seen here is Jesus Christ Superstar (again, there’s too much TV to watch!). But, there are a lot of talented performers that made the cut, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about Versace, Godless, and that particular episode of Black Mirror – so, these categories seem solid.
Who’s missing?: Two performers from HBO’s seminal TV movie The Tale – Jason Ritter and Eliza Debicki – gave chilling, brave performances that should undoubtedly earn them nominations. Their absences definitely sting.
The Lead Performers
Actress:
Jessica Biel, The Sinner
Laura Dern, The Tale
Michelle Dockery, Godless
Edie Falco, Law and Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders
Regina King, Seven Seconds
Sarah Paulson, America Horror Story: Cult
Actor:
Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso
Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose
Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower
John Legend, Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesse Plemons, Black Mirror: USS Callister
Quick thoughts: Some of these performances seem like filler. Does Edie Falco even remember The Menendez Murders? Did anyone even like American Horror Story: Cult? But, with so many slots to fill, there are always some filler slots. It seems like Dern and Criss should take these home easily – although, admittedly, it’d be pretty cool to see John Legend EGOT by taking the Actor prize home.
Who’s missing?: No one immediately stands out – there were, as mentioned above, some filler slots. One person who did miss out, and rightfully so, is Al Pacino. Paterno was an awful film, and any nomination would have been undeserved, even in a weak category.
TV Movie
Black Mirror: USS Callister (Netflix)
Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
Flint (Lifetime)
Paterno (HBO)
The Tale (HBO)
Quick thoughts: What even is this category? Fahrenheit 451 got horrible reviews, Paterno is objectively terrible, and I genuinely had no idea that Lifetime produced a film about the Flint Water Crisis. This leaves The Tale (a wonderful film which, in a perfect world, would be competing for Oscars), and an acclaimed episode of Black Mirror. This is possibly the dullest category of the night.
What’s missing?: Good movies, that’s what’s missing.
Limited Series
The Alienist (TNT)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Genius: Picasso (Nat Geo)
Godless (Netflix)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Quick thoughts: This season lacks a Big Little Lies-sized cultural phenomenon, so these programs stand as the least recognizable titles of the night. Truthfully, the only show I’ve watched here was The Alienist, which is fine but formulaic. The safest bet of the night is that Versace takes the top prize and, reportedly, a win would be well deserved.
What’s missing?: American Vandal remains one of Netflix’s best original productions – it’s so ingenious in its construction, and genuinely funny in its execution. While the snub isn’t necessarily a surprise (would the Emmys really go for a miniseries about penis-shaped graffiti?), it’s still worth calling out.
Comedy
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta
Henry Winkler, Barry
Louie Anderson, Baskets
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Quick thoughts: There are some great surprises here: Henry Winkler and Tony Shalhoub, two veterans being honored for stellar supporting turns! Kenan Thompson finally being recognized for his consistently strong work on Saturday Night Live! Tituss Burgess hanging tight in the race, despite his show’s waning popularity! But I do have one request: can we stop praising Alec Baldwin’s admittedly iconic turn as Trump on SNL? The sketch comedy series is relying on the imitation as a crutch, and while Baldwin appeared in some wonderful skits this season, they worked because of the writing – not him. Personally, I’d like to see Shalhoub take this home, but as long as we don’t have a repeat Baldwin win, I’d be happy.
Who’s missing?: Marc Maron’s snub for GLOW really stings– he’s integral to the show’s success, as he makes his sleazy, sometimes despicable character weirdly lovable, nailing both comedic and dramatic bits. In a lesser actor’s hands, the whole performance (and maybe the show?) would fall apart.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Zazie Beetz, Atlanta
Laurie Metcalf, Roseanne
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night Live
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Megan Mullally, Will & Grace
Quick thoughts: Really? Eight nominees? The Emmys have such a strange voting procedure and, to be honest, nominating this many actresses really lessens the impact of making the final cut. That being said, I’m absolutely thrilled that Betty Gilpin was nominated. Her work on Glow is damn near iconic, and possibly my favorite performance in any category this season. Elsewhere on the list, it’s great to see Aidy Bryant and Alex Borstein get nominated, and while I didn’t watch Roseanne, I’ll gladly pretend that Laurie Metcalf is being honored for her work in Lady Bird (I’m still not over that snub).
Who’s missing?: The fact that Rita Moreno has now been snubbed twice is truly upsetting, especially when you consider just how many actresses were chosen over her. One Day at a Time is a true underdog of an Emmy contender, but Moreno is a living legend who brightens up the screen whenever she appears. How her performance continues to be ignored is a mystery.
Leading Actress in a Comedy
Pamala Adlon, Better Things
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Allison Janney, Mom
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Quick thoughts: With Mrs. Maisel, Rachel Brosnahan announces herself as a major star, using each and every scene to display her comedic timing and uncanny ability to spit out a monologue at a record pace. This is her award to lose.
Who’s missing?: Once again, Rachel Bloom and Gina Rodriguez get snubbed, despite delivering performances just as bright and surprising as Brosnahan’s. Bloom, in particular, feels like an egregious snub, what with her ability to sing, dance, and act her way through any episode.
Leading Actor in a Comedy
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry
William H. Macy, Shameless
Quick thoughts: Bill Hader’s nomination is genuinely thrilling; Barry is one-of-a-kind, and there isn’t a single other actor who could deliver this kind of role. I can’t even begin to predict where his show will go next, but I do want Hader to win. That being said, I can’t help but roll my eyes at Larry David’s nomination … be honest, did you even remember that HBO rebooted Curb Your Enthusiasm?
Who’s missing?: Ignoring Thomas Middletich for his sublime work in Silicon Valley– a show that remains hilarious and creatively interesting with each new season– feels particularly egregious.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta
Barry
Black-ish
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glow
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Quick thoughts: This is one of the toughest categories in ages, and indicative of how many great comedies there are to watch right now. Barry is a fresh, exciting new show that goes places I’ve never seen a comedy venture towards. Glow is a ridiculously entertaining series with a uniformly great ensemble. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a gorgeous series with breathtaking dialogue. Silicon Valley continued its winning streak, despite going on far longer than I could have possibly expected. Black-ish and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are solid sitcoms. And, while I have yet to watch Atlanta (I know, i know), it’s received uniform raves. This category is stacked with quality programming – so much so that I can easily ignore Curb Your Enthusiasm’s ridiculous mention in the category.
Who’s missing?: it’s hard to complain, with so many great shows actually making the cut, but it would have been nice to see Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, One Day at a Time, or Jane the Virgin make the cut.
Well, there you have it… the (allegedly) best performances and series from the 2017-2018 season. We’ll be back throughout the coming months with expanded thoughts on these categories and nominees but, in the meantime, remember: there will always be winners, and there will always be snubs. But, as long as you’re watching great programming, you’re taking advantage of the Golden Age of Television.
