The Emmys are a funny, frustrating award show for a number of reasons, one being that it often focuses on shows a full year after they actually air. We’re talking about Stranger Things and Big Little Lies right now, but they won’t be eligible until next summer, due to the Emmy’s outdated eligibility calendar that was build for the era of network television, not the Golden Age of Streaming Content we live in now. Also: there is a lot of TV to watch. No one can watch it all and still live a normal life as a functioning adult. So, there are always snubs – often, more than you’ll find on a film-focused awards telecast.
But the 2019 Emmy nominations were mostly… good? While there is always room for improvement, and some of the nominations practically gave new meaning to the adjective, “unearned,” there is a lot to celebrate. Let’s break it down:
First, some blind spots… I’ll be spending the next few months catching up on all the TV I’ve missed so far that I’d like to check out before the Emmys. Mainly, because life is hard enough already, I’ve put off watching many of the more depressing limited series that have dominated the conversation this year. When They See Us, Chernobyl, and Escape at Dannemora are first on my “to-watch” list. Additionally, I desperately need to check out The Good Place and Schitt’s Creek, both of which had decent showings this year. And, in the interest of full-disclosure, I gave up on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel after two episodes this season. Emily Nussbaum’s stunning piece can sum up my thoughts better than I ever could, and after reading it I had trouble getting back into the show again.
Oh, and I am not a middle-aged SAG-AFTRA member, so I did not watch The Kominsky Method. Now onto my thoughts about the 2019 Emmy nominations.
Drama Series:
The Good: One word: Pose! This underdog FX series, which is currently enjoying a fabulous second season, managed to pull through with an Outstanding Drama Series nomination – a fete that was far from a safe-bet, as these categories very rarely make room for newcomers unless they dominate the cultural conversation. But this is a huge victory for a great show, and for trans storytellers around the industry. The first season is streaming on Netflix now – to ignore it any longer would be foolish.
Even better: Billy Porter scored an Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series award for his exemplary work as Pray-Tell, the MC of the ballroom who is dealing with an HIV diagnosis and a dying lover. Porter, who has become something of an icon on the red carpet this year, is one of the strongest performers on TV, full stop, and it’s great to see the Emmys take note. Hopefully this translates to a win.
Other than that: it’s nice to see Jodie Comer and Fiona Shaw earn nominations for Killing Eve, along with last year’s well-deserved winner for Leading Actress in a Drama, Sandra Oh. And, while the shows themselves waver in quality a bit too much, Julia Garner and Mandy Moore are talented actresses worthy of attention for their performances in Ozark and This is Us, respectfully. Personally, I will pretend that Moore’s nomination is overdue affection for 2004’s terrific teen comedy Saved! and yes, I know that’s a movie. I don’t care!
The Bad: I’m thrilled that Succession, one of my favorite shows from last year, was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. But to snub every actor from this ensemble is insane. Every single performer on this series kills it week after week, turning unlikable characters into compulsively watchable ones, and handling obscenity filled dialogue with the grace of a Shakespearean tragedy. To honor the show without honoring at least one actor suggests that the Emmy voters don’t really understand it all that much.
And while my distaste for Game of Thrones is well-documented across the Internet and on this website, I fully accept that the series was going to get a number of nominations, even with the poorly reviewed final season. But do all these actors really need to take up these nomination slots? Nominating four supporting actresses, three supporting actors, and, of course, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington in lead, feels excessive, and only makes the snubs in those categories all the more annoying. Plus, Clarke and Harrington’s status in lead feels like a bit of a stretch – especially after they competed in Supporting for many of the show’s original seasons. Thank God this show’s reign will finally end this year.
Limited Series
The Good: I haven’t been able to watch many of the major limited series, so my enthusiasm in this category is somewhat muted. But there are a lot of great performances being honored here… Mahershala Ali in True Detective, Michelle Williams in Fosse/Verdon, Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson in Sharp Objects. These are all fabulous performance, and I’d be happy with any of them winning. But I’m particularly thrilled to see Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw getting notice for A Very British Scandal… partially because I totally forgot that the film released this year! But they’re both terrific, and that limited series remains a hidden gem from this year.
The Bad: Again, I’ve missed most of these limited series, so my reactions are somewhat muted. But it’s disappointing to see Eliza Scanlen snubbed for her breakout role in Sharp Objects. And while Ali’s performance is totally warranted, Stephen Dorff and Carmen Ejogo were fantastic in True Detective, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir1_hjemxNA
Comedy Series
The Good: There are so many great comedies on TV right now, and it seems like Emmy voters are watching quite a bit of it. I mean, just look at that Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series. This is a genre of heavy-hitters, and there are some wonderful stars getting a moment in the spotlight.
Let’s start with my favorite comedy of the year, and possibly my favorite piece of media released in any format in 2019: Fleabag. It seems like Emmy voters love the show just as much as its fans do, as every single female actress in the series scored a nomination – a wonderful record to boast. Of course, this is mainly a vehicle for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and it’d be delightful to see her take home the Emmy in either the acting or writing category… maybe both! But, regardless, it’s a total joy to see this ensemble honored.
Similarly, it’s great to see that Emmy voters leaned even harder into the Barry love even as the sophomore season ventured into darker realms. While Hader certainly deserved another nomination, and it’s nice to see Henry Winkler nominated (even if he wasn’t particularly great this season), the new blood amongst the nominees were the most exciting surprises. Stephen Root is fully committed to the show’s unusual tone, and Sarah Goldberg absolutely killed a terrific arc this season. But most importantly: Anthony Carrigan got the praise he deserved. Noho Hank is an iconic comedic character, and Carrigan is consistently the highlight of every episode. His nomination felt like a longshot, and seeing him earn it feels almost cathartic. Now, et’s hope he takes home the trophy.
Elsewhere: it’s great to see Betty Gilpin earn a nomination for Glow, along with Christina Applegate for her dark turn in Dead to Me. Russian Doll also completely deserved its many nominations – it’s such a breath of fresh air, and a true surprise hit. And, while they’re far from surprises, seeing Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Anna Chlumsky nominated for Veep is always a treat. There is a moment shared between the two actresses in the series’ finale that may be the best acted scene on a TV show so far this year.
And, perhaps most importantly: no Big Bang Theory! You’re free, Jim Parsons, go on to better things.
The Bad: There’s not too much here in terms of bad comedy picks for the 2019 Emmy nominations, thankfully. Honestly, the only nominated that made me roll my eyes was Robert De Niro’s Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series mention. As a rule, I think not being able to memorize your lines or read off cue cards should disqualify you from consideration for an award. But, other than that, the actual people nominated ranged from good to great picks.
But there were some people missing. Namely, the entire cast of The Other Two. This quirky, under-the-radar critical darling never really had a chance, but the entire ensemble deserve a nomination, and it would have been great to see the writers honored for their insightful, complex scripts. Elsewhere, honoring either lead actress from PEN15 would have been nice… their roles are deceptively challenging, as they have to earn laughs by playing pre-teens, but also sell very dramatic material in the latter half of the season. But, the series earned a writing nomination, so it’s hard to get too upset.
Similarly, it would have been nice to see Andrew Scott earn a nomination for playing the Hot Priest in Fleabag who set the Internet on fire in May. Scott is such a compelling romantic figure, capable of channeling his sexiness in such a way that makes his lack of availability incredibly desirable. He can also kill a dark one liner, and breaks-the-fourth-wall in the most adorable way possible. But it’s hard to complain about his snub when Fleabag’s name was called so many times at the 2019 Emmy Nominations show.
Some stray thoughts on the 2019 Emmy nominations
- Of course, it’s lovely to see RuPaul’s Drag Race honored again in the Reality Competition Series.
- I’d love to see Full Frontal with Samantha Bee take home the Outstanding Variety/Talk Series trophy. Watching that show has become a cathartic part of my week.
- I’m a bit disappointed to see Pose snubbed in the Direction category.
- I’m thrilled to see Big Mouth nominated in the Outstanding Animated Series category, even though I would have submitted, “Smooch or Share,” for consideration in stead of “The Planned Parenthood Show.” Both episodes are fabulous, and I totally understand why they submitted the latter. But “Smooch or Share,” is such a gem from a storytelling standpoint, and its closing musical cue never fails to make me cry.
- One of the biggest surprises: seeing Special earn three nominations in the Short Form categories, including a nomination for Jessica Hecht’s, whose performance is absolutely perfect.
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