The 2024 Primetime Emmys (the 75th installment of the awards) are here, everyone! It may be hard to encompass all that makes television so great in one night, but there were a few special highlights that really captured some of the biggest shows, reaching from 2022 to mid-2023.
The Holy Trinity
This year, the Emmys felt like a mighty sweep; three shows in particular took home a huge amount of awards.
FX’s The Bear won a whopping six Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series, with Jeremy Allen White claiming the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Ebon Moss-Bachrach claiming the Supporting Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Ayo Edebiri winning the Supporting Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Their performances in the series have gained tons of traction online and The Bear remains planted firmly in viewers’ hearts as a hit. The Bear also took home the Emmys for writing and directing in the Comedy category.
And, this series isn’t the only one to do a full-on sweep. Succession won big with seven total awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. Kieran Culkin took home the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with co-stars Sarah Snook winning the Outstanding Lead Actress and Matthew Macfadyen winning the Supporting Actor awards. Succession was also recognized for its writing and directing, showcasing why so many people have enjoyed the satirical drama until its intense final season that premiered last year.
The final show that took the night by storm was Netflix’s limited series Beef, featuring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, both of whom grabbed their first Emmys. Beef won Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, with Steven Yeun taking home the Lead Actor for this category, and Ali Wong the Lead Actress award. They also won the Emmy for best writing in this category. This A24 series was regarded by viewers as a captivating experience, and they now have the Emmys to match the high reviews the series raked in since its premiere.
A Few Other Successes
It was great to see Quinta Brunson awarded for her work on Abbott Elementary, another comedy series that gained tons of viewers and brought laughter to our screens in the last year.
A few others like Blackbird, Poker Face, and RuPaul’s Drag Race also had wins throughout the night, splitting up some of the sweeps. Niecy Nash-Betts also won an Emmy and gave a celebratory speech that had the audience cheering.
Elton John also reached EGOT status, winning an Emmy for Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.
Some Unfortunate Losses
It can be kind of rough having a major sweep of three shows, as special and wonderful as they are, because it can make the night feel a bit repetitive and like many great series didn’t get their time to shine. It’s sad to see some not get their moment, for example Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Only Murders in the Building, Jury Duty, Wednesday, and more iconic series that gained immense popularity online with fans. Many stars like Melanie Lynskey or Jenna Ortega gave amazing performances, yet didn’t take home a win this time – but the competition in all of the categories was definitely tough, and it was hard to predict who’d take the award home.
White Lotus and Ted Lasso were also perhaps expected to win bigger, with many nominations, both taking home one Emmy each. Even The Last of Us – which was certainly a sensation – had two wins this time around, with both of them in the Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama Series category. Jennifer Coolidge’s speech was a highlight of the night, though, as she thanked “the evil gays,” a reference to one of her character’s lines in The White Lotus.
Other Tid-Bits from the Show
– There was also a tribute to the actors, writers, and producers who have passed away, along with a clip honoring Martin Luther King Jr., including a portion of his “I Have a Dream” speech.
– People were super excited to see Christina Applegate, who received a standing ovation on stage.
– Reunions were in order, with members of the Grey’s Anatomy and The Sopranos cast coming together for the ceremony.
– Finally, we can’t close out without talking about RuPaul’s Drag Race star Princess Polly showing up as a green goblin to the award show, which had the internet talking and made for another iconic Emmy moment.
The Emmys wrapped up fairly quick for how many awards they had to give out. As for future predictions of who’ll be winning big, we have to wait and see what the rest of 2024 has in store. Congratulations to the winners and the big sweeps of the night – until next year!
