75th Emmys Roundup: A Delayed Celebration Delivered Awards Show Perfection
Photo Courtesy of FOX
During a normal Emmys season, this is the part where I get heated. Whether it’s strange wins, poor show construction, or weird advertisements, every Emmys broadcast is filled with controversial creative choices. The good and the bad. The snubs and the surprises.
But this was no normal Emmys season. For the first time in 23 years, the Emmys was televised after its usual end-of-summer date due to delays caused by the writers’ and actors’ strikes. For its 75th year, the Emmys aired with a clearer creative direction than ever before. It was a celebration of television history. The show was funny, under time, and for the first time in years: exactly what the Emmys should be. So let’s look back at the moments that made this Emmys one to remember.
Reunions with a Soul (and a Set)
The shining creative decision was centering the show around a revolving ensemble of reunions. Revisited programs included The Sopranos, Cheers, Ally McBeal, Grey’s Anatomy, All in the Family, and Martin, to name a few. There was a star-studded reunion for every generation to enjoy. But the assortment of reunions were elevated by the genius decision to stage its actors in recreations of the shows’ iconic sets. Too often celebrations focus only on the acting ensemble. The care to pay homage to brilliant set designs grounded the reunions as not just a gimmick. It was a touching homage to why people have cared about television for 75 years, and elevated the Emmys beyond the standard dressing that awards shows have gotten comfortable with.
Anthony Anderson Shines as Host
Hosting an award show isn’t for just anyone, as Jo Koy illustrated at last week’s Golden Globes. The Emmys has never struggled to find a strong host like other shows, but Anthony Anderson served as a wonderful master of ceremonies. His opening tribute to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood got the show off to a strong start and he never let up. The monologue was short, sweet, and the perfect amount of funny led by a talented showman. The recurring gag of Anthony’s mother telling people to wrap up their speeches was a brilliant way to circumvent the often rude decorum of “playing off” the speaker. It reminded the audience that this is a show that’s meant to be fun and the way the winners got on board was incredibly charming (highlighted by John Oliver beginning to list Liverpool’s football team members just to get yelled at by Anthony’s mother).
Several Record-Breaking Winners
If anyone was going to unseat SNL’s throne, of course it would be John Oliver. After moving to the Variety Show category, Last Week Tonight ended SNL’s 6-year winning streak. One of the best wins of the night came from Niecy Nash-Betts who took home Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for Dahmer, her first win from 5 nominations. It was the kind of emotional moment someone works for decades to achieve and everyone in that theater felt the impact. Likewise to Elton John achieving EGOT status for his Farewell From Dodger Stadium show. One of these moments is usually attention-getting enough, 3 is a treat.
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