75th Emmys Roundup: A Delayed Celebration Delivered Awards Show Perfection
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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.
Was Someone Cutting Onions?
Maybe it was because the strike put everyone out of work. Maybe the momentous occasion got to everyone. Or maybe it was the dry LA weather. But the tears were flowing during the 75th Emmys. First-time winners Kieran Culkin, Steven Yeun, Niecy Nash-Betts, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all let some waterworks spill during their speeches. While Quinta Brunson won for writing on Abbott Elementary last year, getting the award for Best Actress handed to her by Carol Burnett heightened the emotions for her win. Normally, I expect to get a little misty during the In Memorium, but I cried more during the handing out of awards than I ever have.
The Trend is Official: Sweeps are Here to Stay
When Schitt’s Creek swept every major Comedy category during the 2020 Emmy Awards for its final season, it felt like a fluke occasion. But the past few years have shown that moment was the beginning of a disappointing trend. During the 75th Emmys, Beef won almost every major Limited Series award it was nominated for. Succession only lost for Supporting Actress. And The Bear completely cleared their major categories.
This is not a complaint against any of these series. I would name each of them among the best for last year. But these sweeps have begun to set a worrying trend. The sheer swaths of television are finally starting to crack even its most loyal watchers. It’s clear voters can’t watch everything and have started to pick all the entries for the buzziest show of the season.The Emmys are best when they allow many different creative people to have their chance to shine. It’s hard to label any of these wins a snub because I believe every single winner deserved to be up there. But a little variety would be nice.
A Farewell Tour to Succession and Succession Alone
Better Call Saul, I’m so sorry. The fact you never won a single major award (or even a Creative Arts Emmys outside of 2 for its web content) is absolutely horrifying. But looking at this year’s winners, you would think Succession was the only show ending. This was the last year for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Barry, Better Call Saul, and Succession. All of those shows have a case for being considered in the top TV series of all time. So why were the Emmys so hesitant to spread the love? Each of those shows deserved a killer award season send-off. They will be studied for years to come. It’s unfortunate voters couldn’t make space for them.
It’s Great to be Back!
While the Emmys has been back to in-person festivities for a few years, this was the year the Emmys returned with an invigorated spirit. The montage of 75 great moments in TV history only scratched the service of what this medium can do. The WGA and SAG strikes have seemed to unify this industry in a way that hasn’t been felt before in a while. The result is a 75th Emmys that exists purely to love TV. The legacy of what Norman Lear built turned the show into a wondrous sight to behold. TV has come a long way, and it hasn’t always moved in the right direction. But look at what was built. TV was designed to be the new medium for new generations, it was a medium made for the people, and last night the people got a thank you they deserved.
Leila Jordan is a writer and former jigsaw puzzle world record holder. Her work has appeared in Paste Magazine, the LA Times, Gold Derby, TheWrap, FOX Digital, The Spool, and Awards Radar. To talk about all things movies, TV, and useless trivia you can find her @galaxyleila
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