As the TV industry heads toward the prestigious kudofest in mid-September, the snubs, shocks, upheavals, and perplexities are already in full swing. And here we are again, mere six months after Fox aired the delayed and underwhelming 75th Emmy Awards. Now, ABC is gearing up for the 76th edition. Today, the TV Academy unveiled the nominees for the 2024 Emmys, who will gather on September 15 at the Peacock Theater in the heart of Los Angeles. The telecast, which will be broadcast live across both coasts, will honor programs and performances that graced our screens between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. As the new batch of contenders embarks on their campaign trail, we'll have ample time to speculate who deserves the crown, who might prevail (and who undoubtedly won't).
Now, let's delve into the recent developments: the snubs, the unexpected, and what they portend for the grand event.
1. ABC has already disclosed that Jesse Collins Entertainment will reprise its role as the Emmy night producer for the second year in a row, but a host is still a mystery. In the past three iterations of the awards show hosted by ABC — the TV honors rotate between networks, and the hosting network selects the emcee — its late-night favorite, Jimmy Kimmel, often doubled as the Emmy evening's host. Kimmel is a consummate professional, having hosted the Oscars for ABC four times, routinely stealing the spotlight with his witty roasts, and consistently renewing his late-night contract despite his occasional hesitation. One can only imagine the attention a large, televised Hollywood event might draw from Trump, which we know Kimmel relishes... but he's already declined. So, let's consider other options: Jo Koy? Just kidding. Perhaps the immensely popular emcee of the Governors Awards, John Mulaney? (*Yeah, I realize that would've been a smoother choice before he was snubbed.) Or how about ABC's creator/star/all-around comedic genius Quinta Brunson (with or without her Abbott cast)? Or, perhaps, someone less flashy.
2. We all know, The Bear isn't really a comedy. In fact, it's hardly something anyone would laugh about. But for Emmy's sake, it's classified as a comedy, and it just racked up a staggering 23 nominations, breaking the previous record held by 30 Rock with 22. Now, here's where it gets intriguing: the recently released and hotly debated third season of the FX series won't be in contention until next year's Emmys. Currently, TV Academy voters may be binge-watching season three, but they'll be casting their votes for season two, which aired last summer. Are you still following? Well, critics unanimously praised season two, the same season that garnered the Best Comedy accolade at the Golden Globes in January.
3. When it comes to FX, their performance was nothing short of stellar. True, Netflix may have overshadowed them, but let's be honest, given the mammoth size, vast reach, and deep pockets of the streaming giant (irrespective of the inclusion or absence of "Survival of the Thickest"), surpassing them would have been a herculean feat. For those keeping tabs, Netflix racked up 107 nominations, while FX garnered 93, largely thanks to the critical darling "The Bear" and the strategic shift of "Shogun" into the drama category. Oh, and let's not forget the long-awaited recognition for the Indigenous comedy "Reservation Dogs," which was unfortunately overlooked in its first two critically acclaimed seasons. (In 2022, when questioned about these snubs, creator Sterlin Harjo told THR, "There's racism out there. Isn't that obvious? There's no other explanation.") So, if you happen to bump into the FX trio — John, Nick, or Gina — in the commissary, a hearty congratulations is in order. Conversely, Amazon's Jen Salke probably isn't too thrilled with the outcome, so perhaps steer clear of her in the soup line? Let's face it: investing heavily in a Nicole Kidman miniseries (and even more so in its awards campaign) only to see it overlooked is hardly a recipe for joy.
4. The talk show category was teetering on the edge of excitement. If you missed it, here's a quick recap. Initially, "Hot Ones" — yes, that popular YouTube series where celebrities are grilled (literally and figuratively) with increasingly spicy wings — managed to secure eligibility in the category, promising a fresh take. However, their hopes were dashed as they were ultimately snubbed. Then, it seemed John Mulaney's Netflix experiment, "John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A.," with its six hilarious episodes, had a legitimate chance of challenging the nightly stalwarts like "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Of course, had it been nominated, there would have been plenty of grumbling. After all, the nightly shows have had their own share of complaints when they had to compete with John Oliver's HBO offering, "Last Week Tonight," which airs weekly — or at least on the weeks it feels like airing. But alas, all that is now water under the bridge. The race remains a stalemate between Jon, Jimmy (Kimmel), Seth, and Stephen. Repeat as necessary.
5. Now, let's fill the void with a bit of our own venting. "The Idol" — yes, that Weeknd-fronted trainwreck that HBO is probably hoping you've forgotten — managed to snag a nomination (albeit in the choreography category, but still). And yet, "The Curse" and its Oscar-winning star Emma Stone were completely shut out? It turns out, it wasn't a banner day for Oscar winners. The Academy showed no mercy to Nicole Kidman or "The Regime's" Kate Winslet either. Furthermore, while Dave Chappelle's latest Netflix special did earn a variety special nomination, thought-provoking and insightful performances from Alex Edelman, Ramy Youssef, and Jacqueline Novak only received writing nods? (Oh, don't get me wrong, I have no objections to writing nods. Those three deserve every accolade they receive. All. The. Awards.) And speaking of controversial comedic endeavors, Jerry Seinfeld's critically panned pop tart movie, "Unfrosted," somehow snuck in a nomination. There you have it.
