“Why would you believe in something awful when you could believe in something wonderful?” So said the unnamed Priest to the titular Fleabag in the year’s best show, essentially echoing our thoughts when it comes to this year’s Emmys.
Nominations for the 71st annual TV awards show were announced today, and we’re thankfully way past the years of multiple nominations for the likes of Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory. Instead, we’re at a time when Netflix, Amazon, HBO and F/X dominate, and complex, little-seen shows like Fleabag and Barry pretty much wrap up all the major nominations … deservedly so.
A few thoughts on this year’s nominations …
The Handmaid’s Tale, Big Little Lies, Atlanta, The Crown and Baskets were not eligible for major categories.
Potential nominations had to work within the Emmy eligibility period, which means a show aired between June 1, 2018 through May 31 of this year. The Handmaid’s Tale had some later episodes from last season available, however, and those were submitted for consideration in smaller categories (it got three, for guest actor, guest actress and direction).
It’s Fleabag‘s world; sorry you missed it
The Amazon Prime Video comedy — which almost didn’t come back for a second season and won’t see a third (by creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s choice) — racked up Lead Actress, Outstanding Comedy Series, two Supporting Actress, two Guest Actress, Directing and Writing nominations.
It’s also Barry‘s world, and you should be watching it
Bill Hader’s excellent HBO dramedy about a hitman-turned-actor averaged between 420,000 and 2.2 million viewers this year per episode, in parts thanks to a little lead-in called Game of Thrones (which averaged just under 12 million viewers). Nine major nominations should help its cause, including several nods to star Hader — who also directed the perfect, surreal episode 5.
Stephen Root (also of Barry) got his first Emmy nomination!
That’s after 230 acting credits. How he didn’t land one for NewsRadio, we’ll never know.
Where are the major networks?
Seriously, the likes of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and the CW managed just one nomination for Outstanding Comedy (The Good Place) and one for Drama (This Is Us), while only doing well in the competition, variety and reality categories.
Unlike you, the Television Academy didn’t hate this season of Game of Thrones
The beleaguered final season of HBO’s hit show landed over a dozen major nominations across acting, directing, writing and best drama categories.
There are a few shows that dominate, as usual (and the new usual)
Congratulations on your multiple nominations, Fosse/Verdon, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Better Call Saul, Killing Eve, The Good Place, Saturday Night Live, Ozark, Veep and This Is Us.
Also landing multiple nominations for the first (and possibly only time, as some were limited runs): Russian Doll, Chernobyl, Escape at Dannemora and, surprisingly in its fifth season and for the first time, Schitt’s Creek.
Adam Sandler somehow got a nomination
For hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. Also receiving SNL guest star noms: John Mulaney, Matt Damon and Robert De Niro.
Of all the major snubs, this is the worst.
D’Arcy Carden of The Good Place had an episode where she played every character. She still didn’t get a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
