Peak TV may be over, but the TV spectacle is far from over. In fact, this Emmy season has delivered the most eclectic list of nominees from the widest variety of platforms in TV history. The list of contenders ranges from the spectacle of “Shōgun” to the slow burn of “Slow Horses” to this year’s out-of-nowhere sleepwalking stalker story, “Baby Reindeer.”
By any definition, the nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards, revealed on July 17, were completely out of the ordinary.
While 2024 marks the first time in Emmy history that two shows will be held in the same calendar year, the Sept. 15 ceremony won’t be the same old song and dance. For the first time in 50 years, the best drama series category includes only one title that was a contender last year: Netflix’s “The Crown.” (The 2022-23 Emmys are being handed out on Jan. 15, later than the usual September slot due to last year’s writers’ and actors’ strike.)
Just hours after the 2024 Emmy nominations were announced, diverseThe Awards Circuit podcast roundtable covered the news and offered her quick thoughts on how the competition is shaping up. Listen below!
Netflix leads the list this time with 107 nominations, thanks in part to its long-running hit “The Crown,” which has 18, and its latest film, “Baby Reindeer,” which has 11. FX came in second.
“Shōgun” came in second with 93 nominations, a huge number made up mainly of “Shōgun's” 25 nominations and “The Bear's” 23 nominations.
FX
Other leading shows on the network include “Reservation Dogs” and “What We Do in the Shadows” – two shows
Several shows were expected to miss out on the list, including the star-studded “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” (interestingly, Netflix’s 107 nominations included 35 honorable mentions, while FX’s 93 nominations highlighted just nine shows).
For the past 20 years, HBO/Max has held the top two spots (17 of them first). This year, it dropped to third, with 91 nominations. HBO’s “True Detective: Night Country” was the fourth most nominated series and the most nominated limited series, with 19 nominations.
Apple TV+ had its best year ever, despite not having “Severance” in the running, with 72 nominations, up from 54 last year. New comedy “Palm Royale,” dramas “The Morning Show,” “Slow Horses” and limited series “Lessons in Chemistry” were responsible for the platform’s fourth-place finish.
Broadcast networks returned to the top five for the first time in years, with ABC and CBS each earning 38 nominations, thanks to “Abbott Elementary” and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”
Here are some key takeaways from this year's Emmy nominations.
Raise the level of drama
The drama category is perhaps the most bizarre in years. “The Crown” was the only truly predictable nominee. And while the final episodes of the 2021 winner haven’t been well-reviewed, the TV Academy loves it, so it was sure to get one last nod.
Originally billed as a limited series, “Shōgun” was placed in various categories after FX announced it would be renewed, and it immediately took the lead. Amazon Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” also originally billed as a limited series/anthology, was later renewed for a second season. Although many wondered if “Fallout” would go the anthology route and move away from the video game story in future seasons, its dramatic ending put it in the drama race.
Another chance went to Netflix’s “3 Body Problem,” which was recently renewed for two more seasons, cementing its status as a drama rather than a limited series. Meanwhile, “The Gilded Age” and “The Morning” have earned spots on the show.
Both shows earned their first-ever nominations for Best Drama Series, for their second and third seasons, respectively. Season three of Apple TV+’s drama “Slow Horses” also earned a coveted spot in the category (and eight more nominations).
Did the subsequent vote change?
Television Academy voters are usually pretty consistent. If they like a show, it might win in every category. But this year, despite “The Bear” getting 10 acting nominations and “Shogun” getting five, those numbers aren’t as high as expected.
However, voting is not based on final results at all. One notable example: In the guest actor categories, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” received a whopping five nominations for Michaela Coel, Sarah Paulson and Parker Posey.
Paul Dano and John Turturro.
double trouble
Maya Rudolph may be the winner of this year's Best Comedy Actress award, not only because she got a nomination for Best Lead Comedy Actress for her role in “Loot,” but because she got three other nominations: Original Music and Lyrics (“Saturday Night Live”), Guest Actress (“Saturday Night Live”) and Voice Acting (“Big Mouth”).
As is customary, this year featured several double nominations, especially from the same series. Richard Judd, Quinta Brunson and Donald Glover were nominated for their performances and writing in “Baby Reindeer,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” respectively. Meanwhile, Jodie Foster, Brie Larson and Andrew Scott were nominated for acting and producing in “True Detective,” “Chemistry Lessons” and “Ripley.”
Courtesy of HBO
Others were nominated across different shows and even genres. Jon Hamm received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role in “Fargo” and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance on “The Morning Show”; Paul Rudd was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in “Only Murders in the Building” and Outstanding Narrator for his role in “Secrets of the Octopus”; Jonathan Pryce was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for “The Crown” and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for “Slow Horses”; and Kristen Wiig was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in “Palm Royale” and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “Saturday Night Live”.
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards will air live from the LA Live Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on ABC. The broadcast will then be available to stream the following day on Hulu. A host has yet to be named.
Variety's “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangkai, and Emily Longerita, Jenelle Riley Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for vital conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode of Awards Circuit features interviews with top talent and creators in film and television, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download podcasts.
