of 2023 Primetime Emmy Award Nominees announced on Wednesday. The New York Times television critics James Poniwozik and Margaret Lyons discuss who succeeded and who failed, the flimsy programming of limited series, the blind spots of reality TV, and the successors of Succession and White Lotus. We discussed all the actor candidates. ”
James Poniewozik This Emmy season is weirder than usual, Margaret! Writers are on strike. Actors may follow them. We don’t even know when or if the actual awards ceremony will take place. Still, the nominations keep pouring in, and they’re a reminder of what television was like back in the days when television was being made.
Meanwhile, the TV industry is entering a period of contraction as companies like Warner Bros. Discovery cut costs. So no matter how credible the Emmys are as an award, it can make a big difference in who gets the budget and who gets the axe.
Well, the bright side is over. The television industry may be filled with uncertainty, but few of the leading candidates make a big impact. But let’s start with a pleasant surprise. Let’s listen to “Jury Duty”. This sleazy faux-documentary comedy was designed to appear neither scripted nor acted, but performed daring stunts on the strength of both craftsmanship.
Margaret Lyons It really is a crazy time for TV! I feel like I’m watching two circles in a Venn diagram drifting apart. People who are interested in TV and people who make money from TV. And, as always, the Emmys are no exception, like divorced parents agreeing to be polite at their daughter’s wedding, even if everyone is mad about how badly they behaved at some parties. Moh knows exactly what dad wants to bring his new girlfriend, Discovery+, and continues as usual, even though it’s a cash bar.
But “jury duty”! I’m especially excited that this film has been nominated for casting. This, I would argue, is the greatest and most essential achievement of this much-successful production. But I kind of laughed at the fact that it was pitted against shows like “Barry” and “The Bear.” These shows feel so radically different from their goofy jury ensembles that they all seem outrageous to compete with.
I was also surprised that “Atlanta” was the final season and received only one (Best Cinematography) nomination. But there are also plenty of banner shows where this is the last Emmy.
Poniewozik I could skim through all the dissenting and hooray lists, but I’d like to see the big picture first. A theme in recent Emmy chats is how the limited series nominations outperformed the rest. I hope not this year! For me, “Beef” is class in this category among the nominees, including the flashy “Dahmer,” the middling “Daisy Jones and the Six,” and (laughs) “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” increase. None of the last few films have come close to David Cronenberg’s radical reimagining of Dead Ringers, but they were a rare case of TV adaptations of originals that had a say. In terms of cinematography, it got a kudos, just like “Atlanta.”
lions I think so too. For me, too, ‘beef’ is the standout in that category.
There’s always a blur between comedy and drama, but where that gray area lies changes from year to year. Sometimes all comedy is a bit disappointing and a lot of drama is very snappy. In some cases, the length distinction can feel arbitrary at best. What struck me this year is the chasm between comedy and drama in the guest star category. Clearly real apples and oranges, but this shows a big format trend between disciplines.
Dramas have significant “departure” episodes, such as The Last of Us, and comedies have the equivalent of celebrity cameos, such as Taraji P. Henson in Abbott Elementary. There is something to do. “The Bear” isn’t a comedy hahaha, but Jon Bernthal’s nod as a guest actor makes it feel very “comedy” due to how the character works within the structure of the show.
Poniewozik Well, Margaret, the recent Emmys have been a pretty good argument for separate comedy and drama categories. For me, The Diplomat is more of a comedy, but it’s also a drama. Is ‘Bad Sisters’ more drama than ‘Barry’? I think, but the distance can be measured in millimeters.
But when it comes to the funniest dramas on TV, you can’t help your chances on Google search if you don’t start talking about “successors.” The story of the Roy family ends, of course, with the entire family competing for a limited acting award. This time, Shiv, or Sarah Snook, has the upper hand as the only member of the family to be nominated for Best Actress. (But watch out for Bella Ramsey from “The Last of Us”; she may have a shiv, but she has a knife!)
If this is the year of ‘Succession’, which Roy deserves Best Actor? I don’t mean to overshadow Brian Cox, but Logan was inevitably a supporting character in the final season, taking the lead in his absence. Between Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong, I think I lean a little towards Strong. Even if it was in retaliation for how painfully he conveyed Kendall’s doomed and hungry ambition, and for making fun of him for taking his acting seriously and using his words correctly. I have. “dramatically”
One thing I’m sure of is that the “Connor’s Wedding” episode should (and probably will) fall into every possible category. However, I can’t help but laugh at the supporting drama actor category. He has eight candidates, all from “Succession” or “White Lotus”. There was acting elsewhere on TV last season, I swear! (But congratulations, Matthew Macfadyen.)
lions For me, Best Actor is an order of magnitude stronger. It doesn’t put any other acting down, but Kendall’s vocal range control alone deserves an Emmy in my book. And while I see what you’re saying about the “successor” supporting actor plethora, looking through the list of roles submitted, I don’t think there’s anyone who’s been clearly neglected. But I’m starting to worry that “For All Mankind” will never get to see its Emmy glory moments again, and that’s frustrating me.
Emmys are full of blind spots, but their refusal to engage in any meaningful way with reality shows drives me nuts. ‘Love Is Blind’ Nominated Over ‘Couples Therapy’? come! And in the reality competition department, what does “Alone” have to do to get a little love?
Poniewozik yes!The Emmys have come a long way — at least over there — from the days of handing the statues to “Modern Family” forever. But the reality of competition is now that he is one of the most fixed categories, with ‘Survivor’, ‘The Amazing Race’ and ‘Le His Pole’s Drag Race’ reappearing. To be honest, I’m not into “Alone”. I just think he’s just a man with two eyes. But I would have loved to have seen them open the “traitor” book. Kind of like “The Mole” with Alan Cumming POVing in a Scottish castle as if he were in John Waters’ production of “Macbeth.” (It was nominated in one category for casting.)
Everyone compiles their own grudge list, so here’s the standard caveat that the Emmy calendar isn’t the same as a normal human calendar. The period covered is from June to May of the following year. So you must have a good memory!
For example, “The Bear” would qualify for last year’s season 1 (perfectly good) rather than the just-released season 2 (which was phenomenal). The comedy category has plenty of shows nominated for seasons that aren’t at their peak. “Abbott Elementary” (still adorable, but off the pace of Season 1), “Barry” (great achievement despite some rough spots in the finale), “Ted”. Lasso ”(Dear God).
lions Besides the sometimes confusing calendars, I also want to mention the sometimes confusing category rules. For example, “I Think You Should Break Up With Tim Robinson” is indeed Emmy-nominated, but scripted variety series such as “The Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Saturday Night Live” Instead, it counts as a short comedy, drama, or variety. Seriesed because the episode is less than 20 minutes for him. Tim Robinson is also nominated, also in the short film category.
surely! To understand the Emmys is to accept their shortcomings, and for that, I think this feels like a quintessential selection. A few bright surprises, a handful of sluggers, and a few shows that coast to fame (“Wednesday,” come on) or the love of previous seasons remains. Now we are wondering if the ceremony will take place and in what capacity …
Poniewozik See you in September! [Checks the headlines about the Hollywood labor negotiations.] Or much, much later!
