Emmy nominations: The stars, the snubs, and the streaming domination

As we unpack everything around the current Emmy nomination slate with entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, one thing is for sure- both the British and the streamers continue to dominate. Let’s take a closer look.

Newcomers and feel-good TV

Above all, however, it’s notable that the field of Emmy nominations is dominated by a wealth of variety and feel-good content that’s incredibly reflective of the mood of the year just passed. We see HBO and HBO Max walk off with 130 nominations, and Netflix squeaks in just behind at 129. Even Apple TV+, which has been somewhat neglected by the mainstream to date, scored itself 35 nominations, mostly for the beloved and gentle Ted Lasso. Of course, the Emmys don’t just deal in feel-good. We see strong dramatic nominations across the board, including the iconic British Netflix hit, The Crown, and its somewhat topical focus on the doomed marriage of Prince Charles to the late Princess Diana. At 24 nominations, including 9 for its cast, despite the series being well into its fourth season, the creators have to be feeling on top of the world. Disney’s The Mandalorian tied with The Crown at 24 nominations, including the coveted best drama series alongside others for special effects and writing. Bridgeton, another Netflix dive into British romance, gets a nod for best drama series as well as some acting accolades. And, perhaps, best represents how we arrived at this year’s lineup. Bridgeton surged to unexpected popularity among viewers on the back of its escapist, somewhat fantastical, yet oddly compelling storytelling. Offering a beautiful world that's easy to lose yourself in, it was a compelling option at a time when our days were filled with grim news, disease, and lockdowns. It’s a sense you see echoed throughout the full Emmy nomination slate, and probably inevitable from the first post-lockdown nomination lineup.

September ceremony

The Emmy Awards, widely seen as the highest TV honors in the world, are currently planned for a September 19th ceremony to be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. We’ve never quite seen a year as competitive as this one, with so many new TV properties hitting viewer’s screens throughout the pandemic boom. This is despite the disruption to many production schedules caused by the health crisis, including some previous winners who were notable only in their absence from this year’s lineup. It’s a shakeup across the board, for sure, with over 75% of nominees for the comedy slots being brand new to the game. This explosion of new content is teamed up with some intriguing documentary picks and an increasingly diverse succession of actors and directors, another big theme of 2021. This year, we see the very first nomination for a transgender performer in a lead role, building on Laverne Cox’s 2014 nomination for her recurring guest role on Orange is the New Black. Alongside one of the strongest showings for actors of color ever slated, we see an overwhelming number of British nominations, again hinting at some of the escapism and urge to change the world for the better that characterized the difficult last year. There’s little doubt about it. Streaming, as well as the health crisis that caused its amazing surge, has left its mark on the Emmy nominations for 2022. Is this a trend that will continue to reshape the face of TV as we know it? Only time will tell, but Brandon Blake and the team will be there to keep you in the loop.