If I Was the Only One Who Voted for the Emmys
Back in January, a little bit after the nominations for the 2019 Oscars were announced, I wrote a piece about what the nominations would have looked like if I was the only one who voted for them. I really loved doing that piece, so I had to do the same for the Emmys! The only new category I added to this mix was “Best Episode” and I basically picked and chose the categories I felt were prominent enough to be relevant here. Additionally, the Emmy nominations are very weird, right? Like, it’s supposed to be only shows eligible from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019. Or something like that, right? Anyway, I (very loosely and with minimal exterior research) tried to follow that rule, as well. Additionally, I refuse to believe that Fleabag and Maisel are comedies. I won’t allow category fraud here. Without further ado, the Emmy nominations! (As they should have been.)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
“Andy Samberg and Josh Hutcherson” by Seth Meyers and Alex Baze (Late Night with Seth Meyers)
“Billy on the Street with the Jonas Brothers” by Billy Eichner (Billy on the Street)
“Halloween” by Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Cole Escola, & Allison Silverman (At Home with Amy Sedaris)
“Liev Schreiber/Lil Wayne” by Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Kent Sublette (Saturday Night Live)
“Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter from the Far Side” by Duffy Boudreau and Bill Hader (Documentary Now!)
For the Billy on the Street, Late Night, and SNL nominees in this list, I had to limit the byline to the head writers of the shows because there are just so many damn writers. But we all know that the best of the best material comes from people like Amber Ruffin and Julio Torres anyway. That being said, Late Night’s post-Golden Globes episode with Samberg was hilarious and it had a solid, get-in, get-out “A Closer Look” segment about Trump’s plan for a border wall. The one-liners thrown out by Eichner with Nick, Joe, and Kevin were hilarious. Amy Sedaris’ “Halloween” episode was her sense of humor distilled perfectly. And the Liev Schreiber episode of SNL probably had the best sketches of the season. But every single line from the “Searching for Mr. Larson” episode of Documentary Now! is pure gold. Obviously, that has a lot to do with Fred Armisen’s delivery, but Boudreau’s and Hader’s script is pitch perfect, too.
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
Adam Sandler (Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh)
Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience)
“The Bent-Neck Lady” by Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House)
David Milch (Deadwood: The Movie)
“Where Am I Going?” by Charlotte Stoudt (Fosse/Verdon)
After mockumentaries on cycling and tennis, the Lonely Island transitioned into a visual poem/concept rap album and mixtape about Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. David Milch returned to his baby to end it on his own terms. Fosse/Verdon went toe to toe with Neil Simon. And Adam Sandler poured his soul into something that was genuinely funny and moving. But no episode of a limited series blew me away like “The Bent-Neck Lady” from The Haunting of Hill House did. Props to Meredith Averill for knocking the pivotal episode of the series right out of the park.
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
“Chapter Two: The Mall Rats” by the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)
“Episode 6” by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag)
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” by Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones)
“Quite a Ride” by Ann Cherkis (Better Call Saul)
“Which Side Are You On?” by Susan Soon He Stanton (Succession)
The likely series finale of Fleabag absolutely knocked my socks off. And while they try to pass it off as a comedy, the sex party episode of Succession was actually funnier than anything in this category. Of course, it was a lot of fun to hang out at Starcourt with the kids from Stranger Things as they continue to grow up (and Will continues his pleas for Dungeons and Dragons). But it was equally mind-blowing to get tossed back into the events of Breaking Bad halfway through Saul’s fourth season. But there’s no contest here. Any episode that features Jaime Lannister on trial, the knighting of Brienne of Tarth, the full lyrics to “Jenny’s Song,” and Tormund’s Giantsbane origin story is the runaway winner for best writing.
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
“Chidi Sees the Time-Knife” by Christopher Encell and Joe Mande (The Good Place)
“The Gang Gets New Wheels” by Conor Galvin (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
“Honeymoon” by Neil Campbell (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
“Pancakes” by Stephen Falk (You’re the Worst)
“Veep” by David Mandel (Veep)
The jokes in every single one of these episodes are astoundingly hilarious. Falk and Mandel wrote send-offs to their shows in hilarious, surprisingly fitting manners. The Good Place and Sunny brought me to tears in their respective entries. However, I laughed the hardest at the season six premiere of Brooklyn. Every joke was the fire emoji and it signified that the show was on NBC and it was back and better than ever. “Honeymoon” put the show’s operations on a whole new level.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
“John Mulaney/Thomas Rhett” by Don Roy King (Saturday Night Live)
“Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Hamilton Cast, José Andrés, and Bad Bunny” by Dave Diomedi (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)
“Long Gone” by Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas (Documentary Now!)
“Original Cast Album: Co-Op” by Alex Buono (Documentary Now!)
“Tina Fey and Robert Irwin” by Dave Diomedi (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)
Had to give a shoutout the pretty impressive directing that came with the show-stopping musical homage sketch from Mulaney’s SNL episode. Shoutouts were also due to two episodes of Documentary Now! that could not have been more flawlessly executed if they were the actual documentaries themselves. And lastly, credit where credit is due to The Tonight Show, which pulled off not one, but two episodes that were never before seen in late night television in two consecutive months. The Fey and Irwin episode was a behind the scenes homage to The Larry Sanders Show and the Puerto Rico episode featured music through the streets of the island, as well as a special look at Hamilton. I had to give the nod to the Puerto Rico episode, ultimately.
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
David Slade (Black Mirror: Bandersnatch)
Hiro Murai (Guava Island)
“The Lake of the Clouds” by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Maniac)
“Nightmare at 30,000 Feet” by Greg Yaitanes (The Twilight Zone)
“Two Storms” by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House)
When I first watched the “Nightmare” episode of the new Twilight Zone starring Adam Scott, I was immediately struck by how gorgeous and dynamics the visuals of the episode were. Just judging by the way the camera moved and the objects foregrounded in the shots of the episode, I was blown away. Maniac had similar sumptuous visuals throughout its mind-bending run. And the two movies on this list, Bandersnatch and Guava Island, probably had the direction as the best thing going for them. But again, the nod has to go to Hill House, especially its standout sixth episode that tracked the characters in one shot for the show’s duration.
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
“The Bells” by Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones)
“Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt” by the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)
“Episode 3” by Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag)
“The Long Night” by Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones)
“Smoke” by Minkie Spiro (Better Call Saul)
“Episode 3” of Fleabag had a moment that definitely blew my mind. That’s thanks to the seminal directing on the show. Better Call Saul’s premiere for the season brought us back to the flash forward of the show (my favorite part of it). And of course, “Starcourt” is thrilling, moving, near-perfect television. But Thrones’ directing is so damn strong. It was hard not to also include “The Iron Throne” here, but I am exhibiting restraint to the best of my ability! “The Long Night” is the show’s best-ever battle episode. But “The Bells” has so much else going for it beyond the battle, chief among these features are the emotional character moments. Cleganebowl comes to mind. Just haunting, beautiful, terrific television.
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
“Janet(s)” by Morgan Sackett (The Good Place)
“Mac Finds His Pride” by Todd Biermann (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
“Pandemonium” by Michael Schur (The Good Place)
“ronny/lily” by Bill Hader (Barry)
“The Trial” by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows)
The Good Place packed a wallop of emotions in many episodes this year, but “Janet(s)” and “Pandemonium” were definitely two of the stars of the season. “The Trial” is an impossibly impressive blend of pop culture’s best vampires. “Mac Finds His Pride” was the frontrunner for so long, as well. But then “ronny/lily” came along and everything went out the door. Aside from the obvious technical marvel of the episode, I give it a ton of points for giving me a feeling that I did not know I could still get from television: “Holy shit! They can do that?!”
Outstanding Episode of Television
“The Bent-Neck Lady” (The Haunting of Hill House)
“Chapter Seven: The Bite” (Stranger Things)
“Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By” (The Good Place)
“Honeymoon” (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (Game of Thrones)
“The Long Night” (Game of Thrones)
“Mac Finds His Pride” (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
“Original Cast Album: Co-Op” (Documentary Now!)
“ronny/lily” (Barry)
“Veep” (Veep)
I had to expand this category to ten nominees! There’s just too much good television. From a stunner of a battle to a hilarious series finale to a jaw-dropping middle episode, television never ceases to amaze us. Whether it’s the singing pipes of John Mulaney, the dancing ability of Rob McElhenney, or the acting ability of Maya Hawke, there will always be something to keep us wanting more. That could be gruesome imagery, funny t-shirts, or profound ethical lessons. Or it could be the second best episode Game of Thrones ever did. Filled with heart and humor as our beloved characters stare down an impending apocalypse in the greatest “calm before the storm” ever put to screen. Bravo, Thrones.
Outstanding Host for a Reality, Competition, or Talk Series
Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)
Jon Favreau (The Chef Show)
Bindi Irwin (Crikey! It’s the Irwins!)
Seth Meyers (Late Night with Seth Meyers)
Amy Sedaris (At Home with Amy Sedaris)
Sedaris is astoundingly hilarious on her TruTV pseudo-satire and Fallon might be the most talented person to ever host a talk show. On top of that, the respective passions for food and for animals are palpable in the infectious enthusiasm of Favreau and Irwin. However, Seth Meyers is five years into his Late Night tenure and he’s still killing it every night. His perfect comedic timing from SNL is still present, but he is also a master of the interview, showing how he can still knock around with Poehler, but grill Meghan McCain on her nonsense, too.
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Will Arnett as BoJack Horseman (BoJack Horseman)
Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack (DuckTales)
H. Jon Benjamin as Bob Belcher (Bob’s Burgers)
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Fenton-Crackshell Cabrera (DuckTales)
Amy Sedaris as Princess Carolyn (BoJack Horseman)
Each one of these shows could have filled the category all on their own. Bob’s Burgers and DuckTales both have no shortage of astounding vocal talent and Ben Schwartz, Kristen Schaal, and John Roberts are among my most regrettable omissions. I was glad to find a spot for Sedaris, who is always excellent as the complex Carolyn. But Arnett is giving one of the best performances in television history with his role as BoJack. I would be remiss not to take the chance to honor him here.
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Armand Assante as Mr. Martino (The Deuce)
Michael McKean as Chuck McGill (Better Call Saul)
Tobias Menzies as Edmure Tully (Game of Thrones)
Adam Scott as Justin Sanderson (The Twilight Zone)
Alexander Skarsgard as Perry Wright (Big Little Lies)
Skarsgard was a pretty surprising return for flashbacks in Big Little Lies’ second season. At least, he was for me because I am not in the casting grapevine for BLL. I almost went with Scott here because of how delightful he always is and continued to be on Twilight Zone. Assante and Menzies don’t get a whole lot to do, but they’re a hell of a lot of fun to watch on screen. But I am going to take this opportunity to give McKean the recognition that the Emmys never did. Justice for Michael McKean!
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Jane Lynch as Sophie Lennon (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Fiona Shaw as Counsellor (Fleabag)
Kristin Scott Thomas as Belinda Friers (Fleabag)
Carice van Houten as Melisandre (Game of Thrones)
Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy (Game of Thrones)
I have a lot of overlap (eighty percent) with the actual Emmy category for this one. But it’s a pretty solid category. Any guest spot on Fleabag is worthy of consideration here. Lynch flexes muscles more akin to Party Down than Glee on Maisel. And we have a pair of delightful Thrones actors! I decided to give van Houten the edge over Whelan simply because she gets more to do than Yara does. Besides, how can you think anyone else deserves the trophy after seeing the Red Woman tell Arya that she is primed to shut many eyes forever after remarking that Beric Dondarrion’s purpose had been served?
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Jemaine Clement as Vladislav the Poker (What We Do in the Shadows)
John Mulaney as Host (Saturday Night Live)
Adam Sandler as Host (Saturday Night Live)
Paul Scheer as Stevie (Veep)
Ben Stiller as Tony Wonder (Arrested Development)
Scheer appeared minimally on Veep, but his relationship to Dan Egan was one of the funniest parts of the show. Stiller also appears sparingly and Clement is only there for half an episode of Shadows. They were all hilarious and it was great to see them remain involved with their respective programs, for sure. Hopefully, Mulaney hosts SNL every year, as he seems to be carving out a niche there for himself. But I have to give the edge to Sandler. His Chris Farley song is still just as heartbreaking and seeing the return of Opera Man to SNL gave me joy like few other things did in the year of television.
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Sufe Bradshaw as Sue Wilson (Veep)
Portia de Rossi as Lindsay Bluth (Arrested Development)
Toks Olagundoye as Kemi Talbot (Veep)
Maya Rudolph as Judge Gen (The Good Place)
Tilda Swinton as Eve (What We Do in the Shadows)
It’s too bad that we see Portia as a guest actress now for Arrested Development, which has likely run its course. But I’m glad she returned at least for a little bit. It was also cool to see Tilda hanging out as a vampire with the rest of the vampire crew on Shadows. I almost gave this one to Rudolph, who makes every line hysterical as the judge on The Good Place, but ultimately I knew it had to go to one of the Veep actors. And while I cheered to see Bradshaw appear again, Olagundoye is amazing as Kemi for the entire run of season seven.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Steve Buscemi as God (Miracle Workers)
George Clooney as Lieutenant Scheisskopf (Catch-22)
Timothy Hutton as Hugh Crain (The Haunting of Hill House)
Will Poulter as Colin Ritman (Black Mirror: Bandersnatch)
Ethan Slater as Joel Grey (Fosse/Verdon)
Poulter was easily the best part of the whole damn Bandersnatch affair, which is unlike anything the Emmys have encountered before. Buscemi, however, was not the best part of Miracle Workers, but definitely was still worthy of a nod. Slater was my favorite of all the awesome actors on Fosse/Verdon, which included Lin-Manuel Miranda and Santino Fontana. Hutton makes a really strong case for winning this category, but in the end, I was far too tickled by Clooney’s turn in his own adaptation of Catch-22 to let it go unrewarded. Imagine how big something like Catch-22 would have been even just five years ago?
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Aya Cash as Joan Simon (Fosse/Verdon)
Sally Field as Greta Mantleray (Maniac)
Pom Klementieff as Roxette (Black Mirror)
Margaret Qualley as Ann Reinking (Fosse/Verdon)
Victoria Pedretti as Nell Crain (The Haunting of Hill House)
Pedretti steals the show in Hill House as Nell is the most interesting character for sure. Klementieff was the coolest part of the new mini-Black Mirror season. Sally Field brings the veteran expertise to Maniac. And Qualley is just fantastic every time she’s on screen in Fosse/Verdon. But the best supporting turn in that show absolutely belongs to Aya Cash. Cash is not the most underrated actor working today because everyone is constantly singing her praises. However, she is the most underappreciated actor. Put her in everything and she will make it all better!
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Bradley as Samwell Tarly (Game of Thrones)
Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy (Succession)
Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane (Game of Thrones)
Joe Keery as Steve “The Hair” Harrington (Stranger Things)
Rory McCann as Sandor “The Hound” Clegane (Game of Thrones)
Honorable mentions definitely belong to Adam Scott of Big Little Lies, Jonathan Banks of Better Call Saul, and Jerome Flynn of Game of Thrones. But there were just too many amazing Thrones actors to deny any of them! Any other year, all of these actors have a genuine shot of winning. But Thrones is just a force to be reckoned with from an acting standpoint. Hivju is excellent as Tormund, in a pseudo-comedic relief/symbol of what Jon accomplished role. And Bradley crushes it as Sam in the early goings of season eight. Every time the Hound was on screen in season eight, I was utterly captivated. Of all the endings for all the characters, his was the most satisfying. And I almost picked him as the category’s winner. As for the non-Thrones nominees, Culkin is wickedly delightful on Succession. But the honor belongs to Joe Keery. Steve is the best of Stranger Things and Keery took that quality even higher in season three, providing the best arc of the entire season. He is a delight and a testament to the power of television on the fly.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones)
Zoe Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson (Big Little Lies)
Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler (Better Call Saul)
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark (Game of Thrones)
Another drama category, another reign of Thrones domination. Christie, if she had more scenes, would definitely have won this category. And Turner brings Sansa to an absolutely stunning conclusion. But Williams should have been winning in this category every single year. A singular talent who fit just as well into the ensemble, her portrayal of Arya Stark is a defining one in the fantasy of genre. Also a shoutout to Rhea Seehorn, who is perennially overlooked, and Zoe Kravitz, who didn’t get a lot to do in her scenes, but was still just as great of an actor as she always has been.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher as Raymond Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
William Jackson Harper as Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place)
Reid Scott as Dan Egan (Veep)
Timothy Simons as Jonah Ryan (Veep)
Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau (Barry)
Marc Maron, Stephen Root, Titus Burgess, Manny Jacinto, Gary Cole, and Will Arnett are all worthy honorable mentions. But it’s just tough to crack the top five, you know? Andre Braugher and William Jackson Harper are both masters of comedic timing and delivery. Plus, Braugher got to play depressive and Harper sweet, which was a bit of a departure from their usual stoicism and manic nature, respectively. Winkler probably has the deepest role of any of these characters and Scott is playing a character who is all douchebag. But Simons’ entire character progression for Jonah Ryan undeniably stole the show during Veep’s final season.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
D’Arcy Carden as Janet (The Good Place)
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer (Veep)
Melissa Fumero as Amy Santiago (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline Voorhees (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed (Barry)
Chlumsky has been one of my favorite performers for years. The character of Amy is definitely one of Veep’s best creations. Additionally, over on HBO, Goldberg is asked to do so much as Sally and she is even better than you anticipate when you watch one of her scenes unfold. Another fully realized character is Amy Santiago. Imagine anyone but Fumero in the role? I sure can’t. And for Krakowski, the type of character she plays in Unbreakable is so effortless, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be recognized for being one of the best at her craft. But for her time-hopping, dimension-skipping, layered performance in the “Janet(s)” episode alone, D’Arcy Carden deserves heaps upon heaps of praise.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Donald Glover as Deni Maroon (Guava Island)
Michiel Huisman as Steven Crain (The Haunting of Hill House)
Timothy Olyphant as Seth Bullock (Deadwood: The Movie)
Daniel Radcliffe as Craig Bog (Miracle Workers)
Sam Rockwell as Bob Fosse (Fosse/Verdon)
It sucks that we lost out on some bonus Daario Naharis content in the final season of Thrones, but it did open up Huisman to appear as the lead in Hill House. The ways in which he plays off the family tragedy surrounding the Crains are remarkable and he elevates Steven above the “main character is the boring one” trope. As for the other nominees, they are impeccable. Glover is magnetic throughout Guava Island. Rockwell delivers a heartbreaking performance as Bob Fosse. Radcliffe is unrecognizable in Miracle Workers, but not in terms of his appearance, mind you. And Olyphant steps back into the boots of Bullock, as if nothing’s changed over the years.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Rihanna as Kofi Novia (Guava Island)
Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon (Fosse/Verdon)
Carla Gugino as Olivia Crain (The Haunting of Hill House)
Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg (Maniac)
Geraldine Viswanathan as Eliza Hunter (Miracle Workers)
This is definitely one of the strongest categories! Rihanna played off Glover very well in Guava Island and made the whole thing completely her own. As for Stone, she completely stole the show in Maniac and was the runaway best actor in the whole thing. Gugino continued her very fruitful working relationship with Mike Flanagan on Hill House. And Viswanathan had a well-deserved breakout year as the lead of Miracle Workers. But it’s Michelle. Oh yes, oh yes, it is Michelle. She deserves it just for the way she wipes off a tear. Her turn as Gwen Verdon is probably the best performance in the whole year of television. Give her the Emmy already, damn it.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)
David Harbour as Jim Hopper (Stranger Things)
Kit Harington as Jon Snow (Game of Thrones)
Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill (Better Call Saul)
For the non-Thrones nominees, they are exceptionally strong in their performances. Odenkirk has no right to be as good as he is on Saul and Hopper is undoubtedly the beating heart behind Stranger Things, thanks to Harbour’s soulful performance. But Thrones has unparalleled acting. Dinklage is so good with every line of dialogue and every twitch of the face he is called upon to do. Coster-Waldau did a better job bringing Jaime to screen than anyone could ever have anticipated. But Harington really came into his own as Jon Snow, delivering his best season-long performance since what he pulled off in season four.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers (Stranger Things)
Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Mackenzie (Big Little Lies)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag (Fleabag)
Ryder finally gets to freak out about something that’s not Will Byers (this time, it’s magnets). Witherspoon gets less to do in season two, but she knocks every scene with Adam Scott right out of the park. Headey is absent from two episodes of Thrones’ final season, but she is arguably the most compelling aspects of the ones she is in. And Waller-Bridge was highlighted in bold, before I eventually relented. Phoebe is so amazing as Fleabag, but I cannot deny the tour de force put on by Clarke this year. From regal to combat-ready to devastated to the breaking point to haggard to delusional, Clarke didn’t mess a step with the whirlwind final arc of her character. Plus, has anyone ever been able to deliver a speech in a fictional language as well as she can do it?
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Ted Danson as Michael (The Good Place)
Bill Hader as Barry Block (Barry)
Rob McElhenney as Mac (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Timothy Olyphant as Joel Hammond (Santa Clarita Diet)
Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Danson is delightfully sincere and thoughtful with his performance as the redeemed demon of The Good Place. Two old pals from SNL, Samberg and Hader are giving vastly different performances, as well, but they’re both still well within their respective wheelhouses. As for Olyphant, his character basically does the same thing every episode, but boy it makes me laugh harder than any other character on television. But in the thirteenth season of his show, Rob McElhenney absolutely blew me away. It remains to be seen if his performance last year will be a game-changer for the show, but regardless of its impact, it cemented Sunny as an all-timer, if it wasn’t there already.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop (The Good Place)
Aya Cash as Gretchen Cutler (You’re the Worst)
Sharon Horgan as Sharon Morris (Catastrophe)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer (Veep)
Issa Rae as Issa Dee (Insecure)
Honorable mentions are definitely due to Ellie Kemper, Drew Barrymore, Rachel Bloom, and Alison Brie. But this is about a solid a group of five as you can come up with in this category. I was tempted to go in an alternative direction with this category. After all, there are plenty of great candidates for such an endeavor. Horgan and Cash are the centerpiece of their rom-com shows that turned the genre on its head. Issa Rae is probably playing the most grounded, fully realized character of the whole bunch. And Kristen Bell makes a redemption arc look absolutely seamless. But in her final turn as Selina Meyer, I had to honor JLD, the GOAT of all television actors. I will miss her scathing character as much as I’ll miss her on television every week.
Outstanding Reality or Competition Program
The Amazing Race
The Chef Show
Chef’s Table
Crikey! It’s the Irwins!
Match Game
I tuned in and out of The Amazing Race and Match Game this year, but while they’re not as good as they once were, they’re still pretty solid forms of entertainment that can help round out my five nominees. As for two cooking shows with the word “chef” in the title, Netflix knocked it out of the park in the food department. The globetrotting documentary series, Chef’s Table, is richly compelling and Jon Favreau delighted with celebrity cameos and grilled cheese sandwiches on The Chef Show. But I am just so partial to Crikey! because of how much I love the Irwin family. I know Aussies hate them, sans Steve, but I could listen to them talk about animals all day. They’re carrying on Steve Irwin’s legacy and I’m sure he couldn’t be prouder.
Outstanding Variety Special
Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh
Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable
A Legendary Christmas
The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
Springsteen on Broadway
Netflix really dominated this category, didn’t they? Ellen’s special was nothing new from her, but the best part of it was that it was, well, new, considering she hasn’t done stand-up in a long time. Additionally, The Lonely Island is very consistent, but I definitely preferred their dalliances with HBO. Springsteen on Broadway was an absolute game-changer for what Netflix is capable, too. And while I loved the hokey old-school nature of A Legendary Christmas, which featured celebrity cameos and pitch-perfect John Legend crooning, I have to give the edge to Sandler. I never expected Sandler’s special to be as good as it was. Self-referentially lackadaisical and achingly sweet, Sandler turned on the charm and reminded the world why we loved him in the first place.
Outstanding Television Movie
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Deadwood: The Movie
Game of Thrones: The Last Watch
Guava Island
Momentum Generation
I came very close to awarding this category to Guava Island because of how fun it was to hang out with Donald Glover and Rihanna. But ultimately, I had to reward the sheer innovation and wow factor of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, which definitely remains a one-of-a-kind experience provided to us last winter. As for the others, they all belong to HBO and they were all solid films. The Bill Simmons-produced surfing documentary, Momentum Generation, was strangely compelling and Thrones doc also gave a glorious insight into the hard work of the final season. Deadwood, obviously, was a beautiful swan song, as well.
Outstanding Limited Series
American Vandal
Fosse/Verdon
The Haunting of Hill House
Maniac
Miracle Workers
Shoutout to American Vandal, which is hilarious in its stupidity and surprising in its intelligence. It was gone to soon when it was canceled by Netflix earlier this year. Maniac, as well, may not have lived up to its sky-high expectations, but it was still a solid story to be told. As for Miracle Workers, Simon Rich showed why he is one of the most fun thinkers in creative television working. And Fosse/Verdon was naturally a powerhouse in every facet of its production. But The Haunting of Hill House was, well, haunting, but it was also beautiful, thought-provoking, chilling, and, ultimately, rather hopeful. None of these shows warm my heart to recall my experience watching them in the same way Hill House does. And its well on its way to being the premier horror anthology series on television.
Outstanding Variety Series
At Home with Amy Sedaris
Documentary Now!
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
I have left SNL out of this category as a referendum on its extremely lazy political humor. There’s a lot working about the show, but man, I really hope Alec Baldwin is done with Donald Trump now. NBC still has a lot here, though, as its two talk show, helmed by Meyers and Fallon, are in the category because they can still be quite joyous to watch, at least on an occasional basis. Similarly, Sedaris’ “talk” show makes for a hilarious viewing every time. But the variety sketch series were the ones that stole the show this year. I Think You Should Leave is a wild foray into sketch comedy that came out of nowhere. But I’m still partial to the brilliant writing present on Documentary Now!
Outstanding Animated Series
Bob’s Burgers
BoJack Horseman
DuckTales
The Simpsons
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob and Simpsons are included here simply as legacy nominations because I had to round out the category to five. DuckTales had a strong year, but I suspect their truly standout season is right around the corner. Burgers remains as consistently delightful as always. But I have to give the edge to BoJack. Season five did not quite reach the heights of some of the prior BoJack years, but it was a necessary stepping stone to something much larger, I suspect. And, hey, it was still a hell of a lot of fun along the way. And much less heartbreaking than in the past!
Outstanding Drama Series
Better Call Saul
Fleabag
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
Succession
Season three of Stranger Things was its best year yet. Succession was the breakout freshman show of the year. Fleabag stole the conversation this summer. And Saul continued to be a master of the consistency. But come on, you saw every other category I’ve covered. This was never going to be anything but Thrones. From its table setting delight of a premiere to its all-time great episode to the best battle to a rollicking finish, no show captured my attention or the world’s attention like Thrones did this year. Who knows when we’ll have that again?
Outstanding Comedy Series
Barry
The Good Place
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Veep
You’re the Worst
I know it probably seems lame to pick another HBO show with a final season as a winner, but I’m sorry. Veep was goddamn delightful this year. Every show here makes a good case (and Brooklyn does, too), but I had to give the nod to Veep, which has one of the best casts ever assembled in the history of television. You’re the Worst was unpredictable from week to week and The Good Place continued to subvert expectations while being sensibly warm all the while. Sunny pulled off yet another impeccable season late into its run. And Barry somehow improved from its first season. But Veep was hilarious in every second and it went out on top.
Those are my Emmy hopes that will never come to be. But what are yours, all two of you who read this thing?
Most Nominations
Game of Thrones (21)
The Good Place (10)
Veep (10)
The Haunting of Hill House (8)
Fosse/Verdon (7)
Stranger Things (7)
Barry (6)
Better Call Saul (6)
Fleabag (6)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Documentary Now!, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (5)
Black Mirror, Guava Island, Maniac, Miracle Workers, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (4)
At Home with Amy Sedaris, Big Little Lies, BoJack Horseman, Deadwood: The Movie, DuckTales, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Succession, What We Do in the Shadows, You’re the Worst (3)
Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh, Arrested Development, Bob’s Burgers, The Chef Show, Crikey! It’s the Irwins!, The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, The Twilight Zone (2)
The Amazing Race, American Vandal, Billy on the Street, Catastrophe, Catch-22, Chef’s Table, The Deuce, Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, Insecure, A Legendary Christmas, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Match Game, Momentum Generation, Santa Clarita Diet, The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, Springsteen on Broadway, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (1)
Most Wins
Game of Thrones (8)
The Haunting of Hill House (4)
Veep (4)
BoJack Horseman (2)
Documentary Now! (2)
Fosse/Verdon (2)
Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh, Barry, Better Call Saul, Black Mirror, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Catch-22, Crikey! It’s the Irwins!, The Good Place, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live, Stranger Things, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (1)
Nominations by Network
HBO (49)
Netflix (41)
NBC (27)
FX (18)
Amazon (12)
IFC (8)
AMC (6)
TBS (4)
CBS, Disney Channel, FOX (3)
Animal Planet (2)
ABC, Hulu, Nickelodeon, YouTube (1)
Wins by Network
HBO (13)
Netflix (9)
NBC (5)
FX (3)
IFC (2)
AMC, Animal Planet, Hulu (1)
