The 2019 Emmy’s have now come and gone. There were Snubs and Surprises. There were Highs and Lows. But overall, the 2019 Emmy’s fell flat. Let’s break it down.
To be honest, the 2019 Emmy’s tried way too hard. Attempting to follow in the Oscar’s footsteps, they went host-less this year and the results were tragic. With no clear message other than “television celebration”, the presenters were awkward, the sketches seemed dull and the set up stage seemed like an abandoned warehouse….similar to the landscape of cable sitcoms.
So what won and what lost?
Snubs and Surprises Here:
SURPRISE:
Phoebe Waller-Bridge swept the category with her hit British TV Show Fleabag. Waller-Bridge was nominated in multiple categories for her show Fleabag and also for her writing in Killing Eve - she ultimately left with 3 Emmy’s. The most notable for Outstanding Lead Actress in Comedy (RIP JLD) and Writing in Comedy, both for Fleabag.
What is Fleabag? You’re not the first to ask, in short, its a very British TV Show about being British. Detailing the life of a young woman navigating life in London - featuring a hot priest and multiple takes talking directly to the camera in the scene. It’s great, yes. But Waller-Bridges’ win meant that Julia Louis Dreyfus lost in her last season of VEEP, missing the window for her to make history with the most Emmy Wins by a Lead Actress…Ever. Which leads us to the SNUBs.
SNUB:
Julia Louis Dreyfus. JLD has made her career in compelling and hilarious TV roles. First with Elaine in Seinfeld and then with Selina Meyer in VEEP. If JLD won Lead Actress this year, she would have become the winningest Emmy lead actress. With 8 Emmy Wins, she is tied with Cloris Leachman. She did not win, however and everyone thought she would.
You can feel the awkward silence in the room when Waller-Bridge accepts her Lead Actress Win on stage. The whole room was thinking it - this was JLD’s year. As we know the Academy loves to rewards legacy roles, apparently the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences does not. A real snub.
SUPRISE:
Netflix’s Ozark - Ozark left the 2019 Emmys with 2 Emmy’s in very crowded categories, winning in Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Julia Garner) and Best Director in a Drama Series (Jason Bateman). Guys - you can literally see the dumbfounded look on Bateman’s face as they call his name for Best Director.
Might I remind you that Bateman won against 3 Game of Thrones Episodes including: The Long Night, The Last of the Starks and The Iron Throne. Let’s take a look to re-visit the cinematic masterpieces that went along with these GOT episodes.
You Guys - Bateman won. Ouch.
SNUB:
Game of Thrones. Just in general. Game of Thrones is nominated in some way or another every year they are eligible, usually dominating the Best Lead/Supporting for Drama Series. This year was a record - Game of Thrones headed into the 2019 Emmy’s with a record-breaking 32-nominations. While it won in the Creative Arts piece - 10 wins, it fell short on Sunday night with just 2-Wins. Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Peter Dinklage) and Best Drama Series (Cast of Game of Thrones).
Pretty depressing considering most of the categories were dominated by GOT. For Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Game of Thrones Actresses made up 66% of the nominees: Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey and Gwendoline Christie - they all lost. It’s no surprise that GOT was not well received during its final season, it is currently ranked 60% on Rotten Tomatoes with a Audience Score of 32% - yikes. It’s almost like they knew how much everyone hated who ended up on the Iron Throne that when the GOT Cast was welcomed out on stage “Bran the Broken” was in the audience. Boohoo.
Now onto the Highs and Lows.
HIGH:
Reuniting of the casts in their final seasons - VEEP and GAME OF THRONES Cast each took the stage to give a series finale re-cap and address the Emmy Audience together one last time.
LOW:
The Masked Singers taking over the Stage and the Red Carpet - we get it, you are trying to prevent another Cable TV Show from being Cancelled, but enough!
HIGH:
Michelle William’s perfect speech highlighting the “Me Too” movement to support actresses to receive equal wages and equal opportunities to showcase their talents within the Network.
LOW:
Ken Jeoung trying to record a TikTok video for 5 minutes while on stage. In the (edited) words of Gretchen Wieners "Stop trying to go viral, you’re not going to go viral!"
HIGH:
The Exonerated Five and Jharrel Jerome's Emmy Win
LOW:
Amy Adams losing another Award...again.
WINNERS & LOSERS:
Winner: Streaming.
Loser: Cable
In a spotlight on the best in television, the battle for streaming services couldn't be avoided. Every second the Emmy's clicked to commercial, Apple TV+ was screening 15 second teasers of their new shows to come in November. Even Disney+ was flexing its new content with throwback Disney montages and superhero reels.
The graph shows it all:
- Rotten Tomatoes
All in all, a un-balanced ceremony - but bittersweet. We said goodbye to 2 HBO Series: GOT and VEEP. It’s hard not to get sentimental when you see The Starks for the last time on stage and even more depressing knowing it will be the last time we will see Tony Hale and JLD reprise their iconic roles as Gary and Selina.
RIP VEEP- you will be missed.
And that’s the sitch.
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