Gold Derby
Looked at one way, the 75th Emmy Awards on Monday night yielded the most predictable (read: boring) of ceremonies. Everything went according to form. “Succession” was expected to dominated the drama series categories. “The Bear” was supposed to preside over comedy series. “Beef” was thought to be a shoo-in among the limited series lineups. And that’s exactly what happened. However, looked at another way, Gold Derby voters accurately forecast the winners in 26 of the 27 categories, which is quite the feat. Still, meeting for a slugfest the morning after the Emmys, senior editors Marcus James Dixon, Daniel Montgomery and Denton Davidson and news and features editor Ray Richmond were officially underwhelmed, hoping for an upset or two but finding just one category that didn’t go according to form: Best Variety/Talk Series, where the outgoing “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” defied the Gold Derby odds. Watch their animated discussion above.
“It was incredibly predictable,” Richmond observes. “You wished there would have been a few surprises. I had a few I’d voted for, like Chrsitina Applegate for comedy actress and James Marsden from ‘Jury Duty’ for comedy supporting actor. I know at least one of us thought ‘Ted Lasso’ was going to come through (in a category or two) in comedy.”
“Yeah, I did,” Dixon acknowledges.
“Me too,” Montgomery agrees.
“Or two of us,” Richmond corrects.
‘And me,” Davidson chimes in.
“Or, uh, three of us,” Richmond corrects again. “I know there’s no history for dramatic comedies actually winning for comedy series, but I always thought ‘The Bear’ would be the exception. I know Emmy voters were voting off of (having watched) Season 2 even if they were actually voting for Season 1 – and it’s the more powerful season.”
The four editors were in agreement, however, that category sweeps like those pulled off by “The Bear,” “Succession” and “Beef” aren’t good for the Emmys in that they wind up leading to virtual or literal shutouts of several deserving shows and individuals. “I’m a little over the sweeps,” Montgomery admits. “I think it’s inevitable, given the nature of peak TV, which is that there are so many shows on so many platforms that viewership is splintered in 500 different directions. And so there are only ever, at any given time, five shows that really hit the zeitgeist and everyone can agree to even watch. And those shows end up getting the lion’s share of nominations. I really think they need to reinstate judging panels instead of the popular vote system.”
“Yeah, the sweeps were boring,” Davidson concurs. “I thought the Emmys would give a goodbye hug to ‘Ted Lasso.’ Instead, they gave it a goodbye kick in the shins.” He adds, “It was nice to see Quinta (Brunson) win (for comedy actress). She became the first black winner of that category in over 40 years, since Isabel Sanford (for “The Jeffersons” in 1981). So that was an historic moment.”
“So many shows this year went home empty-handed, like many of the Emmys in recent years – which is really unfortunate,” Dixon emphasizes. “Even the shows that didn’t sweep were repeat winners. RuPaul won again. John Oliver won again.” For that reason, he was happy to see Trevor Noah win after his having gone winless at the Emmys since 2017. “As soon as her got it, I’m like, ‘Of course. Why did I not see this coming? Obviously, (voters) love ‘The Daily Show.’ I’m so stupid for not calling that.”
While they may have been underwhelmed with the foreseeable results, the editors were generally in agreement that there was plenty to like about the Emmy show itself and its host Anthony Anderson. “It was a great how, really smooth, and Anderson was self-assured and charming,” Richmond believes. “And I loved the way they interwove the different legendary, iconic series and moments through the ceremony.” Adds Montgomery: “I really liked the way they did cast reunions for the presenters. I think more awards shows should do that just as a matter of course, instead of waiting for a big anniversary.”
Davidson appreciated the way Applegate came out as a presenter near the top of the show. “She had a lot of humor, and that was fun to see,” he notes. “I also liked the cast reunions.” And Dixon loved the “Ally McBeal” reunion in the bathroom “and danced to the Barry White song. I agree with everyone: good presenters, good reunions. This was a really fun show.”
