The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards show aired last Sunday night, and while it may have looked different than years past, television’s biggest night of the year was still a hit (IMO).
Things were most definitely abnormal, with virtual cuts to each nominee and awkward cardboard cutouts of some audience members at the live show. Additionally, somehow the Academy managed to hand-deliver every Emmy statue to the winners of each category. The behind the scenes production of this included a crew of people in Hazmat suits that stood outside each nominee’s door, waiting to hear if they had the winning delivery and awarding the statues. The Academy said they wanted to prioritize giving out the real Emmy statues, so that stars could experience the real thing for all their hard work on the special night.
Host Jimmy Kimmel made light of the circumstances and kept everyone laughing, of course. He dropped a ton of jokes with the occasional entertaining reference to important and timely subjects like Black Lives Matter and the importance of voting.
Social justice movements were brought up frequently by Kimmel, nominees and other award presenters. Many winners reminded the audience to register to vote and make their voice heard in the upcoming election. Speeches included justice reforms for racial inequality and even reminders to wear a mask and practice COVID-safe behavior.
As for the awards, one of the night’s top moments came in the first category of the show, where Schitt’s Creek, a Canadian sitcom set a record on the night. The show swept the category, taking home seven wins, the most ever awarded for a comedy in a single year. Each time they called the show’s name, camera’s cut to the Schitt’s Creek team at a virtual gathering, and they were consistently just as shocked as their at-home audience. This show is a personal favorite for me, and the team deserves huge congratulations.
Another big winner on the night was Watchmen, an HBO original based off of an old graphic novel, and restructured to bring issues like racial justice and police brutality to the surface.
The last stand-out winner that broke new ground on Sunday was lead Euphoria actress Zendaya. She made history as the record youngest to win best lead actress in a drama production. The 24-year old won for her outstanding lead role in Euphoria, an American drama series about high school students battling love, sex, drugs, and trauma in their worlds of society. Zendaya delivered a candid (unprepared) speech giving thanks and tear-jerking the audience.
Arguably one of the night’s best surprises was a mini Friends reunion on screen, through Jennifer Aniston’s virtual stream. Host Kimmel cut to Aniston’s camera at home and to everyone’s surprise, she sat between longtime friends and coworkers Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. The group made jokes about living together in New York City, as they always had on the popular sitcom. It was little things like a makeshift Friends reunion that made the unique awards show special in its own new way.
Nonetheless, the Emmys gave the stars the recognition they deserved, and the audience a great new list of television shows to watch on their personal socially distanced couch.