Although the Emmy’s, the TV award show ceremony, is by no means the most popular award show, to me it is the Super Bowl. Since I was a young kid I have been fascinated by television and how a show can make such a difference in American culture. This interest drove me to sit eagerly on my couch one Sunday every September and find out who the big winners of the year were. As the years went on I realized more and more how much “politics” went into the nominees and winners of each category. This year I was the least invested in the ceremony than ever before, mainly because the television shows that I see as brilliant did not make the cut or did not win. But, nonetheless I watched the show from beginning to finish, so if you missed it here is a recap of The Emmy’s!
Drama:
The Big Winner: Game of Thrones
“Game of Thrones” won awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama, Outstanding Directing for a Drama, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Supporting Actress and of course Outstanding Drama Series. Now “Game of Thrones” has never really appealed to me, but I know it is supposed to be amazing.
What I thought should have won: Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black was only nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (which Game of Thrones won). While I cannot speak against Game of Thrones, I do know that this season of Orange is the New Black was incredible. Spoiler alerts ahead: In the end of this season, Orange is the New Black showed inmate Poussey Washington (played by Samira Wiley) being strangled to death. Jenji Kohan, the writer and creator of Orange is the New Black has been raising issues for seasons that relate to mass incarceration problems and this tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement was truly moving. Kohan gives us a complicated death that leaves the viewers writhing with emotion and I truly feel like it is a show that is making or could make a difference in American culture.
Limited Series
The Big Winner: The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story absolutely dominated the Limited Series category, going on to win a total of 18 awards. Some of these include Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Casting, and Outstanding Limited Series. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story has been on my list of shows to watch for a very long time and this only entices me more! Sarah Paulson also used her speech time to publicly apologize to the real Marcia Clark, who she played, explaining that she until she had to step into her shoes she had a one-dimensional view of her. Although I have yet to watch the show I am excited to that it is making an impact.
Comedy
The Big Winner: Veep
Yet another show I have not seen, this one I am on the fence about watching. It won in Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Comedy Series. I feel like I would love it as I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale, and David Mandel but still haven’t gotten around to it. Comedy was another big category that I wish others had gotten more recognition for including New Girl, The Mindy Project (although last season was not my favorite), and Inside Amy Schumer. I was pretty surprised to see Modern Family still largely nominated as well as Black-ish, a show I watched a few times and I was not super interested in. Inside Amy Schumer did win for Outstanding Variety Sketch although I do wish it won more. Schumer puts forth so many witty and on point sketches that delve into the big modern problems like birth control and gun control rights in poignant and funny ways and I was disappointed to see that this was not noted.
Favorite Part of the Night:
Although this was not a huge winner or a huge part of the night my favorite part was when Jill Soloway, director of the incredible show Transparent (which if you do not know it is about the journey of a transgender father). Soloway made an incredibly moving and impassioned speech about putting forth women, trans people, people of color and “make them the subjects instead of the objects” changes the world. Soloway then thanks the trans-community and talks about how we need to end violence against the trans community. She ends her amazing speech by yelling “Topple the Patriarchy!” Soloway reminds me how much television can do. So many people cite television shows as the beginnings of movements, as ways to normalize things that were seen wrong in society because television can have this impact.
If you watched the Emmy’s or have an opinion on any TV show, let me know what you think!
Image Credit: Wikipedia, IMDB, Screenrant, Ten Play