The 77th annual Emmy Awards are over and left quite an impact this year. With historic wins and conversation starters, the turnout for the award show was very successful.
Owen Cooper won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his amazing performance as Jamie in Adolescence, making him the youngest male actor to win an Emmy at only 15.
Tramell Tillman won Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Seth Milchick from the Apple TV original series, Severance. His win made history as he was the first Black and openly gay man to win in the category. Tillman accepted the award and gave a beautiful speech, making sure to stay under the 45-second limit imposed by host Nate Bargatze.
Nate Bargatze hosted the evening awards and started a little game with the nominees like a predator taunting its prey. Bargatze started the evening with a fun task — at least fun for him — by notifying nominees that for each second that their speech was over the 45-second limit $1,000 would be deducted from the $100,000 donation to be given to The Boys and Girls Club of America. Although the whole game was a gag, it did leave a sour taste with some viewers at home. At one point, the donation total was negative $60,000. It should be noted, though, that the award show and Nate Bargatze himself did donate a total of $350,000 to the aforementioned organization. The limiting nature of the speeches at the ceremony did reflect the themes that the show that won that night explored.
Many actors, directors, and shows that won at the Emmys share an interesting theme. Seth Rogen’s The Studio won the most awards of the night with 13 wins, including Best Actor for a Comedy Series. Severance won eight awards, with Britt Lower and Tramell Tillman named as Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor for a Drama Series. Comedy show Hacks won three awards, with Hanna Einbinder winning Best Supporting Actress and Jean Smart winning Best Actress for a Comedy Series. Finally, Adolescence actors Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty, and Stephen Graham won in their nominated categories as part of the show’s eight wins.
Despite the shows that won having been composed of different actors, producers, and studios, one cannot help but notice how the shows tackle similar narratives of identity, dynamics, and hardship in the workplace. An interesting dynamic noticed in each show is how there is originally a disconnect between the young characters and the older characters. In Hacks, Ava Daniels is an up-and-coming comedian relegated to work as a writer for a senior comedian whose work is not as favorable with the public. They are both stubborn in their ways and unwilling to learn originally, but find compromise throughout the series. In a parallel yet darker tone, the same dynamic is present with the character Jamie Miller in Adolescence. Jamie is a young boy living in a social climate not familiar to his parents, Eddie Miller and Britney Astor. The story follows Jamie, dealing with the aftermath of having killed one of his classmates, fueled by an internalized misogynistic anger. He ends up facing the consequences of his battles with his immaturity and the toxic environment around him, while his older, authoritative counterparts struggle to understand his rationale.
These shows exemplify the tangible effects of one’s work environment and how, regardless of profession, they share similar dynamics. Old vs new, old vs young, experienced vs inexperienced. These series show the risk of pitting workers and classmates against each other as well as the conflict between old and new societal ideologies, without taking the time to deconstruct them into a useful and practical idea. In the case of Adolescence, Jamie is exposed to misogynistic ideas with no obstruction. The series shows how his parents’ influence would have been instrumental in preventing these ideas from taking root. Similarly, Hacks explores the idea of partnership between the old and new by showing the success of both comedians when they work together despite their different ideas.
Severance shows how curiosity is needed to expose others. Set around the fictional workplace, Lumon Industries, it is meant to mock the 9-to-5 cubicle culture. The concept of “severance” involves separating the memories of employees between their experiences both inside and outside of the office. The severance practice was relatively successful, but it is not until a new hire, Helly, starts questioning the procedure. Milchick, a senior employee, is so enriched in his work and his loyalty to the company that he defends his job despite their questionable practices, placing him at odds with Helly and others trying to learn and expose Lumon Industries.
Finally, The Studio reflects the reality of creative differences amongst different generations and identity influencing art. Seth Rogen plays Matt Remick, a top studio producer who must balance the desires of the studio and the artistic freedom of directors, actors, and writers. Matt Remick often has to make uncomfortable decisions that, at times, leave his collaborators disgruntled. The dynamic of boss and friend relationships opposes each other as he wants to satisfy the traditional idea of success through commercial means and newer ideas of success through artistic expression.
Hopefully, with the many series’ successes at the Emmys, viewers and producers alike can learn from the themes that many of the shows nominated share. Perhaps finding a middle ground between the established methods and tradition, with newer experimental approaches in film, ideology, and sometimes even taking a new direction. But it is best to wrap this article up before Nate Bargatze starts counting.