This coming Sunday marks the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, where television spanning from June 2023 to today will be celebrated.
Coming off a year of sweeps, with The Bear taking up major comedy awards and Succession capturing big drama wins, recent Emmy Awards have begun to feel predictable.
Nonetheless, the possibility of an underdog story on television’s greatest night is always present.
Whether you’re eagerly rooting for your favorite show or just want to know what’s worth watching, here is a preview for what this year’s Emmys will entail and predictions for those that will come out victorious.
Drama
Arguably the most uncertain set of categories, each of this year’s nominees has one thing to thank for their chance at a nominee spot—the end of Succession. With the season finale of Succession last airing in May 2023, the drama category will not see one of the show’s actors as a possible winner. Instead, popular shows, both new and multiple seasons in, have the chance to break Succession’s hold on the Outstanding Lead Actor award.
Despite the persistence of The Morning Show and The Crown, both of which have been Emmy-nominated for years running, Outstanding Drama Series has a strong chance of going to newcomer Shōgun.
Wildly popular after its first season, Shōgun has already won 14 Creative Arts Emmys, breaking the record for most awards won for a single season of television.
The lack of Succession also lends itself to the emergence of nominations for shows like Slow Horses, an Apple Original thriller, which has yet to pick up an Emmy win despite being IMDb’s third-best drama series.
Still, it would be typical of the Television Academy, the organization that determines each year’s Emmy winners, to give The Crown a win for its final season despite its deficiencies compared to its finer beginning. Replicating the contention of the last season of Game of Thrones, the Academy often seems more attracted to fame and prestige more than good television.
Despite this, Shōgun has my vote in the drama categories. Besides a hopeful victory for Gary Oldman’s lead role in Slow Horses, a shower of awards is likely for Shōgun for Outstanding Series and Outstanding Leads. The first Japanese language series to ever be nominated for an Emmy, Shōgun’s refreshing originality makes it outshine the competition.
Comedy
Differing from the drama categories, comedy’s recent biggest player is still in the running. After a year in which The Bear won the comedy Outstanding Series, Lead Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Directing, and Writing awards, it’s time to see another show get recognition.
That show should be Only Murders in the Building. Perfectly balancing comedy with captivating dramatic flares—better than The Bear does, if I may add, as I don’t see how that panic attack of a show is considered a comedy—Only Murders has yet to win any Emmys despite being four seasons in.
While I complain about the sweeps that encapsulated the 2023 Emmys, seeing an Only Murders sweep would be satisfying. Unfortunately, only Steve Martin or Martin Short can win for Outstanding Lead Actor, both of whom are perfectly suited to their roles. Selena Gomez is also deserving of this year’s Emmy for her convincing performance in the show, although competition is high against Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary and Ayo Edebiri of The Bear.
Winning for Lead Actress would give Gomez her first Emmy ever, a likely peak to her long acting career. It’s always nice to see actors finally win the award that’s evaded their grasp, which is precisely the case with Tyler James Williams as Outstanding Supporting Actor. This is the third consecutive year he has been nominated for his Abbott Elementary role, and I can see this being the year he goes home victorious.
The Outstanding Supporting Actress category has recently been competitive with stars from shows like Ted Lasso, Abbott Elementary, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Hacks. But despite her widely admired role in The Bear, this is the first nomination for Liza Colón-Zayas.
After a career on Broadway and on the big screen, the role that finally boosted Colón-Zayas to stardom is the one that should secure her the Emmy.
The comedy category has the potential to give deprived actors the appreciation they’ve deserved for some time. If you’re primed to see some emotional speeches, make sure to tune into comedy.
Limited or Anthology Series
A category often overlooked, limited series are normally defined by their internet popularity. That’s especially prevalent this year with Baby Reindeer as a nominee, with the show gaining heavy traction before being caught up in controversy.
Due to the infamy Baby Reindeer has garnered, I’d be tempted to say this year’s Limited or Anthology Series categories are more up in the air compared to years prior, likely going to Ripley if Baby Reindeer is denied.
Coming off years where Beef and The White Lotus dominated, the lesser prominence of this year’s nominees makes it a duller watch.
The highlight of the Limited Series category will come from the Lead Actress award, where Jodie Foster’s overall reputation comes to a head with Sofía Vergara’s solid job in Griselda.
Admittedly, I did not watch True Detective: Night Country, but Foster is a great actress and has yet to win an Emmy at this point in her late career. If I’m rooting for any Limited Series award, it’s Foster for Lead Actress.
Hosts
While the main attraction to award shows is obviously who wins, another major factor of a successful award show is the host. Post-COVID, many award shows have come under scrutiny for poor hosting gigs, namely Jo Koy’s recent Golden Globes flub.
This year’s Emmys seeks to break this trend as father-son stars Eugene and Dan Levy are set to host. Both Emmy winners themselves, the Levys are comedic powerhouses more than capable of bringing first-rate entertainment. Exemplified by their roles in Schitt’s Creek, the Levys have a certain spark when working together that will be on full display this Sunday.
With nominees ranging from rookies to seasoned veterans, the 2024 Emmys is set to be a more contentious night compared to prior awards seasons. The possibility of breaking long-held chokeholds by more popular shows is higher than ever, with heartwarming victories sure to happen. Tune in Sunday to see if these predictions hold.
