It may not be a laughing matter when the Emmy nominations are announced next week — at least according to our panel of awards pundits, who predict disappointment ahead for longtime Emmy comedy series favorites.
In part two of this season’s Emmy face-off series, the experts — Deadline’s Pete Hammond, The Hollywood Reporter‘s Scott Feinberg, Variety‘s Clayton Davis, and IndieWire’s Marcus Jones, in a conversation moderated by Gold Derby’s editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum — debate the best comedy series category as well as the newly renamed movie category. (Watch above.)
The group starts off with the movie race — and they let their strong antipathy for most of the contenders be known. Remarkably Bright Creatures is the standout in the field — “and that’s all we have to say!” says Jones, to which they all agree. “No. 1 with a bullet.”
Hammond reveals that Netflix considered holding the film for the Oscars — or even campaigning it for the Oscars after the Emmy run. “I’ve never heard of such a thing,” he says.
“That category just needs to get thrown in the garbage bin,” says Feinberg. “Question: So if all the acting categories that a TV movie person would be eligible in are along with limited series, then why don’t they just put limited series and TV movie in the category together?”
Moving on the comedy race, with new series like Widow’s Bay surging in popularity, “I think there is some room for a perennial nominee to fall off,” predicts Davis. “Abbott [Elementary] had its worst nomination haul last year ever, and Only Murders dropped from 21 to seven last year.”
While Davis thinks Rooster makes the cut, the others disagree. “HBO said it was their most-watched show,” says Davis. Counters Hammond, “That doesn’t mean it’s good.”
Hammond instead advocates for Jury Duty: Company Retreat, calling it “a brilliantly made show.” “That’s my No. 1 choice,” he says.
Which series has built more excitement in its final season? Which comedic actor is a dark horse for a nomination? And which performer earned the pundits’ hope-diction for a nod? Watch the pundits debate above. You can watch the limited series face-off here, and tune in tomorrow for the debate about the drama categories.
