I’ve been writing about television for the past six years, and for much of that time, Emmy Nomination day was my second least-favorite day of the year (the Emmy Awards themselves were my least-favorite day, for a variety of reasons). Every Tuesday, I would read through the list of nominees and get angry over how much great TV was overlooked in favor of shows and performances that were subpar (looking at you, Modern Family, and your ridiculous years-long choke-hold on the Comedy categories). But for the past two years, I’ve read the list and been pleasantly surprised. This year is perhaps the best indication yet that the Emmy’s attempts to really reward the best, and not just the same, shows each year is working. Sure there are some strange choices (Robin Wright and Michael Kelly were decidedly not good in the very bad final season of House of Cards), and some notable snubs (What do D’Arcy Carden and Rhea Seehorn have to do to get an Emmy nomination?), but voters largely got it “right” this time around.
As expected, there were way too many Game of Thrones nominations for a lackluster final season (perhaps the most egregious nomination was for Miguel Sapochnik’s largely unwatchable direction in “The Long Night,” aka the Battle of Winterfell episode no one could actually see). Kit Harrington has long been the weakest actor on the series, yet he earned himself a Best Actor nod for managing to stumble through the final season with more than two facial expression this time around. I love Lena Headey as much as the next person, but she barely appeared in the final season and shouldn’t have gotten that Supporting Actress nomination (again, Rhea Seehorn, voters – I know you know who she is, because you keep nominating Better Call Saul and the rest of her male co-stars). And Alfie Allen’s Theon? Yeah, I assume people had just started checking boxes next to every person from Thrones they recognized at that point. I am thrilled that Gwendolyn Christie earned a nomination, as she was given some wonderful things to do in the final season. I suspect the series won’t win many statues (I’ll have an Emmy Picks piece up closer to the awards themselves, but I suspect Christie, Peter Dinklage, and the show itself will be their only major wins), but I can’t begrudge voters for nominating the one series nearly every person knew about this year. I’m not sure we’ll have another such cultural flashpoint in the future, so it only makes sense to try to latch onto it one last time.
While the drama side was dominated by Thrones (along with some love for the very deserving Pose – including it’s amazing star Billy Porter – as well as Killing Eve and Better Call Saul), the comedy side of things was just about as perfect as it can get. Sure, there are some people I would have loved to see nominated (the supporting cast of Schitt’s Creek, the various cast members of The Good Place not name Ted Danson, or some of the Hulu shows – Ramy, Pen15 (which did get a writing nomination), or Shrill), but on the whole I’m thrilled. Hell, I’m just going to hand out the list of Best Comedy Series nominees to every person who asks what shows they should be watching. I’m thrilled that Schitt’s Creek get several nominations after it’s break-out season . . . which happened to also be its fifth and penultimate season (its final season will air early next year) – if you aren’t watching this show, please check it out. Barry was better than ever in season two, and I’m thrilled that so many of the show’s supporting cast have been recognized for their excellent work alongside Bill Hader. And then there’s Fleabag, the best show I’ve seen this year, getting a whole host of nominations (including one for the superb Sian Clifford, who is utterly amazing). While drama might be getting the most eyeballs and press, we’re living in a really wonderful time for television comedy as evidenced by these incredible nominees. For the first time in a long time, I’m not envying the voters who will have to choose between these nominees – it’s an embarrassment of riches.
2019 Emmy Nominees
DRAMA SERIES
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“Bodyguard” (Netflix)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Killing Eve” (BBC America)
“Ozark” (Netflix)
“Pose” (FX)
“Succession” (HBO)
“This Is Us” (NBC)
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES
Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” (BBC America)
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder” (ABC)
Laura Linney, “Ozark” (Netflix)
Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” (BBC America)
Mandy Moore, “This Is Us” (NBC)
Robin Wright, “House of Cards” (Netflix)
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, “Ozark” (Netflix)
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us” (NBC)
Kit Harrington, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Billy Porter, “Pose” (FX)
Milo Ventimiglia, “This Is Us” (NBC)
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES
Alfie Allen, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Giancarlo Esposito, “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Michael Kelly, “House of Cards” (Netflix)
Chris Sullivan, “This is Us” (NBC)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES
Gwendoline Christie, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Julia Garner, “Ozark” (Netflix)
Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Fiona Shaw, “Killing Eve” (BBC America)
Sophie Turner, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Maisie Williams, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
COMEDY SERIES
“Barry” (HBO)
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
“The Good Place” (NBC)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
“Russian Doll” (Netflix)
“Schitt’s Creek” (Pop)
“Veep” (HBO)
LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish” (ABC)
Don Cheadle, “Black Monday” (Showtime)
Ted Danson, “The Good Place” (NBC)
Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
Bill Hader, “Barry” (HBO)
Eugene Levy, “Schitt’s Creek” (Pop)
LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me” (Netflix)
Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep” (HBO)
Natasha Lyonne, “Russian Doll” (Netflix)
Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek” (Pop)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag” (Amazon)
SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES
Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
Anthony Carrigan, “Barry” (HBO)
Tony Hale, “Veep” (HBO)
Stephen Root, “Barry” (HBO)
Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
Henry Winkler, “Barry” (HBO)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep” (HBO)
Sian Clifford, “Fleabag” (Amazon)
Olivia Colman, “Fleabag” (Amazon)
Betty Gilpin, “GLOW” (Netflix)
Sarah Goldberg, “Barry” (HBO)
Marin Hinkle, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
Kate McKinnon, “SNL” (NBC)
LIMITED SERIES
“Chernobyl” (HBO)
“Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime)
“Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
“Sharp Objects” (HBO)
“When They See Us” (Netflix)
TV MOVIE
“Bandersnatch: Black Mirror” (Netflix)
“Brexit” (HBO)
“Deadwood” (HBO)
“King Lear” (Amazon)
“My Dinner With Herve” (HBO)
LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Mahershala Ali, “True Detective” (HBO)
Benicio del Toro, “Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime)
Hugh Grant, “A Very English Scandal” (Amazon)
Jared Harris, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
Jharrel Jerome, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Sam Rockwell, “Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Amy Adams, “Sharp Objects” (HBO)
Patricia Arquette, “Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime)
Aunjanue Ellis, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Joey King, “The Act” (Hulu)
Niecy Nash, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Michelle Williams, “Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Patricia Arquette, “The Act” (Hulu)
Marsha Stephanie Blake, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Patricia Clarkson, “Sharp Objects” (HBO)
Vera Farmiga, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Margaret Qualley, “Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
Emily Watson, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Asante Blackk, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Paul Dano, “Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime)
John Leguizamo, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
Stellan Skargard, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
Ben Whishaw, “A Very English Scandal” (Amazon)
Michael K. Williams, “When They See Us” (Netflix)
