The 75th Emmys aired on January 15, 2024, hosted by actor and comedian Anthony Anderson after months of delay due to protests by the Writers Guild of America and the SAG-AFTRA. The award show was originally scheduled for September 18, 2023. The night celebrated accomplishments in television released between June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023. Most of the awards went to well-renowned projects such as Succession, The Bear, and Beef. Notably, Elton John made history when he won Best Live Variety Special and attained EGOT status, and the 1982 Cheers cast enjoyed a heart-warming reunion. No doubt, the Emmy Awards were worth the wait, and marked the beginning of award season celebrating 2023. Within days were the Golden Globes, which was a stark contrast to the beautifully executed Emmy night. More award shows are set for the next early months of the new year.
Expectedly, HBO’s Succession took home the most Emmys in the Drama Series category including Best Drama Series and Best Directing for a Drama Series. Cast members Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, and Mathew Macfedyen won Best Actor, Actress, and Supporting Actor in a Drama Series respectively. Succession aired its fourth and final season this past year. Creator Jesse Armstrong has won an Emmy for Best Writing each season. In his acceptance speech, Armstrong explained his decision to end the show by saying, “It was a great sadness to end this show, but it was a great pleasure to do it.”
Similarly dominating its category, The Bear won Best Comedy Series. Lead actor Jeremy Allen White won his first Emmy as Best Actor in a Comedy Series. Best Actress, however, was not won by a cast member of The Bear, but by Quinta Brunson for her work in ABC’s Abbott Elementary. Brunson is the first Black woman to win this category since Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons in 1981. Brunson was presented this award by none other than Carol Burnett, a trail-blazer for women in comedy. Quinta Brunson mentioned Burnett during her acceptance speech: “I don’t even know why I’m so emotional. I think, like, the Carol Burnett of it all.” Later on, Brunson returned to the stage as a presenter along with the legendary Marla Gibbs. Gibbs, now 92 years old, was a star on The Jeffersons herself, truly a full circle experience.
Just eight days before the Emmys were the 81st Golden Globes. The majority of the awards went to blockbusting films Barbie and Oppenheimer. The Golden Globes had hilarious moments like when Jennifer Lawrence sarcastically mouthed, “If I don’t win, I’m leaving” to the camera. Unfortunately, not all of host Jo Koy’s jokes landed as well as the nominees’. Koy’s comments, belittling Barbie and neglecting its projection of misogyny in society earned a well-deserved silence from the A-list audience. In Koy’s defense, he was hired to host the Golden Globes just ten days before the show. He mostly read from CBS’s script and said under his breath during his monologue, “I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.” The awkwardly-written script hints at the crumbling of corporate award shows.
In fact, the Academy seems to have missed the mark in their nominations this year. The Oscars are later in March; however, the 2024 Oscar nominations were released January 23. Ryan Gosling received a nomination for his role in Barbie, but not co-star Margot Robbie or Director Greta Gerwig, sparking controversy and the public pressuring for him to forfeit his nomination.
The 66th Grammy awards are on February 4. Trevor Noah is to host once again, who also won an Emmy for Best Talk Series this year. A rollercoaster of an award season is now in full swing.
