Hollywood is set to crown its television champions this Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles with the Emmy Awards, the small screen’s equivalent of the Oscars, where the race for Outstanding Drama Series remains wide open.
Apple TV+’s sci-fi thriller ‘Severance’ leads the pack with 27 nominations, closely followed by the HBO medical drama ‘The Pitt’ with 13. While the numbers suggest broader consensus for the second season of ‘Severance’, industry buzz indicates a potential comeback for Noah Wyle (Dr. Carter from ‘ER’) returning to a white coat in ‘The Pitt’.
The statuettes for the other two main categories – comedy and limited series – appear destined for the Hollywood satire ‘The Studio’ and Netflix’s intense drama ‘Adolescence’. The three-hour ceremony begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday in Los Angeles (2 a.m. Monday in Italy, broadcast live on Sky Atlantic).
In the dramatic acting races, Kathy Bates in the ‘Matlock’ reboot demonstrates that revivals need not be disappointing. Noah Wyle, the producer and star of ‘The Pitt’, is nominated for Best Actor. His character is an anomaly compared to the anti-heroes of past winning shows like ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Succession’; Wyle builds a good and magnetic character that inspires viewers to be better.
For Best Actress, four nominees hail from ‘The White Lotus’, an apparent advantage for the show’s third season that risks splitting the vote among the 20,000 Television Academy members. This could benefit Katherine LaNasa, the resilient head nurse in ‘The Pitt’. However, many predict Carrie Coon will prevail for her touching monologue on friendship in the finale of Mike White’s series.
On the comedy front, Apple TV’s ‘The Studio’ seems unbeatable. The series, both funny and ruthless in its look at Hollywood’s necessary compromises, holds a record 23 nominations for a freshman show. Its star and creator, Seth Rogen, is favored to win, potentially edging out Martin Short from ‘Only Murders in the Building 4’. Jean Smart of ‘Hacks’ looks unstoppable for her fourth consecutive win, while her co-star Hannah Einbinder could take home her first trophy for supporting actress.
In the limited series category, the contest is between Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ and HBO’s ‘The Penguin’. The former is the frontrunner for best series and its supporting actors, notably Erin Doherty and young Owen Cooper, hailed by a co-creator as “the next Robert De Niro.” The lead acting awards seem pre-ordained for Colin Farrell, who won a SAG and Golden Globe for his role as the Batman foe, and his co-star Cristin Milioti.