After a year of lockdowns and turning to our TV’s for comfort and escapism during a pandemic, it is now time to recognise all the shows that got us through Covid-19. On Tuesday night, the 73rd Emmy Awards released its nominations for this year’s standouts in broadcasting excellence. Popular TV series have swept the categories as expected; however, some monumental announcements will make these Emmy nominations go down in history.
Firstly, Disney has earned its first Emmy recognition in style, bulldozing the competition and standing next to streaming giant Netflix in terms of all-round nomination numbers. The Mandalorian ties with Netflix’s The Crown for the show with the most nominations overall, gaining an impressive 24 across various categories. Its Marvel spin-off series Wandavision has similarly done well with 23 nods in its direction.
However, the most significant take away from the Emmy’s list is the much-needed increase in diversity. Expectations have been surpassed across the nominees this year, with half the named actors being those of colour, setting a new record and marking a notable improvement compared to previous years. Likewise, Pose actor MJ Rodriguez has made Emmy history by becoming the first transwoman to be nominated for a Leading Actress award.
Here is the list of the 73rd Emmy Awards nominations:
Drama series:
- The Boys – Amazon Prime Video
- Bridgerton – Netflix
- The Crown – Netflix
- The Handmaid’s Tale – Hulu
- Lovecraft Country – HBO
- The Mandalorian – Disney Plus
- Pose – FX
- This Is Us – NBC
Comedy series:
- Black-ish – ABC
- Cobra Kai – Netflix
- Emily in Paris – Netflix
- Hacks – HBO Max
- The Flight Attendant – HBO Max
- The Kominsky Method – Netflix
- Pen15 – Hulu
- Ted Lasso – Apple TV Plus
Limited or anthology series:
- I May Destroy You – HBO
- Mare of Easttown – HBO
- The Queen’s Gambit – Netflix
- The Underground Railroad – Amazon Prime Video
- Wandavision – Disney Plus
Animated program:
- Big Mouth – Netflix
- Bob’s Burgers – Fox
- Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal – Adult Swim
- The Simpsons – Fox
- South Park: The Pandemic Special – Comedy Central
Short-form Animated program:
- Love, Death + Robots – Netflix
- Maggie Simpson In: The Force Awakens From Its Nap – Disney Plus
- Once Upon a Snowman – Disney Plus
- Robot Chicken – Adult Swim
Competition programme:
- The Amazing Race – CBS
- Nailed It! – Netflix
- RuPaul’s Drag Race – VH1
- Top Chef – Bravo
- The Voice – NBC
Variety talk show series:
- Conan – NBC
- The Daily Show With Trevor Noah – Comedy Central
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! – ABC
- Last Week Tonight With John Oliver – HBO
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – CBS
Variety special (pre-recorded):
- Bo Burnham: Inside – Netflix
- David Byrne’s American Utopia – HBO
- 8:46 – Dave Chappelle – Netflix
- Friends: The Reunion – HBO Max
- Hamilton – Disney Plus
- A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote – HBO Max
Variety special (live):
- Celebrating America – An Inauguration Night Special – Multiple Platforms
- The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards – CBS
- The Oscars – ABC
- The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weekend – CBS
- Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 – Showtime
Hosted Nonfiction series:
- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman -Netflix
- Oprah with Megan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special – CBS
- Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy – CNN
- United Shades Of America with W. Kamau Bell – CNN
- VICE – Showtime
TV movie:
- Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square – Netflix
- Oslo – HBO
- Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia – Lifetime Television
- Sylvie’s Love – Amazon Prime Video
- Uncle Frank – Amazon Prime Video
Lead actor in a drama series:
- Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us
- Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country
- Josh O’Connor – The Crown
- Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton
- Billy Porter – Pose
- Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason
Lead actress in a drama series
- Uzo Aduba – In Treatment
- Olivia Colman – The Crown
- Emma Corrin – The Crown
- Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale
- MJ Rodriguez – Pose
- Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country
Lead actor in a comedy series:
- Anthony Anderson – Black-ish
- Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
- William H. Macy – Shameless
- Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
- Kenan Thompson – Kenan
Lead actress in a comedy series:
- Aidy Bryant – Shrill
- Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant
- Allison Janney – Mom
- Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish
- Jean Smart – Hacks
Lead actor in a limited series:
- Paul Bettany – WandaVision
- Hugh Grant – The Undoing
- Ewan McGregor – Halston
- Lin-Manuel Miranda – Hamilton
- Leslie Odom Jr. – Hamilton
Lead actress in a limited series:
- Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You
- Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha
- Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision
- Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit
- Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown
Supporting actor in a drama series:
- Giancarlo Esposito – The Mandalorian
- O-T Fagbenle – The Handmaid’s Tale
- John Lithgow – Perry Mason
- Tobias Menzies – The Crown
- Max Minghella – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Chris Sullivan – This Is Us
- Bradley Whitford – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Michael K. Williams – Lovecraft Country
Supporting actress in a drama series:
- Gillian Anderson – The Crown
- Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown
- Madeline Brewer -The Handmaid’s Tale
- Ann Dowd -The Handmaid’s Tale
- Aunjanue Ellis – Lovecraft Country
- Emerald Fennell – The Crown
- Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Samira Wiley – The Handmaid’s Tale
Supporting actor in a comedy series:
- Carl Clemons-Hopkins – Hacks
- Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso
- Brendan Hunt – Ted Lasso
- Nick Mohammed – Ted Lasso
- Paul Reiser – The Kominsky Method
- Jeremy Swift -Ted Lasso
- Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live
- Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live
Supporting actress in a comedy series:
- Aidy Bryant – Saturday Night Live
- Hannah Einbinder – Hacks
- Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live
- Rosie Perez – The Flight Attendant
- Cecily Strong – Saturday Night Live
- Juno Temple – Ted Lasso
- Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso
Supporting actor in a limited series:
- Thomas Brodie Sangster – The Queen’s Gambit
- Daveed Diggs – Hamilton
- Paapa Essiedu – I May Destroy You
- Jonathan Groff – Hamilton
- Evan Peters – Mare Of Easttown
- Anthony Ramos – Hamilton
Supporting actress in a limited series:
- Renée Elise Goldsberry – Hamilton
- Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision
- Moses Ingram – The Queen’s Gambit
- Julianne Nicholson – Mare Of Easttown
- Jean Smart – Mare Of Easttown
- Phillipa Soo – Hamilton
Guest actor in a drama:
- Don Cheadle – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Charles Dance – The Crown
- Timothy Olyphant – The Mandalorian
- Courtney B. Vance – Lovecraft Country
- Carl Weathers – The Mandalorian
Guest actress in a drama:
- Alexis Bledel – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Claire Foy – The Crown
- McKenna Grace – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Sophie Okonedo – Ratched
- Phylicia Rashad – This Is Us
Guest actor in a comedy:
- Alec Baldwin – Saturday Night Live
- Dave Chappelle – Saturday Night Live
- Morgan Freeman – The Kominsky Method
- Daniel Kaluuya – Saturday Night Live
- Daniel Levy – Saturday Night Live
Guest actress in a comedy:
- Jane Adams – Hacks
- Yvette Nicole Brown – A Black Lady Sketch Show
- Bernadette Peters – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
- Issa Rae – A Black Lady Sketch Show
- Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live
- Kristen Wiig – Saturday Night Live
Host for a reality or competition:
- Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness – Queer Eye
- Nicole Byer – Nailed It!
- Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary – Shark Tank
- Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons – Top Chef
- RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race
Directing for a comedy series:
- James Burrows- B Positive
- Susanna Fogel – The Flight Attendant
- Lucia Aniello – Hacks
- James Widdoes – Mom
- Zach Braff – Ted Lasso
- MJ Delaney – Ted Lasso
- Declan Lowney – Ted Lasso
Directing for a drama series :
- Julie Anne Robinson – Bridgerton
- Benjamin Caron – The Crown
- Jessica Hobbs – The Crown
- Liz Garbus – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Jon Favreau – The Mandalorian
- Steven Canals – Pose
Directing for a limited series:
- Thomas Kail – Hamilton
- Sam Miller – I May Destroy You
- Craig Zobel – Mare of Easttown
- Scott Frank – The Queen’s Gambit
- Barry Jenkins – The Underground Railroad
- Matt Shakman – Wanda Vision
Directing for a variety series:
- Christopher Werner – Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- Alexander J – Late Night With Seth Meyers
- Jim Hoskinson – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
- Paul G. Casey – Real Time With Bill Maher
- Don Roy King – Saturday Night Live
You can watch the 73rd Emmy Awards September 9, 2021. In the meantime, here is our list of the best TV series.