Sunday, August 7, 2022

'Saturday Night Live' earned ten Emmy nominations plus looks back at the 2021-2022 season

As I told my readers at the end of Biden Administration declares monkeypox a public health emergency, "Stay tuned for this year's post about Saturday Night Live's Emmy nominations for the Sunday entertainment feature." With that, here the nominations for the show that provided the videos for half of last year's top ten posts, including all of the top three and four of the top five, beginning with the ones at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO/HBO Max)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
I'm going to be a good environmentalist by recycling my reaction from last year's It's Saturday night, so here are the 21 Emmy nominations for 'Saturday Night Live'.
This category almost disappeared after Comedy Central canceled "Drunk History" after initially renewing it. It would have merged with Variety Talk for a general Variety Series category. I'm glad the Television Academy didn't follow through with the idea and so are the Variety Talk Series and "A Black Lady Sketch Show." One of the first and the latter would likely have been left out of the nominations and the variety talk series would have had an uphill fight to beat SNL. Instead, two variety series get to take home trophies. In this case, I expect SNL to win this category again.
And 'Saturday Night Live' won eight Emmy Awards last year, including for this category. I expect it will do so again.

Now for the acting nominations, which are less of a sure thing for SNL.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Carrigan – Barry as NoHo Hank (HBO/HBO Max)
Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso as Roy Kent (Apple TV+)
Toheeb Jimoh – Ted Lasso as Sam Obisanya (Apple TV+)
Nick Mohammed – Ted Lassoas Nathan Shelley (Apple TV+)
Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Abe Weissman (Prime Video)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary as Gregory Eddie (ABC)
Henry Winkler – Barry as Gene Cousineau (HBO/HBO Max)
Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live as various characters (NBC)
As much as Bowen Yang deserves this nomination and is the only one nominated from "SNL," I don't think he's going to win, as he's up against three previous winners in Brett Goldstein, Tony Shalhoub, and Henry Winkler. I'll handicap their chances and the rest of the nominees from comedy series later. In the meantime, enjoy Weekend Update: A Proud Gay Oompa Loompa on Timothée Chalamet - SNL.

A Proud Gay Oompa Loompa (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to discuss Timothée Chalamet’s role as Willy Wonka.
That was hilarious. Congratulations to Yang on his second nomination in this category!

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Susie Myerson (Prime Video)
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks as Ava Daniels (HBO/HBO Max)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary as Ava Coleman (ABC)
Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live as various characters (NBC)
Sarah Niles – Ted Lasso as Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Apple TV+)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary as Barbara Howard (ABC)
Juno Temple – Ted Lasso as Keeley Jones (Apple TV+)
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso as Rebecca Welton (Apple TV+)
Unlike Yang, Kate McKinnon is a previous winner of this award, but she's competing against last year's winner Hannah Waddingham and two-time winner Alex Borstein, so I don't consider her the favorite. To show McKinnon's talents, I'm sharing Final Encounter Cold Open from her final episode on the show as a regular cast member.

After experiencing their third alien abduction, three people (Natasha Lyonne, Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong) are questioned again by two agents (Aidy Bryant, Mikey Day) at the Pentagon.
Good luck to McKinnon in her future pursuits! The show and its fans will miss you.

Now for the nominations for acting from 74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Jerrod Carmichael – Saturday Night Live: "Host: Jerrod Carmichael" as host (NBC)
Bill Hader – Curb Your Enthusiasm: "Igor, Gregor, & Timor" as Igor/Gregor/Timor (HBO/HBO Max)
James Lance – Ted Lasso: "Inverting the Pyramid of Success" as Trent Crimm (Apple TV+)
Nathan Lane – Only Murders in the Building: "The Boy From 6B" as Teddy Dimas (Hulu)
Christopher McDonald – Hacks: "The One, The Only" as Marty (HBO/HBO Max)
Sam Richardson – Ted Lasso: "Midnight Train to Royston" as Edwin Akufo (Apple TV+)
I selected Seat Fillers for Carmichael's clip.

An Oscars seat filler (Jerrod Carmichael) gets interrupted while talking to Will Smith (Chris Redd).
I found that as much horrifying as hilarious, but it did a great job of showcasing Carmichael's talents. Just the same, I suspect Nathan Lane will win for "Only Murders in the Building," especially since he's reprising his role in the second season, which is streaming now.

Follow over the jump for the rest of SNL's nominations honoring the people behind the camera.

Here's a category where "SNL" would be an answer to "one of these things is not like the others."
Outstanding Music Direction
43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors – Rickey Minor (CBS)
44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors – Rickey Minor (CBS)
One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – Michael Bearden and Lee Musiker (CBS)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent – Adam Blackstone (NBC)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Jake Gyllenhaal" – Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, and Eli Brueggemann (NBC)
I think one of the four variety specials featuring music would the favorites, so "SNL" should just be happy to be nominated. To show why this episode earned its nomination, I'm sharing Camila Cabello: Psychofreak (Live) ft. WILLOW.

Musical guest Camila Cabello performs "Psychofreak" on Saturday Night Live, featuring WILLOW.
A lot of commenters remarked that this was better than the studio version. I believe it!

Now for the categories I've examined before, beginning with Trevor Noah examines Manchin deal, monkeypox, and Russia announcing it will leave the ISS plus six Emmy nominations for 'The Daily Show' and its spinoffs.*

Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series
Between the Scenes — The Daily Show (YouTube)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: Once Upon a Time in Late Night (TBS)
RuPaul's Drag Race Whatcha Packin' with Michelle Visage (VH1)
Saturday Night Live Presents: Stories from the Show (NBC)
Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen (Bravo)
The good news is that Trevor's only Emmy Award was for "Between the Scenes" in 2017, when it won Outstanding Short Form Variety Series, so that makes it a co-favorite in my book with "Saturday Night Live Presents: Stories from the Show." As "Creating Saturday Night Live," that won Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series in 2019.
I'm sharing SNL Stories from the Show: Jason Sudeikis to show what the nomination is all about.

Jason Sudeikis reflects on his time with Saturday Night Live as both a writer and a member of the cast.
Two things came through for me, Sudeikis' warmth and Lorne Michaels being the inspiration for Dr. Evil. Just listen to the impression to hear what I mean.

Next, the categories I analyzed in Colbert examines Manchin agreeing to the reconciliation bill that would fight climate change.
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special (Area)
Adele One Night Only – Paul Wittman, Tom Elmhirst, Eric Schilling, Josh Morton, Kristian Pedregon, Shane O'Connor, and Christian Schrader (CBS)
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards – Thomas Holmes, John Harris, Eric Schilling, Christian Schrader, Eric Johnston, Josh Morton, Ron Reaves, Jeffrey Michael Peterson, Mike Parker, Tom Pesa, Juan Pablo Velasco, and Aaron Walk (CBS)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "First Show Back with an Audience, Dana Carvey as Joe Biden, Interview with Jon Stewart, and Jon Batiste Performs "Freedom"" – Pierre de Laforcade, Harvey Goldberg, Alan Bonomo, and Tom Herrmann (CBS)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent – Thomas Holmes, Alex Guessard, Dave Natale, Tom Pesa, Christian Schrader, and Pablo Munguia (NBC)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: John Mulaney" – Robert Palladino, Ezra Matychak, Bob Selitto, Frank J. Duca Jr., Caroline Sanchez, Josiah Gluck, Tyler McDiarmid, Douglas Nightwine, William Taylor, Devin Emke, Eric Pfeifer, and Andrew Guastella (NBC)
Again, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is the only variety talk show nominated in this category, competing against "Saturday Night Live" and three variety specials, all of which feature music. I think of those three will win. I might pick my favorite when I look at variety specials.
That's coming up, but I have something else planned first. See the footnote.*

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series (Area)
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Anybody Have Something I Can Flog Myself With?" - Cindy Chao, Michele Yu, and Lizzie Boyle (HBO/HBO Max)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "Colbert's "Lord of the Rings" Rap Celebrates 20 Years of The Greatest Trilogy in Movie History" - Jim Fenhagen, Larry Hartman, Brendan Hurley, and Riley Mellon (CBS)
Queer Eye: "Angel Gets Her Wings" - Thomas Rouse and Josh Smith (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race: "Catwalk" - Gianna Costa and Allison Spain (VH1)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Kim Kardashian" - Eugene Lee, Akira Yoshimura, Keith Ian Raywood, N. Joseph DeTullio, and Melissa Shakun (NBC)
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is the only variety talk show nominated in this category, competing against the two nominees for variety sketch series and the top nominees for structured reality show and competition show. While that means that this episode had the best production design of all the variety talk shows, beating out "Last Week Tonight," which earned a nomination in this category last year but not this year, I doubt that will be enough. "Saturday Night Live" has won this award five years in a row and I expect it will win it again.
I still do, but I think "A Black Lady Sketch Show" deserves recognition, too, so I'm using one of the show's promotional images from Twitter to illustrate this entry.

Next, the categories in which variety sketch shows earned nominations I examined in John Oliver examines inflation plus 'Last Week Tonight's Emmy nominations.

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Save My Edges, I'm a Donor!" - Bridget Stokes (HBO/HBO Max)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Union Busting" - Paul Pennolino and Christopher Werner (HBO/HBO Max)
Late Night with Seth Meyers: "Episode 1252" - Alexander J. Vietmeier (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "Artistic Musical Performance by Chance the Rapper; Monologue: Ukraine & Russian War, January 6 Committee Evidence on Trump & Donald Jr.; Guest Beanie Feldstein" - Jim Hoskinson (CBS)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Billie Eilish" - Don Roy King and Liz Patrick (NBC)
"Saturday Night Live" has won this award four times in a row, so I consider it the favorite this year as well. Sorry, "Last Week Tonight."
"A Black Lady Sketch Show" may have put out a Twitter image to promote the show's nomination in this category, but I'm embedding Don Roy King and Liz Patrick ('Saturday Night Live' directors) on the 'remarkable tornado' of 'SNL' from Gold Derby.

Don Roy King and Liz Patrick ('Saturday Night Live' directors) on the 'remarkable tornado' of 'SNL.' King is an 11-time winner at the Primetime Emmys. Patrick has won nine times at the Daytime Emmys. Gold Derby editor Chris Beachum hosts this webchat.
Congratulations to both King and Patrick on their nominations. I expect both of them will walk away with Emmys for this nomination.

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO/HBO Max)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO/HBO Max)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The three top variety talk nominees along with both of the variety sketch nominees earned nominations in this category. While my readers have voted with their page views for "Saturday Night Live" over "Last Week Tonight" during the past year, they're not the Emmy voters, who have awarded the writers for "Last Week Tonight" the Emmy statuette the past six years. I still think that will happen again. Remember, electorates matter.
Robin Thede ('A Black Lady Sketch Show' showrunner): 'We want people to be constantly wanting more'.

Robin Thede ('A Black Lady Sketch Show' showrunner): 'We want people to be constantly just wanting more.' Gold Derby editor Rob Licuria hosts this chat as part of our 'Meet the Experts' Emmy nominee panel for showrunners.
Yes, this is from last year, but I missed embedding it then, so I'm using it now. I'm an environmentalist, so I conserve my resources. Good thing this interview worked for this year, too.

Next, the category "A Black Lady Sketch Show" won last year.
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Area)
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Save My Edges, I'm A Donor!" – Stephanie Filo, Bradinn French, Taylor Joy Mason, and S. Robyn Wilson (HBO / HBO Max)
Conan: "Series Finale" – Robert James Ashe, Mike Api, Christopher P. Heller, and Matthew Shaw (TBS)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: "Jordan Klepper Takes On 'Wellness' Anti-Vaxxers + Fringewatching Rep. Lauren Boebert" – Storm Choi, Eric Davies, Tom Favilla, Lauren Beckett Jackson, Nikolai Johnson, Ryan Middleton, Mark Paone, Erin Shannon, Catherine Trasborg, and Einar Westerlund (Comedy Central)
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts – Simon Bryant, Jim Clark, James Collett, Bill DeRonde, Asaf Eisenberg, Will Gilby, Lior Linevitz–Matthews, Pablo Noe, Tim Perniciaro, and Jacob Proctor (HBO / HBO Max)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "The Confesstigators" (segment) – Anthony Miale (HBO / HBO Max)
While this category was one of the first Emmy Awards "Last Week Tonight" won, it lost last year to "Black Lady Sketch Show." It's still a strong contender, not least because this is now an area award.
Area awards are non-competitive; any nominee with at least 90% approval receives an Emmy. If no nominee receives 90% approval, the nominee with the highest approval receives an Emmy; for area awards in picture editing and sound mixing, there is an additional requirement that the highest-rated nominee must have at least 50% approval.
Consequently, all, some, one, or possibly even none of the nominees could earn awards in this category. That means I'm not going to put a lot of effort into handicapping these categories.
A bunch of nominees can take home Emmy statuettes. I'm OK with that.
Gold Derby interviewed the winning and re-nominated editors in 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' editing team: Hoping this 'will promote more diversity in cutting room'.

A Black Lady Sketch Show' editing team: Hoping this 'will promote more diversity in the cutting room.' Emmy nominees Stephanie Filo, S. Robyn Wilson, Taylor Mason and Bradinn French join our interview. Gold Derby editor Matt Noble hosts this webchat.
Not only do electorates matter, representation does, too.

*There are actually seven nominations for "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" and its three spinoffs. I'll get to the one I missed in the next installment of this series. Stay tuned.

Previous posts about the 2022 Emmy Awards

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