Thursday, September 12, 2019

'Saturday Night Live' leads sketch variety series nominees with 18 Emmy nominations


"Stay tuned," I told my readers at the end of 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' leads talk variety shows in Emmy Awards nominations yet again, as "I plan on blogging about the sketch variety series nominations [today], where SNL leads again."  In fact, it has 18 total nominations over three nights, the fourth highest at this year's ceremonies.

With that introduction out of the way, here are SNL's nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

At Home with Amy Sedaris (truTV)
Documentary Now! (IFC)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman (Hulu)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Who Is America? (Showtime)
This field looks a lot like last year's, so I think the result will be the same; SNL will win.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Vote for Kennedy, Vote for Kennedy") (Prime Video)
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer on Veep (Episode: "Pledge") (HBO)
Sian Clifford as Claire on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 3") (Prime Video)
Olivia Colman as Godmother on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 4") (Prime Video)
Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan on GLOW (Episode: "Mother of All Matches") (Netflix)
Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed on Barry (Episode: "The Audition") (HBO)
Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Simone") (Prime Video)
Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Liev Schreiber") (NBC)
Alex Borstein won this award last year for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," so I think she's the favorite.  However, I'm not as confident about that as I was last year because she's up against an Oscar winner in Olivia Colman who surprised me by winning for her role in "The Favourite."  In addition, the vote for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" might be split with Marin Hinkle, which could decrease Borstein's odds even more.

Now for the categories in which SNL is competing with "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

Documentary Now! (Episode: "Waiting for the Artist"), Directed by Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas (IFC)
Drunk History (Episode: "Are You Afraid of the Drunk?"), Directed by Derek Waters (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Psychics"), Directed by Paul Pennolino (HBO)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Episode: "Live Midterm Election Show"), Directed by Jim Hoskinson (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Sandler"), Directed by Don Roy King (NBC)
Who Is America? (Episode: "Episode 102"), Directed by Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longino and Dan Mazer (Showtime)
"Saturday Night Live" won this award last year and the year before, so I'm considering it the favorite.  I'd be surprised if "Last Week Tonight" pulls off an upset.
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

Documentary Now! (IFC)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
"Last Week Tonight" has won this award three years in a row and I don't expect this year to be any different.
If any nominee could beat "Last Week Tonight," I think it would be SNL.

Follow over the jump for SNL's nominations at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Matt Damon as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Matt Damon") (NBC)
Robert De Niro as Robert Mueller on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Sandra Oh") (NBC)
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "All Alone") (Prime Video)
Peter MacNicol as Jeff Kane on Veep (Episode: "Oslo") (HBO)
John Mulaney as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)
Adam Sandler as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Sandler") (NBC)
Rufus Sewell as Declan Howell on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Look, She Made a Hat") (Prime Video)
There is a lot of potential for vote splitting among the nominees from SNL and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" that could conceivably let Peter MacNicol sneak past.  Considering that he's a previous Emmy winner and had another Emmy nomination taken away from him for this role, it could happen.  I'm not betting on it.  I suspect Robert De Niro has the inside track.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Jane Lynch as Sophie Lennon on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Vote for Kennedy, Vote for Kennedy") (Prime Video)
Sandra Oh as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Sandra Oh") (NBC)
Maya Rudolph as Judge Gen on The Good Place (Episode: "Chidi Sees the Time-Knife") (NBC)
Kristin Scott Thomas as Belinda on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 3") (Prime Video)
Fiona Shaw as Counsellor on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 2") (Prime Video)
Emma Thompson as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Emma Thompson") (NBC)
While I voted for Sandra Oh at the 2019 Saturn Awards, I'm rooting for her to win for her drama role, not as host of SNL.  Instead, I'm rooting for Maya Rudolph of "The Good Place" to win this award.
Outstanding Music Direction

Rickey Minor for Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul (CBS)
Alex Lacamoire for Fosse/Verdon (Episode: "Life Is a Cabaret") (FX)
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Derek Dixie for Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (Netflix)
Rickey Minor for The Oscars (ABC)
Greg Phillinganes for Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones (Episode: "Part 1") (BET)
Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis and Eli Brueggemann for Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Sandler") (NBC)
I'm going to say the same thing for SNL that I did for the chances of "Last Week Tonight" winning Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.
[T]he only thing "Last Week Tonight" would win out of this field is a game of "one of these things is not like the others."  All the rest are musical specials, awards shows, or both....
I think the trophy will go to either the Aretha Franklin special or the Beyoncé film.  My readers and I will find out in two weeks.
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics

72nd Tony Awards (Song: "This One's For You") (CBS)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Episode: "I Have to Get Out") (Song: "Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal") (The CW)
Documentary Now! (Episode: "Original Cast Album: Co-op") (Song: "Holiday Party (I Did A Little Cocaine Tonight") (IFC)
Flight of the Conchords: Live In London (Song: "Father & Son") (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: James McAvoy") (Song: "The Upper East Side") (NBC)
Song of Parkland (Song: "Beautiful Things Can Grow") (HBO)
I was so sure that one of the songs from "The Good Fight" shorts would be nominated.  Instead, the third season of the sequel to "The Good Wife" came up completely empty.  However, that doesn't mean I thought any of them would have won.  Instead, "Saturday Night Live" won this award last year and I suspect it might do so again.  Too bad, as I'm rooting for "Song of Parkland."

Now for the categories where SNL is competing against structured reality programs.
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series

At Home with Amy Sedaris (Episode: "Teenagers") (truTV)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Authoritarianism") (HBO)
Queer Eye (Episode: "Jones Bar-B-Q") (Netflix)
Saturday Night Live (Episodes: "Host: John Mulaney", "Host: Emma Stone") (NBC)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Cross Battles Part 1") (NBC)
"Saturday Night Live" won this award last year and I'm pretty sure it will win it again.  "Queer Eye" should just be happy to be nominated.
Since I already mentioned SNL's chances, I can move on to the categories where SNL is competing against "RuPaul's Drag Race."
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series

Creating Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Fosse/Verdon (Inside Look) (FX)
Pose: Identity, Family, Community (Inside Look) (FX)
RuPaul's Drag Race's: Out Of The Closet (VH1)
RuPaul's Drag Race's: Portrait Of A Queen (VH1)
"RuPaul's Drag Race" isn't the only nominee exploring the gender identity and sexual orientation dimensions of diversity; so is "Pose: Identity, Family, Community," which also deals with race and ethnicity.  Both are also dealing with inclusion and acceptance, something I might return to when I deal with the nominations for its parent show "Pose."

From the competitive angle, there is no returning winner, so I can't handicap the contest that way.  However, I think the two most popular programs are SNL and "RuPaul's Drag Race."  I suspect the latter will split its vote, giving the former the inside track.  It helps that "Creating Saturday Night Live" is the only former nominee, albeit from two years ago.
...
Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming

Dancing with the Stars (Episode: "The Premiere") (ABC)
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (Netflix)
The Masked Singer (Episode: "Finale") (Fox)
RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "Trump: The Rusical") (VH1)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Sandra Oh") (NBC)
"RuPaul's Drag Race" has won this two years in a row, so I consider it the favorite.  The next best bets would be SNL and "Dancing with the Stars."
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special

Dancing with the Stars (Episode: "Halloween Night") (ABC)
RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "Trump: The Rusical") (VH1)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Sandler") (NBC)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Top 13 Performances") (NBC)
World of Dance (Episode: "Episode 306") (NBC)
Just like the last category, I think it's between "RuPaul's Drag Race" and SNL, with the former the returning winner.
Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series

America's Got Talent (Episode: "Semi Final #1 Performance Show") (NBC)
Dancing with the Stars (Episode: "Semi-Finals") (ABC)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Episode: "Finale") (Fox)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale, Part 1") (NBC)
SNL is the returning winner, so I consider it the favorite.  It's strongest competition comes from "The Voice" with three previous wins, followed by "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," each of which has two awards in this category.
Once again, I already made my forecast regarding SNL, so I can be a good environmentalist and recycle a final category from 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' leads talk variety shows in Emmy Awards nominations yet again.
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series

The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Stockholm Syndrome") (CBS)
Conan (Episode: "Episode 1232") (TBS)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Psychics") (HBO)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (Episode: "Post AFC Championship Show with Chris Pratt and Russell Wilson") (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Sandler") (NBC)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale, Part 2") (NBC)
This is a category I forgot to cover in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' leads competition shows at the Emmy Awards while being an example of inclusion and acceptance as "The Voice" is one of the nominees.  Oops.  However, I think SNL will win this for a third year in a row unless "The Big Bang Theory" gets this as a farewell present for a final season.
With that, I'm done handicapping the categories for which SNL earned nominations.  I'm also done with the nominations for variety shows.  Tomorrow, I'm thinking about writing about the TV movies, so stay tuned.

I conclude this entry with SNL's nominated original song, The U.E.S.

Leslie Jones raps about the Upper East Side.
That's hilarious and I'm sure all the New Yorkers will vote for it.  Whether that will be enough for it to win remains to be seen.

Previous entries in this series.
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