Saturday, September 10, 2022

'Ted Lasso,' 'Barry,' 'Hacks,' and 'Only Murders in the Building' lead comedy series nominees at the 2022 Emmy Awards

I closed 'The White Lotus' leads limited series nominees at the 2022 Emmy Awards with "I'll be back tomorrow with comedy nominees and winners. Stay tuned." Watch 74th Emmy Nominations: Comedy Series from the Television Academy.

The nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series are Abbott Elementary, Barry, Curb Your Enthusiam, Hacks, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Only Murders in the Building, Ted Lasso, and What We Do in the Shadows.
As I wrote yesterday, "My interest in covering entertainment awards consists mostly of covering shows that portray history, government, politics, and other social issues, like diversity and representation, or are speculative fiction." "Abbott Elementary" is about public education and "public education is part of government," a thought I'll repeat tomorrow for "Euphoria." "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" has had wonderful social commentary but became more political during the second season. "What We Do in the Shadows" has "a lot of political intrigue and comedic conflict among different factions of vampires with other fantastic creatures, particularly werewolves, so the show has a lot of fantastic politics." It also has two Saturn Award nominations, so I'll write about it more later this month. Of the three, "Abbott Elementary" has the best chance of winning according to the Gold Derby editors with three editors, including Joyce Eng, picking it to win. That puts it ahead of "Hacks" with two editors choosing it, and behind the returning winner "Ted Lasso" with eight editors thinking it is the favorite (so do the readers). That written, "Ted Lasso" won no Creative Arts Emmy Awards, despite having the most nominations of any comedy series with twenty!

Now for the performers, beginning with 74th Emmy Nominations: Lead Actor In A Comedy Series.

The nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series are Donald Glover, Bill Hader, Nicholas Hoult, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Jason Sudeikis.
"Atlanta" has a lot of social and political commentary in its comedy and "The Great" has the most government and politics content, as it's a comedic look at a young Catherine the Great of Russia. This is a rich field with Donald Glover, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis having won this category for these same roles before and Steve Martin and Martin Short winning Emmy Awards for comedy writing. Nine of the Gold Derby editors think that Hader will win, including Eng, three have picked Sudeikis to repeat, and one thinks Steve Martin will win his first Emmy for acting. The readers think it will be a close win for Hader. I can see that.

Next, 74th Emmy Nominations: Lead Actress In A Comedy Series.

The nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series are Rachel Brosnahan, Quinta Brunson, Kaley Cuoco, Elle Fanning, Issa Rae, and Jean Smart.
As I wrote last year "Kaley Cuoco's Cassie Bowden is recruited as an undercover agent at the end of the first season," adding a lot more government content to the show. That turned out surprisingly well, although I think the finale stuck the landing and then tripped. That's not Cuoco's fault as an actress, but it's indirectly her fault as a producer. Issa Rae has brought a lot of social commentary in "Insecure." Neither will win. Instead, twelve of the thirteen Bold Derby editors along with the majority of uses think Jean Smart will repeat for "Hacks" with only editor predicting Quinta Brunson for "Abbott Elementary." That fits with my usual handicapping favoring the most recent returning winner.

Now for two categories I covered in 'Saturday Night Live' earned ten Emmy nominations plus looks back at the 2021-2022 season.

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.
Later is now, when I'm reporting that twelve of the thirteen editors along with the readers think that Brett Goldstein will repeat. Only one editor, Rob Licuria, thinks that Anthony Carrigan from "Barry," who first came to my attention as Victor Zsasz in "Gotham," will upset. Licuria is not Eng, so I'm going with Goldstein.

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.
Waddingham barely qualifies as the favorite, as only six of the thirteen Gold Derby editors have picked her to repeat. Five editors picked Hannah Einbinder of "Hacks" and two, including Eng, chose Janelle James of "Abbott Elementary" to upset. That gives me pause. If I had to bet, I would put my money on Waddingham, but I would only wager a small sum.

Now for the two behind-the-camera categories to be awarded on Monday.

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Atlanta: "New Jazz" – Hiro Murai (FX)
Barry: "710N" – Bill Hader (HBO/HBO Max)
Hacks: "There Will Be Blood" – Lucia Aniello (HBO/HBO Max)
The Ms. Pat Show: "Baby Daddy Groundhog Day" – Mary Lou Belli (BET+)
Only Murders in the Building: "The Boy from 6B" – Cherien Dabis (Hulu) Only Murders in the Building: "True Crime" – Jamie Babbit (Hulu)
Ted Lasso: "No Weddings and a Funeral" – MJ Delaney (Apple TV+)
This is the only nomination for "The Ms. Pat Show," a program that all of the Gold Derby editors and the readers have in last place. Their first choice is Bill Hader for "Barry" with the readers and twelve of the editors choosing it. Hader could end up with two Emmy Awards Monday if they're right. The readers' second choice is "Hacks," while "Only Murders in the Building" has one editor as the upset choice. I've seen enough of the nominated episode that I agree it deserves to win.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary: "Pilot" – Quinta Brunson (ABC)
Barry: "710N" – Duffy Boudreau (HBO/HBO Max)
Barry: "starting now" – Alec Berg and Bill Hader (HBO/HBO Max)
Hacks: "The One, the Only" – Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky (HBO/HBO Max)
Only Murders in the Building: "True Crime" – Steve Martin and John Hoffman (Hulu)
Ted Lasso: "No Weddings and a Funeral" – Jane Becker (Apple TV+)
What We Do in the Shadows: "The Casino" – Sarah Naftalis (FX)
What We Do in the Shadows: "The Wellness Center" – Stefani Robinson (FX)
My previous comment about this category was in 'Abbott Elementary' wins four Television Critics Association Awards, including Program of the Year, where I wrote "I think these four wins at the TCA Awards have definitely improved the odds of the show winning its categories, but I currently think the only categories where that might push it into the winners circle are for writing and casting, although the competition is stiff for those, too." It won casting and the Gold Derby readers think it will win writing, although the editors split their picks with "Hacks," with six each predicting "Abbott Elementary" and "Hacks," while one editor forecast "Ted Lasso" upsetting the two front runners. My usual handicapping would lead me to pick "Hacks," but the readers break the tie in favor of "Abbott Elementary," as does Eng.

Speaking of the Gold Derby editors, watch three of them debate ask 2022 Emmy Awards slugfest: Will 'Hacks,' 'Only Murders' or 'Ted Lasso' triumph in comedy categories?

“There are so many amazing comedy series and the nominees here are sensational,” declares Gold Derby senior editor Rob Licuria about the state of the Best Comedy Series Emmy race this year, which features one of the strongest lineups in decades. Licuria suggests that the frontrunner is not necessarily last year's winner "Ted Lasso" or probable runner-up "Hacks," but actually the Hulu breakout success story "Only Murders in the Building," which has just concluded a buzz-worthy second season while Emmy voting was winding down.

Licuria is joined by fellow Gold Derby contributors Charles Bright and Tony Ruiz to debate the most likely winners in this year’s top comedy races. Above, watch our 2022 Emmy predictions slugfest video on the comedy categories.
They don't sound quite as unanimous as they seem just reading their predictions.

Follow over the jump for the categories comedy series already won at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.


"Barry" won three Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation, and Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or Variety Program to co-lead comedy series going into Monday night's show.


"Only Murders In the Building" also won three Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including Nathan Lane as Teddy Dimas for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour), and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation. I predicted Lane winning in 'Saturday Night Live' earned ten Emmy nominations plus looks back at the 2021-2022 season and the Gold Derby editors confirmed my prediction.


On the other hand, the Gold Derby editors and I blew Laurie Metcalf winning Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for "Hacks." Oops. At least I'm in good company. "Hacks" also won Outstanding Contemporary Costumes.


"How I Met Your Father" swept the categories it earned nominations in, Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series and Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series. It's obviously the best shot of the old-fashioned multi-camera sitcoms.


As I already mentioned, "Abbott Elementary" won Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, its only nominated category at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.


"Atlanta" also won its only nominated category at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour).


"The Great" won Outstanding Period Costumes, probably its only Emmy Award.


"Schmigadoon!" won Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics for "Corn Pudding." Time for some music!

If you want a taste of corn puddin’, you better head to Schmigadoon! Watch now on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_Schmigadoon

A parody of iconic musicals, Schmigadoon! is a new musical comedy series executive produced by Lorne Michaels and starring Emmy Award nominee Cecily Strong and Emmy Award winner Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover a magical town in which everyone is living in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can’t leave until they find “true love.” The cast also includes Broadway and TV veterans including Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, and Ann Harada.

Hailing from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, Schmigadoon! is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner, and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Strong serves as producer, and Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.
In March, I wrote "Strong certainly captured Guilfoyle's energy on stage. She should sing more often." I'm glad she's getting her chance to display her song and dance skills in "Schmigadoon!"


Finally, "What We Do In the Shadows" won Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes. Congratulations to all the winners and good luck on Monday night!

Stay tuned as I examine the drama series nominees next.

Previous posts about the 2022 Emmy Awards

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