'The Queen's Gambit' leads limited series at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, but can it beat 'Mare of Easttown' and 'WandaVision' on the final night?

I decided to combine my last two ideas for this year's Emmy Awards coverage, Creative Arts Emmy winners and limited series nominees , both from 'Oslo' earned two nominations at the 2021 Emmy Awards. I begin by noting that "The Queen's Gambit" is currently leading all shows after three Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies over two days with nine wins. "WandaVision" is second among limited and anthology series with three, while "I May Destroy You" and "Mare Of Easttown" have one each so far. "The Queen's Gambit" is guaranteed to at least tie fo the most Emmy Awards of any limited series. There are only seven limited series categories at the Primetime Emmy Awards and "WandaVision" and "Mare of Easttown" are each competing in only six of them, so even if "WandaVision" swept its categories next week, and it probably won't, as I think Kate Winslet is favored over Elizabeth Olsen in their acting category, it would at best tie with "The Queen's Gambit" with nine awards each. Meanwhile, if "Mare of Easttown" swept the final night of the Emmys, it would still have only seven awards, two behind "The Queen's Gambit." Congratulations to the series about chess!

That leads to the subject matter of each show. All of the nominees feature strong social commentary and political and government content. While "Mare of Easttown" explores family dynamics inside a crime drama, the latter provides the most realistic portrayal of government, as law enforcement is a function of government. On the other hand, while "WandaVision" is primarily a tragicomic exploration of grief, a fantastic and futuristic government agency, S.W.O.R.D., plays a major part as one of the antagonists. "The Underground Railroad" can't help but be political in its magical realist story of escaping from slavery. Law enforcement plays a secondary part in "I May Destroy You," a story of a journalist who is also a rape survivor, so the police make recurring appearances. "The Queen's Gambit" caps off its story of a woman finding her place in a man's world by going to the U.S.S.R. for its finale, adding an international political angle to its social commentary.

Now, the nominees at next week's ceremony, beginning with the show category.

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

I May Destroy You (HBO)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)
The Underground Railroad (Prime Video)
WandaVision (Disney+)

Before I share my opinions, I'm giving Gold Derby a chance to ask Emmy Experts Slugest: Will 'The Queen's Gambit' hold off 'Mare of Easttown'?

Emmy Experts Slugest: Will 'The Queen's Gambit' hold off 'Mare of Easttown'? For a while, it felt like the three major series awards at the Emmys -- comedy, drama and limited -- had runaway frontrunners, but one of them has lost some ground recently. Gold Derby editors and Experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng are here to take a look at the limited races and if the "Queen" can in fact take the crown.

Based on total nominations, the answer is yes, but Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng are talking more about the show category than the craft categories, where "The Queen's Gambit" had advantages in subject matter and time period as well as execution. After watching "Mare of Easttown," "The Queen's Gambit," and "WandaVision," I think "Mare of Easttown" told the best story with the best lead actress, so it's my pick to win this category.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Michaela Coel as Arabella on I May Destroy You (HBO)
Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin on Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch on WandaVision (Disney+)
Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon on The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)
Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan on Mare of Easttown (HBO)

While I'm glad to see Cynthia Erivo nominated, I think she had the misfortune to be competing against an especially strong field that I think Kate Winslet will win against, just as she did at the Gold Derby TV Awards. Her main competition is Anya Taylor-Joy, who won the equivalent categories at all the major awards shows last year before "Mare of Easttown" came out. The only thing that would help "WandaVision" is that it's a show about television that isn't about show business, but about the importance of television to its viewers, an angle that the Television Academy voters would find flattering. "See, we matter!" I don't think it will be enough in this category.

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

I May Destroy You, Written by Michaela Coel (HBO)
Mare of Easttown, Written by Brad Ingelsby (HBO)
The Queen's Gambit, Written by Scott Frank (Netflix)
WandaVision (Episode: "All-New Halloween Spooktacular!"), Written by Chuck Hayward and Peter Cameron (Disney+)
WandaVision (Episode: "Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience"), Written by Jac Schaeffer (Disney+)
WandaVision (Episode: "Previously On"), Written by Laura Donney (Disney+)

The good news for "WandaVision" is that it earned three nominations in this category. The bad news is that they are likely to split the vote. Eng and Rosen at Gold Derby think this will help "I May Destroy You." Maybe. I think it will help "Mare of Easttown." We'll see next week.

Follow over the jump for my comments on the rest of the nominations from 'Hamilton' at the Emmy Awards.

'John Lewis: Good Trouble' earned 3 nominations at the 2021 News and Documentary Emmy Awards

I told my readers to "Stay tuned" as "I plan on looking at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominees for tomorrow's Sunday entertainment feature" to conclude Gold Derby predicts the Creative Arts Emmy Awards plus animation and drama guest acting nominees. So, for the first time since Sandy Hook Promise and Discovery Channel's Shark Week win Emmy Awards for commercials, I'm returning to the other Emmy Awards to comment on the three nominations for "John Lewis: Good Trouble," Outstanding Historical Documentary, Outstanding Research: Documentary, and Outstanding Lighting Direction and Scenic Design, in that order.

Outstanding Historical Documentary

Challenger: The Final Flight (Netflix)

CNN Films (CNN)
John Lewis: Good Trouble

FRONTLINE (PBS)
Once Upon A Time In Iraq

HBO Documentary Films (HBO)
The Art of Political Murder

HBO Documentary Films (HBO)
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn

While "John Lewis: Good Trouble" has the most nominations of any entry in this category, it may not be the favorite. The other nomination for "Once Upon A Time In Iraq" is for Best Documentary, which might give it the edge with voters and therefore makes it my co-favorite to win this category. "Challenger: The Final Flight" also has two nominations, this one and Outstanding Editing: Documentary. The two nominees from HBO Documentary Films, "The Art of Political Murder" and "Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn," only have this one nomination.

Outstanding Research: Documentary

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (Turner Classic Movies)

Be Water (ESPN)

CNN Films (CNN)
John Lewis: Good Trouble

Independent Lens (PBS)
Feels Good Man

The Last Ice (National Geographic)

I'm glad to see that the News and Documentary Emmy Awards voters thought that "John Lewis: Good Trouble" showed its work. That and its other two nominations might not be enough for it to win this award. "The Last Ice" also has three nominations, including Outstanding Nature Documentary, where I think it's the favorite, and Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary. Three of the other nominees in that category are also nature documentaries, which doesn't surprise me; nature documentaries tend to be beautifully photographed. Finally, while all the rest of the other nominees have only this nomination, I want to brag about one of them. I predicted that "Feels Good Man" will earn at least one nomination for a News and Documentary Emmy Award and that happened in this category. I feel vindicated, even if the nomination wasn't for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary as I expected.

Outstanding Lighting Direction and Scenic Design

America’s Hidden Stories (Smithsonian Channel)
Hitler’s US Election Plot

CNN Films (CNN)
John Lewis: Good Trouble

Election Coverage (MSNBC)

HBO Documentary Films (HBO)
Alabama Snake

The News with Shepard Smith (CNBC)

This category recognizes both documentaries and news reports. While "John Lewis: Good Trouble" is the only nominee with multiple nominations, I don't know if it's enough for it to win this category. I was very impressed with MSNBC's Election Coverage and CNBC has worked very hard to make "The News with Shepard Smith" a quality show.

Follow over the jump for bonus coverage of "The Way I See It" thanks to the promotional graphic from Twitter I used as the preview image for this entry.

Gold Derby predicts the Creative Arts Emmy Awards plus animation and drama guest acting nominees

I know that I wrote I "have run out of time" because "the first night of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards" is tonight, so "Creative Arts Emmy winners should be next in the series" at the end of 'Oslo' earned two nominations at the 2021 Emmy Awards, but I realized last night that I really wanted to write this year's version of Star Trek vs. Star Wars — futuristic politics and government at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Fortunately, Gold Derby uploaded Emmy Experts slugfest: Final Creative Arts predictions (and some bonus Oscar chatter) yesterday, which gave me an opportunity to take that bite at the apple without overexerting myself after writing 9/11 memorials on the 20th anniversary. Watch to see if they agreed with all the predictions I made over the past two months.

There's not one, not two but three Emmy ceremonies this weekend, Sept 11-12, with Creative Arts honors being handed out on Saturday (one ceremony) and Sunday (two). Gold Derby editors and Experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng are back to make their final(ish) Creative Arts predictions -- and also discuss the Oscar race!

Those are the expert predictions for tonight and tomorrow, most of which agree with mine, although they disagree with me about "Oslo" being the favorite; they think "Sylvie's Love" is instead. That's reasonable, but I'm not convinced that "Hamilton" will fail as badly as they do, although we won't find out until a week from tomorrow because so many of its categories will be awarded at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Follow over the jump for the acting and show nominations for speculative fiction programs that will be awarded at tonight's and tomorrow's ceremonies.

9/11 memorials on the 20th anniversary

Today is the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I could finish my 9/11 story from ten years ago, but I'm not feeling it. This isn't my story. It's the story of the victims and their surviving family and friends. I turn to CNBC's Architect of 9/11 memorial reflects on design 20 years later to tell their stories by proxy.

Michael Arad, Handel Architects Partner and architect of the 9/11 memorial, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the design of the 9/11 memorial 20 years after the attacks.

That was very moving and a fitting successor to the original 9/11 memorial in New York City, the twin towers of light.


A somber Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance to all my readers.

'Oslo' earned two nominations at the 2021 Emmy Awards

I finished 'RuPaul's Drag Race' leads competition program nominees at the 2021 Emmy Awards while modeling diversity and acceptance by telling my readers "Stay tuned for the television movie nominees as the next installment of the series." Here are the three categories at the 73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards with television movie nominees.

Outstanding Television Movie

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (Netflix)
Oslo (HBO)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Sylvie's Love (Prime Video)
Uncle Frank (Prime Video)

The leading nominee is "Oslo," an adaptation of a Tony-winning play about the Oslo Peace Accords and one of only two nominees with another nomination. Watch Oslo: Official Trailer | HBO.

Adapted from the Tony Award-winning play of the same name, Oslo follows the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships, and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis and Palestinians, plus one Norwegian couple, that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. Oslo stars Ruth Wilson as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister, and Andrew Scott as Terje Rod-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband. The film is written by Tony-winning writer of the stage play J.T. Rogers and will be directed by Barlett Sher (Tony winner for South Pacific).

Of all the nominees, "Oslo" has the strongest politics and government themes. For an inside view of the project, watch Gold Derby's interview, Emmy nominee Bartlett Sher ('Oslo' director) on bringing legendary peace negotiations to the screen.

Emmy nominee Bartlett Sher ('Oslo' director, producer) on bringing the legendary peace negotiations to the screen. The Tony winner chats with Gold Derby's Sam Eckmann about the HBO TV movie.

Bartlett Sher described both the genesis of the play and the process of adapting the play into a movie. I found his explanation of the differences of using space in the two media particularly interesting.

Now the second nominated category for "Oslo."

Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Jeff Russo for Fargo (Episode: "East/West") (FX)
Jeff Russo and Zoë Keating for Oslo (HBO)
Carlos Rafael Rivera for The Queen's Gambit (Episode: "End Game") (Netflix)
Nicholas Britell for The Underground Railroad (Episode: "Chapter 2: South Carolina") (Prime Video)
Christophe Beck for WandaVision (Episode: "Previously On") (Disney+)

I present Oslo End Credits as a sample of the nominated work.



Oslo End Credits · Jeff Russo · Zoë Keating
Oslo (HBO® Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Gold Derby interviewed double nominee Jeff Russo ('Fargo,' 'Oslo,' 'Star Trek: Discovery' composer) talks 'visually evocative' scripts.

"That may actually be the longest piece of music I've ever written," reveals composer Jeff Russo about the nearly 12-minute track that he composed for the season four premiere of FX's Fargo. Set in Kansas City in 1950, the fourth installment of the anthology series used Russo's "opus" to tell the backstory of 50 years of mob family warfare, and Russo drew on the city's "jazz and blues flare" to situate the audience in the show's particular time and place. Watch Russo's full chat with Gold Derby's David Buchanan.

Russo certainly has the track record to win the award along with two chances to win, but he has stiff competition in 2019 Emmy winner Nicholas Britell, 2018 Emmy winner Carlos Rafael Rivera, and 1998 Emmy winner Christophe Beck. While I was personally impressed with Rivera's music for "The Queen's Gambit," I have a feeling that the groundswell will be for "WandaVision," a show about television that isn't about show business, but about the viewer experience. As I reiterate whenever I write about awards shows, electorates matter, and the Emmy electorate loves a good story about itself. "WandaVision" isn't really that, but it's close enough and I think that, all things being equal and they are with all nominated scores having an Emmy winner as one of its composers, that will influence the members of the Television Academy to vote for it, including in this category.

Follow over the jump for my discussion of the nominees I consider to be serious contenders for Emmys.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' leads competition program nominees at the 2021 Emmy Awards while modeling diversity and acceptance

I told my readers "Stay tuned for competition nominees at the Emmy Awards for the next installment of this series" at the conclusion of 'RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked' vs. 'Below Deck' for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program at the Emmy Awards so it's time to move on to the main show and its competitors. Here are the nominees from the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Competition Program

The Amazing Race (CBS)
Nailed It! (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)

I called the series "a good show for inclusion and mutual respect, to say nothing of great fashion and grooming tips." In an interview with Gold Derby, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' director Nick Murray called it 'The most culturally significant show of the past decade.'

'RuPaul's Drag Race' director Nick Murray on being part of 'the most culturally significant show of the past decade.' The director won his first Emmy in 2018 and has submitted the Season 13 episode "Gettin' Lucky" for consideration this year. Gold Derby's Denton Davidson hosts this interview.

Murray also credited the show being in tune with the culture's increasing diversity and acceptance for its success. I agree, which is why I made the decision years ago to blog about the program.

Now for the likely runner-up, Audrey Morrissey ('The Voice' executive producer) teases new coach Ariana Grande, Emmy nominations.

Audrey Morrissey ('The Voice' executive producer) teases new coach Ariana Grande and 7 'incredible' Emmy nominations with Gold Derby's Denton Davidson.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" has won this award three years in a row, so I consider it the favorite on that criterion as well as its leading in nominations among competition programs with nine for the main show as well as two for "RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked." Its closest competition is "The Voice" with seven nominations, followed by "Dancing with the Stars" with six, "Top Chef" with five, "The Amazing Race" with four, and "Nailed It!" with two. The reality programming peer group snubbed "The Masked Singer" for this category, but it has three nominations in craft categories. Speaking of which, here's one of them at the 73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming (Juried)

Black Is King (Disney+)
The Masked Singer (Episode: "Super 8 - The Plot Chickens! Part 2") (Fox)
Sherman's Showcase Black History Month Spectacular (IFC)

Watch Gold Derby interview Marina Toybina ('The Masked Singer' costume designer) on her 'artistically explosive' characters.

"Season 4 and 5 we really tried to push our limits," says five-time Emmy winner Marina Toybina, the costume designer on Fox's reality TV competition series "The Masked Singer." "Of course we went into the pandemic mode so it was really being artistically explosive and trying anything and everything we could." Watch her exclusive video interview with Gold Derby's Denton Davidson.

If this category were up for the vote of the entire Television Academy, "The Masked Singer" would probably win, but it's not. My intuition says "Black Is King" has the advantage, but I have no good evidence or reasoning beyond that.

Now for another category with a nominated competition program I haven't blogged about before.

Outstanding Choreography for Variety and Reality Programming

Sergio Trujillo for Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC)
Artem Chigvintsev for Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Derek Hough for Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Derek Hough for The Disney Holiday Singalong (ABC)
Parris Goebel for Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 2 (Prime Video)
Marie Haince Lebel for World of Dance (NBC)

Last year's winner "So You Think You Can Dance" did not return, so I'm turning to the two remaining previous winners, "World of Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars" for this year's favorites. Between the two of them, I think "World of Dance" has the better chance.

Follow over the jump for the categories in which competition shows earned nominations that I've already written about.

Colbert and Kimmel make fun of the news after coming back from break

I've been taking a very serious view of the news lately, with the funniest post this month so far being John Oliver and NPR explain the Sackler family/Purdue Pharma opioid settlement and that was still about a pretty grim subject. In large part, that was because two of my favorite late-night comedians, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, were on vacation. Both returned from their breaks last night and both had funny if pointed things to say about what happened while they were gone. I begin with Colbert asking Hurricanes, Reproductive Rights, Ivermectin: Did Anything Happen During Our Break?

Stephen returns from hiatus wearing something he's calling a "mustache," and uses his monologue to get caught up on all the major news that happened during Late Show's hiatus. Did you hear about that talking duck?

Yes, a lot happened while Stephen grew his mustache — hurricanes, Afghanistan, Texas effectively outlawing nearly all abortions, and of course, the pandemic. Stephen's line that what once felt like the End Times have just become the times reminded me that my wife remarked after looking at the news over the weekend that it feels like it's one apocalyptic event after another. My response was that the pandemic alone isn't the Apocalypse, but it is an apocalypse. The same with all the rest of the calamatous events this summer.

In his return to the studio, Jimmy Kimmel is BACK and Very Much ALIVE, Jimmy K. expressed his disappointment that the health situation hadn't returned to the pre-pandemic normal. I have news for him; that isn't going to happen.

Jimmy returns to the show after his summer off and addresses the many comments of concern for his well-being, being apart from Guillermo, our new set, the number of new COVID cases being up 300% from a year ago, people taking livestock medicine to fight the Coronavirus and internet lunatic Alex Jones giving it a big endorsement, Dr. Jill Biden returning to the classroom, Jeff Bezos investing in a company that intends to reverse the human aging process, and Jimmy thanks the many talented people that filled in for him this summer and shares a video of their fondest memories from hosting.

LOL, Alex Jones. That clip showed him as even more unhinged than I remember and reminded me that "the voices in Alex Jones' head are not reliable sources." I hope my readers have all learned that by now. I hope my readers have also learned what actually works: "Mask up, keep socially distant, and wash your hands. Those will work against both COVID-19 and the flu. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!"

Skipping last flu season may be an example of 'there is no free lunch,' a pandemic update

One silver lining of the efforts to slow down the pandemic is that the measures intended to prevent transmission of COVID-19 worked even better against influenza. Consequently, We Skipped Flu Season. That's Bad SciShow thinks.

Some experts feared we were in for a "twindemic" during the 2020-2021 flu season. That didn't happen, which might mean that there will be more people susceptible to getting sick this year.

Hosted by: Rose Bear Don't Walk

As I teach my students, there is no free lunch and everything is connected to everything else. Suppressing last winter's flu season prevented a lot of suffering and death but it could come at a price of not being prepared for the next flu season. Let's hope we can still prepare by knowing which strains to culture so we can have effective vaccines in the future.

Speaking of lessons I teach my students, I was looking for a video to show them about how the influenza virus recombines in animal hosts, particularly pigs, but this might not be it. The script the host read described the virus's genetic material as DNA. Sorry, it's RNA. That alone might disqualify the video. Darn.

Good Morning America included some of SciShow's concerns when it asked Is the flu season going to be worse because last year's was so mild?

Dr. Jen Ashton answers questions about the coronavirus vaccines and your health.

The answer is that Dr. Jen Ashton doesn't know, either. As she said, "The only thing predictable about a flu season is that it is unpredictable." We might experience the "twindemic" we feared last year, or the same measures that suppressed flu last year might work again.

Dr. Ashton mentioned those measures in another segment, What we know about the impact of COVID-19 for the fall.

Dr. Jen Ashton discusses the impact of COVID-19 in the summer and what to expect in the fall.

Mask up, keep socially distant, and wash your hands. Those will work against both COVID-19 and the flu. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

History of Labor Day plus drinks and marching bands to celebrate the holiday

Happy Labor Day! I'm returning to my pre-pandemic themes of history and drinks for the holiday with some bonus marching band. I begin with history from CBS Mornings Labor day recognizes fight for fair wages, hours from 2014.

Millions of Americans are enjoying the day off work and school, but some may have lost the significance of the national holiday. Kenneth C. Davis, author of "Don't Know Much About History," joins the "CBS This Morning" co-hosts to talk about Labor Day.

Let us not forget that Labor Day is not only a celebration of the end of summer and beginning of fall, but one of work, working people, and their struggle for better working conditions and the ability to enjoy their lives. Workers are still pursuing the latter today, but in a more individualistic fashion through the Great Resignation, a subject I might return to in a future post.

Follow over the jump for the drinks and marching bands.

'RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked' vs. 'Below Deck' for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program at the Emmy Awards

I explained why I skipped unstructured reality show nominees in the footnote to 'Queer Eye' leads structured reality program nominees again at the Emmy Awards while 'preaching love, acceptance, pride, and compassion'.

The nominees in the show category for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program failed to inspire me. Part of the reason, as I wrote last year, was "Only 'RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked' returned." Some of the longer-running shows, like "Deadliest Catch" and "Life Below Zero," did earn nominations in the craft categories. I'll probably make diversity and nature the focus of that post when I get around to writing it. The other part is what I also wrote last year: "I wonder what was going on in the reality branch of the Television Academy this year. Or maybe all these new shows were that much better; I don't know." It turns out the Television Academy calls reality programming a peer group, not a branch, but the question remains.

Now that I got that off my chest, I'm feeling much better about the unstructured reality show nominees, so here are their nominations at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program

Becoming (Disney+)
Below Deck (Bravo)
Indian Matchmaking (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (VH1)
Selling Sunset (Netflix)

As I wrote above, RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked" is the only returning nominee for two years running. It's also one of only two nominees with another nomination, the other one being first time nominee "Below Deck." I think it's between the two for the award, especially since last year's winner "Cheer" did not return and three-time winner "United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell" is competing in a different category.

Gold Derby interviewed San Heng (RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked): 'Queens show parts of themselves we don't have time to see', the showrunner of "RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked," who expressed her frustration at the show being repeatedly nominated but never winning along with explaining the show.

San Heng ('RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked' producer) on 'letting all of these queens show parts of themselves that we don't have time to see.' Gold Derby editor Rob Licuria hosts this chat as part of our 'Meet the Experts' Emmy nominee panel for showrunners.

I'm rooting for "RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked" to win and think it's the nominal favorite given its history of nominations, but I wouldn't be surprised if "Below Deck" upsets it.

Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program

Below Deck – Editing Team[note 5] (Episode: "Steamy Vibes") (Bravo)
Deadliest Catch – Editing Team[note 6] (Discovery Channel)
Life Below Zero – Tony Diaz, Matt Edwards, Jennifer Nelson, Eric Michael Schrader and Michael Swingler (Episode: "The Other Side") (Nat Geo)
Naked and Afraid – Editing Team[note 7] (Episode: "Sand Trapped") (Discovery Channel)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked – Kellen Cruden, Yali Sharon and Shayna Casey (Episode: "The Bag Ball") (VH1)

When I groused about the nominees for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program this year and last year, wondering what the reality programming peer group was thinking, it was because I was expecting a field more like this, a face-off between diversity-themed shows and outdoors-themed shows featuring long-running series. In the end, the right show won, as I think "Cheer" deserved all three awards it took home, including this one, winning against a very similar field in this category last season.

Gold Derby interviewed Joseph Litzinger ('Life Below Zero' showrunner) on 'emotional vulnerability' of Emmy-winning series and congratulated him on the show winning multiple Emmy Awards.

Joseph Litzinger ('Life Below Zero' showrunner) on 'emotional vulnerability' of Emmy-winning series. Gold Derby editor Marcus Dixon hosts this special 'Meet the Experts' panel with reality contenders for the 2021 Emmy Awards.

I'm going to be a good environmentalist and recycle my handicapping from two years ago: "'Life Below Zero' won the year before and 'Deadliest Catch' has been nominated every year this award has existed, so the two man versus nature shows have a sporting chance of winning." Just the same, this category could still surprise me.

Follow over the jump for two categories I'm recycling for this entry.