I’m old enough to remember when the Emmys could still surprise. Now, with all the awards already all but handed out and the prediction pools picking their favorites, what’s rare is for something to break from the norm and not be a predictable gala. And yet, all signs point to tonight crowning three series that we can all, more or less, see coming. It is what it is.
And the Emmy goes to… Exactly who you expect!
Does anyone doubt that this year The Pitt will pull off the same feat with season 2 that it did in season 1? It’s a fabulous series, unique, fantastic, well shot, with interesting characters and one that has also improved from one season to the next. And on the comedy side, it’s between The Curse of Widow’s Bay, which has captivated critics and audiences, or a win for Hacks’ ending, as recognition for the impact it’s had — and one that will surely earn Jean Smart another award. As for the one real doubt, let’s celebrate it.
And as for miniseries, all eyes are on DTF St. Louis, which should win unless Beef gets in the way. After all, this is the second installment of Beef, so it no longer qualifies for the “miniseries or limited series” category, and the HBO Max series has hit something of a sweet spot with critics and audiences. In any case, the rest of the series shouldn’t even bother preparing a speech. Really, what’s the point.
Like someone writing the obituary of someone who hasn’t died yet, culture journalists can start to start drafting the tributes to Noah Wyle, Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys, and Rhea Seehorn so they can save time during the gala. There are things that are a foregone conclusion at one of the biggest (and boring) awards ceremonies every year.
