Best Drama Series
Winner - The Crown
Runners Up - Lovecraft Country, Pose, We Are Who We Are
Commentary - The Crown is a lot of things. It is a tell-all that has been disputed. It is an interesting take on history. It is juicy for all audiences, but particularly American audiences that love the British Royal Family drama. Above all though, The Crown is a masterfully constructed drama, with cinema-quality production values and some of the best acting ensembles in recent memory. It's fourth season, fourth of four incredible outings, was easily its best. The introduction of Diana and Margaret Thatcher connected it to the modern world, and brilliantly brought to life these women we have watched for years. It easily wins this award.
Best Comedy Series
Winner - Ted Lasso
Runners Up - Mom and Superstore
Commentary - The world is dark. Andrew is cynical, like most of us. So it took awhile for me to get into Ted Lasso. It was just too damn happy. Then, you hit about episode four of its first season, and something clicks. The final episode of Ted Lasso is called The Hope That Kills You, which is an apt name for that episode. Ted Lasso proves that hope is never something that kills you. It is something that takes you away from the world, and gives you belief that good can happen. But don't be fooled, Ted Lasso is not just sentimental sap. It is honest as well, which balances it beautifully. During these dark times, Ted Lasso is the show we need right now, and it is easily the Best Comedy Series of the year.
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Billy Porter “Pose”
Runners Up - Jonathan Majors “Lovecraft Country” and Josh O’Connor “The Crown”,
Commentary - Billy Porter has made a name for himself by being exactly who he is, no matter what everyone else says. He is a magnificent screen presence, something that easily translated from the stage. He won an Emmy for the first season, but this final season is easily his best. His emotional side combines with his flair and fabulousness for a wonderful and vulnerable finale. He as a treasure to watch, and I'm proud to reward his unmeasurable talent.
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Emma Corrin "The Crown"
Runners Up - Olivia Colman “The Crown”, Brandee Evans “P-Valley”, MJ Rodriguez “Pose”
Commentary - Emma Corrin came blazing onto the screen in The Crown like few actors do nowadays. She was sensational in the role, and caused a media sensation on her own. They could not spend enough time gushing over the discovery of this amazing new talent. Sometimes the hype is not real, but so far, Corrin has proved to be not only a media star, but also an incredibly talented actress who is probably going to win her first Emmy Award. It would be a deserved honor.
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Jason Sudeikis “Ted Lasso”
Runners Up - Anthony Anderson “black-ish” and Josh Thomas “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay”
Commentary - Jason Sudeikis, in the first few episodes of Ted Lasso, is a bit much for me. He is just too gung-ho about this part, and his energy and positivity makes you want to slap him. Then you realize that it is not some sort of game, and that Sudeikis is channeling true authenticity in a way that is rarely seen on screen. As the first season goes along, we also see the vulnerabilities, the sadness, and the realization that Sudeikis has become a full-fledged comedic icon. A masterful turn.
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Winners - (TIE) Allison Janney "Mom" and Jean Smart “Hacks”
Runners Up - Renee Elise Goldsberry “Girls5Eva” and Robin Thede "A Black Lady Sketch Show"
Commentary - Jean Smart came blazing into Hacks with a purpose. She was jaw-dropping in the first season, and continues to cement herself as one of the best television actors of all time. Allison Janney also belongs on that list. I have never rewarded Janney for her role on Mom, which balances the riotous and the heartfelt. In this final season, Janney had to carry the lead, and while it wasn't the show's best outing, Janney continued to prove what an amazing talent she is, and how much we are going to miss Bonnie Plunkett, and Mom.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Michael K. Williams “Lovecraft Country”
Runners Up - O-T Fagbenle "The Handmaid's Tale" and Chris Sullivan “This is Us”
Commentary - I wanted Michael K. Williams to win this award so bad when I read the list of nominations. He has had an exceptional career with Omar on The Wire, and countless other incredible characters, including this one in Lovecraft Country. Then he passed away. It makes this honor even more poignant. He was a life force, a brilliant artist, and he was taken away too soon. Rest in peace old friend, and thank you for everything.
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Gillian Anderson “The Crown”
Runners Up - Aunjanue Ellis “Lovecraft Country”
Commentary - I was never alive during the Margaret Thatcher years, but I grew up hearing my liberal family say not so nice things about her. Then I did my research, and they were definitely right. Thatcher has been played over and over again by various actors, some of the best of all time. But for me, Gillian Anderson's turn might be the defining portrayal. She captured her strength, her dark side, and even some vulnerability, and did so without over-top-theatrics. It was a masterful turn from a beloved television veteran.
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Bowen Yang “Saturday Night Live”
Runners Up - Brett Goldstein “Ted Lasso” and Nico Santos “Superstore”
Commentary - The most exciting thing about this season of Saturday Night Live, which was a good one, was the emergence of Bowen Yang. His Titanic iceberg skit had me rolling. His monologue about hate crimes against an Asian-American grandmother had its funny moments, but struck a nerve with heart and fear. He also had great turns on Girls5Eva and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. He is exploding as a mega comedy talent, and his future trajectory is only going up.
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - (TIE) Paula Pell "Girls5Eva" and Hannah Waddingham “Ted Lasso”
Runner Up - Ashley Nicole Black "A Black Lady Sketch Show"
Commentary - Hannah Waddingham's character of Rebecca is my favorite in the show. She has one of the biggest transformations of any character, and her journey felt like it mirrored mine through the first season of Ted Lasso. She sang, she cried, she made us laugh, and always maintained a magnetic presence on screen. I also though have to honor the comedic legend Paula Pell. The entire cast of Girls5Eva is great, but Pell is easily the best. Her character has so many layers, she is always funny, and is the glue that holds the ensemble, and the characters together. I am so happy to see her getting such well-written roles, and I cannot wait to see what she does in Season 2.
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Winner -Timothy Olyphant "The Mandalorian"
Runner Up - Charles Dance "The Crown"
Commentary - The Mandalorian is a love/hate thing for me. I appreciate its ensemble and its production values, but I think I have had just too much Star Wars. And I am a Star Wars fan. But I had nothing but love for Timothy Olyphant's guest turn. He was enigmatic, drew you into the screen, and the episode brought out the best qualities of Olyphant as an actor. A great turn for an actor that has been criminally under-rewarded over the years.
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - McKenna Grace "The Handmaid's Tale"
Runner Up - Alexis Bledel "The Handmaid's Tale" and Diana Rigg "All Creatures Great and Small"
Commentary - Damn. I expect a lot from the veterans on The Handmaid's Tale, and they always deliver. I had no expectations for McKenna Grace, a child actor who has had a lot of success at such a young age, but in roles that I have mostly missed over the years. This season she stole every scene she was in. She was jaw-dropping, and pulled a performance that equaled, and maybe even surpassed, her amazing co-stars.
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Dave Chappelle "Saturday Night Live"
Runner Up - Dan Levy "Saturday Night Live" and Chris Rock "Saturday Night Live"
Commentary - Dave Chappelle's opening monologue after the election was brilliant, he is always brilliant when hosting SNL. Easily my favorite of the bunch.
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Kristen Wiig "Saturday Night Live"
Runner Up - Issa Rae "A Black Lady Sketch Show"
Commentary - What does Kristen Wiig have to do to win an Emmy? It's driving me crazy. I loved her episode of SNL this season. She easily slipped back into her sketch comedy roots, and proved that she is one of the funniest actors working today.
Best Directing in a Drama Series
Winner - Steven Canals "Pose - Series Finale"
Runners Up - Benjamin Caron "The Crown - Fairytale", Jessica Hobbs "The Crown - War", and Debbie Allen "Grey's Anatomy - Look Up Child"
Commentary - Pose was such a masterfully done series, which most Ryan Murphy series are not. It sustained its greatness through three seasons, and ended on a high note. Steven Canal's directing of the finale brought the flair, the style, and the emotion. He knocked it out of the park.
Best Writing in a Drama Series
Winner - Peter Morgan "The Crown - War"
Runner Up - Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Janet Mock, Ryan Murphy, and Our Lady J "Pose - Series Finale"
Commentary - The season finale of Season 4 of The Crown was a masterfully constructed drama that perfectly entangled all of the characters, and had some of the best dialogue of the season. Olivia Colman lashing into Josh O'Connor about the failing marriage, the back and forth between Colman and Gillian Anderson, Corrin and O'Connor having it out. Just brilliant set pieces, perfectly orchestrated by Morgan's fantastic script.
Best Directing in a Comedy Series
Winner - Ruben Fleischer "Superstore - All Sales Final"
Runners Up - Lucia Aniello "Hacks - There is No Line (Pilot)" and Declan Lowney "Ted Lasso - The Hope That Kills You"
Commentary - Superstore, and Mom, are perfect examples and proof that the broadcast sitcom is not dead, and that it can still be a force for good, for change, and talk about real issues. Sitcoms have always reflected the times, and Superstore did that perfectly. It was warm, funny, and a continuation of the workplace sitcom, which has become one of the genre's more popular tropes. But it did a lot more than skewer the workplace. It talked about real issues like healthcare, immigration, COVID. Fleischer's finale perfectly tied up as many loose ends as it could, but also left a lot on the table, showing that Superstore was really about the uncertainty of life, and the lack of safety nets for America's most vulnerable workers. It was a fantastic series, and I hate to see it go.
Best Writing in a Comedy Series
Winner - Jason Sudeikis, Joe Kelly, and Brendan Hunt "Ted Lasso - Make Rebecca Great Again"
Runners Up - Meredith Scardino and Anna Drezen "Girls5Eva - Pilot" and Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky "Hacks - There is No Line (Pilot)"
Commentary - Easily the best sitcom episode of the year, Make Rebecca Great Again is where we see the full transformation of Hannah Waddingham's character. We finally see her vulnerability, her heart. I don't what else to say, other than it was an episode that I have revisited over and over again, and it never gets old.
Best Limited or Anthology Series
Winner - I May Destroy You
Runners Up - Mare of Easttown, The Queen's Gambit, It's a Sin, and Small Axe
Commentary - I May Destroy You is a devastating, darkly funny, and incredibly important series that tells a story that needs to be told. It has a great cast, and a great production value, but this series rides on the talent of the fantastic Michela Coel. She is stunning on screen, and her character is mesmerizing to watch. But she is also incredible behind the camera, using her voice to steer this series to unmatched heights. A monumental achievement.
Best TV Movie
Winner - Sylvie's Love
Runners Up - Uncle Frank
Commentary - It might be time to retire this category again. It has become a bit of a bummer. Uncle Frank had its moments, but was only solid. Sylvie's Love was the only film that I could honestly say was good. So it wins, by default.
Best Actor in Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Ethan Hawke “The Good Lord Bird”
Runners Up - Olly Alexander “It’s a Sin” and Paul Bettany “Uncle Frank” and “WandaVision”
Commentary - The Emmys always have their snubs, but the snub of Ethan Hawke this year was unforgiveable. He gave what is probably his best on-screen performance to date as John Brown, and he steals every scene he is in, lifts up the entire series, and proves what a talent he is in modern film and television. I will not make the same mistake as Emmy voters.
Best Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Michaela Coel “I May Destroy You”
Runners Up - Anya Taylor-Joy “The Queen’s Gambit” and Kate Winslet “Mare of Easttown”
Commentary - See Limited Series
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Evan Peters “Mare of Easttown”
Runners Up - John Boyega “Small Axe” and Pappa Essiedu “I May Destroy You”
Commentary - I really liked Mare of Easttown, and I particularly thought that Evan Peters just did an excellent job in his role. He has done a lot of head-turning characters over the years, but this one, more down to earth, more real, proved that Peters had range that had not been previously seen. I hope he wins the Emmy as well.
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Kathryn Hahn “WandaVision”
Runners Up - Jean Smart “Mare of Easttown”
Commentary - Kathryn Hahn. What can I say? I have loved and admired her work for years, and while WandaVision might not be her best role to date, it is the role that has rocketed her to superstardom. By the way, she still is great in the role. She captured the zeitgeist, and while people have plenty of theories as to how, there is really one one that matters: she is freaking awesome.
Best Directing in a Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Steve McQueen "Small Axe"
Runners Up - Sam Miller and Michela Coel "I May Destroy You - Ego Death" and Craig Zobel "Mare of Easttown"
Commentary - Small Axe's exclusions are still mind-blowing to me, especially the absence of Steve McQueen in Directing. How did directors, of all groups, not see just how brilliant McQueen's work is in these films? It makes me really wonder about these television directors. I simply cannot imagine any other winner in this category.
Best Writing in a Limited Series/TV Movie
Winner - Michela Coel "I May Destroy You"
Runners Up - Russell T. Davies "It's a Sin" and Scott Frank "The Queen's Gambit"
Commentary - See Limited Series.
Best Variety Series
Winner - A Black Lady Sketch Show
Runners Up - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live
Commentary - A Black Lady Sketch Show...why are you not watching it? Easily the best sketch series on television. It is funny, it celebrates the power and talent of black women, and it is incredibly original. Robin Thede and her team deserve so much credit for this second season, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.
Best Variety Special
Winner - Bo Burnham: Inside
Runners Up - Friends: The Reunion, Hamilton, or A West Wing Special To Benefit When We All Vote
Commentary - My teenage years surrounded The West Wing and Friends, two shows that still rank among my favorites. Hamilton, a revolutionary musical, was masterful on Disney+, although I bet the theatrical experience is still tops. While they all have merit, how do you deny Bo Burnham? Inside will be remembered for years to come as brilliant and groundbreaking. It deserves this award.
Best Directing in a Variety Series/Special
Winner - Thomas Schlamme "A West Wing Special To Benefit When We All Vote"
Runners Up - Spike Lee "David Byrne's American Utopia" and Bo Burnham "Bo Burnham: Inside"
Commentary - I loved the way Schlamme was able to recreate one of my favorite West Wing episodes in this theatrical manner. He recaptured the spark, the chemistry, and the power of one of television's best series.
Best Writing in a Variety Series/Special
Winner - Bo Burnham "Bo Burnham: Inside"
Runners Up - A Black Lady Sketch Show,Dave Chappelle "8:46: Dave Chappelle", and Yvonne Orji "Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It"
Commentary - See Variety Special
Best Animated Program
Winner - The Great North
Runners Up - Archer and Bob's Burgers
Commentary - Archer came back funnier than ever, and Bob's Burgers continues to make me laugh. But it is time to reward something different. I may be alone in this, but I really liked the first season of The Great North. It was a nice off-shoot of the Bob's Burgers theme with a unique setting, great voice actors, and clever characters and stories that hooked me instantly.
