A night of surprises: Emmys 2023 shake up the industry
A historic night for “Shōgun”
Anyone who found this year’s Emmy winners predictable simply wasn’t paying attention. This event marked a revolution in the television industry. The idea that “Shōgun” could not only enter the drama race but also break records with 18 wins was nothing short of astounding. Just a year ago, such an outcome seemed impossible. The fact that “Hacks”, in its third season, could upset “The Bear”—even as the latter still smashed the record for most wins for a comedy in a single year—has dramatically shifted the balance of power in that category.
Reality competition gets a shake-up
One of the most significant shifts of the night was “The Traitors” ending the winning streak of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the reality competition series category. Historically, this field has seen little movement, with “The Amazing Race” winning 10 times, “Drag Race” five times, and “The Voice” four times. “The Traitors” has disrupted this pattern, making the competition more dynamic and unpredictable.
Underdogs triumph over giants
In a night full of surprises, underdogs triumphed over industry giants. Lamorne Morris from “Fargo” beat Robert Downey Jr. from “The Sympathizer”, while Liza Colón-Zayas from “The Bear” took down both Meryl Streep from “Only Murders in the Building” and Carol Burnett from “Palm Royale”.
FX’s unexpected victory
This year’s Emmys will be remembered for many reasons, not least of which is FX besting both HBO and Netflix for the first time, securing the year’s victory among programming outfits. The Cinderella story of Richard Gadd and “Baby Reindeer”, which earned six trophies, added to the night’s excitement. Will Smith, the writer of “Slow Horses”, won the drama writing Emmy with the memorable line: “Despite my name, I come in peace.”
Viewership on the rise
In perhaps the most heartening news of all, viewership was up 54% from January’s delayed 2023 show. While the total was still a modest 6.87 million viewers, the increase is a positive sign. With many awards-show followers opting to watch clips on social media the next day, any uptick in viewership is a significant achievement.
The future of the drama race
This year’s Emmys have shown that there is still a substantial audience invested in their favorite entertainment programming. With “Shōgun” not returning, the drama race will once again shift focus to new seasons of heavy hitters like “House of the Dragon”, “Severance”, and “Squid Game”. Also on the horizon for 2025 are “The Last of Us” and “The White Lotus”. Rising shows like “Slow Horses” may become even more formidable contenders next year.
Comedy category dynamics
What if FX decides to move “The Bear” Season 3 to the drama category? With “Hacks” emerging victorious this year, such a move might be strategic. “Hacks” will return to the comedy field next year, and FX will still have the final season of “What We Do in the Shadows” in the running for a comedy series nomination. Other returning nominees include “Only Murders in the Building” and another season of “Abbott Elementary”.
New opportunities and fierce competition
Both the drama and comedy races will have room for new entrants, given the end of the line for “The Crown”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, and “Reservation Dogs”. With a slew of new and returning shows finally making their way to TV this fall—delayed due to the Hollywood strikes—the competition will be fierce.
The future of unscripted and variety fields
Will the unscripted and variety fields experience similar disruptions? If history is any indication, “The Traitors” will likely enjoy several years at the top before another upstart takes its crown. The real question for next year is what the TV Academy intends to do with the talk series and scripted variety series categories. The idea of scripted variety—with just “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” and “Saturday Night Live”—isn’t sustainable. Yet, with this season marking the 50th anniversary of “SNL”, there will be renewed interest in the late-night sketch show. Where does it go, and where should it compete? If “Last Week Tonight” heads back to the talk race, will the other shows stage a revolt? These are intriguing questions for the future.
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