The announcement of the 2023 Emmy nominations had its fair share of surprises and expected nominations. Some notable snubs included Harrison Ford, Steve Martin, Rachel Weisz, Imelda Staunton, Helen Mirren, and Carol Burnett. On the other hand, there were unexpected nods for shows like Amazon Freevee’s comedy Jury Duty and performances by Sharon Horgan and the cast of Hulu’s Welcome to Chippendales.
One major wildcard in this year’s voting was a rule change implemented since the previous year, which aimed to prevent a small number of shows from dominating the acting nominations. However, the rule change did not truly achieve its goal. In the drama supporting actor category, all eight slots went to performers from just two shows, Succession and The White Lotus. Succession, in particular, landed a total of 14 acting nominations, tying its own record from last year. Ted Lasso, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us also received multiple acting nominations.
While the dominance of a few shows in the acting nominations is noteworthy, it is not entirely surprising. Historically, excellent shows with large ensembles and popular platforms have always performed well at the Emmys. It’s challenging to determine if these shows would have fared differently under the previous voting system. Nevertheless, only a handful of deserving individuals associated with these shows failed to make the cut.
Another way to evaluate the fairness of the nominations is by analyzing the breakdown of nominations by platform. HBO/Max had a banner year, landing more nominations than any other service. Netflix followed closely behind, and Amazon Freevee received a series nomination for the first time. Lower-profile platforms such as Peacock and The Roku Channel also made significant strides in securing nominations.
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The TV Academy’s recognition of diverse productions and people is commendable. Despite many of the year’s high-profile shows being predominantly white, performers of color still received nominations. Shows like The Last of Us, Abbott Elementary, Beef, and Ted Lasso featured diverse casts and received nominations. Performers of Middle Eastern descent, such as Hiam Abbass, Arian Moayed, and Kumail Nanjiani, were also recognized. Additionally, Bella Ramsey, identifying as non-binary, received a leading acting nomination for the first time.
However, there were still notable snubs for non-white stars of shows that received series nominations, such as Diego Luna, Selena Gomez, and Giancarlo Esposito.
Overall, the 2023 Emmy nominations had a mix of expected and surprising nominations. While some shows and performers dominated the acting categories, the presence of nominations from diverse productions and platforms is a positive sign. The Emmys continue to celebrate the best of television, reflecting the breadth of quality content available in the “Peak TV” era.
