Well folks, the Emmy nominations have been announced. And you know I have opinions. Let’s get into some exciting inclusions and some upsetting omissions. And, mind you, this isn’t a fully exhaustive list. There was a lot of exciting stuff to come out of this years noms– Sydney Sweeney getting double nominated, Quinta Brunson breaking records, J. Smith-Cameron finally being nominated for Succession, Melanie Lynskey becoming an Emmy nominee– and an equal amount of questionable stuff– Mackenzie Davis being snubbed for her work on Station Eleven, Elle Fanning being nominated for The Great but not for The Girl from Plainville, the entire cast of The White Lotus being nominated, Inventing Anna getting any nominations at all– but I want to focus on the stuff the really stuck out to me. So on that note, shall we dance?
Exciting Inclusions
John Turturro– Irving Bailiff, Severance, Apple TV+
I wasn’t sure the Television Academy would freak for Severance as much as I did but thankfully, they really seemed to dig it. The cast of Severance is extraordinary— they all deeply understand what show they are in and I have said it once and I’ll say it again, all I ask is that actors understand the assignment— and John Turturro, a past Emmy-winner, is a real stand out as the once-company-handbook-obsessed Irving Bailiff. There’s a built in air of mystery surrounding Severance as a whole, and Turturro really leans into that as his character tries desperately to learn more about the company he’s been such a blind die-hard for for so long. Plus, there is an interesting shade of queerness in his story that we don’t often see packaged like we do in this show (I won’t give anymore away on this front).
Tyler James Williams– Gregory Eddie, Abbott Elementary, ABC
Tyler James Williams, this charming-ass mother you-know-what. This man became everyone’s favorite jaded substitute teacher overnight. In an ensemble as tonally tight and freakishly funny as Abbott Elementary’s, it is hard to stand out given how superb and well meshed everyone is. But Williams manages to own the spotlight he’s been given with dry wit underlined by true heart. His character has perhaps the biggest arc on the show, too, which helps his case as we watch him evolve from manically driven perfectionist to— wait, let me not give it away. Tyler James Williams rocks and I’m so happy to see him included in the year’s Emmy Class of 2022.
Rhea Seehorn– Kim Wexler, Better Call Saul, AMC
I will admit— I only just stared watching Better Call Saul recently to catch up on the cultural conversation but it didn’t take me long to see why people have been rooting for this nomination for as long as Saul has been running. Rhea Seehorn is truly excellent as Kim Wexler, weaving herself into the fabric of the show so intricately and understatedly. Its not an easy job being a woman on a show worshipped by women-hating men (we all saw how Anna Gunn and her character Skyler were treated during Breaking Bad’s run) and yet Seehorn holds her own against an ensemble of ego driven guys looking to come out on top by any means necessary. Her trademark voice and quietly piercing stare offer the perfect counterweight to the bombastic energy of Bob Odenkirk’s manic James McGill.
Lee Yoo-mi– Player 240, Ji-yeong, Squid Game, Netflix
It was such a thrill to see Lee Yoo-mi’s name be announced for Guest Performance in a Drama Series. Her scene in Episode Six of Squid Game became a true emotional pin in a series of unrelenting violence and cruelty. There isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said about this performance, you just need to see it. So much humanity, so little melodrama, so many tears.
Himesh Patel– Jeevan Chaudhary, Station Eleven, HBO Max
I’m so happy to see Himesh Patel recognized for his warm, sturdy, anchored performance as Jeevan Chaudhary, a huge part of the heart so readily flowing through Station Eleven. I must admit, it was strange to binge watch a show about a crushing pandemic as I sat at home in COVID19 quarantine, but the hopeful spirit of it’s characters made it feel so much less like doomsday media and so much more like a heady exploration of what it means to navigate a new world where art is largely the only common vocabulary left. Patel’s character especially gets to be the conduit for our release of emotion and he handles the task with such aplomb.
Sydnee Washington– Judith, Bridesman, YouTube
If you’re at all interested in or connected to the New York comedy scene from the last, say, five/six years, then you know the name Sydnee Washington. Sydnee is truly one of the funniest, most authentic voices in comedy and to see her get a nomination in the Short Form category is such a thrill. I mean, Emmy Nominee Sydnee Washington just has such a delicious ring to it. While the series she’s in isn’t actually that great (the lead actor is really not good which brings down the whole vibe) Sydnee is great in every scene, elevating each line with her trademark authenticity and sharp sense of natural, unforced humor. Remember this name, kids, there will be a lot more Sydnee where this came from.
Upsetting Omissions
Britt Lower– Helly R, Severance, Apple TV+
Britt Lower was probably my favorite television find of the year. I’d never heard of her before diving into Severance and left the show a huge fan. It’s such a shame that the Television Academy went ham for the rest of the Severance cast but notably omitted her (I would imagine she was being campaigned for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series so for them to chose Reese Witherspoon in The Morning Show over her? A choice for sure!). She’s endlessly enticing on this show and has a huge pay off come final episode, her performance never once tipping in the direction of heavy handed, allowing for a massive “oh my god” moment post-big reveal.
Chloë Sevigny– Lynn Roy, The Girl from Plainville, Hulu
For my money, it’s a dozen times more compelling watch an actor or actress on screen try and hold back tears than shed any multure of real ones. In The Girl from Plainville, Chloë Sevigny does a lot of the former. She plays the mother of a suicide victim and has so many reasons to spend the whole series crying. But she makes the more interesting choice of holding it together as only a mother can and it makes for incredible compelling television— in the hands of a lesser talent, a role like this, based on a real tragedy, could come across as exploitative, overly saccharine, and tacky. But luckily, with Sevigny stepping up to the plate, it was nothing of the sort. Every time she was on screen, I was aching for more. Would’ve loved to have seen her nominated for her work here, a performance that I would consider the best female supporting performance in a mini series of the year.
Nabhaan Rizwan– Frank Chaudhary, Station Eleven, HBO Max
Station Eleven was largely ignored (nominating Inventing Anna over Station Eleven for Outstanding Mini Series? You have to laugh) and I’m not totally sure that HBO even submitted Nabheen Rizwan for contention but his performance as Frank Chaudhary is deeply emotional and he has some of the best scenes in the series (all of the play scenes in his apartment make the show for me). Not for nothing, he deserves a special award for the scene in which he raps “Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest. That scene was top ten of the season and perfectly encapsulated the thesis of the show as a whole: no matter how apocalyptic the world becomes, art will always be an integral part of society, a never ending source of joy and release.
Yvonne Orji– Molly Carter, Insecure, HBO
I’m so salty about Insecure ending (yes, I know, Issa wanted to end it on her terms when she felt the characters had said all that they needed to say, I have to just keep reminding myself of that) but luckily it have us some of my favorite performances and characters on television of all time. I’m thrilled to see Issa Rae nominated in the Lead Actress category but was sad to see Yvonne Orji left out of the Supporting Actress category. Orji does some of her best work yet as Molly maneuvers the loss of close family and the gain of true love. It was such a privilege to watch the cast of Insecure prove to Hollywood that Black people– and more specifically Black women– can live outside of the box the industry is so hellbent on trapping them in. Molly being a highly successful, flawed, complex, funny Black lawyer, lover, and friend will pave the way for generations to come.
Naveen Andrews– Sunny Balwani, The Dropout, Hulu
The Dropout is of course a star vehicle for Amanda Seyfried as she towers over the show with her insanely good performance as Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the now defunct Theranos. But most of the two-hander scenes are so good because Naveen Andrews is both the perfect proponent and opponent, depending on the characters’ moods. Building on that notion, he is somehow both the shows antagonist and protagonist, a common theme on a show about a bunch of corrupt people. Who are we supposed to root for? Who are the “good guys” and who are the “bad guys” when the main characters are all this flawed? Ostensibly, there is no one to root for. And yet, we’re left deeply compelled by both Seyfried’s Holmes and Andrews’ Balwani. Now that is good acting.
PEN15— Hulu
If there were any justice, PEN15 would have won one million Emmy Awards for being one of the most whacky, original, truthful, brilliant shows to be produced in the streaming era. Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine are two freak-of-nature talents and crafted such a specific, fun, zany world of middle-school trauma and pathos and its such a shame neither one of them ever picked up an acting nomination. I’m not entirely sure if PEN15‘s season two part two was eligible for any Emmy love (though Breaking Bad was when it split it’s final season into two parts so I would hope PEN15 was, too) but if it was and it went this ignored, I would like to have a word with the manger. This show is an embarrassment of riches and the entire cast, writing team, and squad of directors deserved more recognition.
