Awards Outlook - A Toss Up For The Limited Series Categories At The Emmys
Photo from Variety
Awards analysis is provided by Sean from @MathTeacherMovies.
Best Limited Series
While the Comedy and Drama categories have their clear front runners for Emmy wins there are not many clear front runners in the Limited Series categories. Best Limited Series has a few definite standouts with Blackbird, Beef, and Monster jockeying for the lead. All three of these were water cooler shows that invaded the cultural pipeline at their respective times. Monster is the trickiest as it was marred by levels of controversy and yet its popularity will carry it over that hurdle.
A Small Light feels like the little engine that could as a show that just showed up on the unlikely home of the National Geographic Channel and is tremendous in quality even though it covers heavy subject matter.
Fleishman is in Trouble is another series that stands out in quality and a great deal of star power while The Patient was also popular with its two main characters. Daisy Jones and the Six was another critical standout and could easily grab a nomination as well.
Some of the shows that will most likely be on the outside looking in but could grab a nomination are the silly comedy, White House Plumbers, the performance showcase George and Tammy, and Love and Death which weirdly is an additional retelling of the story from the limited series Candy last year.
In the Best Actor in a Limited Series or Television Movie category, Evan Peters is the clear front runner and major standout for his performance in Monster. While Taron Egerton is being overshadowed by his co-star in Blackbird, he still gives a great performance and can easily end up with a nomination.
There are few movies that were so beloved and charming as Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and Daniel Radcliffe is quite beloved and could easily grab a nomination with this film being considered a Television Movie. Beef is beloved and the main reason is because of the performances, especially Steven Yeun’s lead performance.
White House Plumbers may not see a nomination for the series but Woody Harrelson has a very high chance to grab a nomination for Best Actor and while Justin Theroux has less of a chance, there is still an idea of the two of them getting a nomination with Harrelson being likely.
Michael Shannon could definitely get a nomination for his performance in George and Tammy along with the colead, an even more probable nomination. The Patient was a limited series incredibly popular at the time of its release but since has waned including Steve Carrell potentially grabbing a nomination. Finally, Fleishman is in Trouble will be seeing quite a bit of performance nominations and while Jesse Eisenberg is the least likely, there is still no doubt of him ending up in this list.
The category of Best Actress in a Limited Series/Movie has some likely contenders but no clear frontrunner. While George and Tammy isn’t the most popular limited series, Jessica Chastain is being singled out for her performance and has a great chance of winning on both that and name recognition. Love and Death is another limited series that isn’t getting much awards attention, but if it gets anything it will be for Elizabeth Olsen.
Daisy Jones and the Six is rising in popularity and even the detractors of the show love Riley Keough’s performance, which seems like an easy nomination. The English was beloved and respected by critics and Emily Blunt is a probable nomination for her performance.
Beef continues to be praised for its performances and Ali Wong is likely to be nominated for her performance along with Yeun. Lizzie Caplan practically takes over the series for Fleishman is in Trouble and that domination at the very least deserves discussion for a nomination.
It seems crazy that Rachel Weisz and Dominique Fishback are not definite nominations for Dead Ringers and Swarm respectively but it is most likely due to the intensity of the subject matters of each series that might keep those performances from grabbing nominations but they are easily the stand out of each series.
A Small Light is the type of series that keeps rising in popularity and Bel Powley is showing something amazing, but she will probably miss a nomination. Meanwhile Kathryn Hahn is a past nominee and was beloved in previous roles but Tiny Beautiful Things is not kicking up enough dust to get the attention like past projects.
Paul Walter Hauser is almost a shoe in for a win in the Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance in Blackbird. It’s a great performance but it is also the one that also draws the most eyes. His greatest threat could probably be Richard Jenkins for his performance in Monster which has been getting a lot of awards attention but not as much as Hauser.
While Carrell is only somewhat considered for Best Actor, his counterpart, Domhnall Gleeson, is bringing enough power to grab a supporting nomination in The Patient. Ray Liotta will also be honored with a well deserved posthumous nomination for his performance in Blackbird which was incredibly heartfelt.
While Welcome to Chippendales won’t even sniff another category, Murray Bartlett continues to have a skyrocketing career that will almost definitely grab a nomination for his performance in this series. Not many nominees are promised but Young Mazino in Beef and Jesse Plemmons in Love and Death could definitely ride in the momentum of praise from their co-stars.
Like Supporting Actor, there is a clear front runner from Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie with Niecy Nash-Betts for her performance in Monster who delivers an impactful performance and is beloved in the community with no one at all clipping at her heels.
Claire Daines is one of the main standouts for Fleishman is in Trouble especially her performance in one particular episode which was incredible. Lena Headey is getting a lot of attention for her performance in White House Plumbers, where Judy Greer also has the likelihood of a nomination but not as prevalent of a chance as Headey.
Olivia Colman rarely misses in performances and also rarely misses when it comes to being nominated for those performances and this will probably continue with her performance in Great Expectations bringing something new to a classic character. Cherry Jones is another previously decorated and always respected actress and while Five Days at Memorial won’t be getting many nominations, this is the one that is the most likely.
Beef has the chance of receiving numerous performance nominations and some long shots but still probably nominations are Maria Bello playing a larger than life character and Ashley Park who was given a great chance to put her character in the forefront by the end.
There is no bold standout for Limited Series this year, but it will be interesting to see who can hold the best narrative in the coming months.