The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences rolled out their picks for this years Emmy nominations this morning, provoking the usual hubbub over surprise inclusions and snub-outrage. As TV devotees pored over the list and flipped out over the conspicuous absence of their favorites, we look at the big picture and identify a few valuable lessons to be learned from this years nominees.
1. Diversity is the order of the day
This is the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history, host Andy Samberg crowed during last years telecast. Racism is over! Dont fact-check that. As it turns out, we hadnt seen nothin yet. In a year when the Oscars couldnt even cough up a single nonwhite performer in their four acting categories, the Emmys one-upped themselves and delivered one of the most varied groups of nominees in the programs 68-year history.
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The Lead Actor in a Drama Series categorymade room for Mr. RobotsRami Malek (more on him below), Aziz Ansari landed on the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series ballot for his work on Master of Noneand Tracee Ellis Ross added a dash of variety to the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series race for her work on Black-ish. Last year, David Oyelowo was the lone nonwhite nominee in the Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie category; today, Idris Elba, Courtney B. Vance and Cuba Gooding Jr. all snagged nominations. As TV emerged as the new frontier for storytelling, the Academy followed their example and recognized excellence from all sorts of different racial and ethnic perspectives.
2.Horace andPetemight have just changed the game
Though Louis C.K.s independently financed and produced miniseries was shut out of the major categories, it still earned a nod in the Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy race as well as a Guest Actress citation for Laurie Metcalf a bay step in recognizing yet another platform for TV, but a step nonetheless. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have amply demonstratedthat streaming networks can be power players in the TV landscape of 2016, but in pulling off this small-scale, off-the-grid passion project, C.K. made the Academy play byhisrules. This could very well be ground zero for the emergence of indie TV, a concept unthinkable as recently as, er, last year.
3. Its Laurie Metcalfs world and were all living in it
Learn her name youll be hearing it a lot come Emmy night. In a feat unprecedented in Emmy history, Metcalf landed three separate nominations for three separate roles in the same year: that movingHorace and Pete spot; a guest appearance onThe Big Bang Theory; and a Lead Actress in a Comedy nod for her role in HBOs comedy Getting On. The celebratedcharacter actresshas a friendly relationship with Emmy voters, having last been recognized with a guest nomination from her work on Desperate Housewivesin 2007 andback-to-back-to-backwins duringin the Nineties for her supporting performance onRoseanne, but this is on an entirely different level.Kneel before your new acting queen.
4.Mr. Robothas officially arrived
USAs paranoid cyberthriller already had the huge, devoted fanbase and the sort of critical praise most shows would kill for. Now, the final jewel in the crown of New It Series is here, with an impressive six nominations for the freshman program. Sam Esmails moody online nightmare broke into the hotly contested Best Drama Series category, and Rami Malek nabbed a nomination for his performance as shows the unstable hacker-wunderkind hero. Whether the runaway hit has what it takes to actually follow through on its nominations remains a big question mark in a year as competitive asthis one, but for now, it looks like fsociety has successfully infiltrated the Emmys.
5. It never hurts to be popular
Twenty-three:Thats the number of nominations that Game of Throneslanded this year its shy ofNYPD Blues record of 27, sure, but staggering nonetheless. While lower-profile gems such asCrazy Ex-Girlfriend(relegated to the music categories) struggled to find a footing in the major races, blockbuster TV like HBOs mega-popular fantasy maintained a strong presence at the Emmys. ThoughModern Familys numbers have slightly declined since last year, the broadly appealing sitcom stubbornly remains a player in the Best Comedy Series category. And ABCs breakthrough hit Black-ish also made a strong showing, reaping a repeat nomination for Anthony Anderson and breaking into the Best Comedy and Actress categories (big up Tracee Ellis Ross!). To get votes, you gotta be known, and the more exposure a show enjoys, the more likely it is to catch Academy members attentions.
6.The Americans make their mark
A perennial snub that stuck in the craw of its fanbase,The Americanswas in danger of going largely unnoticed again this year. The well-reviewed espionage thriller was due for a major bump up in recognition, and it finally came: nominations for Best Drama and respective Best Actor/Actress nods for Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell. Throw in a writing nod for their pulse-quickening Persona Non Grata script, and the critically acclaimed, often neglected FX show starts to look like it may be this years breakout success story.