The Emmys can be rough, especially if you’re a longtime television actor who has never taken that coveted stage. 2021 Emmys host Cedric the Entertainer led a tongue-in-cheek support group including actors Scott Bakula, Alyson Hannigan, Fred Savage, Zooey Deschanel, Jason Alexander, and surprise guest Dr. Phil.
“If you want an Emmy, get yourself booked on Ted Lasso or The Crown!” he urged them. Given the sweeping wins for both in acting categories, it wasn’t bad advice.
The lighthearted sketch and Dr. Phil’s comments do point at something more insidious in the Emmys’ recent history, which is that the same shows seem to win all their nominated categories.
In a landscape of over 500 TV shows between networks and streaming, it’s possible that The Crown offers the best acting, writing, and directing of any drama series, but it’s not likely — and it’s a missed opportunity to award different shows for the various elements that make them excellent. Even when they didn’t win, shows like Ted Lasso, and The Handmaid’s Tale had multiple nominations in most of their categories, creating an illusion to Emmy audiences that there are only a few shows worthy of such recognition.
