Will a jolt of Saturday Night Live enliven the Emmys?
No doubt that’s what NBC is hoping, with SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels steering the show, and SNL Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost as hosts – not to mention current and former cast members (Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg and Tina Fey among them) onboard as presenters.
What to expect from a Michaels-led ceremony? “The SNL imprimatur and the hosts should net a rise in younger viewers,” says longtime TV exec and author Jim McKairnes. “There’s a bit more of the ‘I wonder what will happen’ buzz for this year’s broadcast, given SNL’s aptitude for poking the current-events bear.”
“Past efforts by Lorne Michaels added humor to the Emmys and made fun of them at the same time,” notes TV producer (and Emmy winner) Michael Cascio, CEO and President, M+C Media. “Always a tough balance.” Bottom line? “Expect a lot of Trump jokes.”
Along with a lot of thank you speeches, and familiar faces. The show’s 26 categories hold plenty of the usual suspects – in addition to Saturday Night Live’s haul of 21, Game of Thrones has 22 nominations and Westworld, 21. The Handmaid’s Tale – an awards show darling two seasons in – has 20, and Atlanta leads the comedy field with 16. Five out of the seven drama series nominations, and four in the comedy category, are repeats from last year.
There are fresh faces: HBO’s Barry, Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Netflix’s GLOW are first-timers. But broadcast nominations are scant – even perennial nominee Modern Family is out of the running for the first time in eight years.
Back when Michaels exec produced the Emmys in 1988, The Wonder Years and thirtysomething took home trophies, and the Big Four had the field to themselves (with the exception of PBS’s nom for Rumpole of the Bailey); now cable and streamers dominate, with NBC the only broadcast net in the drama series competition (This Is Us), and ABC the only comedy series (Black-ish). “Of the 25 projects nominated this year as Best Of (Drama, Comedy, Movie, Limited Series), just two are to be found on prime-time broadcast television, and of the 102 people nominated in the various performing categories, just 29 represent work on broadcast television,” observes McKairnes. “I say with no intended snark that the Emmys have sorta marked a revival of the CableACE Awards. They speak to less and less of a whole.”
M+C’s Cascio hits a similar note, suggesting that the decline in Emmy ratings – last year’s 11.38 million viewers was about even with the prior year’s all-time low – is not just explained by the downward trend for awards shows in general. “TV viewing is so fractionalized now that the Emmys are getting like the Grammys – lots of genres and niche audiences, with few things that unite viewers,” he says. “Like the Oscars, the more obscure shows often win, which is a great marketing tool for the winners but less appealing to the viewers.”
This year’s move to Monday, where the show avoids disrupting NBC’s Sunday Night Football schedule, could help boost ratings (LA rush hour headaches notwithstanding). While Mondays generally attract fewer viewers, the last time the ceremony aired on Monday was in 2014, and it averaged 15.6 million viewers; since then, the show has aired on Sundays and not hit 12 million viewers. So there’s cause for optimism, audience-wise.
“Sunday Night Football is a clear conflict for the Emmys and it’s a common sense decision for NBC to air on a Monday when you look at the ratings from last year,” says Jon Schulz, CMO at Viant. “It’s no coincidence that the 2014 Emmys was the last time the awards show had an audience over of 12 million viewers and the last time it aired on a Monday. Football and the Emmys may have very little in common from a content perspective, but their audience demographics overlap so they do cannibalize each other.”
And that hurts advertisers, says Schulz. “We analyzed what we call channel flippers, the viewers who switched between both football and the Emmys, and they have a higher affinity for many of the NFL or Emmys sponsors including Nike, L’Oreal, Samsung and Head & Shoulders. But if audiences are busy changing the channel during commercial breaks, these brands are losing out on an opportunity to advertise to them.”
Of course, that’s if TV fans want to turn to TV at all. Jeff Greenfield, COO and co-founder of C3 Metrics, offers a worrisome take – but the broadcast itself is not to blame. “Emmy ratings could be down as low as 20% as consumers now rely upon each other, social media and sites like Rotten Tomatoes for what’s the latest and greatest vs. Hollywood, whose trust is waning with scandals like Weinstein and Moonves,” suggests Greenfield.
But even with lower ratings, shows like the Emmys can be gold for marketers. “As an advertiser, you have the opportunity to be involved in a real-time water cooler moment that can have people talking about your brand and its creative because it’s part of the cultural zeitgeist,” says Viant’s Schulz. “Beyond the exposure, running a campaign around a program like the Emmys gives an advertiser the opportunity to engage with consumers at scale on other digital channels that can impact more than just brand awareness.”
Now, all eyes are on Lorne Michaels – no pressure! – but while the SNL exec may have his work cut out for him, he and the Emmys co-hosts could be just the ticket to attract and engage viewers this year. “Lorne Michaels has more than demonstrated his ability to get attention and viewers for a live TV show,” points out McKairnes. And the Emmy co-hosts are ready to rumble. “We’re gonna come out on the wrong side of history for sure,” Che told the AP. “We’re aiming toward it.”
Competing for awards at this year’s ceremony are:
Outstanding drama series
The Americans (FX)
The Crown (Netflix)
Game Of Thrones (HBO)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
This Is Us (NBC)
Westworld (HBO)
Outstanding comedy series
Atlanta (FX)
Barry (HBO)
Black-ish (ABC)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
GLOW (Netflix)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Outstanding limited series
The Alienist (TNT)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Godless (Netflix)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Claire Foy (The Crown)
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Sandra Oh (Killing Eve)
Keri Russell (The Americans)
Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Jason Bateman (Ozark)
Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)
Ed Harris (Westworld)
Matthew Rhys (The Americans)
Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us)
Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Alexis Bledel (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones)
Vanessa Kirby (The Crown)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game Of Thrones)
Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)
Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale)
David Harbour (Stranger Things)
Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)
Matt Smith (The Crown)
Outstanding guest actress in a drama series
Viola Davis (Scandal)
Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Cherry Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)
Cicely Tyson (How To Get Away With Murder)
Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Outstanding guest actor in a drama series
F. Murray Abraham (Homeland)
Cameron Britton (Mindhunter)
Matthew Goode (The Crown)
Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us)
Gerald McRaney (This Is Us)
Jimmi Simpson (Westworld)
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Pamela Adlon (Better Things)
Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Allison Janney (Mom)
Issa Rae (Insecure)
Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)
Lily Tomlin (Grace And Frankie)
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
Ted Danson (The Good Place)
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Bill Hader (Barry)
William H. Macy (Shameless)
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)
Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live)
Betty Gilpin (GLOW)
Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live)
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne)
Megan Mullally (Will And Grace)
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Louie Anderson (Baskets)
Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta)
Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live)
Henry Winkler (Barry)
Outstanding guest actress in a comedy series
Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live)
Tiffany Haddish (Saturday Night Live)
Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Maya Rudolph (The Good Place)
Molly Shannon (Will And Grace)
Wanda Sykes (Black-ish)
Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series
Sterling K. Brown (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Bryan Cranston (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Donald Glover (Saturday Night Live)
Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Katt Williams (Atlanta)
Outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie
Jessica Biel (The Sinner)
Laura Dern (The Tale)
Michelle Dockery (Godless)
Edie Falco (The Menendez Murders)
Regina King (Seven Seconds)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Cult)
Outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie
Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)
Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose)
Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower)
John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert)
Jesse Plemons (USS Callister: Black Mirror)
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie
Sara Bareilles (Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert)
Penelope Cruz (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Judith Light (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Adina Porter (American Horror Story: Cult)
Merritt Wever (Godless)
Letitia Wright (Black Mirror (Black Museum)
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or movie
Jeff Daniels (Godless)
Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar)
John Leguizamo (Waco)
Finn Wittrock (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Ricky Martin (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Michael Stuhlbarg (The Looming Tower)
Outstanding variety talk series
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Outstanding variety sketch series
At Home With Amy Sedaris (TruTV)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman (Hulu)
Portlandia (IFC)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tracey Ullman’s Show (HBO)
Outstanding reality competition series
American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)
Outstanding structured reality program
Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
Fixer Upper (HGTV)
Lip Sync Battle (Paramount Network)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Shark Tank (ABC)
Who Do You Think You Are? (TLC)
Outstanding unstructured reality program
Born This Way (A&E)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Intervention (A&E)
Naked And Afraid (Discovery Channel)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked (VH1)
United Shades Of America W. Kamau Bell (CNN)
Outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition program
W. Kamau Bell (United Shades Of America W. Kamau Bell)
Ellen Degeneres (Ellen’s Game Of Games)
RuPaul (Rupaul’s Drag Race)
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn (Project Runway)
Jane Lynch (Hollywood Game Night)
Outstanding TV movie
Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
Flint (Lifetime)
Paterno (HBO)
The Tale (HBO)
USS Callister (Black Mirror) (Netflix)
Outstanding variety special (live)
The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
60th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs (HBO)
The Oscars (ABC)
Outstanding variety special (pre-recorded)
Carol Burnett Show 50th Anniversary Special (CBS)
Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018 (CBS)
Dave Chappelle: Equanimity (Netflix)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It’s Complicated) (TBS)
Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (Netflix)
Outstanding informational series or special
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath (A&E)
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman (Netflix)
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson (National Geographic)
Vice (HBO)
Outstanding documentary or nonfiction series
American Masters (PBS)
Blue Planet II (BBC America)
The Defiant Ones (HBO)
The Fourth Estate (Showtime)
Wild Wild Country (Netflix)
Outstanding animated series
Baymax Returns (Disney XD)
Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
The Simpsons (FOX)
South Park (Comedy Central)
Outstanding children’s program
Alexa & Katie (Netflix)
Fuller House (Netflix)
The Magical Wand Chase: A Sesame Street Special (HBO)
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix)
Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD)
Outstanding directing in a drama series
Jason Bateman (Ozark)
Stephen Daldry (The Crown)
The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)
Jeremy Podeswa (Game Of Thrones)
Daniel Sackheim (Ozark)
Kari Skogland (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Alan Taylor (Game Of Thrones)
Outstanding directing in a comedy series
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Bill Hader (Barry)
Mike Judge (Silicon Valley)
Hiro Murai (Atlanta)
Jesse Peretz (GLOW)
Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Outstanding directing in a variety series
Andre Allen (Full Frontal With Samantha Bee)
Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia)
Jim Hoskinson (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)
Don Roy King (Saturday Night Live)
Tim Mancinelli (The Late Late Show With James Corden)
Paul Pennolino (Last Week Tonight With John Oliver)
Outstanding directing in a limited series or movie
Scott Frank (Godless)
David Leveaux and Alex Rudzinski (Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert)
Barry Levinson (Paterno)
Edward Berger (Patrick Melrose)
Ryan Murphy (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Craig Zisk (The Looming Tower)
David Lynch (Twin Peaks)
Outstanding writing in a drama series
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (Game Of Thrones)
The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)
Bruce Miller (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Peter Morgan (The Crown)
Joe Fields and Joe Weisberg (The Americans)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve)
Outstanding writing in a comedy series
Alec Berg (Silicon Valley)
Alec Berg and Bill Hader (Barry)
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Sefani Robinson (Atlanta)
Liz Sarnoff (Barry)
Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Outstanding writing in a variety series
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Late Night With Seth Meyers
Saturday Night Live
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding writing in a limited series or movie
Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus (American Vandal)
Scott Frank (Godless)
David Nicholls (Patrick Melrose)
Tob Rob Smith (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
David Lynch and Mark Frost (Twin Peaks)
William Bridgers and Charlie Brooker (USS Callister (Black Mirror)
