The Emmys isn’t always a joy for journalists on the culture beat – but this year it was

In America, we don’t always give trophies to the right winners. I was a little apprehensive when I was chosen to cover this particular one. But it turns out I shouldn’t have worried

‘Killing Eve’ actor Jodie Comer was stunned to pick up an award (AFP/Getty)

As a culture writer, covering award ceremonies is a key part of my job. This means that come award season, my life turns into a semi-permanent rota of red carpets, nomination announcements, acceptance speeches, outrageous snubs, and heartwarming successes.

It’s all great fun – and a dash of much-needed levity – but truth be told, award ceremonies tend to be all or nothing as far as entertainment value is concerned. Some nights, the red carpet chatter will be scintillating, the acceptance speeches will be moving, and all the right people will win. Other nights… well, not so much.

That’s why I didn’t quite know what to expect when I tuned in to live-blog the 71st Emmys on Sunday. The ceremony was going ahead without a main host for the first time since 2003. There were some great nominees (Fleabag, When They See Us, Killing Eve, Succession, and the one and only Billy Porter). But I live in America, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past three years in America, it’s that sometimes (often) the wrong people win.

So there was room for hope and excitement – and there was also a lot of room for disappointment and boredom.

And then, something wonderful happened. The Emmys turned out to be the best awards ceremony I have watched over the past 12 months. Fleabag won four awards – including two for its creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who took the most gleeful post-Emmy photo, lying back on a chair in her gorgeous, white and gold gown, holding a cocktail in one hand and a cigarette in the other, clearly basking in the glory of her well-earned achievements.

Billy Porter took Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Pose and regaled the audience with this heartrendingly perfect quote from James Baldwin’s 1960 essay They Can’t Turn Back: “It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as though I had a right to be here.” Then he looked at the audience and proclaimed: “I have the right, you have the right, we all have the right.”

There was so much more. Jodie Comer won Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for her work in Killing Eve and even she couldn’t quite believe it. Michelle Williams won Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Fosse/Verdon and delivered a rousing plea for pay equality. Patricia Arquette was crowned Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for The Act and spoke eloquently of transgender rights, and of her late sister Alexis Arquette. And although there was no official host, the presenters did a remarkable job. Waller-Bridge and Bill Hader presented an award together and had so much chemistry that people are now clamouring for them to get their own show. Similarly, Zendaya presented another Emmy with RuPaul which was just pure joy to watch.

So, yes, award ceremonies can sometimes be eyeroll-inducing; sometimes they are little more than shallow celebfests with little more to give. But when done right, they’re truly magnificent – and I’m so glad the 71st Emmys reminded me of that.

Yours,

Clemence Michallon

US culture reporter