Like Love Island, the Emmys are an excuse to revel in the drama of who got snubbed

It’s no different, really, from having an in-depth chat about who’s the favourite islander to win – the Emmys just hold more artistic weight, writes Charlotte Cripps

It’s about the fun communal analysis on Twitter; or an opportunity to let off steam about the minutiae of who got overlooked (Apple TV+)

This week we’ve had the Emmy nominations. We live blogged it, then analysed it with a fine-toothed comb. Were there any snubs? Surprises? What were the biggest talking points? Were the predictions right? It made me think – why are we so obsessed with award shows? Is it more than an appreciation of the artform?

Succession led with 25 nominations, including outstanding drama series and lead actor for Brian Cox, who plays media mogul Logan Roy. He’s competing against his co-star Jeremy Strong, who plays his on-screen son Kendall – a role for which he won an Emmy in 2020.

The White Lotus, Ted Lasso, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building and the teen drama Euphoria also scored big. Netflix’s Squid Game has made history as the first non-English language series to be nominated for best drama series – I loved it.

There’s plenty of UK talent nominated too. Colin Firth in The Staircase; Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam and Tommy; Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve; and Nicholas Hoult for his part in The Great, which got a big tick from me.

The Emmy awards are considered the biggest event of the year for US television – it’s the TV equivalent of the Oscars. The ceremony will take place on 12 September in LA. Of course, we all love to hear the acceptance speeches and comment on what the stars are wearing. But its selling point isn’t just the glitz – or what we should be watching.

It’s about the fun communal analysis on Twitter, or an opportunity to let off steam about the minutiae of who got overlooked.

The Morning Show fans are upset over Jennifer Aniston’s Emmy snub. It’s so unjust that the final season of the hit NBC series This Is Us was left out. Steve Martin and Martin Short have said they are “dismayed” that their Only Murders in the Building co-star Selena Gomez was not nominated for an acting Emmy – like they are.

It’s no different, really, from having an in-depth chat about who’s favourite to win Love Island – the Emmys just hold more artistic weight.

By the time of these TV awards ceremonies, anyway, many of the characters feel like members of our own family – that’s how invested we’ve become in them. All I can say is, I hope Succession or The White Lotus wins – they are my favourite shows. I sure will be angry if it’s Ozark.

Yours,

Charlotte Cripps

Culture writer