Television's biggest award show is almost here! The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards Emmys will be underway soon, and viewers will see if their favorite shows and actors will be the recipient of one of TV's highest honors.
Nominations were announced for the Primetime Emmys on July 12th, with the Television Academy, for the first time, not acknowledging which network or platform led the nominations but instead leading with which television show received the most nominations.
This year's lead of Emmy nominations is HBO's Succession with twenty-five nominations, followed by Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ with twenty nominations. Of course, Emmys 2022 does not come without controversy regarding the list.
This television year has many fan-favorite shows returning following delays due to the pandemic. Returning shows that got Emmy recognition include Stranger Things, Ozark, Only Murderers in the Building, Euphoria, Barry, and Atlanta, to name a few.
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However, it came as a surprise and disappointment to some to see the talent in these shows snubbed. These include Sarah Goldberg as Sally in Barry, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things, and Selena Gomez as Mabel in Only Murderers in the Building.
Atlanta was another upset, which did not get recognized for best comedy alongside their supporting cast. This led to an uproar from fans and critics alike. Another of the biggest and most shocking 2022 snubs was Sadie Sink as Max in Stranger Things for Best Supporting Actress. It had fans expressing their outrage on social media, believing she was a shoo-in for her heavy character arc this season, especially for episode four, "Dear Billy."
Deemed as one of the series' best episodes, Sink brought out one of her best performances as Max that sadly was not recognized by the Television Academy. And as always, with any award-show nomination, once announced, they cannot be taken back or changed.
While the Emmys did have some disappointments, there were also surprises and praise from the Television Academy. Netflix's Squid Game, which debuted last year and has become the streaming platform's most watched television series to date, received fourteen nominations. These nominations include Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and two for Best Supporting Actor, in addition to Best Drama. This is the first time a non-English series has been nominated in that category.
Another debut that received Emmy recognition with 20 nominations is HBO's anthology series The White Lotus which premiered last summer with high ratings and critical acclaim. The nominations include Best Limited or Anthology Series, five Best Supporting Actress nominations, and three Best Supporting Actor nominations in a limited or anthology series.
Following the Emmy 2022 nominations announcement, the question on everyone's mind was who would host this year's ceremony. The honor goes to none other than NBC veteran and six-time Emmy nominee Kenan Thompson.
Prior to the news, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Chris Rock were both invited to host. However, they declined, as reported by Deadline. There was speculation that the Emmys would be hostless this year, but the Television Academy quickly shut the rumors down.
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Kenan Thompson, who is currently a cast member of Saturday Night Live as well as being the show's longest cast member entering his twentieth season, said in a statement during the announcement:
"Being a part of this incredible evening where we honor the best of the television community is ridiculously exciting, and to do it on NBC-my longtime network family - makes it even more special. Like all TV fans, I can't wait to see the stars from my favorite shows."
Thompson is also set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, also added in the announcement:
"Kenan is well-regarded as one of funniest, likable, and accomplished performers of the last two decades, and his tenure on Saturday Night Live speaks for itself. We know he'll bring an excitement and professionalism to the Emmy Awards that a show of this stature deserves."
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held live on September 12, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. This year, the ceremony will be broadcast on NBC as well as NBC's streaming platform Peacock.
Because the four big broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) share the rights to the show and rotate each year, with this year it being NBC. The Emmys will also be held on a Monday night instead of the usual Sunday to accommodate NBC's Sunday Night Football.
The 2022 Emmys will be broadcast live at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET only on NBC and Peacock.