The nominations for the 2022 Emmy Awards—which will air on Sept. 12—arrived Tuesday morning in a fiercely competitive TV landscape. Prestige TV and docudramas have proliferated across networks and streamers, contributing to what TIME’s TV critic Judy Berman has dubbed “peak redundancy,” a phenomenon marked by tediously similar offerings on streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and Apple TV+.
HBO however broke with the rest of the pack by receiving 25 nominations Succession (this year’s most nominated show), 20 nominations for The White Lotus17, for Hacks,for 16 Euphoria.
Netflix’s global megahit Squid GameThe first non-English languages nominee for the series nomination (for best drama) made history. Two of its stars—Jung Ho-yeon (who played tenacious North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok) and Lee Jung-jae (who played tough-to-love protagonist Seong Gi-hun)—became first-time acting nominees.
They were one of 50 new nominees that included Jennifer Coolidge.The White Lotus), Elle Fanning (The GreatAndrew Garfield (Unter dem Banner of HeavenOscar Isaac (Scenes from a Marriage), and Lily James (Pam & Tommy.)
This year, too, stood out as a step forward for recognition of women’s work in the industry: According to a press release from the TV Academy, nearly half of the directors nominated for scripted directing categories were women, and almost 40% of the nominations in the scripted writing categories went to women. In the outstanding writing category, 34% of this year’s nominees were women.
These are the history-making storieslines and snubs from the Emmy nominees for 2022.
Snub – Sadie Sink and Millie Bobby Brown
Front and center: Max Mayfield as Sadie Sink
Courtesy of Netflix—© 2022 Netflix, Inc.
Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven), and Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield were not nominated. Stranger Things—despite Sink’s recent viral scene set to Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” and Brown’s role as a face of the series since the beginning of its four-season run.
Surprise: Melanie Lynskey
Melanie Lynskey portrays Shauna, in “Yellowjackets”.
Paul Sarkis—Showtime
New Zealand actor and all-around fan favorite Lynskey was nominated for lead actress in a drama series for her role as the adult version of Shauna in Showtime’s Yellowjackets.
Sydney Sweeney
Brittany O’Grady and Sydney Sweeney in “The White Lotus”
Mario Perez/HBO
Sydney Sweeney, a contemporary acting star, finally won her first and second Emmy nominations. For her portrayal of Cassie Howard, she was nominated for an Emmy Euphoria and terrifying judgmental teen Olivia Mossbacher in HBO’s The White Lotus. She was one of eight acting nominees from Mike White’s lauded series.
Selena Gomez: Snub
Selena Gomez in Only Murders can be found in a Building
Craig Blankenhorn—Hulu
Selena Gomez didn’t snag a nod for her turn as Mabel Mora in Nur Murders in the BuildingThis would make her the only Latina in comedy to win the leading actress category. However, she was nominated for her production of the show. (According To Variety, this makes her the second Latina nominated for producing a comedy—the first was Salma Hayek for Ugly Betty.)
Learn more: There are no murders in the buildingSeason 2: Wisely sticks to the winning formula
Surprise! Barack Obama
Barack Obama, former president, was nominated for his Emmy first nomination as a narrator of the Netflix documentary series. Our Great National Parks.
Rhea Seehorn
Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul
Greg Lewis—AMC/Sony Pictures Television
After six seasons, Seehorn finally picked up a long overdue Emmy nomination for her role as attorney Kim Wexler in AMC’s Saul is better. The nod comes as the series nears its end—as, perhaps, does Kim Wexler, given her ominous absence from Breaking Bad.
Snub: Pachinko
Minha Kim, Inji Jeong and Steve Sanghyun Noh in “Pachinko” on Apple TV+
Apple TV+
Pachinko, Apple TV+’s heartrending adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name, only received one nomination, for main title design, though it stood to match Squid Game’s non-English language feat.
Learn more Apple TV+: What it did PachinkoThe Biggest Multilingual TV Show Ever
Surprise: Bill Hader’s multiple noms
Hader was nominated twice for acting—once for lead actor in a comedy series in BarryOnce as a guest actor on a comedy-series episode Curb Your Enthusiasm. (He also received nominations for writing and directing a comedy-series. Barry.)
Emmys record: Zendaya
Zendaya plays Rue Bennett on HBO’s Euphoria
Eddy Chen—HBO/WarnerMedia
Zendaya, multi-hyphenate superstar, added a new accomplishment to her record: she became the youngest Emmy nominee for producing Emmys for her work. Euphoria. Zendaya is also now the youngest nominee for lead acting. She won at 2020’s virtual Emmys.)
Snub: Station Eleven
The post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction masterpiece based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel was shut out of the best drama race. However, it was nominated for cinematography, acting and editing, as well as directing.
Surprise: Himesh Ptel
Despite fans’ disappointment that the miniseries itself was snubbed, Station Eleven’s Patel was nominated for lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for his role as Jeevan Chaudhary.
Emmys record: Quinta Bunson
Janelle James and Quinta Brunson, in “Abbott Elementary”
ABC/Gilles Mingasson
Abbott Elementary Brunson is a comedian and star. While she was doing it, Brunson also became one of the youngest Black women to receive a nomination in comedy acting. The show, which featured a beautiful story about a Philadelphia elementary school, was nominated for seven awards, including best comedy series.
Learn more Quinta Brunson on Using Comedy to Address America’s Education Problems in Abbott Elementary
Snub: Yellowstone
YellowstoneThe Kevin Costner-led series about conflict and family in the American West was very popular. It also won best drama. Paramount Network’s series “The Family” has only received one nomination for production design in its four-season run, even though it drew 9.3 million viewers to the season finale.
Surprise: Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle: “The Closer.” c. Mathieu Bitton
Mathieu Bitton—Netflix
Dave Chappelle’s The closer was nominated for pre-recorded variety special, in spite of the outrage surrounding Chappelle’s transphobic remarks in the special.
Learn more Breaking Down the Controversy Around Dave Chappelle’s Netflix SpecialThe Nearer
Noteworthy nod: Kate McKinnon
Kate McKinnon won the supporting role in a comedy show for her (eleventh) final season. SNL. In her post-SNL career: a role in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Movie
Notable nod: Lizzo
For her Amazon Prime Video contest, Lizzo was nominated for the Emmys. Keep an eye out for the big grrls.(The show received six nominations.
Notable nods: Chadwick, Jessica Walter, and Norm Mcdonald
A few posthumous nominations were announced today: Chadwick Boseman for his voiceover work as T’Challa/Black Panther in the animated series “What If…?” (this marks Boseman’s first Emmy nomination), Jessica Walter for her voiceover work as Malory Archer in the animated series ArcherNorm Macdonald, for his last stand-up special. Nothing Extra (this was also Macdonald’s first Emmy nomination).
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