Emmy nominations are right around the corner. On July 12, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences are set to reveal their annual nominations for the best performances and shows that television had to offer in the 2022-23 season.
And the Emmys love to play favorites. It’s virtually a guarantee that last year’s Drama and Comedy Series victors, Succession and Ted Lasso, will be dominating the lineup, along with returning favorites like Abbott Elementary, Better Call Saul, and The White Lotus.
But the downside of playing favorites is that new blood too often gets left in the dust. So here are four new and returning TV shows that we’d most like to see get Emmy recognition this year.
Andor – Drama Series, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, Guest Actor
House of the Dragon probably has the “blockbuster prestige TV” slot in the bag, but more deserving is Andor. By far one of the most unique and original series to come out of the Star Wars universe in a long time, Andor was the rare “twelve-hour movie” season that never quite ran out of steam and kept the pacing engaging throughout.
In exploring a more grounded, morally ambiguous side of the Star Wars universe, showrunner Tony Gilroy and his team intelligently explored the political intrigue driving the rise of the Rebel Alliance, as well as how this, in turn, pushed the titular Andor from a self-involved smuggler into a hero fighting for a cause.
In a perfect world, a nod for Drama Series would be a no-brainer, while Diego Luna expertly charted his character’s turn from survivalism into heroism. And Stellan Skarsgard gave a human face to the Rebel Alliance as leader Luthen Rael, expertly showcasing Rael’s willingness to get his hands dirty to win the war. And the Guest Actor category would be frankly incomplete without Andy Serkis, whose role in a late-season story arc was unforgettable.
Reservation Dogs: Comedy Series, All Acting Categories
One of last year’s most inexcusable Emmy snubs was the poignant and warmly funny slice-of-life series Reservation Dogs. Its debut season received a grand total of zero nominations despite outstanding writing and directing and a pitch-perfect ensemble cast. Its sophomore season, even better than its first, is eligible this year, and one hopes the Emmys can remedy their mistake this time around.
Ideally, all four of the young actors, Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis, should receive nominations. The titular “Rez Dogs” faced new challenges to their friendship and pressures of impending adulthood, along with continuing grief over their friend Daniel’s suicide, with the ensemble navigating these journeys flawlessly.
Particularly impressive was Factor in a heartbreaking spotlight where the laid-back Cheese was sent to live in a group home following a guardianship mixup, and Alexis as tomboy Willie Jack, still hit hard by her cousin Daniel’s death. But all four of these actors are at least deserving of nominations, each even better than in the debut season, and the Emmys should take notice of that.
Mrs. Davis: Limited Series, Lead Actress
One of the best new series from 2023 that no one watched was Mrs. Davis, a bonkers, philosophical, and weirdly engaging creation from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof, the respective minds behind The Big Bang Theory and Lost. The series focused on a nun caught in the middle of a war behind an artificial intelligence and the freedom fighters opposing it, and the resulting journey was just as crazy as that sounds.
Over the course of its eight episodes, the show always felt right on the verge of self-parody, and its ambitious mix of wacky slapstick with contemplations on what it means to be human often threatened to go off the rails. And yet it never quite crossed that line, and it remained engaging, funny, and fascinating throughout while wrapping up its story with surprising poignance.
For its sheer ambition alone, Mrs. Davis is well worthy of being recognized in the Limited Series category. And just as crucial to its success was lead Betty Gilpin, who played the absurdity of the conflict completely straight-faced. In giving the series a heart it might’ve otherwise been lacking, she also deserves a nomination.
Shrinking: Comedy Series, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor
Given its Emmy adoration over the last two years, it seems a given that Ted Lasso will be a contender yet again for its third and possibly final season, despite more mixed reception from critics and fans alike. But arguably more deserving this time around is the new dramedy from Ted Lasso creators Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, Shrinking.
The series focuses on Jimmy (Jason Segel), a therapist in a downward spiral ever since the death of his wife, deciding to become a “psychological vigilante.” Specifically, he embarks on a mission to breath ethical barriers with his patients to more quickly help them. Much like Ted Lasso, it effectively mixes pathos with gentle humor, though this series deserves props for pulling that off with a much darker emotional undercurrent.
And while the show deserves to be recognized in Comedy Series, it’s truly carried on the shoulders of its performers. Jason Segel is tailor-made for the role of Jimmy, brilliantly navigating the show’s blend of melancholy and humor. But Harrison Ford is the true standout as Jimmy’s mentor therapist suffering from Parkinson’s, continuing a surprising but welcome return to pushing his limits as an actor in his twilight years. He’s laugh-out-loud funny and well-deserving of Emmy recognition.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
