As someone who has watched and covered award shows for almost 25 years, attending them is always a unique and fascinating experience. This was only my second time attending the Emmy Awards in person, and there was plenty to take away from both the ceremony and the Governors Ball immediately afterward.
For me, the opening bit with Nate Bargatze playing Philo T. Farnsworth and talking about the future of television was amusing. The sketch was a nod to Bargatze’s own SNL work about George Washington, but this time it was centered on television.
Immediately after the opener, Seth Rogen won the first award of the evening for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. It was the first of four times he would step on stage throughout the night.
After those first ten minutes, the ceremony quickly turned into a mix of highs and lows. The “timed speeches” gag, which was tied to donations for the Boys & Girls Club of America, was funny at first but grew tiresome after about 15 minutes. As the donation amounts dropped at a rapid pace, the audience became more vocal, and it often hurt the flow of more passionate speeches.
There were several surprises, which is always welcome when watching an award show. Jeff Hiller’s win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series was a beautiful moment for Somebody Somewhere in its final season. Slow Horses winning for Directing in a Drama Series was unexpected, as was Andor winning for Writing in a Drama Series.
The biggest surprise of the night, however, was Kathy Bates losing to Britt Lower. I am a huge fan of Severance and have been rooting for Britt since season one, but I never expected her to defeat a legend like Bates. Timing is everything during awards season, though. Lower and the Severance team were highly visible during final voting, and recency bias also played a role since the show was fresher in voters’ minds. That combination helped push her and her co-star Tramell Tillman to victory.
The Pitt winning Outstanding Drama Series, Actor, and Supporting Actress was not shocking, given how aggressively the cast campaigned. They were friendly, approachable, and willing to do interviews with anyone, while talent from other shows often got whisked away. It left some voters, myself included, with a bad impression of the competition. The Pitt is a groundbreaking medical drama, and the cast’s passion and kindness made their wins feel well-earned.
As for the speeches, many of them fell flat even from inside the Peacock Theater. There were exceptions, including Tramell Tillman’s historic win, Cristin Milioti’s passion for her profession, all of the Adolescence team, and of course, Stephen Colbert, who everyone voted for to make a statement. Hannah Einbinder’s speech became the talk of the night because she seized the moment to deliver a message, whether viewers liked it or not. In a time when honesty is often rare, I appreciated her approach.
There was a time when I would rush to talk to celebrities during commercial breaks, but those days are behind me. Still, seeing the sheer number of people who continue that tradition is always fascinating and a reminder that it comes with the territory of award shows.
As for the Governors Ball, it was an elegant affair. Well-known chefs like Jet Tila and Mei Lin were on site, preparing appetizers and handing them out to attendees, nominees, and winners. I had the chance to speak with several notable people on the way to the Ball and inside, including Ted Sarandos, Britt Lower, Stephen Colbert, and Jeff Hiller. My favorite part of the night, however, was watching the winners get their statues engraved. I saw Noah Wyle and Cristin Milioti have theirs done in real time, and I caught the tail end of Seth Rogen getting all four of his Emmys engraved. I do wonder, with the Television Academy hosting such an elaborate afterparty, why multiple networks felt the need to throw their own. I suppose it comes with the bragging rights that surround major events like the Emmys and the Oscars.
Complete Winners List
Outstanding Drama Series – The Pitt
Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Noah Wyle (The Pitt)
Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Britt Lower (Severance)
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Tramell Tillman (Severance)
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt)
Directing for a Drama Series – Adam Randall (Slow Horses)
Writing for a Drama Series – Dan Gilroy (Andor)
Best Comedy Series – The Studio
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen (The Studio)
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Jean Smart (Hacks)
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere)
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)
Directing for a Comedy Series – “The Oner” – Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (The Studio)
Writing for a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez (The Studio)
Best Limited or Anthology Series – Adolescence
Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series – Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series – Cristin Milioti (The Penguin)
Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series – Erin Doherty (Adolescence)
Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series – Owen Cooper (Adolescence)
Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series – Philip Barantini (Adolescence)
Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series – Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Talk Series – The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Writing for a Variety Series – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Variety Special (Live) – SNL 50: The Anniversary Special
Scripted Variety Series – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Reality Competition Series – The Traitors
