The journey towards Emmys 2025 properly begins in March
We are in March of 2025. The cut-off date for Emmys eligibility is May 31, so any episode airing before (or on) that date is eligible for the awards held on September 14. This means that generally between March and the end of May, all of the streamers take some pretty big swings to get their shows in for eligibility.
Vanity Fair today has an article of shows you should consider catching up on ahead of the Emmys. You can read the article on the Vanity Fair site, but I’d avoid it if only because it only talks about shows that have already launched - once you add in the March-May releases, several of these shows drop off.
VF suggests: The Pitt, The Penguin, Adolescence, Laid, Black Doves, and Say Nothing. Some of those shows may be contenders. But Laid? Come on. There’s a good case to be made for some of those.
But… what does make the list? Below I have posted the three categories we are talking about here, along with 2024 nominees, and some titles in each that I think you should consider as we look at the next three months of inclusion.
Those scratched out are shows that have either finished or won’t have episodes that aired during the eligibility period.
Outstanding Comedy Series
2024 WINNER: Hacks (Max)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
The Bear (FX)
Curb Your Enthusiasm(HBO)Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Palm Royale(Apple TV+)Reservation Dogs(FX)What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Hacks returns in April for season 4 and is the frontrunner here. Abbott Elementary will be nominated, as will Only Murders in The Building. The Bear will get a nomination, but with a season less well-received than the previous seasons, don’t expect it to return as a category winner.
What We Do In The Shadows is a likely returnee to the category, but that isn’t a given. That really only leaves three slots open. I’d be looking at shows like The Studio (Seth Rogen’s new show debuting on Apple TV+), Poker Face, Nobody Wants This, Man on The Inside, English Teacher, and Shrinking. Of those, Shrinking and Man on The Inside feel like the most likely.
Outstanding Drama Series
2024 WINNER:Shōgun(FX)The Crown(Netflix)Fallout(Prime Video)The Gilded Age(HBO)The Morning Show(Apple TV+)Mr. & Mrs. Smith(Prime Video)Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
3 Body Problem(Netflix)
Wow. Talk about a wide-open category. The strike last year really impacted this one. Maybe there is enough room for Black Doves to get a look-in. HBO’s The Last of Us and The White Lotus seem like the shows to beat to win here. Emmys love a return winner and without a White Lotus season last year, Shōgun got in there. But with that show not set to return for another year or two, that opens the door up to a return stay at The White Lotus.
Netflix’s The Diplomat deserves to be in the list and I suspect will be.
I really think it is going to be hard to beat out either The Last of Us or The White Lotus, but if any show is going to do it, The Pitt might be the one to do it. It’ll absolutely make the list and has some really strong buzz.
A real dark horse entrant here might be Your Friends and Neighbors. It is an Apple TV+ show starring Jon Hamm that launches April 11. I have seen a bit of this already and it’s really f**king great. It might be a bit too much, uh, “Dan Barrett” in its sensibilities for it to take out an Emmy award, but being a bit specific/niche in sensibility should still have it as a contender for the list.
There’s also the new Prime Video Amy Sherman-Palladino/Dan Palladino dramedy Étoile which debuts on April 24 - following their multi-year success with The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, this show cannot be discounted.
Also look out for Squid Game, Severance, Yellowjackets, and Industry. Deserving to be on the list is The Agency, but I’m doubtful that the show got enough cut-through when it launched to be on many Emmy voters radar. A good campaign by Paramount might see nominations at least for cast members like Michael Fassbender and Richard Gere.
Two final wildcards to consider: Does the second and final season of Star Wars show Andor get the respect it deserves (season one was really great) and get a nomination here? And does The Handmaid’s Tale get a look in for its final season? Or is that show a bit seen there/done that? I’m not expecting to see either make the list, but we live in interesting times.
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
2024 WINNER: Baby Reindeer(Netflix)Fargo(FX)Lessons in Chemistry(Apple TV+)Ripley(Netflix)True Detective: Night Country(HBO)
Again, a wide open category. Likely winner, I think, is HBO’s Penguin. It seems like the Emmys are very open to genre show inclusion these days. And that show delivered the goods. Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent is also a strong contender, I’d suggest.
Beyond this, nothing feels certain to me. And we’re talking about a category that has fewer spaces on it than the best comedy and drama categories. But, shows to be thinking about here: Dying For Sex (a Hulu drama starring Michelle Williams debuting April 4 on Hulu), Hulu’s Good American Family (debuting March 19) with its highly buzzy and outrageous adopted child is really an adult psycho plot, Hulu’s Say Nothing, and the return of anthology Black Mirror to Netflix.
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Nine finally appoints Matt Stanton as Chief Executive Officer
After acting in the role as CEO since October, Nine finally went ahead and appointed Matt Stanton as the CEO.
Here’s the obligatory media release quote:
It’s an honour and a privilege to lead the talented and dedicated team at Nine. Nine is a great Australian company that plays a vital role in the national conversation.
We have an exciting future, underpinned by the best people and assets in the media sector. We have moved at pace in recent months to strengthen the Group, and I’ve been buoyed by the buy-in from people across the company as we progress our ambitious plans to reset and grow the business. I am committed to continuing to reform and strengthen Nine in the interests of all shareholders and our people.
While one should never read into a media release quote and seek too much insight, it’s worthy to note his statement about resetting and growing the business. This has been part of the Stanton narrative for a while and with talk in recent months about selling off the Nine Radio stations, it seems in line with that.
I’ve banged on about this in the past, but I’d ask what Nine are actually selling the Australian public in 2025: Are they a general entertainment TV/video service? If so, by all means sell off that radio arm and consider losing the newspaper assets too.
But, I’d argue that one of the core products of Nine is news and if they are to own that category (a category that is difficult for international players to come in and impact), the best way they can do that is to dominate news with the multi-platform capability is has now (TV/streaming video, newspapers, and radio). Evolve, merge, and grow those platforms, sure. But I wouldn’t lose any of those limbs to just wear a top-hat.
That was a lousy analogy. I’m sorry.
Going forward, Stanton has one of the absolute best, most fun jobs in Australian media. There’s huge potential for Nine going forward, but those are also very choppy waters he is navigating.
News Desk
FX has greenlit a pilot for new Elizabeth Olson drama Seven Sisters. Martha Marcy May Marlene director Sean Durkin will direct. Read: Deadline
NBC Universal has signed a $3bn extension to broadcast the Olympics in the US. The deal will last through to the Summer Olympics in 2036. Read: The Guardian
A four-part docuseries about the life and work of Tim Burton is now being shopped around. Read: Variety
Daniel Radcliffe has joined the cast of the Tracy Morgan sitcom to be produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. Read: TV Line
Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) and Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso) are joining the season 4 cast of Industry. Read: Deadline
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) will star as George Smiley in a TV series adaptation of John Le Carre novel Legacy Of Spies. Read: Deadline
Peter Sarsgaard has joined the cast of the Apple TV+ adaptation of Neuromancer. Read: Variety
Sonos has canned plans to release a streaming video set-top box this year. Read: The Verge
Nikki Glaser has been confirmed to return as host of the Golden Globes. Read: Variety
Trailer Park
Black Mirror returns to Netflix for on season 7 April 10.
The Gardener debuts April 11 on Netflix.
Elmer's mother used his lack of feelings to turn him into a hitman. But when he falls for his next victim, their cover as calm local gardeners wavers.
North of North debuts April 10 on Netflix.
Determined to forge her own path in her small Arctic town, Siaja, a newly single young mom, takes bold risks in her career and love life.
Go! debuts on Netflix March 21. Not to be confused with the 1999 film Go!, which also has an exclamation mark.
A young runner is given a second chance at life when he is offered a track scholarship, but can he chase his dreams without tripping on his lies?
That’s the newsletter for today.
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