The 2018 Emmy Nominations are here and like clockwork there were some snubs and bright spots that provide hope in continuing diversity’s growth in television going forward; though, only time will tell. It’s insane that in the year 2018 we are still announcing “first” dealing with racial barriers and breakdowns. Yet, it couldn’t have come at more prevalent time; with Sandra Oh becoming the first Asian woman to be nominated as a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series for an Emmy. Sandra Oh, is quite an actress and leading lady─ this award is long overdue and should’ve been awarded back during her days on Grey’s Anatomy or even the film Sideways…not to mention why did it take so long for this acknowledgement of her talent to even happen?
In Issa Rae’s Lead Actress nomination for her leading role in Insecure, to Atlanta being nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series (amongst favorites like Blackish, Stranger Things and Curb Your Enthusiasm) it provides us glimmers of hope for more stories written by women of color and people of color overall being seen, heard and recognized for their pivotal audacity. Let’s take the Emmys list with a grain of salt though, as it still proves that the most valuable roles of our generation continue to be shunned; the disappointment in no recognition for Scandal nor its lead character Olivia Pope by way of Kerry Washington who’s been continuously snubbed for years is still a serious concern.
Especially, now since the series is no longer on since April 2018, call me biased but, I call bull shit. For the eight years Scandal ruled our Thursday night airwaves and everyone found themselves using the hashtag #gladiators throughout social media to proclaim our fandom, each episode being a nail bitter and head turner and they receive nothing? She receives nothing? No acknowledgement of her porous, candid and bleeding heart approach to the character of Olivia Pope. A powerful, intelligent, complex, undeniably ballsy woman who happened to be Black? There’s a real question mark there and I want answers. Answers that will probably never come, but it’s something that leaves me somewhat cynical about the future of television and about the people that dictate the strings of the marionettes in network TV, we continue to watch.
Check out the list of nominations below and tune into the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 17th, who knows they may surprise us all.
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso
Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose
Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower
John Legend, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Jesse Plemons, Black Mirror: USS Callister
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Jessica Biel, The Sinner
Laura Dern, The Tale
Michelle Dockery, Godless
Edie Falco, Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders Regina King, Seven Seconds
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Cult
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry
William H. Macy, Shameless
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Allison Janney, Mom
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Ed Harris Westworld
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Foy, The Crown
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Keri Russell, The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
The Amazing Race
American Ninja Warrior
Project Runway
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
At Home With Amy Sedaris
Drunk History
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman Portlandia
Saturday Night Live Tracey Ullman’s Show
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Limited Series
The Alienist
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Genius: Picasso Godless
Patrick Melrose
Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta
Barry
Black-ish
Curb Your Enthusiasm
GLOW
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Outstanding Drama Series
The Americans
The Crown
Game of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld
