Our TV Critics on the 2018 Emmy Nominations

LYONS I agree with that wild generalization, there are way more comedies I look forward to watching than there are dramas. And this year’s comedy category is really strong, though again, I’m not sure everyone is really punching in the same weight class. I just think “Atlanta” and “Barry” are way beyond what other shows are doing. I watched both those seasons twice. (Also worth noting that “Atlanta,” “Barry,” “GLOW,” “Mrs. Maisel” and “Silicon Valley” were also nominated for outstanding casting, which is a huge factor for all them.)

PONIEWOZIK “GLOW” may be the best-cast show on TV. While we’re on the comedies, something that comes up a lot in recent years is the argument that a lot of the celebrated ones — say, “Atlanta” and “Barry” this year — are just as much dramas. This doesn’t bother me; the categories are arbitrary, but I think there’s more that makes a comedy than laughs-per-second. (It is interesting that “Killing Eve,” which shares a lot with “Barry,” was competing in drama, because, I guess, length?)

LYONS I think length? I’m fine with it, too, and the truth is as serious as “Barry” and “Atlanta” often are, I genuinely do laugh at them. “Babka … two babka” has been running through my head for months, and the “Atlanta” button of “It’s Michael Vick!” was one of my favorite TV moments of the year. When I’m looking at comedies, I guess my bigger question is, “Are the parts that are supposed to be funny actually funny?” So for shows like, I don’t know, “Young Sheldon” or whatever (where the answer is “no”), they’re only being compared to themselves. That’s not how the Emmys do it, I assume, but in the Kingdom of Marg, that’s the rule.

PONIEWOZIK I’ll bend the knee to that. Speaking of which, I guess we need to address “Game of Thrones,” which picked up a trove of nominations and may well ice out (ice-dragon out?) all the better dramas we’re cheering for, despite having aired what was really half a season, and a middling one at best. Is that category a foregone conclusion?

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/12/arts/television/emmy-snubs-surprises.html?partner=rss&emc=rss