New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)

Virus-shadowed Emmy nods could bring surprises, diversity

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Television has been America’s constant companion amid an unyielding virus and whirlwind of racial reappraisa­l.

But will the Emmy nomination­s arriving Tuesday reflect the times or retreat to the familiar? The announceme­nt itself was forced to bow to health safeguards, going virtual and without the usual miniswarm of reporters and anxious publicists on hand at the TV academy’s Los Angeles headquarte­rs.

How September’s ceremony airing on ABC will look is anybody’s guess. As emcee Jimmy Kimmel said in June, it’s unknown where, how or why it will be held, “but we are doing it and I am hosting it.”

The first major entertainm­ent awards of the pandemic era clearly is a traveler without a map.

“Everything is different,” said Tom O’Neil, editor of the Gold Derby awards website. Among the changes: “for your considerat­ion” promotiona­l events to woo Emmy voter support were abandoned out of COVID-19 concerns.

With isolation-forced time on their hands, TV industry members may have been more diligent about searching out potential nominees that otherwise would have been overlooked. That also required adjusting to the academy-mandated switch from series DVDs to online screenings (aimed at saving resources).

“We have to be prepared for everybody to be blown away by lots of surprises on nomination­s morning,” O’Neil said, quoting a veteran Gold Derby prognostic­ator.

Which may be a good thing. Newly expanded categories and the departure of last year’s dominant series winners, “Game of Thrones” and “Fleabag,” opened the door for newcomers and under-valued series, among them the inclusive comedies “Ramy” and “Insecure.”

The academy has ground to make up in diversity. In 2019, less than a quarter of the acting bids went to people of color, down from more than a third of the nomination­s in 2018. Last year’s ceremony proved groundbrea­king in one regard, as “Pose” star Billy Porter became the first openly gay winner of the top drama acting trophy.

The 72nd annual Emmy nomination­s, if not ultimately the awards, could make progress because of the racial reckoning that’s underway, said Eric Deggans, TV critic for National Public Radio and author of “Race Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.”

Other likely comedy nominees include past winner “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” from Amazon and Pop’s singularly quirky “Schitt’s Creek,” which drew increasing buzz in its final season. The farewells of “The Good Place,” “Silicon Valley” and one-time Emmy favorite “Modern Family” also are contenders.

Top drama series contenders include newcomer Apple TV’s drama series “The Morning Show” and its lead actresses Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoo­n. Likely to face them: past winners “The Crown” (Netflix) and “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), and their respective stars Olivia Colman and Elisabeth Moss, who is seeking to repeat her 2017 bestactres­s win.

The academy’s decision to tie the number of nominees to submission­s has increased the slots in some categories, which could mean newcomers like Zendaya, star of HBO’s teenage drama “Euphoria,” are brought into the Emmy fold.

 ?? Associated Press ?? Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Dan Levy from the series “Schitt’s Creek.” Nomination­s for the Emmy Awards will be announced on Tuesday.
Associated Press Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Dan Levy from the series “Schitt’s Creek.” Nomination­s for the Emmy Awards will be announced on Tuesday.

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