The television landscape has greatly evolved over the years with most shows even giving films a run for their popularity. The primetime Emmy awards, that are touted as the Oscars of television, have over the years, recognised and awarded the best in the TV space. Even then, actors like Kevin Spacey and Amy Poehler, who have proved their mettle in the industry with their top-notch acting skills, accrue nominations over nominations but seldom win with Amy having received 17 nominations and only one win and Spacey having 11 nominations to his name but not a trophy. On the other hand, Julia louis-Dreyfus, who has been nominated 23 times during the course of her career, has won nine Emmys, five of which have been consecutive wins for five seasons of Veep!
Of course, there is fierce competition and newer actors with great potential are emerging every year. But even then one cannot deny that the Emmys have their favourites just like we all do. Still, if some shows win over the others, it doesn’t mean they are not just as good since Emmys continue to be a barometer of what people are talking about and watching in a given year.
Here’s a look at five shows that have not only stolen the hearts of the audience but also earned their sweet spot in the Emmys favourites list.
Frasier
Until last year, Frasier held the record for the most Emmy wins with 108 nominations and a stunning 37 wins. This during the 90s when F.R.I.E.N.D.S. was quite the sensation for the audiences. Pitted against each other in the comedy category, just because F.R.I.E.N.D.S. didn’t win the majority of awards each year despite its roaring popularity, it doesn’t say much about why Frasier didn’t deserve the wins just as much!
A spin-off of Cheers, a show that also won 28 Emmys, Frasier followed the life of its titular character as he journeyed from being a Boston therapist to becoming Seattle talk radio host. Winsome and conventional, two of the most important qualities for a sitcom, at the time, Frasier was an Emmy darling because it was never less entertaining even when it sometimes was more!
Game of Thrones
Almost the entire population of the globe has heard of, if not watched, the Game of Thrones. It is undoubtedly one of television’s finest works, in terms of acting, production value as well as visual effects. One of the last few shows that can create conversations anywhere — by the side of a water cooler, at a campfire or even on a date — its popularity hasn’t been lost on Emmy voters. Its win is so hard to argue that when all is done and no winner is picked in the drama category, because you know how television today has created a great many quality choices, Game of Thrones receives the Emmys nod in a breath! Today, only six seasons of the show have won itself 106 nominations and 38 whopping wins, making it the series with the most Emmy wins in the history of television. Now, with two more seasons left to win, the Emmys magic for this show seems far from over with a record we assume is going to be most difficult to break.
Saturday Night live
For four decades, Saturday Night live has made it to the shortlist. No denying that the show is pure entertainment, and one at its best. In 2017 and in its fifth decade, the series has received the highest number of nominations, tying in with Jonathan Nolan’s Westworld. With 42 seasons, an astounding 221 nominations and 45 wins, many may argue that the show has run its course but SNl has provided more winning segments than one count, starred some of the greatest comedic stars and for that it has earned much love and appreciation for fans and industry veterans alike.
Mad Men
Not quite the ardent Emmy favourite, Mad Men was nominated for 116 Emmy awards and won 16. Still, it’s hard to deny that the series wasn’t an Emmy favourite as they went on to become the first ever cable series to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, bagging the award consecutively for its first four seasons. Before the last ever Mad Men presence at the Emmys after its series finale, the series had 15 Emmys to its name with seven consecutive hits and misses for Jon Hamm aka Don Draper in the Outstanding Actor category. But Emmys couldn’t let Jon go off the scene without giving him his much-deserved, first and only Emmy.
American Crime Story
Quickly slipping into the Emmys favourite list last year was anthology series American Crime Story’s first instalment - The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. With 22 nominations for one single year, the season won nine awards. Having won all awards in the limited series category except one — Outstanding lead Actor that went to Tom Hiddlestion for The Night Manager — the series has definitely landed in Emmys’ favourites book. However, with The Assassination of Gianni Versace and Katrina on its way, will the series continue to reap awardsIJ
(The 69th Primetime Emmy Award ceremony itself will be simulcast lIVE exclusively on Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD at 5:30 AM on September 18 with a primetime repeat at 8:00 PM.)