The Film Experience

"And the Emmy goes to Watchmen."

Truth be told, it is hard to see a scenario where any other nominee overtakes HBO's series, which is the most nominated this year. The second-most nominated limited series Hollywood (with 11 nominations) was not even nominated in this, the top category. All of the other shows have a crucial nomination missing. Watchmen’s nomination haul demonstrates overwhelming support. Interesting to note that all of the nominees in this category are female-driven stories. Here is one last take on the contenders for limited series…..

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
5 nominations including Directing

Adapted from the novel by Celeste Ng, this series is about the unpredictable relationship between an upright landlady Elena (Reese Witherspoon) and her inscrutable new tenant Mia (Kerry Washington). As tensions continue to rise between them, issues regarding sex and race are unearthed, exposing the truth beneath their pleasant exteriors. Highly melodramatic, the show embraces its soapy inclinations packaged as high-brow social commentary on privilege. It packs a lot of potential in its multiple themes and tries to find the intersectionality in these, but it mostly comes across as a hodgepodge of ideas that never takes off. Most of the episodes are executed with polish, with scenes between Elena and Mia providing unpredictable relationship dynamics. However, the flashback episode “The Uncanny” is an unnecessary detour that provides minimal purpose for the overall narrative. The last episode “Find a Way” itself is contrived, with a climactic moment that's symbolic yet bombastic at the same time. The cast range from okay to very good, with the exception of Reese Witherspoon, unpacking her ingrained hypocrisy and need for perfection with careful detail. The resulting show is well-intentioned, but spotty and haphazard.

Mrs. America (FX)
10 nominations including Writing

Retelling the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment during the 1970s and the fervent resistance by the anti-feminist movement led by the notorious Phyllis Schlafly, this limited series follows the lives of several women involved in that tumultuous fight. On a visual level, the recreation of that chaotic era is praise-worthy, with the conservatism of the 1960s constantly battling with the rebellious liberty of the 1970s through its impeccably crafted costumes, production design, and hairstyling. The intensity of the moment is perfectly captured by its stellar cast, with varying acting styles, energies, and character works used to maximum effect. At the center of the narrative is Cate Blanchett’s Schlafly, a multi-layered recreation of this abhorrent woman. Through the shifting perspectives in episodes like “Shirley” and “Houston” are emotional roller-coasters showing the multi-faceted female experience at the time. The show ends strongly with “Reagan”, a reminder that the inability to pass the ERA is a resounding defeat to all women, even to the anti-feminist Schlafly. It is a captivating time capsule of a moment in American history that is still relevant today.

Unbelievable (Netflix)
4 nominations including Writing

A harrowing account of two investigations involving rape cases, the show depicts how the criminal justice system has failed women who experienced sexual assault. The first storyline sees Marie (Kaitlyn Dever) be heavily scrutinized after being raped in her own apartment. “Episode 1” is one of the most harrowing episodes of television this season, showing us how the system and our society disadvantages the victims. It is infuriating and powerful to behold. As the next episodes detail, two female detectives (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) do exactly the opposite of the initial investigators: their care, professionalism, and compassion helps them to do their jobs most effectively. With tight writing, tense directing, masterfully calibrated performances, and sharp editing, the eight episodes encapsulate the complexity of these two cases in a way that is thorough and engaging. As we reach its final episode, we are afforded with much-needed catharsis that makes the whole journey feel complete.

Unorthodox (Netflix)
8 nominations including Directing and Writing

The surprise inclusion of this category, this gripping story of a woman named Esty escaping her Hasidic community to find freedom in Germany catapults itself to the dark horse position in this race. The show understands the necessity to capture the cultural specificity of this story in order for the audience to fully grasp its dramatic intensity. With a concise four-episode run, the series flies by with the engrossing storytelling. Its direction achieves the fine line between restraint and vigor, giving each episode palpable energy and emotional resonance. Meanwhile, the writing never cuts corners in making sure that every character involved in this story has their humanity and truth. As Esty’s bashful husband, Amit Rahav finds the aching heart underneath the masculinity ascribed by his community. Meanwhile, Shira Haas is a force of nature at the center of this whirlwind narrative. With a performance so complete and so raw, she sheds any possibility of artifice and just shows us her eventful journey, internal and external. This is a beautifully crafted show to its core.

Watchmen (HBO)
26 nominations including Directing (3x) and Writing

And we reach the mammoth in the race. The limites series focuses on Angela Abar (Regina King), a Tulsa Police detective who investigates the murder of her superior and the reemergence of a white supremacist group. As her work goes deeper, she discovers the heavily racial background that connects to the recent events that happened to her and in her town. Exploring racial tensions through the lens of vigilantism within the superhero genre, the show finds its ultimate strength in utilizing the trappings of its genre, pushing them, and then recontextualizing them. There is no shortage of standout moments. The pilot episode provides us with the astounding recreation of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, showing us the horrors of racism in America in terrifying full display. Meanwhile, “This Extraordinary Being” is an unflinching visual spectacle that sees the birth of vigilantism. This is a show that asks viewers to be patient and attentive to be able to fully grasp its story, making it quite a cerebral experience. While I admire the show more than I love it, I am simply floored by its overall vision and how it was able to pull off such ambition with complete command of audio-visual storytelling.

Personal Ranking:

Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Mrs. America
Watchmen
Little Fires Everywhere

Predicted Winner: Watchmen

Potential Spoiler: Unorthodox