Emmys Watch: The Embarrassment of Riches in Outstanding Limited Series
Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 12:00PM Our team is breaking down the top contenders in all the major Emmy races and highlighting some of our favorites over the next few weeks. Today, we’re looking at Outstanding Limited Series.
Will recent hit "Mare of Easttown" be able to dethrone Emmy favorite "The Queen's Gambit?"
By Christopher James
The Outstanding Limited Series category is perhaps the most competitive category of the year. Shows like The Queen’s Gambit, Mare of Easttown and WandaVision commanded the most (virtual) water cooler chatter of the past year. Even with all this abundance of quality, only five shows can make the cut, compared to eight nominees in the series categories. Prestige TV, streaming sensations and genre favorites all combine in the limited series category. This isn’t the first time that Limited Series has been more competitive than the ongoing series categories. The past decade has seen a modern renaissance of the form, with American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Big Little Lies and When They See Us as recent examples of incredible and incredibly popular TV. Big stars have also been swayed to this form, primarily because of the rich stories told combined with the less stringent time commitment. This year is no different.
Read on to see what shows are in contention this year...
Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" has not lost a single major precursor for Outstanding Limited Series yet this season.
Proven Awards Players
This awards season so far has been dominated by The Queen’s Gambit. Netflix’s popular chess drama won awards from Golden Globes, Critics Choice, SAG, DGA and WGA. This juggernaut can’t be stopped. Or can it? If there’s one drawback the show may face, it is recency bias. The show premiered back in October and set the world on fire. Yet, the buzz has cooled given more recent premieres in this category. Still, it's Netflix's chief contender so they'll push hard.
Another big miniseries from late in 2020 was The Undoing. The HBO star-studded mystery was headlined by Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant and Donald Sutherland. Its very high profile helped it earn nominations from most of the big awards bodies (Golden Globes, Critics Choice, SAG, DGA). While audiences definitely watched, critics were less enthused. With heavy competition and many months having passed since its November debut, will voters still gravitate toward it? HBO’s other mystery, Mare of Easttown, has possibly sucked the air out of its tires.
One of the oldest shows competing in this category is also among the most critically acclaimed and memorable. HBO’s I May Destroy You follows a woman (played by creator Michaela Coel) as she grapples with the aftermath of her sexual assault. The show has a fervent fanbase and has earned notices from SAG and the Critics Choice. However, it's also purposefully graphic and incendiary, which may put some voters off. The social media outcry directed at the Golden Globes for not including I May Destroy You may have actually helped its Emmy chances, though, pushing it to the top of voters' watch list.
Steve McQueen’s Small Axe caused some confusion towards the end of the year, with many debating whether it should compete at the Emmys or Oscars. The series of five films chronicle the experience of West Indian immigrants in London. Their distinct style makes it a standout choice in this category. Many groups gave it film awards, while the Golden Globes and Critics Choice nominated it in TV categories. Will the awards confusion hurt it at the Emmys?
Showtime’s The Good Lord Bird has earned most of its accolades to date for Ethan Hawke’s star turn. He's expected to show up in Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie. With a WGA nomination and recent Peabody win, the show itself could be a dark horse in the Limited Series category.
Barry Jenkins' "The Underground Railroad" is a late-breaking entry that could take the Emmys by storm.
Late Breaking Juggernauts
For all of its accolades, there are two key projects standing in the way of a clean sweep for The Queen’s Gambit. It has not yet faced off against the exceedingly popular Mare of Easttown and the critically acclaimed The Underground Railroad.
Like Small Axe before it, The Underground Railroad looks like cinema. Creator Barry Jenkins has found a way to translate his unique filmmaking style to streaming television. Unlike Small Axe, this project will have recency bias in its favor and it won't suffer from "film or TV?" discourse. This might put it towards the top of the pack but the competition is tough. Mare of Easttown has recently become the most talked about miniseries of the season. It has the starpower of The Undoing mixed with the positive reception of The Queen’s Gambit. There’s a real chance for the Kate Winslet led detective story to take the win in this category.
One of the biggest question marks of this season is the Marvel series WandaVision. The Disney+ show was lauded by both Marvel and general TV fans alike, though some felt it didn’t stick the landing. A few years ago, it would’ve seemed impossible for a Marvel show to crack the top Emmy categories. However, last year The Mandalorian received fifteen nominations, including Best Drama Series. If the Star Wars franchise can earn Emmy attention, then the sitcom-esque WandaVision could very well do the same.
Ryan Murphy has long been a lucky charm in this particular category. Shows like American Horror Story, American Crime Story and Feud: Bette and Joan have all earned nominations here. His recent work for Netflix has not had the same luck, though. Both Hollywood and The Politician failed to earn top series nominations at the Emmys, though they did earn acting accolades. This likely means that his latest project, the poorly reviewed Halston, may only receive a nomination for star Ewan McGregor.
Cynthia Erivo portrays Aretha Franklin for the third season of "Genius."
The Anthology Series
By design, there isn’t much opportunity for turnover in the Limited Series category. Yet, there are some anthology series that routinely garner attention. All previous seasons of Genius and Fargo have received nominations for Outstanding Limited Series. Will that streak continue this year? This year the critical and audience reception has been more muted than for previous seasons. Additionally, some time has passed since both were in the running (Genius: Picasso was nominated in 2018 and Fargo was last nominated in 2017). We can’t write these shows off fully, but the competitive field will likely keep them from the top prize. If either were to have more of a shot, it would be Genius: Aretha, which is getting a substantial push. The forthcoming Aretha Franklin feature film Respect may also help the buzz for Genius: Aretha.
Other anthology series this year include The Haunting of Bly Manor and Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, which earned a WGA nomination. They remain longshots in this category.
HBO's "It's a Sin" is one of the best hidden gems in the limited series category this year.
The Underdogs
This category has no shortage of contenders. While it hasn’t received precursor support, HBO’s It’s a Sin could be a sleeper nominee. The AIDS drama found new notes to tackle, looking more at queer life in London in the 80s. Additionally, it features a fantastic young ensemble, with Lydia West and Callum Scott Howells as best in show. It never makes its characters too likeable for likability sake. Everyone feels real and their dynamics lived in. One would hope the Emmys would take notice, but, again, they are spoiled with great choices this year.
Other limited series contenders with pockets of support include Hulu’s A Teacher, Showtime’s The Comey Rule and Your Honor. The latter two are likely to have more success in acting categories than here, we think.
PREDICTIONS
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The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
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Mare of Easttown (HBO)
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I May Destroy You (HBO)
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The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime)
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WandaVision (Disney+)
Who are you rooting for in this category?
more on the upcoming Emmys
- COMEDY
- Actress Comedy
- Actor Comedy
- Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Supporting Actor, Comedy
- DRAMA
- Actress Drama
- Actor Drama
- Supporting Actress, Drama
- Supporting Actor, Drama
- MORE...
- Emmy Ballots
- FYC The Handmaid's Tale
- FYC Kate Winslet and Mare of Easttown
- FYC Marielle Heller, Queen's Gambit
- FYC Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
- FYC I May Destroy You
- FYC Small Axe
- FYC For All Mankind
Reader Comments (23)
I'm rooting for It's a Sin. Won't happen, I know.
We have't discussed The Underground Railroad at all
It seems incredible that Underground Railroad feels like an underdog, given its best in show reviews and high degree of difficulty. But like Peggy Sue said, is it just too much for people to handle and talk about? Would be terrible if the lead performances were overlooked; Thuso Mbedu and Joel Edgerton are stunning.
No way WandaVision. Not with so many (much much better) options.
I suspect MARE, which has peaked at just the right time buzz-wise, may be on the verge of somewhat steamrolling.
I have a sinking feeling that I MAY DESTROY YOU might get left out, because it IS the oldest of the pack, but I hope I'm wrong. It has had surprisingly long awareness campaign mostly due to it popping up in Best Ofs lists and various other awards show this year so I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worst.
Talking Heads has not been released yet in America, right? You all must watch when it does.
Is Veneno eligble? I'd love to see that here. I thought it was fresh, well acted, entertaining, and really meaningful. In terms of queer storytelling, it blows anything Ryan Murphy has stamped his name on out of the water.
Is HBO pushing It's a Sin and Veneno? I get the sense that HBO puts a lot of the properities they share with European stations on the backburner for campaigns (e.g., Years and Years, etc.).
I'm really rooting for Wandavision and I May Destroy You here. I still have yet to see The Underground Railroad but I really like your predictions. I'd be happy if those were the nominees.
I love me some Nicole Kidman but with Emmy favourites David E Kelley and Susanne Bier behind t, I fear The Undoing Little Fires Everywheres itself into the top category displacing much better competition like what happened to Normal People last year.
Small Axe, Underground Railroad and I May Destroy You missing would not be great though they'll show up in directing and writing for sure.
I think It's A Sin is too much of an underdog in this stacked field but I'd love to see Callum Scott Howells nominated in supporting.
I fear a snub for Small Axe, which would be atrocious.
Gotta say, Underground Railroad and to a lesser extent I May Destroy You for me definitely fall in the category "I know I should see this, I know I really should, but I don't think I can stomach it." And if *I* think like that, I have low confidence Emmy voters will be any better.
What an embarrassment of riches. With challenging and artistic content like I May Destroy You, Small Axe, It's a Sin and The Underground Railroad in contention, don't Mare of Easttown and Queen's Gambit look a little... safe?
Joe G: Veneno is not on the list released by the Emmys. Their loss.
Lynn Lee -- i'm the same way. I'll watch a movie about any tough-minded subject but for 8-10 hours I really have to steel myself for trauma. It's why i stopped watching THE HANDMAID'S TALE. 8-10 hours was about all i could stomach.
Veneno is not eligible, according to Emmy rules, international productions must be co-produced and have financial and creative participation by a US network. In this case HBO only has the US distribution rights, it wasn't produced by them.
and before the "Is SmallAxe TV or film?" discourse gets annoying again: Steve McQueen has mentioned several times that he conceived it as a TV series,so more people could be able to see it and never was his intention to give it theatrical release. So no, it's not film, it's a TV anthology.
eduardo -- i 100% agree with you on SMALL AXE but unfortunately film people last december made a big deal about it being a movie and in the case of the LAFCA, really shirked their responsibiliity to the artform that they write about. That was so aggravating and when you spoke against it people acted liked you peed on something sacred. Ugh! Quality is not remotely the point. The point is it was designed, produced, and made to be a tv anthology which the director himself said many times. It is TV. period. It doesn't suddenly become feature films because of high quality.
To me it shows, rather strangely, that people still somehow don't accept that TV is a rich artform because everytime they love something exuberantly (see also Twin Peaks most recent season) you see these arguments that something is actually cinema and not TV.
Yeah, it's particularly head-scratching to see how some film critics were fuming with the idea of treating something like Twin Peaks as a film, but don't hesitate a second to award a clear TV work as the best movie of 2020
having said that, the Emmys need to do something soon about the number of nominees in this category, Hollywood seemed to find in the field of Limited series the best way to produce television nowadays and giving only 5 places to nominate is just absurd.
I agree with those five as well.
Small Axe being in 6th. No other limited series seems to have a chance.
The Underground Railroad is unbearable.
WandaVision!!!!!
@Peggy Sue re Talking Heads - Right? That was some damn fine acting.
I'm really starting to prefer the Limited Series and Anthology formats. Some stories need 6-8 episodes to tell the tale like Queen's Gambit. Criminal on Netflix (UK, Germany, France, Spain) is excellent in the Anthology category (George Kay, also the writer of Lupin on Netflix is on FIRE.) but an older show, except for a new season of Criminal UK.
Has anyone watched Solos on Amazon yet? I've seen the first two, and while the actors are good, I'm a bit bored by the stories.
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Mare of Easttown was ...good, but nothing special. It's a SIn was heartbreaking, I'm hoping it get's nominated.
As much as I think I May Destroy You deserves to win here, it does sort of feel like Mare of Easttown has the momentum right now, doesn’t it? It’s cresting at just the right moment, and I think Kate also wins Best Actress comfortably.
Will the tepidly-received Loki and Falcon & The Winter Soldier hurt Wandavision’s chances? Now that the dust has settled it feels like the consensus is that it was good…for Marvel.
It’s A Sin I found to be fairly dreadful, and I’m astonished at the free pass critics have given it considering the very wobbly writing and performances.
A shame about Veneno not being eligible, one of the most delightful surprises of the TV season!
I'd like to see SMALL AXE get in. I really liked the format of the five different tales set in the same area of London at in the same time period. Could happen, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.