2024 Emmy Nominations - Drama & Limited Series

by Nathaniel R

Yesterday we tackled the comedy series nominations. Today, Drama and Limited Series. Which have you watched and which shows do you wish would win more awards recognition? Okay, let's talk Drama (with Shogun as the nomination leader) and Limited Series (where True Detective: Night Country led the nominations) after the jump... 

DRAMA SERIES

• 3 Body Problem (Season 1) - 1st nomination

• The Crown (Season 6) - nomination

• Fallout (Season 1) - 1st nomination

• The Gilded Age (Season 2) - nomination

• The Morning Show (Season 3) -1st  nomination

• Mr & Mrs Smith (Season 1) - 1st nomination

• Shogun (Season 1) - 1st nomination

• Slow Horses (Season 3) - 1st nomination

In an extremely rare occurrence at the Emmys, this is *almost* an entirely different lineup than last year’s roster. That’s because seven of last year’s nominated shows are either off the air now or did not air a new season in time for this year’s Emmys. That made room for a lot of new shows to be honored whether they were in their debut seasons or season two or even season three. The Crown is the only returning nominee; it has won this prize just once (for Season 4). Can it win again for its final season or is Shogun, which led the nominations by a strong margin, the frontrunner. 

Some notable shows that missed this list include Showtime’s The Curse, Disney+'s popular Loki, and Star wars spinoff Ahsoka. Other shows that might have had some heat included Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Tokyo Vice, Elsbeth, and Sugar.

  Of eligible shows that didn't have a shot (genre is still least-likely-to unless its a massive hit), I personally loved Dead Boys Detective, Wheel of Time, and Halo. I was also a huge fan of The Woman in the Wall  but I don't understand for the life of me why it was eligible here instead of in limited series. Do you have any recommendations for what everyone should be watching?  

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show

• Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age

• Maya Erskine, Mr & Mrs Smith

• Anna Sawai, Shogun

• Imelda Staunton, The Crown

• Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show

Here we have a list with no previous Emmy winners in this particular category, though Jennifer won many years ago in Comedy for Friends while her Morning co-star Reese Witherspoon won as a producer for Big Little Lies. 

Other people that might have placed here but didn’t secure enough votes: Danielle McDonald (The Tourist), Emma Stone (The Curse), Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka), Carrie Preston (Elsbeth), Ella Purnell (Fallout), Juliette Binoche (The New Look), Rosamund Pike (The Wheel of Time), and the brilliant Ruth Wilson (Woman in the Wall).

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA

• Idris Elba, Hijack

• Donald Glover, Mr & Mrs Smith

• Walton Goggins, Fallout

• Gary Oldman, Slow Horses

• Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun

• Dominic West, The Crown

NONE of last year’s nominees were eligible this year, so it's an all new list. What do you think of it?

Some unlucky fellows that might conceivably have had a shot were: Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Colin Farrel (Sugar), Nathan Fielder (The Curse), Ben Mendelsohn (The New Look), Morgan Spector (Gilded Age), Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Adrien Brody and John C Reilly (Winning Time), and Zahn McClarnon (Dark Winds).

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age

• Nicole Beharie, The Morning Show

• Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown

• Greta Lee, The Morning Show

• Lesley Manville, The Crown

• Karen Pittman, The Morning Show

• Holland Taylor, The Morning Show

With only three shows honored, it feels like an uneccessarily dull shortlist. I do watch The Gilded Age but don't understand the acclaim for Baranski who could do this in her sleep -- it's easy to imagine her napping between takes since her character barely moves from chairs. 

Some players who didn't land in the shortlist were: Fumi Nikaldo and Moeka Hoshi (Shogun), Audra McDonald and Cynthia Nixon (The Gilded Age), Celia Rose Gooding (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), Leslie Uggams (Fallout), Amy Ryan (Sugar), and Kristin Scott Thomas (Slow Horses).

My personal favourite eligible candidate (though I can't imagine she got many votes) was Ruth Connell ("Night Nurse" in Dead Boy Detectives). And why wasn't the utterly genius Jenn Lyon ("Esther" in Dead Boy Detectives)  submitted? I haven't seen an actress have that much fun playing a villain in years; if I were a casting director  I'd consider for everything immediately. 

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

• Tadanobu Asano, Shogun

• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

• Mark Duplass, The Morning Show

• Jon  Hamm, The Morning Show

• Takehiro Hira, Shogun

• Jack Lowden, Slow Horses

• Jonathan Pryce, The Crown

Only four shows honored in this category. We hate that the supporting categories have just become reveals about which three-ish shows Emmy voters are actually watching en masse. The silver lining is that with today’s erratic tv schedules no nominees from last year (which was ALL Succession and White Lotus) were eligible so it feels like a complete overhaul. It’s not quite though since this is Billy Crudup’s third time up as “Cory Ellison” on The Morning Show; he won for the first season back in 2020. 

Missing the list so we wonder how far off they were: Benny Safdie (the Curse), Ken Watanabe (Tokyo Vice), Chris Bauer (Heels), Khalid Abdalla and Salim Daw (The Crown), Nathan Lane (The Gilded Age), Benedict Wong (3 Body Problem).

GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Michaela Cole, Mr & Mrs Smith

• Claire Foy, The Crown

• Marcia Gay Harden, The Morning Show

• Sarah Paulson, Mr & Mrs Smith

• Parker Posey, Mr & Mrs Smith

Some other women they might have chosen: Glenn Close (The New Look), Lindsay Duncan (The Morning Show), Laura Benanti (The Gilded Age), Jane Krakowski & Gina Gershon (Elsbeth), Anna Gunn (Sugar), and Sharon Horgan (Mr & Mrs Smith)

GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA

• Nestor Carbonell, Shogun

• Paul Dano, Mr & Mrs Smith

• Tracy Letts, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

• Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses

• John Turturro, Mr & Mrs Smith

Mr & Mrs Smith is apparently the new Succession in terms of dominating the "Guest" categories. 

Some others that were eligible but didn't land here: Ron Perlman, Paul Dano, Wagner Moura (Mr & Mrs Smith), Kyle Maclachlan & Michael Emerson (Fallout), James Cromwell (Sugar), Gary Farmer (The Curse), Blair Underwood & Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Elsbeth)

DIRECTING, DRAMA SERIES

• The Crown “Sleep, Dearie Sleep”, Stephen Daldry

• The Morning Show “The Overview Effect”, Mimi Leder

• Mr & Mrs Smith “First Date”, Hiro Murai

• Shogun “Crimson Sky”, Frederick E.O. Toye

• Slow Horses “Strange Games”, Saul Metzstein

• Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty “Beat LA”, Sally Richardson-Whitfield

WRITING, DRAMA SERIES

• The Crown “Ritz”, Peter Morgan & Meriel Sheibani-Clare

• Fallout “The End”, Geneva Robertson-Dworet & Graham Wagner

• Mr & Mrs Smith “First Date”, Francesca Sloane & Donald Glover

• Shogun “Anjin”, Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks

• Shogun “Crimson Sky”, Rachel Kondo & Cailin Puente

• Slow Horses “Negotiating with Tigers”, Will Smith

And we wrap up with Limited Series about which we have slightly more to say...

LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES

• Baby Reindeer

• Fargo

• Lessons in Chemistry

• Ripley

• True Detective: Night Country

Baby Reindeer is likely to win this and we salute its utter brilliance. Also a fan of True Detective: Night Country - so nice to see Jodie Foster back in front of cameras where she belongs this past year plus. I personally  couldn't make it through Ripley which was so glacially paced and strangely cast that I literally became angry by the end of the first episode. Suffice it to say I don't understand how any one could prefer it to the moving and superbly acted Fellow Travellers,  or the nasty and intricate Mary & George. Other shows that you can imagine had at least some voters were Netflix’s Eric, Griselda, or All The Light We Cannot See, Hulu’s We Were the Lucky Ones, and HBO’s strange and political curiousity The Regime, Apple TV's Masters of the Air, and FX's Feud: Capote Vs the Swans. As to the latter, though it wasn't glacially paced like Ripley, it was so repetitive that despite strong moments, it felt like it would have been appreciably stronger as a two hour film. 

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE

• Mr Monk’s Last Case

• Quiz Lady

• Red  White and Royal Blue

• Scoop

• Unfrosted

ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES

• Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country

• Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry

• Juno Temple, Fargo

• Sofia Vergara, Griselda

• Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote vs the Swans

Naomi Watts hasn't been as good as she was in Feud in years, so we're happy to see her nominated. Otherwise, I was personally rooting for non-nominees Julianne Moore (Mary & George) and Kate Winslet (The Regime). Other people they passed over included Awkwafina (Quiz Lady), Aria Mia Loberti (All the Light We Cannot See), and Joey King (We Were the Lucky Ones)

ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

• Matt Bomer, Fellow Travellers

• Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer

• Jon Hamm, Fargo

• Tom Hollander, Feud: Capote vs the Swans

• Andrew Scott, Ripley

Stellar actors, all, but I'm rooting for Matt Bomer doing his best work to date with abrasive depth and cool passion.

Contenders who didn't get enough votes included former Emmy obsession Tony Shalhoub (Mr Monks Last Case), Louis Hoffman (All the Light We Cannot See), Michael Douglas (Franklin), David Oyelowo (Lawmen: Bass Reeves), Tobiaz Menzies (Manhunt), Hoa Xuande (The Sympathizer), Benedict Cumberbatch (Eric), Nicholas Galtazine (Mary & George), and Austin Butler (Masters of the Air)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES

• Dakota Fanning, Ripley

• Lily Gladstone, Under the Bridge

• Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer

• Aja Naomi King, Lessons in Chemistry

• Diane Lane, Feud: Capote vs the Swans

• Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer

• Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country

Rooting for Jessica Gunning here though Nava Mau and Kali Reis were also wonderful.

It's a shame that both leads of Under the Bridge (Lily and Riley Keough) campaigned as supporting given the fine young actresses playing the four teenagers at the heart of the murder case who could have used some campaign attention for the same show: Aiyana Goodfellow (not submitted but wonderful), Vritika Gupta, Chloe Guidry, and Izzy G.

Notably absent but one assumes they mustered at least some votes: Calista Flockhart, Jessica Lange, Demi Moore, and Chloe Sevigny (Feud), Andrea Riseborough (The Regime), Sandra Oh (The Sympathizer), Sarayu Blue (Expats), Archie Panjabi, Riley Keough (Under the Bridge)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES

• Jonathan Bailey, Fellow Travellers

• Robert Downey Jr, The Sympathizer

• Tom Goodman-Hill, Baby Reindeer

• John Hawkes, True Detective: Night Country

• Lamore Morris, Fargo

• Lewis Pullman, Lessons in Chemistry

• Treat Williams, Feud: Capote vs the Swans

Delicious sex god Jonathan Bailey is NOT a supporting actor in Fellow Travellers but we're used to category fraud shenanigans everywhere now. It's still sad though since Emmy voting structures are actually helpful to multiple performers being nominated for the same show, so there's really no reason to do it!

Some other players who didn't get enough votes to land here: Tony Curran (Mary & George), Barry Keoghan (Masters of the Air), Dave Foley and Joe Keery (Fargo) Christopher Eccleston and Finn Bennett (True Detective), Hugh Grant (The Regime)

DIRECTING, LIMITED SERIES

• Baby Reindeer “Episode 4”, Weronika Tofilska

• Fargo “The Tragedy of the Commons”, Noah Hawley

• Feud: Capote vs the Swans “Pilot”, Gus Van Sant

• Lessons in Chemistry “Poirot”, Millicent Shelton

• Ripley (series), Steven Zaillian

• True Detective: Night Country (series), Issa Lopez

WRITING, LIMITED SERIES

• Baby Reindeer “Episode 4”, Weronika Tofilska

• Black Mirror “Joan is Awful”, Charlie Brooker

• Fargo “The Tragedy of the Commons”, Noah Hawley

• Fellow Travellers “You’re Wonderful”, Ron Nyswaner

• Ripley (series), Steven Zaillian

• True Detective: Night Country “Part 6”, Issa Lopez

Who are you rooting for and what's the very first thing you would change about Emmy voting if you controlled the TV universe? 

Comments

[Finbar McBride]

I am disappointed with the decision to nominate the unfunny “bite the hand that feeds you” satire of Netflix in Joan is Awful on Black Mirror. I would have preferred recognition for the screenplay of Matthew Lopez’s charming rom-com Red, White, and Royal Blue.

[rdf]

I am so sorry Under the Bridge only received one nomination... and that was because she is n Indian. She was very good here. but the young actors and actresses were OUTSTANDING. Just shows. how the voters really see not many of the shows as the same shows ,actors, etc get constantly nominated. I am surprised they still do not have The Dick Van Dyke show still in the running!!!

[G.Shaq]

Matt Bomer in Fellow Travellers is the performance of the year all categories included. What a leading man in every sense.

[Peggy Sue]

Drama was a desert this year so I get why Shogun producers shifted gears, but it's so unserious! Half of the cast is not returning, how is that a series?

The Jennifer Jason Leigh omission is for the ages.

I'm usually bored with Naomi Watts but she's sublime as The Swan.

I don't want to mess with your imaginary boyfriends but the MVP in Fellow Travelers is Allison Williams.

Baby Reindeer is probably the best thing I've seen this year in any format.

[Brittani Burnham]

Really bummed that Tokyo Vice got nothing. While I had issues with Under the Bridge over all, I wouldn't have been upset with more of the younger cast being nominated, like Goodfellow.

I assumed Eric didn't qualify, now I'm surprised to hear it did. I thought that would've been an easy nomination for Cumberbatch.

[Dan H]

The fight in the car between Mark Duplass and Jennifer Aniston in THE MORNING SHOW was high-wire acting of the most impressive sort. My mouth was agape, like it was watching Fassbinder's actors in BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ or Ingmar Bergman's actors in FANNY AND ALEXANDER. Okay, it's acting in a very different mode, but just as stunning and perfectly pulled off. I don't know how it would read as an isolated "clip" but in the context of the series and the specific episode it was as good as it gets.

[EricB]

nat, great to get your views on all of these.

SHOGUN seems so far superior to almost everything in those drama categories, i can easily see it winning all of the big prizes outside Elizabeth Debicki. Cosmo Jarvis missing is silly...he was fantastic and a perfect duet partner for the other two leads.

agreed with you that Naomi Watts was truly great in SWANS. she seemed visibly inspired, and she was deeply moving.

and agreed with Peggy Sue about Jennifer Jason Leigh. she should be winning that category. she was so locked into that show's style, a perfect spiritual match for that show creator, and so vibrantly funny.

and also agreed with Nat on the acting in Ripley...outside of Andrew Scott, it's highly questionable. i'd go as far as to say Johnny Flynn and Eliot Sumner are fully blown *terrible* in it. an acting class could show their scenes on how *not* to do it. it was truly perplexing. dakota was game and executed what she had effectively, but she starts off where she ends up...she has literally no arc.

[Sophia Sophiam]

I want to express my sincere gratitude for your thoughtfulness and the genuine care you have shown in creating content that resonates deeply with your audience. Your ability to slitherio connect on a personal level and address universal themes with authenticity and compassion is truly remarkable.