Emmy Watch: An almost all-new lineup for Best Comedy Series

Our team is breaking down the top contenders in all the major races and highlighting some of our favorites over the next few weeks. Today, we’re looking at Best Comedy Series.

By Abe Friedtanzer

We opened last year’s look at this category with a caveat that, compared with the Best Drama Series race, there were considerably fewer contenders here. That’s true again this time, with just one (!) of last year’s nominees eligible and two other series that were nominated in the past possible as return inclusions. With so many slots open, there is tremendous room for new shows to break in, but few clues exist as to what’s at the head of the pack beyond a few frontrunners. Let’s dive in…

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TV Riches. Here are just a few highlights...

Year in review lists/recaps each day. TV is too vast a topic for one list but here's a list of personal favorites from Spencer Coile 

2017 was a messy year. While we may be entrenched in cultural, political, and social turmoil, one area that keeps getting better is television. From the return of David Lynch's Twin Peaks and NBC's Will & Grace (proving that some revivals do work), to the rise of Hulu series, through  the continuation of prestige dramas from HBO, the golden age of TV continues. Because there's such a vast array of shows out there we all have our blindspots so please know that this is but a personal list and you should definitely share yours.  To make room for all of the excellent work put out this year, here are favorite individual and duo performances but let's kick things off with a tribute to the ladies via Ensembles... 

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Emmy Review: Music Supervision

By Spencer Coile 

In one of the most refreshing new categories at the Emmy Awards this year, it would appear that television soundtracks are finally getting their due. Gone are the days where the score and main title theme are the only musical aspects recognized -- now, music supervisors are receiving the credit they richly deserve. Music Supervision, or the selecting and licensing of songs to be included in television episodes, paves a new course for the Emmy's this year -- one that acknowledges and celebrates music in all of its varieties. 

Yet because this is the first year this category is offered, predicting a winner is tricky. But it is all the more reason to explore this year's batch of nominees and predict who stands the best shot at winning the inaugural Emmy Award. 

Outstanding Music Supervision Nominees: 

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Emmy FYC: Master of None, Season Two

By Spencer Coile 

The first season of Master of None was met with universal acclaim from critics and audiences. Telling the quasi-autobiographical story of Dev (Aziz Ansari), the series follows this wannabe actor and his numerous friends as they gallavant through New York City, eating pasta and searching for love. What made the first season of Ansari and Alan Yang's concoction so fascinating was the way in which they infused elements of culture, race, and sexuality into their storylines. The dialogue was unique to many other shows with similar plotlines; there was a level of specificity and a lived in quality that surpassed more traditional sitcoms.

Master of None recently returned to Netflix and met no sophomore slump. The second season has not only matched the quality of the first but surpassed it. How well does this bode for the series' Emmy chances?

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