The nominees for the 2018 Emmy awards have been revealed, and the Fandomentals has a lot of feelings about it. There’s some pleasant surprises (Sandra Oh’s nomination for Killing Eve,) obvious picks (The Handmaid’s Tale continues to dominate), and some real disappointments. Below are the top 5 snubs as voted on by the writers here at The Fandomentals.
#1. Andre Braugher—Brooklyn 99
Nomination He Deserves: Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
As one of our writers said, the Monty Hall saga (BOOOOOOOOOOONE?) alone should have been enough to earn Braugher an Emmy. Playing at once a straight man, an authority figure, and a member of the gang, Captain Holt regularly wears multiple hats in each Brooklyn 99 episode. Braugher, like Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson, has taken a character that began as a rather straightforward joke and made him one of the most developed characters on the show. His absolute dedication to Holt’s deadpan delivery and perfect comedic timing have made him standout even in an ensemble comedy like B99. It’s been two years since he was even nominated for an Emmy even as Braugher, and Brooklyn 99, has only gotten better and better. He’s got one more chance next year, so please Emmy’s. Do it for Velvet Thunder.
#2. Brooklyn 99, One Day At A Time, The Good Place (Tie)
Nomination They Deserve: Pretty Much Any Awards
For an academy trying to burnish its progressive credentials, there was a distinctive shutting out of three shows with some of the best LGBT representation on TV. While they reward shows that revel in the torture of women or the struggles of the very rich and white, they could at least balance it with shows that more closely reflect the real world. As the internet raves about the success of these shows, the Academy puts its fingers in its ears and nominates shows nobody is watching like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Silicon Valley. In the acting categories, the Academy reveals a clear bias towards “dramedies” that trade on cheap emotional pulls over full on comedy. While ODAAT still has a lot of juice to pick up awards in the future, both The Good Place and B99 have to deal with the cutthroat world of network comedies. With B99 on what may be its final season, we have to hope the Academy can come to its senses next year and give some props to the “a-Noine-Noine!”
#3. Kyle MacLachlan—Twin Peaks
What he should be up for: Lead Actor in Drama Series
What can be said about Kyle MacLachlan’s performance in Twin Peaks: The Return that hasn’t already been said. Not only did he portray the iconic character of Special Agent Dale Cooper, he also had to wear two more hats as the evil BOB-possessed Dopplecoop and the innocent, borderline robotic Dougie Jones. Rather than play them as separate character, MacLachlan imbues a little bit of Cooper into both characters. Without that through line, the show would have gone from chaotic to borderline unwatchable. The nomination of David Lynch is well deserved, but The Return hinged as much on MacLachlan’s acting as it did Lynch’s weird and wonderful creative vision.
#4. Rita Moreno—One Day At A Time
What she should be up for: Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Rita Moreno is one of the most accomplished women in Hollywood. She’s had an over 70 year long career and is one of only 12 people ever to be an EGOT winner (which she’s been since 1975), as well as the only Latina EGOT. She could be spending her time staying at home or phoning in guest appearances. Instead, she is putting in work as an integral character in one of Netflix’s truly breakout shows. As family matriarch Lydia, Moreno dances between comedy as drama as easily as she dances “America.” She’s putting on a masterclass in sitcom acting She’s choosing to work with a brand new generation of Latinx actors. It’s a shame that both her work and artistic selflessness is being so criminally overlooked.
#5. Alison Brie—GLOW
What she should be up for: Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
GLOW got a surprising amount of love this year. It garnered nominations for Bettie Gilpin (Supporting Actress), Jesse Peretz (Direction), and for the show as a whole as an Outstanding Comedy Series. But the Academy failed to recognize the actress that was the core of the season: Alison Brie. Brie and her work as Ruth had one of the stronger arcs in the season as she both discovers her niche and learns to become a less selfish person. Ruth acts as the show’s compass, emotional heart, and resident butt monkey. Brie does a masterful job turning the timid and shy struggling actress into a confident wrestler and director. She even seems to be the most committed to her character’s wrestling persona, sinking completely into Zoya as if she were a real wrestler straight out of the WWE. GLOW’s success means there will be more chances for the historically underrated Brie, and we hope the Academy recognizes her work in the future.
Those are our big snubs, but it was a contentious choice. What choices were big mistakes? Who got left out that deserves a nod? Sound off in the comics with YOUR biggest Emmy snub.
For the full list of the Emmy Nominations, you can go to Emmys.com/awards. And keep an eye on the Fandomentals as we bring you complete coverage of the Emmys from predictions to night-of reactions.
Images Courtesy of NBC, Netflix, Showtime, the Television Academy, and NBC