2022 Emmy Awards: Which races to watch on television's biggest night of the year
The 74th Emmy Awards will announce its next round of winners in Los Angeles on Monday, capping an exciting year in television.
Hosted by "Saturday Night Live" comedian Kenan Thompson and resuming business in its usual locale after two years of pandemic-era adjustments, the upcoming ceremony is set to broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater.
This year's show promises contentious winners in a number of notable Emmy contests, the possible outcomes of which have spurred questions and predictions among forecasters since nominations were unveiled in early July. In the wake of production delays from COVID-19 restrictions that were eventually lifted, there was a notable increase in the number of contenders submitted for Emmys consideration in 2022, according to Variety, making for a particularly competitive season. Here are some of the races to watch.
Outstanding Drama
Returning favorites are up against a range of acclaimed newcomers for some of the award show's biggest accolades. "Succession" — which has taken home numerous awards in past ceremonies and leads the overall nominations this year with 25 nods from the Television Academy — is nominated in several prominent categories, including outstanding drama. The HBO series' recent win for best cast in a drama at the Creative Arts Emmys could signal the same for Monday night, although critics have noted that the caliber of the show's rivals this year wouldn't make it a huge surprise if the award were to go to a different player show.
"Squid Game," the dystopian horror series from South Korean creator Hwang Dong-hyuk that Netflix said broke viewing records when it premiered last fall, is also a contender for outstanding drama. If it wins, "Squid Game" would become the first non-English language program to receive a major award at the Emmys. The same goes for its star, Lee Jung-jae, in the category for best actor in a drama.
Joining "Succession" and "Squid Game" in the run for outstanding drama are other widely celebrated shows, both old and new. "Better Call Saul," "Euphoria," "Ozark," "Severance," "Stranger Things" and "Yellowjackets" round out the list, with many competing against one another in additional categories as well.
Best Actress in a Drama
This year's race for best actress in a drama will probably be a close call. Whether the accolade will go to Zendaya, who is nominated again for her lead performance in "Euphoria" and became the youngest actor to receive the award in 2020, four-time Emmy-winner Laura Linney for "Ozark" or Melanie Lynskey for "Yellowjackets" remains to be seen. Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh are also nominated for their roles in "Killing Eve" and Reese Witherspoon finishes off the category for her performance in "The Morning Show."
Outstanding Comedy
Comedy races also pose stiff competition. After seven breakout wins in 2021, the popular Apple TV+ sports comedy-drama "Ted Lasso" is once again nominated in multiple categories, including several for lead and supporting actors. Meanwhile, newcomers like Hulu's "Only Murders In the Building" and ABC's "Abbott Elementary" are frontrunners competing for the first time.
"Abbott Elementary," which was crowned program of the year by the Television Critics Association in August, won the best casting award at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend. Quinta Brunson, creator and star of the sitcom, is the first Black woman to be nominated in three categories in a single year at the Emmys. Brunson wrote the nominated pilot episode and also serves as an executive producer on the series.
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
HBO Max's summer ensemble drama "The White Lotus" is expected to make a significant splash at Monday's awards ceremony after earning nearly as many nominations as its longer-established counterparts in other categories like "Succession" and "Ted Lasso. It is up against a spate of dramas adapted from true stories, including Netflix's "Inventing Anna" and Hulu's "Dopesick," "Pam & Tommy" and "The Dropout" for best limited or anthology series.
Additional outcomes to watch are in categories for variety sketch and competition series, where "A Black Lady Sketch Show" will challenge "Saturday Night Live" and "Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls" contends with "RuPaul's Drag Race."
The Emmy Awards take place Monday, Sept. 12, starting at 8 p.m. ET. It will be available to watch live on NBC and the network's streaming service, Peacock.