Emmys 2017: History breakers usher in the new school
Historic Emmy wins for people of differing identities is the continuation of what the Emmy Awards and Television do best of all the big mediums: evolve.
#OscarsSoWhite is a distinct film problem. The old-guard of the movie world seems much harder to crack.
Representation could always and everywhere be more plentiful, more appropriate. But, of all the big-time mediums and highest echelons of recognition, TV and the Emmy Awards are the best at adapting and evolving.
The same year, Chris Rock hemmed and hawed about being a black host for such staunchly white industry on a big industry night. The television world already had shows like Queen Sugar and Empire doing work. Both of which served up excellence in televisual storytelling as well as getting nominated for acting Emmys, if not winning. Which is more than The Academy can say some years.
Come 2017 and the Emmys and TV are clipping right along. No black actor had won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama in since 1998 (sheesh). In comes Sterling K. Brown. Brown is a man whose Michael Jordan world-engulfing smile melted millions of hearts during his moving and winning performance in This is Us.
It marked a huge win. But big gestures of recognition is what defines the night. On Sunday, history broke all over the place, like the hearts across the nation during This is Us. Seems like we all needed a good cry.
The Emmys was about giving us a good laugh. And Hulu’s The Handmaiden’s Tale went laughing all the way to a historic six wins. It’s the first streaming series to win Best Drama. It was also another grand gesture — hey, streaming services, we see you. What it do? Hopefully, Netflix and Amazon both feel super salty and will bring the heat.
Hulu also happens to be the first to win the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, the world-conquering Elizabeth Moss (shipping her and Charlie on West WIng is now a blip on her resume and will be nothing in like three years). Her director, Reed Morano, is the first woman to win Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series since 1995.
Another Emmy first belongs to Riz Ahmed, who is the first South Asian to win an acting Emmy, snagging the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his work in The Night Of. He is also everyone’s internet boyfriend, so, everyone wins a little when he does.
In other news, Donald Glover remains the single most exciting person in TV. He somehow has too much potential. His show, Atlanta, is a gem. It’s a delightful and gritty portrayal. It’s an absurdist comedy. Plus, it’s a sweet love story and comical coming of age. Anyone else trying these many things at once in a TV — or any — project would have most of us screaming uncle, or mother!
But Glover walks a history that transcends race, sexual orientation or gender. His history-making revolves around the fact that he is a fantastic storyteller. He breaks narrative molds and invents visual templates with every outing. And, on his way, he’s gonna rock things like the Emmys, which he very predictably did this year. Glover is the first black actor to win Lead Actor in a Comedy Series since 1985 (damn, Gina!) and the first ever black person to win for comedy directing.
Another first-black honor (kinda backhanded honor) goes to Master of None’s Lena Waithe, who is the first black woman to win for comedic writing. During her acceptance speech, she shouts out her LGBTQIA community, winning, in this writer’s estimation, the very unofficial title of best acceptance speech (I was catching feelings, then the camera cut to Ann Chlumsky crying and then it was Sterling K. smile cry time). Here’s an excerpt:
"“I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are our superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door, put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world because the world would not be as beautiful as it is without us in it.”"
Alec Baldwin brought back variety show love for his coffee-worthy Saturday Night Live excoriation of Donald Trump. He’s the first variety show player to win Outstanding Supporting Actor since 1959. Baldwin brought his SNL savagery to the award stage with a message for the president: “At long last, here, Mr. President, is your Emmy.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus did the very Michael Jordan thing of winning her sixth win for Veep. Actually, MJ only had two three-peats split by two years out the league. Louis-Dreyfus’ six wins are consecutive, a six-peat (record) and the record for the most wins for the same role. This helped Louis-Dreyfus become the first to win for three different roles (Seinfeld’s Elaine Bennes, The Old Adventures of New Christine’s Christine Campbell and Veep’s Selina Meyer). This win is her 10th statue. She’s the modern Emmys’ Bill Russell.
I want to see a Russell-esque picture of Louis-Dreyfus holding all of her statues, flaunting her history like Russell.
Next: Emmys 2018: 5 people who should host
Emmys 2017 was about recognizing and flaunting history. Here’s to this history-making becoming old new, part of the evolution of TV and its biggest industry night.