Emmy Confidential: The Producer Votes With the Heart

Throughout the week, we’re revealing the thoughts and preferences of voting members of the Television Academy in our annual Emmy Confidential series. Next up, a Producer dishes

We’re finally down to the final week before the major Emmys are revealed on Sunday, September 22nd. With all of the campaigning, advocating, and bingeing behind us, Team ADTV had the opportunity to talk to some voters to see what was going through their minds as they cast their votes. This is what we call our Emmy Confidential series.

Our Producer can only vote in the series categories but definitely wishes opportunities existed to vote in the performance races. (Billy Porter was a particular favorite.) Unlike previous years, the Producer is incredibly excited about the Comedy races with a series lineup that, in their opinion, exists as the best in years. On the Drama and Limited Series front, the Producer voted with their heart, going for series that excited and touched them more than their competitors. And in this Producer’s view, you might as well dump the TV Movie category completely.

TV Movie

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

In fairness, I watched a little of all of the nominees, but there’s only one I got all the way through – and I loved. I thought it was clever. I watched for another half-hour all the alternatives that I could have chosen but I didn’t. I thought it was great. I know it got mixed reviews, but I thought it was inventive and fun. Strangely, as it went on, I found it sort of said something about me. I was starting to pick the worst of the two options. I don’t know what it says about me, but it was kind of fun.

My Dinner with Herve and Brexit I recorded and watched about a half-hour of each, but that’s all I could get through. Deadwood I never watch as a series, so it was lost on me. It didn’t mean anything to me. King Lear had a great cast, but it didn’t really do a lot for me.

Limited Series

When They See Us

I appreciated Fosse/Verdon more than I liked it. It’s almost like the Tracy Flick thing from Election. It was put together well with beautifully structured scripts that made a lot of sense, but at the end of the day, I just didn’t care about it. I did not like Sharp Objects. When it came out, I kind of dreaded it. I thought it would win everything this year, but who knew all these great limited series would come out. I thought it was atmospheric, but I was just sort of bored by it all. I LOVED Escape At Danemora. Any other year, it could win the category, but this year I ranked it third.

My number two was Chernobyl. It was more intellectual, and When They See Us tugs on your heart more. The thing about Chernobyl was all of the accents, which kind of drove me crazy. I found it jarring, and I finally got used to it but I never loved it. I watched all of When They See Us in a day. I loved the acting, and I love the way the chapters were arranged. The whole thing made sense to me the way it was structured. I ended up voting for the home-grown story, and I felt compelled to vote for it for that reason. As far as who wins, I really don’t know. There’s always what feels like a giant British voting block, but I really don’t know.

Comedy Series

Fleabag

This is one of the best lineups for Comedy Series in ages. I’m really worried that Maisel will repeat which, to me, is the worst possible outcome. I didn’t like it last year, and now I really don’t like it compared to what’s in the category. I loved the final season of Veep. I thought it was funny, and I think the finale brought a lot of people back around despite not liking the season. I still laughed more in this show than any other show. The jokes are just funny. I did not vote for it though. Actually, there are two others I would lump together that I love as a series, but I felt weren’t nominated for their best seasons: The Good Place and Schitt’s Creek. I didn’t think either of these seasons were great. I’m glad Schitt’s Creek got in, and it got recognized though. The Good Place is starting to get in the weeds with the plot. I loved that first season, but I’m not sure exactly where it’s going. Ultimately, I’m glad it also got the recognition that it deserves. Barry I also loved, and any other year I would have voted for it.

I loved both Fleabag and Russian Doll. Russian Doll I watched in a weekend. I’m a sucker for that sort of Groundhog Day idea. It was just entertaining and riveting. I don’t know what a Season 2 would look it, but as a standalone season, I loved it. Fleabag is what I voted for because I thought it was perfect. I wanted more. It was depressing that you have 22 minute episodes, and there were only six of them. But they were all perfectly calibrated and fantastic.

Drama Series

Succession

I don’t really watch Better Call Saul regularly. I watched the first two seasons, but after that, I just couldn’t. I really enjoyed Bodyguard. It’s almost like Homeland before Homeland got bad. It’s an escapist, fun thriller. It’s not important. It’s not really about anything other than being entertaining, and it was really entertaining. I’ve voted for Game Of Thrones a few times before it even won Drama Series. I liked the final season well enough, but I think the fans are insane. Those petitions online about it are ridiculous. I enjoyed watching it as it aired, but I was also ready for it to be over. To me, it’s kind of being diminishing returns since Season 3 or 4. As a production, it’s incredible, but I’m just ready for it to be over.

Killing Eve and Barry are kind of interesting because they’re both about assassins, both in Season 2. Barry did everything right, and Killing Eve kind of did everything wrong. I did not like this season season. It felt contrived keeping the leads together as they did. The series I just didn’t enjoy this season. I just think there was no reason to keep the characters together. Ozark isn’t a show I love. First of all, I feel like it needs an editor. These episodes clocking in over an hour feel are really unnecessary. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the show.

I did not watch Pose when it aired originally, but I watched it in June along with Bodyguard and Succession because I thought they would be nominated. I loved it. I wish a few of the actors had gotten in. Succession I also loved. It held my single favorite episode of the year in television. The family is just messy and entertaining, and I’m enjoying the second season just as much right now. This is the show I voted for. Game Of Thrones doesn’t need the extra vote.

This Is Us I hate, and we can just forget that one.

Emmy Confidential continues throughout the week at Awards Daily TV.