What insights can the outcomes of this year’s Academy Awards offer about the imminent Emmy Awards? One could argue that The White Lotus mirrors the television equivalent of the cinematic Anora, while Severance resembles The Brutalist. Now that the 2025 Oscars are in hindsight, our gaze shifts towards the unpredictable Emmy season awaiting us. Given some time, we can perform a retrospective analysis of the recently concluded Oscar season, which was teeming with various elements, starting from an unpredictable list of competitors, a disruption caused by a significant controversy, and culminating in an unforeseen victory in a major category.
Emilia Pérez’s experience was a fitting lesson on what to avoid in the future. Moreover, my inability to foresee the success of Flow or No Other Land prompted a reinforcement of the influence international voters wield. One of the prominent lessons for the forthcoming Emmy season includes recognizing the significance of a compelling Golden Globes acceptance speech. It served as invaluable promotional material for Demi Moore and Fernanda Torres’s ambitions.
Another key lesson is the need to distinguish between controversies that can sway the course of the competition, and those that only add to the chatter. Save for the unexpected debacle involving Emilia Pérez, the season closed more or less how we envisioned it would in September, with Anora on the rise.
Turning our attention to the Emmy season, what is the preliminary outlook? Does the television landscape present a similar level of uncertainty as the film industry did half a year ago?
Looking at the comedy sector, the frontrunners appear to be Hacks, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and Only Murders in the Building, securing their positions.
In stark contrast, the drama sphere seems to echo the unpredictability noted in the Oscars. Only Slow Horses out of last year’s eight nominees for Outstanding Drama Series remains in the running this year.
This leaves us with numerous shows making a comeback after a multi-year hiatus, and it’s an open question as to how they’ll be valued this time. Does Severance still maintain its intellectual charm? Will The Last of Us manage to sustain and capitalize on its current momentum?
Is The White Lotus succumbing to an off year? Do Squid Game and The Handmaid’s Tale still have some zest left to captivate audiences? Could The Pitt be the fresh show that successfully penetrates the competition? There’s much to ponder, as we are faced with more queries than clarifications on the cusp of the Emmy season.