Emmy Confidential: The Publicist

This is the first in our 2016 Emmy Confidential series. Posting this week, the Emmy Confidential series allows Emmy voters the opportunity to anonymously discuss what they voted for and why in four major Emmy categories.

Our first Emmy voter is a Publicist who worked on the 2016 awards campaign for a now Emmy-winning major player in the Emmy race. The Publicist’s biggest Emmy wish this year is that Rachel Bloom win anything and everything for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a show applauded by our Emmy voter for its ethnic and sexual diversity.

Drama Series – Mr. Robot

I love Better Call Saul, but I don’t think it’s reached that level yet. Breaking Bad won for its two best seasons, so giving the award to Better Call Saul now doesn’t seem to make much sense to me. I haven’t picked Homeland back up after leaving it after Season 3, and I don’t watch Downton Abbey or House of Cards. Mr. Robot’s first season was a standout. It’s a fantastic introductory season, and I haven’t picked up any of Season Two yet. I’m waiting for the entire second season to be over, so I can watch it all at once and take it all in. The second season shouldn’t affect that though. Emmy votes really need to be judged on the episodes submitted. Other episodes in other seasons shouldn’t influence that.

Comedy Series – Silicon Valley

Veep is probably going to win. First of all, it’s disgusting that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend isn’t on here. That show is 8x better than anything nominated. I can’t believe that Modern Family is still there, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was good but not as good as the first season. Master of None’s “Parents” episode was a true standout, but I thought the rest of the season was uneven. I refuse to vote for Transparent in this category. Jeffrey Tambor is great, but that’s not a comedy. I think Silicon Valley is overdue. Seasons 1 and 2 are perfection. Thomas Middleditch is my favorite nomination of the entire Emmys this year.

Limited Series – The Night Manager

It’s completely stellar on every level—directing, acting, production design. Everything. It’s really remarkable that a lot of people said it was an unfilmable. It was updated with a contemporary setting, and it worked perfectly—not a lot of series can do the same thing. It’s fantastic, and I think some people forget that it exists. I almost voted for American Crime. My vote was very, very close to that. They took a huge risk with the show, and it’s phenomenal. I almost voted for it just to support how great that decision was. American Crime winning would validate broadcast networks’ decisions to pick up a show not because it will get huge ratings or fit their brand, but because they are good and have something to say.

Plus, Connor Jessup and Joey Pollari are the two biggest Emmy snubs of the year. Jessup gave one of the best performances in any category of the year, and he deserved to be recognized.

TV Movie – Confirmation

To be honest, not too thrilled with this category this year! Sherlock: His Last Vow was a spectacular achievement and deserved all of its surprise wins. Abominable Bride… not so much. I love this series, and I actually quite struggled to get through it. Luther should not be in this category! I know it suffers from a small episode count but that still doesn’t make it a TV Movie. A Very Murray Christmas was really fun, and it would probably get my second place vote. All the Way did nothing to elevate the exemplary stage play, and at places where I was supposed to be riveted I found myself bored. Cranston was great as always but don’t he and Jay Roach (who is 4-for-4 in nominations) have enough?

That leaves Confirmation. Kerry Washington was really phenomenal, and it’s unfortunate that she’s getting lost in the Sarah Paulson-fest. It’s also a really important story that more people need to be aware of. Now, if A Deadly Adoption made it in there, that’s where my vote would go!