‘Squid Game’ Enters the Emmy Tracker

Here’s a quick update this week as there’s not much going on right now in the television world. We really won’t know what of the fall shows resonates with voting bodies until mid-December when the Golden Globes issue their nominations in whatever fashion they issue them. They’ll have to incorporate things from the spring (Mare of Easttown, etc), so that colors the picture a bit. Yet, we’ll know what the Hollywood Foreign Press thinks of Impeachment: American Crime Story, which weirdly enough feels like the biggest wild card of the season.

Critics were lukewarm when the series premiered. However, now that it has wrapped its season, there’s a sense that people may have warmed to Ryan Murphy’s Clinton marital / Washington politics drama. In every conversation about the series, Sarah Paulson immediately pops for her sensitive portrayal of Linda Tripp. People also raved about Emmy bait Edie Falco’s turn as Hillary Clinton. I’m not sure, though, that Beanie Feldstein fully overcame casting concerns of her Monica Lewinsky. However, given the buzz and Q&A sessions that have already taken place, I’m warming a bit to its broader Emmy potential than perhaps I once was.

The Golden Globes will also emerge as our first major awards body to weigh in on Netflix’s international project Squid Game. Netflix still needs to officially say whether or not they’re going to submit it for the American Emmy Awards or for the International Emmy Awards. However, given some interactions and conversations I’ve had with publicists already, my guess right now is that they’re going for the American Emmy Awards. They’re already starting to offer awards-based conversations with star Lee Jung-jae.

Given that, we’ve decided to include it in our Emmy Tracker until we hear otherwise.

Netflix also may be sensing a little (very slight, tiny, incredibly small) weakness in presumed frontrunner Succession. I loved what I’ve seen of Succession season three. However, online reactions to the last few episodes have started to trend toward a little restlessness. I’ve read multiple reactions indicating people think the series is “spinning its wheels.” Are people growing tired of the Kendall/Logan drama? Are they restless that the series hasn’t offered more interaction between Roman and Gerri? Whatever the cause, the series needs to push the envelope a little more as it closes the season. Episode 7, dedicated to Kendall’s 40th birthday party, may change minds. It offers the kind of drama and juicy family interactions that people loved over the previous seasons. Plus, Jeremy Strong may cement his second Emmy award with his vulnerable performance in this episode.

I’m not saying that Squid Game is the drama series frontrunner, but I’m thinking that Netflix recognizes an opportunity. Squid Game gives the Television Academy, if it so desires, the opportunity to tap into that Parasite fever from 2019.

Finally, coming back to the limited series race, AppleTV+ dropped the first few episodes of The Shrink Next Door. This is a very good limited series, topped by an excellent, career-topping performance by Paul Rudd. Apple seems big on this series, and people who find it will be entertained and compelled by its first five episodes. If there’s a fault to the series, then it stretches the series a little beyond what I think the story can comfortably support. Perhaps that’s due to the fact that the real-life story removes the great Kathryn Hahn, delivering yet another Emmy-worthy performance, from the series. When she returns in the finale, it’s a breath of fresh air that gives the series a shot of much-needed adrenaline.

The Golden Globes will also tell us how seriously awards voting bodies are taking Rudd’s performance. Personally, I think it’s the best work he’s ever done. He uses that inherent likability and sprinkles it with a delicious undertone of malevolence that works beautifully. He fully needs to be in the Emmy conversation as the year progresses.

What do you think of the latest series to drop? Do you love Squid Game? Are you growing tired of Succession? Have you caught The Shrink Next Door? Sound off in the comments!