Emmy Confidential: The Publicist

This is the third entry in our 2017 Emmy Confidential series. Publishing this week, our Emmy Confidential series allows Emmy voters a chance to anonymously dish on who they voted for and why in some major Emmy categories. 

Our Publicist works for one of the big broadcast networks. A huge fan of television, it’s clear that he tries to watch as many shows as possible, and his taste is very broad and varied.

In addition to letting us know who he voted for in the major series categories, he revealed his favorite nominations come in the Reality field where a certain drag queen competition series has really made a splash this awards season.

“The fact that RuPaul’s Drag Race broke into the Reality Competition Program is my favorite thing. All my friends watch it, but it’s getting nominated in major categories—a 23,000 member voting body! It’s above things like Survivor. It’s insane that something I think is small and niche is actually mass media now. And it’s getting bigger and more exciting. They deserve every single nomination.”

When it came down to talk about his biggest Emmy wish, he answered quickly.

“I would love love love love love if Ann Dowd won either of her categories. She’s so incredible, and I’m super bummed that The Leftovers didn’t get anything. The show capped off with an incredible season. I tell myself that Carrie Coon’s nomination is for The Leftovers and not for Fargo.”

Outstanding Drama Series – The Handmaid’s Tale

I feel like everybody is voting for that. I loved it. It’s phenomenal. They sent us the first four episodes early before they were available on Hulu, and I thought that was a brilliant strategy. I could not get the last four episodes fast enough. I thought every aspect of it—the writing, directing, and acting, costume design—from top down was so cinematic. It felt like something I hadn’t seen before. This is dystopian/alternate reality and the fact that someone could hit so close to feeling like it was happening now was incredible. I didn’t read the book, but I didn’t need to. I knew nothing about the story or the characters going in, and it captivated me the entire time. It’s kind of like the Oscars. You want to look back at Best Picture and say, “This was important of the time. This is where we were as a country and a culture.” Nothing else in fictional television right now speaks quite like this show does. Some shows have aspects of it (The Carmichael Show did a really great job and so does black-ish), but the narrative of The Handmaid’s Tale and the relevancy of today is important to be the representation of the entertainment landscape now.

I think it’ll win. As someone who knows the ins-and-outs of Emmy campaigns and I see what’s effective, I have to say that no one stood out better than Hulu did this year. They had a really great product, but they did everything right. Handmaid’s Tale was released at the perfect time right before voting, so it was hot and on everybody’s minds. Their stunts with the handmaids walking around in parts of LA and popping up everything, you have to remember, don’t cost a lot of money. I admired their campaign so much.

I loved this season of Better Call Saul. I would’ve voted for Bob Odenkirk had I voted in the acting categories. Hands down. I thought This is Us was great, and I think there’s something to be said about a show like that breaking into the category and producing 22 episodes. I mean, 10 episodes is hard as it is, but to churn out over 20 episodes in this day and age is so admirable. It deserves recognition alone on that front.

Outstanding Comedy Series – Master of None

My vote went to Master of None. This is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s weakest season–by far. I didn’t even consider Modern Family. I still can’t believe it gets nominated. I really loved both Veep and Silicon Valley this season, and I admired Atlanta more than I liked it. I know time-wise why it’s in the comedy series, but I sort of don’t understand why it’s in the comedy category.

Master of None is art. It’s so unmatched in terms of its ambition. We talk about the importance of diversity, and it’s telling stories that haven’t been told before by so many different voices. That “Thanksgiving” episode is one that people will be talking about in terms of highlights of the season of the year.

Outstanding TV Movie – Black Mirror: San Junipero

It was the only one I saw. It was incredible. I still can’t believe Bryce Dallas Howard didn’t get nominated for Nosedive.

Outstanding Limited Series – Big Little Lies

This was Fargo’s weakest season, and I love that show. The first season is a perfect season of television, and I admired Season 2. I didn’t even make it past the first few episodes, to be honest. I didn’t watch Genius. I really, really liked The Night Of, but it was so long ago that it was not at the top of my head when I was voting. I liked it. And Feud was fine. I thought it was very poppy and, you know, bubble-gummy. But I really loved Big Little Lies.

I thought everyone was great, and I was entranced the entire time. It’s so easy to watch! All the performances are really great, and I thought it was really zeitgeist-y. Everyone was talking about it. Sometimes with a show like that, you ask yourself, “Which one of the characters am I?” And it’s melodrama and camp. I loved it.