2019 Emmy's - A bit late but interesting

Forbes - Sep 22, 2019, 11:25pm

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The Broadcast Networks Fall Short At The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards

Marc Berman

The 71st Emmy Awards were telecast live from the live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. ... 

Fewer nominations for the broadcast networks at the Primetime Emmy Awards has been a pattern since the rise of cable and now, in particular, the digital streamers. So, there was no reason to expect any of the Big 4 broadcasters (ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox) to make much of a dent in the winner’s circle this year at the 71st annual telecast.

Boosted by Game of Thrones, HBO was the most Emmy nominated outlet this year with 137 (which was up by 29 nominations from one year earlier). Next was Netflix at 117, followed by NBC (58), Amazon Prime Video (47), CBS (43), FX (32), ABC (26), Hulu (20), and Fox and Showtime, each with 18.

Heading into the ceremony, telecast live on Fox, HBO had the most momentum with 25 total wins at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony last Sunday (with 10 for Game of Thrones). Next was Netflix at 23, followed by Amazon Prime Video and National Geographic (the latter including a 7 for 7 winning streak for documentary Free Solo) with eight apiece. Tops among the broadcast networks was the home of Saturday Night Live, NBC, with just 5.

In other words, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards were a precursor to the lack of attention for the broadcast nets by the Emmy voters at the annual extravaganza again this year. Almost two hours into the telecast, the first of just two broadcast network wins came in the form of NBC’s Saturday Night Live for Outstanding Variety Sketch Comedy. This was the fifth win in the category for the veteran series and its competition was all non-network series: At Home with Amy Sedaris on truTV, Documentary Now! on IFC, Drunk History on Comedy Central, I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman and Showtime’s Who Is America?

The night’s second broadcast network victory was for Outstanding Directing in a Variety Series, also for Saturday Night Live.Overall, HBO was the most honored network with 8 of the primetime 26 awards handed out (including Game of Thrones for Outstanding Drama Series). Next was Amazon Prime Video with 6 (including Fleabag for Outstanding Comedy Series); followed by four for Netflix; 2 each for NBC, BBC America and FX; and 1 each for Hulu and VH1. Including the Creative Arts ceremony, that brings HBO’s winning tally to 33 trophies, followed by 27 for Netflix, and 13 for Amazon Prime Video.The Network Nominations in a Nutshell

Only one of the seven series nominated in the categories of Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series (This Is Us and The Good Place, respectively, and both on NBC) were from a broadcast net. Not one of the five nominations for Outstanding Limited Series or TV Movie was outside of a cable and digital platform. And only six of the nominees in the lead acting categories in comedy drama, limited series and movies were from a broadcast series as well.

“With less restrictions, cable and now digital have more creative freedom in their storytelling,” noted Rob Russo, president of RNR Media Consulting. “And fewer episodes produced per show each season on digital and cable (versus the traditional 22-episode for the broadcast networks) can also translate into a higher quality program.”

“Sometimes less is more,” he added. “And what you often see on a broadcasting network is often more cookie cutter in nature. The challenge for the traditional broadcasters is filling 22-hours per week in primetime.”

Unfortunately for the broadcast nets, not one of the nominations in the lead acting categories (Sterling K. Brown, Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore for NBC’s This Is Us; Viola Davis for ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder; Anthony Anderson for ABC’s black-ish; and Ted Danson for NBC’s The Good Place) resulted in a win. And only one of the supporting acting categories was for a network series: Kate McKinnon (NBC’s Saturday Night Live), and she too went home empty handed this year.

Since the start of the 2019-20 television season officially begins tomorrow, there are 17 new network series vying for an audience. In midseason, another estimated 19 shows are on the docket. So, yes, anything is certainly possibly at the Emmy Awards next year. But in this era of “Peak TV,” where the rapid rise of original scripted programming is primarily a result of the non-network platforms, these broadcast networks face an uphill battle to be recognized by the critics.

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Marc Berman