After a highly tumultuous week in America, the 77th Primetime Emmys began as an overly tempered ceremony and then quickly dissolved into a frenzied program full of (mostly delightful) unexpected wins. The Television Academy had made a surprising choice when announcing that comedian Nate Bargatze would be taking the stage as the host, and he didn’t exactly make his mark. From his opening monologue, Bargatze set an almost lackadaisical, apolitical tone for the evening. He lacked the enthusiasm and gumption needed to lead a three-hour-long award program and often seemed stunned to be in the spotlight. At one point, he even donned a dreadful Canadian tuxedo, which may have been a nod to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial jeans ad. (It would have been nice if this and many of Bargatze’s other jokes landed more clearly.)
Bargatze opened not with a monologue, but with a sketch, and it was middling, a comment on the absurdity of our current chaotic television landscape. Bargatze did throw a barb at CBS (where the Emmys were being broadcast) by calling it the Caucasian Broadcast System, a nod to the sparse number of people of color leading the network’s primetime lineup.
In his next appearance, Bargatze shook things up when announcing a challenge for winners. The host explained to the audience that he would be donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but if the winners’ speeches lasted more than 45 seconds, then money would be depleted from the pot. Speeches under the 45-second limit would add additional funds to the pool. For audiences at home, this initially seemed to be an inventive solution, since the Emmys have been known to drag on. However, after the first winners, Catherine LaNasa (“The Pitt”) and Trammell Tillman (“Severance”), awkwardly rushed through their acceptance speeches — LaNasa’s was a surprise, Tillman’s had been anticipated — it was clear that this “challenge” was an ill-conceived tactic from Bargatze and Jesse Collins Entertainment producers.
Though the 45-second cap on the award winners’ speeches certainly kept the show moving on time, winners seemed flustered and rushed, almost racing through their big moment instead of being allowed to bask in something they’ve worked so hard to obtain. This misstep became glaringly obvious as presenters droned on and on, eating up time that could have been given to the winners. (The presenters weren’t under the same time crunch.) There was also the random caveat of Bargatze enlisting actor JB Smoove and four adorable children to represent the Boys & Girls Clubs, which led to obviously confused children coming out each time to help escort the presenters and winners off the stage.
As live shows tend to do, the Emmys began shifting in real time. There was a slew of upsets, which did add excitement. LaNasa snagged supporting actress in a drama over “White Lotus” favorite Carrie Coon, and shortly thereafter, Britt Lower of “Severance” won over “Matlock”‘s Kathy Bates for actress in a drama. (She may have even given her acceptance speech as her character, Helly R.)
By the time “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder won for supporting actress in a comedy — her first Emmy — it was clear that the winners were ready to reclaim their time and the show. (Even if that meant covering the Boys & Girls Clubs donation out of their own pocket.) And Einbinder was the first actor of the night to get overtly political from the stage, by proudly declaring, “Go Birds, fuck ICE and free Palestine.” The Philadelphia Eagles fan went well over the 45-second time cap, saying, “I’ll make up the difference.” When Jeff Hiller won for his stunning role in HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere” he thanked his co-star Bridget Everett and the show’s creators for “writing a show at a time when compassion is seen as weakness.” However, it took until ”The Penguin” star Cristin Milioti snagged her award for actress in a drama series for someone to look like they actually enjoyed giving their speech.
Other highlights and surprising wins came with Owen Cooper’s win for his role in “Adolescence,” making the 15-year-old the youngest ever winner in the limited series category. “Gilmore Girls” stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel did a very cutesy tribute for the show’s 25th anniversary, quipping about the show’s ultra-low budget and obsession with fall. Stephen Colbert won his first Emmy following the cancellation of “The Late Show” earlier this year, and delivered an inspiring speech, ending it with his love for America and reminding us all (via a Prince quote), “If an elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy, and punch a higher floor!”
Overall, the show was full of some enjoyable upsets, and well-deserved sweeps from “The Studio” and “Adolescence.” There were a hodgepodge of good speeches, and some heartfelt moments celebrating PBS and the legacy of “Law & Order.” Noah Wyle’s first-ever Emmys win for lead actor in a drama, he dedicated the award to hospital workers, as portrayed on “The Pitt.” By then, thank goodness, the 45-second clock was being ignored. And in the end, Bargatze announced the whole thing donation frenzy had been a (bad) joke, of course, and he and CBS were donating $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club after all, even though the speech clock was very much in the red. If they wanted to look at wasted time, the call was coming from inside the house.
