For an event that seems to draw lower and lower ratings with each passing year, the media and television consumers are quick to engage in passionate debates about the status of awards shows. With each telecast, the Monday morning quarterbacking sessions ensue, dissecting the ratings, what was successful and unsuccessful, and a macro examination of their popularity with a mass audience. After an abysmal 4.3 million viewers for last year’s strike-delayed ceremony, the 76th Emmy Awards, airing this past Sunday on ABC, only had room to improve. The broadcast and presentation went smoothly enough, but there was an enthusiasm and urgency noticeably lacking on the stage and screen. While not an abject disaster, the Emmys illustrated the glaring issue hindering the viability of awards shows in 2024. The hosts, the father-son duo of Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, were witty and charming as expected, but the show simply didn’t let them be witty and charming long enough.
The 2024 Emmy Awards Was a Mixed Bag of Entertaining Familiarity
The 2024 Emmys mostly skewed on the side of familiarity, evident by the reliance on reunions of the cast of The West Wing, Saturday Night Live, and Happy Days. While wins for cast members of The Bear, including Jeremy Allen White and Ebon-Moss Bachrach (with Liza Colon-Zayas winning her first), were practically a forgone conclusion, it was finally defeated in the Outstanding Comedy Series category, losing to Hacks, with Jean Smart winning Best Actress in its respective genre. On the drama side, Shōgun swept through most awards, including Best Actress for Anna Sawai, Actor for Hiroyuki Sanada, and Outstanding Series, although Billy Crudup for The Morning Show and Elizabeth Debicki for The Crown spoiled a complete sweep. Supporting the Levys in their hosting duties were presenters Colin Farrell, the cast of Only Murders in the Building, Candice Bergen, Viola Davis, and more.
In an age where awards shows are trying to avoid explosive displays of public embarrassment, such as announcing the wrong winner for Best Picture or slapping a presenter on stage, there is an inclination towards safe and familiar beats. Viewers know what to expect these days; a brief monologue that takes mild jabs at the current trends in the industry and the nominees, a myriad of big-ticket presenters, and an array of skits and montages. Once the clock hits 11:00 EST, you know they’re about to wrap it up. The 2024 Emmys’ lack of polarization in its creative choices made for a pleasant viewing experience, but it’s not one you’ll remember three months from now. Clinging to nostalgia and the urge to “get the band back together” prevails throughout pop culture and the last two Emmy broadcasts have built the show around these reunions, where half the runtime is dedicated to rushing cast members of a beloved show on the stage to say a few kind words to the audience.
Eugene Levy and Dan Levy Shined With Limited Screen Time at the Emmys
At the outset of the broadcast, the uber-charismatic father-son team of Eugene and Dan Levy teased an excellent night. It’s never a surprise when these two, the stars of Schitt’s Creek, light up the stage or screen with their radiant humor, but it did remind audiences of the magistry and innate star power of awards shows. The nature of the generational gap between Eugene and Dan provided for a plethora of self-deprecating humor regarding the former’s age, as well as the elderly status of his friends and former co-stars, Steve Martin and Martin Short. During their affable monologue, Dan described The Emmys as “broadcast TV’s biggest night for honoring movie stars on streaming services,” poking fun at the migration of movie stars working on the small screen. Weighing in on the hotly contested debate on The Bear‘s validity as a comedy, Eugene said, “In true spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes.” The two engaged in a witty debate about the ubiquity of the “+” sign used as a suffix for every major streaming service, with Eugene confusing the plus sign on Apple TV+ as a direct endorsement of the LGBTQ community.
While the hosting duties highlighted the most pressing issue of the Emmys, it was certainly no fault of Eugene and Dan Levy, who brought their magnetism to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Hosting an awards show is often cited as a thankless job, no matter the likability and talent of the respective host. It brings all the scrutiny and baggage with limited benefits, as Kevin Hart learned before he pulled himself from hosting the Oscars in 2018 after insensitive social media posts of his were unearthed. However, these award shows, particularly the Academy Awards and the Emmys, are primarily to blame for the untenable nature of hosting, as they hardly let their hosts fulfill their hosting duties by putting on a memorable presentation. Following their monologue, the Levys were barely visible for the rest of the ceremony, only making brief asides returning from commercial breaks. Following Hart’s departure, the Academy Awards made the bold decision to go host-less for the next three ceremonies, relying on an ensemble group of presenters to carry the show, which signaled where these awards shows were heading.
Modern Award Shows Don’t Allow Their Hosts To Fulfill Their Duties as Hosts
A collaborative hosting effort of a broadcast works in theory, but the lack of a single voice or hosting pair anchoring the ceremony is responsible for the awkward, sluggish pacing of recent awards shows. Sunday night’s Emmys allocated more time to setting up reunions than to Eugene and Dan Levy on the stage. Complaining about bits and sketches at awards shows is as timeless of a tradition as an orchestra playing off an acceptance speech that’s overstayed its welcome. Instead of the traditional comedic skit, the ceremony gathered shining examples of character archetypes on the small screen, including fathers, villains, and doctors. These perfunctory presentations brought the momentum to a screeching halt. In general, these curated demonstrations or montages are woefully misguided. Viewers want charming and entertaining people, like the never-not-hysterical Catherine O’Hara, to riff on stage, even if they are not the designated hosts.
As self-important as award shows carry themselves, everyone recognizes that these nights are not about curing cancer. Any telecast, the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys, or Emmys, is about putting on a show, an apt desire for an awards body made up of entertainers. No one expects Eugene Levy or Dan Levy to lead the broadcast on their own. Still, by keeping them on the back burner for most of the night, the Emmys are depriving their waning audience of a steady and effortlessly pleasant comedy team making the ceremony cohesive. A viewer may not care about The Bear, Shōgun, and Hacks altogether, but the charisma of the Levys might keep them coming back for more. Let your hosts be hosts. It’s not rocket science.
Full List of Emmy Winners
