Being a television fan has many ups and downs, and the biggest roller coaster of all is the Emmy Awards. We rally our hopes first when the nominations are announced, and hopefully again when our nominated favorites have their categories up at the actual awards. Now that another ceremony is in full swing, it's time to mourn the biggest 2016 Emmy snubs, from shows that got shut out to the actors who deserve a break.
Diversity in mainstream awards ceremonies has taken center stage in 2016, with the second year of #OscarsSoWhite and the #Hamiltonys. The 2016 Tony Awards gave a record number of trophies to black actors, in all four musical acting categories. However, since three of those four were from Hamilton, it's not an accurate representation of the Broadway landscape in terms of diversity. This is an ongoing conversation that spans all entertainment mediums. So, with a large group of Emmy nominees that aren't all white actors, the way the winners shook out will certainly be something to talk about.
So, which nominees were snubbed at the Emmys this year? It's sad enough that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Orange Is The New Black were shut out before the ceremony even began. It is, as they say, always good just to be nominated — but sometimes even that's not enough. Here are some of the shows and performances that deserved more at the Emmys this year.
Keegan-Michael Key
He was nominated for Key & Peele, but also so good on Playing House. Hopefully, his moment will come one day. Though honestly, the same could be said for Andre Braugher and Tituss Burgess as well. Supporting Actor In A Comedy was stacked.
Aziz Ansari
OK, so I'm happy that Jill Soloway won for directing a comedy series — but Ansari was snubbed at the podium when he won for best writing in a comedy series, am I right? Let him speak.
Ellie Kemper
Julie Louis-Dreyfus is always deserving, and her speech was incredibly moving, but it's time for someone else to get this particular spotlight.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Honestly, Anthony Anderson, Ross, and black-ish deserve more than just nominations.
Audra McDonald
We all knew Sarah Paulson was going to win this category, but as a theatre kid, I'm so used to McDonald winning everything that it feels wrong.
Luther
Seriously, why has this show never gotten the awards love that it deserves?
James Corden
Say what you will about Carpool Karaoke, The Late Late Show reminds me of early days of Fallon's Late Night — just a breath of fresh air.
Beyoncé
Look, I'm the first person to cheer for both Tommy Kail and Grease Live, but Beyoncé quite literally knocked Lemonade out of the park.
UnREAL
Again, I love that Game of Thrones won a writing award. However, UnREAL was so well-written, and I want to see women get these awards too.
The Cast Of Game Of Thrones
So glad that this is the year that the Emmy Awards acknowledged its own ridiculous obsession with Maggie Smith. There was a record number of Game of Thrones actors nominated this year, and zero wins. Did they all cancel each other out? What a bummer.
Keri Russell
At least, that's what my mom tells me. (I'm kidding, The Americans is amazing.)
Viola Davis
I gasped with delight when Tatiana Maslany won, but I still wish that Davis' performance in How To Get Away With Murder had won as well.
On the other hand, of those who were recognized, there were almost so many perfect winners this year that it's hard to focus on snubs. I'm going to be cheering for Alan Yang, Tatiana Maslany, Regina Hall, Rami Malek, Jill Soloway, Game of Thrones, Key & Peele, Tommy Kail, Patton Oswalt, and Courtney B. Vance well into Monday morning. However, every Emmy win leaves a bittersweet snub — so let's celebrate them as well and call it another excellent year in television.
Image: Caroline Wurtzel/Bustle
