Historic wins and Emmy upsets set the stage for a crazy race in 2025

Anyone bored by this year’s Emmy winners simply hasn’t been paying attention. This was a revolution. The idea that “Shōgun” could enter the drama race and then break the history books with 18 wins was astonishing – and didn’t seem possible even a year ago. The fact that “Hacks” could upset “The Bear” in its third season — even though the incumbent still broke the record for most wins for a comedy in a single year — has changed the balance of power in that race.

And then there was perhaps the biggest change of the night: “The Traitors” ended the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” streak of reality competition series. That’s a field where “The Amazing Race” won 10, “Drag Race” won five and “The Voice” won four — so there wasn’t much movement in the category. In any case, “The Traitors” broke things up, which makes for a more dynamic playing field.

Davids killing Goliaths? Here you go: “Fargo” star Lamorne Morris defeated Robert Downey Jr. (“The Sympathizer”), while Liza Colón-Zayas of “The Bear” defeated Meryl Streep (“Only Murders in the Building”) and Carol Burnett (“Palm Royale”).

This was certainly an Emmy to remember. FX beats HBO and Netflix for the first time, taking the win of the year among programming outfits. Richard Gadd’s Cinderella story and ‘Baby Reindeer’, which won six trophies. And “Slow Horses” writer Will Smith won the drama by writing Emmy with the line of the night: “Despite my name, I come in peace.”

And perhaps the most encouraging news of all: Viewership was up 54% from the postponed January 2023 show. It was still a pretty small 6.87 million viewers, but at least the numbers are going up. side. And since most awards show followers wait to watch clips on social media the next day, any increase in viewership is a huge achievement.

It’s a reminder that there is still a significant audience invested in their favorite entertainment shows. And it’s an encouraging sign for next year as there is new life in the league. With “Shōgun” not returning, the drama race shifts once again – and attention will turn back to new seasons with heavy hitters like “House of the Dragon,” “Severance” and “Squid Game.” Also on deck for 2025 – the only question is when – are ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The White Lotus’. Shows on the rise include “Slow Horses,” which may be even more important next year.

And what if… FX takes the bait and moves “The Bear” season 3 to drama? With ‘Hacks’ emerging victorious this week, such a move could be beneficial. After all, “Hacks” will be back in the laffer field next year, and FX will still have the final season of “What We Do in the Shadows” in the running for a comedy series nom. Other returning nominees include “Only Murders in the Building” and a new season of “Abbott Elementary.”

Both the drama and comedy races will have room for new entrants, given the end of the line for “The Crown,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Reservation Dogs.” But with a flood of new and returning shows finally making their way to television this fall (the result of so many being postponed due to the Hollywood strikes), the competition will be fierce.

Will the unscripted and variety fields experience a similar disruption? If history is any indication, ‘The Traitors’ will likely enjoy a few years at the top before another newcomer takes the crown.

The real question for next year is what the TV Academy plans to do with the talk series and scripted variety series categories. The idea of ​​script variety — with only “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” and “Saturday Night Live” — just doesn’t work. And yet, as this season marks the 50th anniversary of “SNL,” there will be renewed interest in the late-night sketch show. Where is it going and where should it compete? And if “Last Week Tonight” returns to the talk race, will the other shows stage an uprising? Many intriguing questions await us. But for now: live the Emmy revolution!