A few surprise awards and unexpected snubs were on display at the 76th Primetime Emmys on Monday morning (IST) that otherwise witnessed the triumph of Shogun and The Bear in most of the major categories. Here’s a look at the snubs and surprises at Emmys 2024.
Hacks prevails over The Bear
After securing seven Emmys at the Creative Arts Awards last week, most believed FX’s The Bear would claim its second consecutive best comedy series award. Instead, HBO’s Hacks took home the prize, marking one of the biggest Emmys upsets in recent memory.
The surprise may have been foreshadowed when Bulletproof, the Season 3 finale episode of Hacks, triumphed over The Bear Season 2’s fan-favorite episode Fishes, which chronicled a chaotic Christmas dinner, in the best writing in comedy category.
Yet Fishes wasn’t entirely overlooked as The Bear creator Christopher Storer bagged the Emmy for best direction in comedy for the episode.
Liza Colón-Zayas wins, Ayo Edibiri loses
While the male stars of The Bear — Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach — continued their winning streak as best actor and best supporting actor, respectively, for the second year in a row, the actresses couldn’t orchestrate a sweep. Ayo Edebiri lost to Jean Smart from Hacks in the lead actress category. But Liza Colón-Zayas pulled off a stunning win in the supporting actress category, beating favourites like Hannah Einbinder from Hacks, Meryl Streep (Only Murders in the Building) and Carol Burnett (Palm Royale).
Lamorne Morris beats Robert Downey Jr.
In the limited series category, Lamorne Morris earned a surprise win for best supporting actor for his role in the latest season of Fargo. He impressed viewers with his portrayal of a cop who forms an unlikely connection with a kidnapped woman played by Juno Temple. Morris triumphed over Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr., who was nominated for HBO’s The Sympathizer.
RuPaul’s Drag Race hits a roadblock
The Traitors dethroned the long-reigning RuPaul’s Drag Race as the best reality competition series. RuPaul’s Drag Race had been winning this category since 2018, barring one time in 2022 when Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls won the honour.
The Traitors’ win followed last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, where the show’s host Alan Cumming ended RuPaul Charles’ eight-year streak as best reality series host, charming audiences with his blend of tartan flair and cheeky charisma.
Double whammy for Shogun
Despite Shōgun’s record-breaking wins at the Emmys this year, Tadanobu Asano, who played Yabushige on the show, missed out on an award for best supporting actor in a drama. That honour went to Billy Crudup for his portrayal of TV executive Cory Ellison in The Morning Show. It was Crudup’s second win for the role after the show’s first season in 2020.
One of the night’s bigger surprises came in the writing category when Slow Horses creator Will Smith (not the actor) beat Shōgun writers Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks and Caillin Puente. Smith’s acceptance speech began with a memorable quip: “First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace.”