The annual Primetime Emmys for 2022 has just concluded which celebrates the very best of TV for the past year. It was another history in the making event and here are some of our personal highlights from the awards show.
Emmys 2022: A Historic Win for Squid Game
Squid Game managed to grab two Emmys this year for 2022. The first goes to Lee Jung-Jae for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. Jung-Jae played the lead in the show as the blundering Seong Gi-hun who enters the gruesome games with real-life or death stakes, after he was unable to pay off all his debts. Lee managed to beat Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Adam Scott (Severance), Jason Bateman (Ozark), and Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong (Succession), with the latter being the 2020 winner for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Lee’s Emmy win is not only historic, but it may prove to be a turning point for the recognition of non-English language projects. Even when work like “Parasite,” “Drive My Car,” and “The Worst Person in the World” gets recognized in awards categories outside the one designated for international films, the acting talent does not, and Lee’s win doesn’t only open the door wide for Asians but it manages to break mindsets of every critic and viewer.
Squid Game also managed to back a directorial win for Hwang Dong-hyuk, specifically for his work on the episode Red Light, Green Light. This is the pilot episode for the show which also introduced us to the iconic and creepy animatronic doll named Young-hee. These awards are just the beginning for the show as there is more to come in the future with the show being renewed for a second season on Netflix.
Emmys 2022: Zendaya Makes History Once Again
Zendaya was “euphoric” with her second Emmys acting win, which also made history yet again. She is the youngest actor, at 26 years old, to win two Emmys after already winning the award for the same category two years prior back in 2020 for the same role and show as Rue Bennett in HBO’s hit show, Euphoria. This win also solidified her in the history books as the first Black woman to win twice in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
The actress capped off her speech by stating, “My greatest wish for ‘Euphoria’ was that it could help heal people and I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me. I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are Rue, I want you to know that I’m so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me and I carry them with her.”
EMMYS 2022: HBO’s Hogs It All
The biggest winner and star of the night was HBO’s The White Lotus which managed to win all major categories that it was nominated which put the total to 10 EMMY wins. Besides acting statues for stars Jennifer Coolidge and Murray Bartlett, the show also won the trophy for best-limited series. With a second season coming in pretty soon, there are only high expectations that come for The White Lotus. These victories from White Lotus puts HBO and HBO Max’s total wins at the 2022 Emmys at a whopping total of 38, between the primetime telecast Monday night and the Creative Arts Emmys last week. Succession, Hacks, and Euphoria also managed to increase the total number of wins for the network.
EMMYS 2022: The Snubbed Award Goes to…
As with any award show, there were some actors, actresses, shows, and networks that were snubbed this year which we believe should have won at least something or maybe even more than they got out of the Emmys for 2022. Steve Martin and Martin Short’s comedy Only Murders in the Building had an impressive 17 nominations but the show went home empty-handed. Other widely admired shows including Bill Hader’s Barry and Better Call Saul also got sidelined Monday night. Netflix also managed to fly below the radar this year — only winning three Emmys during the primetime telecast which were mostly due to Squid Game. Netflix’s Stranger Things won five Creative Arts Emmys, but no Primetime awards this year which was a huge shocker, to be honest.
COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS
- Best Drama Series: Succession (HBO)
- Best Comedy Series: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
- Best Limited or Anthology Series: The White Lotus (HBO)
- Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Lee Jung-Jae (Squid Game, Netflix)
- Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Zendaya (Euphoria, HBO)
- Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso, Apple TV+)
- Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart (Hacks, HBO)
- Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie: Michael Keaton (Dopesick, HULU)
- Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout, HULU)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Matthew Macfadyen (Succession, HBO)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Julia Garner (Ozark, Netflix)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso, Apple TV+)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abott Elementary, ABC)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie: Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus, HBO)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus, HBO)
- Best Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- Best Variety Sketch Series: Saturday Night Live
- Best Variety Sketch Series: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
- Best Writing for a Comedy Series: Quinta Brunson for “Pilot” (Abott Elementary, ABC)
- Best Writing for a Drama Series: Jesse Armstrong for “All the Bells Say” (Succession, HBO)
- Best Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama Special: Mike White (The White Lotus, HBO)
- Best Directing for a Comedy Series: MJ Delaney for “No Weddings and a Funeral” (Ted Lasso, Apple TV+)
- Best Directing for a Drama Series: Hwang Dong-hyuk for “Red Light, Green Light” (Squid Game, Netflix)
- Best Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Drama Special: Mike White (The White Lotus, HBO)
- Best Documentary or Nonfiction Series: The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)
- Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special: George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO)
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special: Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, Pre-Recorded: Adele One Night Only (CBS)
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special (Live): The Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (NBC)
