Typically, the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards show is hyped up with red-carpet fashion and eager actors and actresses awaiting an important moment of career recognition. This time around, though, critics and viewers were less interested in the glam, fashion and actual awards being given out and more excited about the execution of this live event.
With award nominees Zooming in from home, nobody knew exactly how this year’s award show would play out. Jimmy Kimmel, the ceremony’s host, delivered a classic Emmys opening monologue to a room of empty seats. Here’s how things went down.
The fashion-obsessed must have been surprised by the lack of gowns and tuxedos. This virtual event allowed all nominees to personally decide what they would wear. Some of these celebrities still went all-out, as they usually do for the Emmys. Some nominees, however, chose to embrace the at-home celebration by dressing in leisurely outfits and showcasing everything from adorable pets to decorative living room backdrops. Although we did not get the usual red-carpet glamour, it was refreshing to see different celebrities interpret the dress code in unique ways—hoodies or gowns.
Once we hear Kimmel crack a COVID-19 joke, saying, “You can’t have a virus without a host,” editors cut to old footage of the Emmys’ audience. Keeping this tradition of talent recognition alive during uncertain times, Jennifer Aniston starts the show and presents Catherine O’Hara with the “Best Lead Actress In a Comedy Series” award for “Schitt’s Creek.”
Since Schitt’s Creek was my all-time favorite quarantine binge, this was no surprise to me. The ceremony cuts to the entire cast of the show gathered together in Toronto. Interestingly enough, this Canadian sitcom did not build much traction for the first four years of its release. When it started streaming on Netflix, though, this laugh-out-loud TV show quickly became all the talk. Through this Emmys award ceremony, “Schitt’s Creek” collected a total of nine awards and broke the record for most wins by a comedy show in a single season.
After much “Schitt’s Creek” fascination, Regina King won Best Lead Actress for the show, “Watchmen.” This fictional action series is one season long and based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This limited series ended up sweeping the Emmy’s with 11 awards, more than any other show.
Another one of my favorite winners was “Unorthodox,” which was awarded the best limited dramatic series. “Unorthodox” follows a young woman named Esther through her escape from the ultraorthodox Jewish community where she grew up in Brooklyn, New York.
With no red carpet or in-person crowds, the 72nd Primetime Emmys Award ceremony was a celebration to remember. With all the glitchy broadcasting, this awards show felt similar to sitting through a Zoom class. Read the full list of this year’s Emmy winners here.
