2024 Emmy Awards Review: Honoring the Best & Brightest of TV

You’d be forgiven for not realizing that awards season was just getting started this month. The 2024 Emmys crept in like an awkward party guest, delayed by months due to industry strikes and trying to find its place among the winter awards shows. But the 75th Emmys surprised us all by throwing a pretty great TV celebration, even if the timing felt a bit off.

After a painful Golden Globes and a solid Critics Choice Awards, all eyes turned to see if the Emmys could get back on track to honor the best of TV. Having been postponed from last September and covering a mix of shows from mid-2022 and early 2023, these Emmys entered unfamiliar territory. With football playoffs and other awards crowding the weekend schedule, it was certainly an uphill battle.

But what transpired at the ceremony was far better than expected. Host Anthony Anderson and an array of legendary presenters brought charm and nostalgia, while diverse and moving acceptance speeches stole the show. Between honoring classics like The Sopranos and contemporary hits like The Bear, the 75th Emmys struck a careful balance of Hollywood patting itself on the back and genuinely spotlighting talented artists. Sure, a few awkward or cringey moments snuck in, but overall, this was a surprisingly feel-good Emmys that did right by TV’s big anniversary.

A Safe Hosting Choice That Wasn’t Without Cringes

Anthony Anderson was brought in to helm the 75th Emmys, a choice most would describe as “safe.” And though his hosting started strong with a charming musical homage to classic TV theme songs, things eventually took an awkward turn that has become all too common with Anderson.

The “Black-ish” star opened the show with his take on “Mister Anderson’s Neighborhood,” riffing on the melodies of 80s sitcoms like The Golden Girls, Family Ties, and more. Accompanied by a children’s choir, it immediately evoked nostalgia for TV’s golden era. This led well into Anderson’s limited comedy bits for the rest of the night, which mostly involved introducing presenters and keeping the show running on time.

It seemed the Emmys had found a solid, if unremarkable host to guide its delayed awards ceremony. That is, until Anderson introduced a controversial running joke with his mother, Doris Hancox. Hancox was brought on stage and billed as the replacement for the playoff music, ready to play long-winded accepters off stage. Though occasionally played for laughs, this bit got increasingly cringey, especially when Hancox cut off an emotional Jennifer Coolidge.

Between his musical homage and focus on largely traditional hosting duties, Anderson toed the line well enough. But puzzling, tone-deaf decisions like the gimmick with his mother served as an uncomfortable reminder of the sexual assault allegations that have plagued the comedian. For a ceremony that made strides in diversity and representation, Anderson’s continued presence felt sadly outdated for the Emmys and the current cultural moment.

A Nostalgic, Star-Studded Love Letter to TV History

While the 75th Emmys host kept a narrow focus, the legendary presenters and iconic cast reunions made up for it through heartfelt tributes to TV history. As part of the anniversary celebration, the show featured surprise appearances from classic sitcoms and dramas, having their stars briefly reenact roles and sets from series like Cheers, The Sopranos, Community, Ally McBeal and more.

These reunions aimed to showcase the emotional connections and rich legacy of TV over seven-and-a-half decades, while reminding audiences why we fell in love with these characters and stories. Big hits included the Cheers gang gathering at the bar again and Calista Flockhart reprising Ally McBeal’s goofy dance as her band of eccentric lawyers looked on. It delivered a dose of quintessential 90s nostalgia when we needed it most.

But perhaps most poignant was seeing the Community crew back together, given the show’s constant Emmy snubs during its run. “We’re sponsored by Honda and the movies of Rob Schneider and the University of Phoenix,” Joel McHale joked, noting how the never-nominated sitcom was somehow always trotted out for events celebrating TV excellence. To finally see cast members like McHale, Ken Jeong and Donald Glover take the Emmy stage showed Community and other underappreciated series also help shape TV history.

With all the star power and good vibes, a few misses snuck into the reunions as well. Confusing musical cues often led into the wrong show’s reunion, and some later series mashups like Grey’s Anatomy felt distinctly out of place. And while fun at times, most clip packages weren’t fully substantial looks back for beloved shows. But for a few minutes of smiles and laughs, we can let the imperfect reunions slide.

Between the TV legends presenting awards and these unforgettable walk downs memory lane, the 2024 Emmys understood the assignment. In honoring the medium’s rich past amid celebrations of modern excellence like Abbott Elementary and Succession, it struck the ideal celebratory tone for 75 years of iconic television.

Genuinely Moving Speeches From New Emmy Winners

The 2024 Emmys were filled with fresh, diverse faces taking the stage to accept awards. After years of disappointing wins failing to reflect the incredible work by people of color, this year brought several long-overdue, historic victories. And the acceptance speeches matched the occasion, balancing humor and passion while never losing sight of the honor.

Quinta Brunson spoke through tears and laughter in disbelief over her Lead Actress in a Comedy win for Abbott Elementary, the first for a Black woman in the category since 1981. Brunson’s genuine shock gave way to a charming speech where she heaped praise on comedy legend Carol Burnett, who presented Brunson her Emmy. “I don’t even know why I’m so emotional,” Brunson said, clearly overwhelmed by the moment.

Niecy Nash-Betts also captured the audience with her rousing Supporting Actress speech for Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She shone a light on Black and brown women historically wronged by police, naming Breonna Taylor and the underappreciated woman her character was based on. “My job is to speak truth to power, and I’m going to do that until the day I die,” Nash-Betts proclaimed, bringing the crowd to their feet.

While others opted for humor, like Paul Walter Hauser’s rhyming rap acceptance or John Oliver drawing out his speech until Anderson’s mother played him off. But no matter the approach, this year’s diverse Emmy winners delivered thoughtfully and from the heart.

And it wasn’t just the new class of first-time winners making their mark. All the speeches generally skewed shorter and sweeter Sunday night, with few rambling on or getting played off stage. Whether a quick quip from Jean Smart or heartfelt shout out like Jerrod Carmichael’s to LGBTQ artists, veteran and up-and-coming Emmy winners chose quality over quantity. This kept the night flowing while allowing more time to highlight the excellent work honored across genres and generations.

A Watershed Year for Inclusion Across the Emmys

The 2024 Emmys will likely be remembered as a watershed year for diversity and representation across the board. One need only glance at the historic list of winners to appreciate how profoundly this year shifted the landscape.

The Emmys delivered monumental, first-of-their-kind wins for Black women in genres they have too often been overlooked in. Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson broke a nearly 40-year dry spell for Black women winning Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Meanwhile, Niecy Nash-Betts earned Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for Dahmer – Monster, honoring the Black women who helped bring Jeffrey Dahmer to justice.

And Brunson, Nash-Betts and others didn’t shy away from using their platforms to uplift and empower marginalized communities either. Nash-Betts spoke boldly about police violence against Black women, saying “My job is to speak truth to power, and I’m going to do that until the day I die.” RuPaul also made a subtle statement on book bans and attacks on LGBTQ rights while accepting his Reality Competition award.

Comedy and reality weren’t the only genres making progress either. Zendaya’s Lead Drama Actress win for Euphoria made her the first Black woman to ever earn that honor twice. The White Lotus and Squid Game also took home trophies, spotlighting more diverse ensemble casts being created.

The signs of change went behind the scenes too. Quinta Brunson and others made sure to thank the key creative women of color helping bring these groundbreaking stories to life. Ali Wong even shouted out Little America producer Sian Heder for hiring “some female Asian department heads” instead of the usual white male candidates.

After being panned for its lack of inclusion for years, the 2024 Emmys demonstrate the Television Academy is finally making diversity, equality and representation a top priority. And with even more fresh and exciting series on the rise, this watershed moment has all the makings of a major shift toward a new era of Emmy winners.

Scene-Stealing Moments From EGOTs to Underdogs

Beyond the many historic firsts, reunions and speeches, a few unexpected moments managed to steal the show at the 2024 Emmys. From the rise of underdog shows to questionable production choices, Sunday night delivered several water cooler moments that reminded audiences why live TV still captivates.

The biggest shock came in the hotly contested comedy series category, where The Bear pulled an upset over back-to-back winner Ted Lasso. Many believed Jason Sudeikis and the Apple TV juggernaut to be unbeatable for the trophy, making the FX dramedy’s coup all the more thrilling. And The Bear creator Matty Matheson delivered an accordingly riotous speech, capping it with co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s open-mouth kiss that will live forever in GIF form.

There was also major history made on the less surprising end when Elton John finally completed the coveted EGOT with his Best Original Song win for “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” 40 years after his first Grammy and Academy Award, the music icon can add an Emmy and Tony to his unparalleled resume across entertainment.

Unfortunately a few eyebrow-raising moments fell flat as well. The drawn-out “In Memoriam” cover of the Friends theme as Matthew Perry appeared on screen felt painfully out of place for what should have been a graceful tribute. And while musical numbers are often unwelcome at awards shows anyway, Travis Barker’s brief drum solo during Anderson’s monologue was just plain confusing.

But between feeling genuine joy for Elton John and this year’s underdogs getting their due, there were still enough unexpected highs to balance out the few off-key choices. After all the delays and challenges leading up to the 75th Emmys, we should celebrate whenever live TV manages to pleasantly surprise us.

Slick Production Can’t Save An Awkward Ceremony

Considering all the last-minute delays and scheduling headaches, the production quality of the 2024 Emmys deserves some credit. The show moved briskly along despite numerous categories to get through, thanks in large part to concise, heartfelt speeches. Almost no one risked getting played off stage this year. The broadcast also captured well-timed crowd shots for joyous reactions, like Ayo Edebiri’s shocked face when co-star Jeremy Allen White won.

But while the machinery behind the Emmys ran smoothly, it couldn’t fully override the awkwardness of a January awards show still honoring television from mid-2022. montages reminding us of when certain shows aired only made the cognitive dissonance between calendars more apparent. And respect must be given to the producers for even cobbling together enough content to pad out 3 hours under these strange circumstances.

Of course, fans still found elements confusing or objectionable despite the production’s best efforts. Travis Barker’s shoehorned drum solo felt entirely disconnected from the show itself. And the cringeworthy “In Memoriam” segment merging Wiz Khalifa’s act into the Friends theme song demonstrated remarkably poor taste.

Yet through it all, the 2024 Emmys stayed the course, with few major hiccups or technical blunders. The quick pacing prevented ratings hemorrhaging over such an unusually scheduled event. And host Anthony Anderson kept proceedings focused even when the ceremony itself felt unfocused amidst an overcrowded awards season. We can credit Danny Collins and his production team for preventing a disastrous outcome under challenging circumstances. It wasn’t flashy or revolutionary, but solid producing gave the 75th Emmys the decent sendoff it deserved.

An Imperfect But Heartfelt Tribute to 75 Years of TV History

In the end, the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards exceeded expectations, delivering a surprisingly feel-good celebration of all things television despite some awkwardness. This year’s unusual spot amidst the winter awards lineup could have been an unmitigated disaster. Yet host Anthony Anderson set a steady pace, legendary presenters brought charming reunions, and moving acceptance speeches from diverse, talented winners reminded us all why we love TV.

It certainly wasn’t a flawless affair. Production elements occasionally missed the mark. The relevance of honoring shows from mid-2022 felt dubious. And celebrating old classics like Cheers while new innovative series get overlooked will always come with pros and cons.

But during an often painful year for Hollywood and production, you could see how much this night meant to those in the industry. The 75th Emmys struck that delicate balance between patting itself on the back yet still spotlighting today’s groundbreaking storytellers. And hearing Miss Minutes proclaim “television has been pretty darn good for 75 years” somehow made this disconnected January awards show feel right at home.

Few will remember who won Supporting Actor in 2022 come next awards season. But we’ll recall the heart, the passion and, most importantly, the unabashed love letter to TV and its fans that permeated throughout the 75th Emmys. After everything viewers and voters endured lately, that sweet sentiment delivered exactly what we needed.

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