The Emmys have spoken – and what a day it's been! UK audiences are still reeling from the raft of surprises and snubs that lit up the nominations list. While some household names were largely left out in the cold, others made an emphatic entrance onto the awards scene, particularly courtesy of those streaming giants we Brits can't get enough of.
Welsh heartthrob Matthew Rhys has stolen the show with not one but two nominations – a testament to his incredible range. He's up for Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series as Nile Jarvis in Netflix's 'The Beast in Me', and also as Tom Loftis in Apple TV+'s 'Widow's Bay' in the Comedy Series category. Could he take home multiple gongs? Stranger things have happened, but this dual recognition has certainly set the cat among the pigeons!
Apple TV+'s 'Widow's Bay', meanwhile, is looking like a dark horse with an impressive haul of nominations under its belt. Available to UK viewers on Apple TV+, the comedy series has been wowing critics and audiences alike for its sheer quality. With many pundits tipping it for major awards success, can this plucky newcomer take down some of the more established big hitters?
On the other hand, some of the biggest names in TV were left feeling rather mugged off by the snubbing process. Despite being a global phenomenon and Netflix's most-watched show, 'Stranger Things' found itself largely overlooked for major category nominations, with its final season getting relegated to technical categories only. Similarly, Richard Gadd's highly-anticipated follow-up series 'Half Man', touted as a prestige drama, got just one nod – in the supporting actor category for Gadd himself.
Other notable misses include Jon Hamm for his central performance in Apple's 'Your Friends and Neighbors'. This raises questions about whether individual performances are being overlooked in favour of overall show appeal. The Emmy nominations offer a fascinating snapshot into the ever-changing TV landscape, where streaming services continue to call the shots – and what it means for our favourite shows and stars.