Emmy Snubs & Surprises: Kelsey Grammer, Emma Stone & John Mulaney Frozen Out; ‘Reservation Dogs’ & Idris Elba Make The Cut

As this morning’s Emmy nominations prove, there may be less TV being made nowadays, but the quality certainly hasn’t declined with the quantity.

As widely expected, The Bear, Baby Reindeer, True Detective: Night Country and Shōgun were mentioned more than once by past Emmy winners Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tony Hale on Wednesday morning. As Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego said, “it was an exceptional year in television.” It certainly seemed exceptional that, for the first time in a long while, the names Succession and Ted Lasso were not heard when the nominations were read, as those multiple winners have wrapped up their runs.

There were surprises like the long-overlooked Reservation Dogs, which also has ended, but other names and shows that are far from wrapped up or new on the scene were overlooked. Our condolences to those would-be contenders who were not granted TV Academy voters favor today.

For those who did get a nomination, remember that the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards are September 15, airing live on ABC from 8-11 p.m. ET/ 5-8 p.m. PT from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

Here are some of the prominent names you won’t hear called out that night, plus a few surprises too. As always, drop us a line if you think we missed anyone this year.

Kelsey GrammerFrasier returned late last year after almost 20 years with a new season on Paramount that locked right into some of the best and sharpest slices of its previous multi-Emmy winning run from 1993 to 2004. A lot of the old gang on both sides of the camera (we see you Jimmy Burrows) were back, as of course was six-time Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer as the pompous shrink. Grammer has been nominated by the TV Academy in every decade from 1988 to 2006, but bizarrely not this decade. Or to paraphrase that great line of the openly conservative Grammer’s from the very first season of the show back in the Clinton Era: “You stole my Emmy nomination!”

David OyelowoThe Lawmen: Bass Reeves star’s one and done work on the Taylor Sheridan franchise offering was right on target. A two-time past Primetime Emmy nominee, Oyelowo is well-known to TV Academy voters, so perhaps we need to look at the platform. Once again Paramount+ has had strong contenders and top-notch talent, and yet came up essentially empty handed. As in any relationship, maybe it is time the still Shari Redstone-owned streamer needs to look in the mirror and ask: “Is it me?”

Emma StoneLooks like the two-time Oscar winner was truly cursed this morning with Stone getting nothing for her often hilarious performance in Showtime/Paramount+’s The Curse.

A Mann in FullJeff Daniels. Diane Lane. Netflix’s adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s sprawling 742-page 1998 novel had two of the best at their best, and much more. Alas, in a crowded limited series race, the Man in Full cup did not overflow.

Masters of the AirThis highflying WWII drama from the gang that brought us Band of Brothers just didn’t take off this year for a Primetime Emmys Limited Series spot despite a big push by Apple.

Jharrel Jerome in ‘I’m a Virgo’

I’m a VirgoBoots Riley’s Prime Video show of a surreal Oakland populated by a 19-year old giant and a billionaire anti-hero superhero (played by Fallout fav Walton Goggins, a nominee today for that other Prime Video show) was one of the most original and challenging things on any screen, big or small, in ages. Clearly and sadly, too much so for TV Academy voters.

Michael DouglasOnce upon a time, a big name playing a Founding Father was an Emmy shoo-in. Those days have passed, but a big name like Douglas playing a Founding Father so well in AppleTV+’s Franklin and with such glee should have gotten at least a salute from the TV Academy.

The GentlemenNetflix put a lot of FYC muscle into the adaptation of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 upper crust crime flick. Unfortunately, Emmy voters were not partaking of what the Theo James and Kaya Scodelario-led series was offering.

John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.Now a technical nomination is nothing to scoff at in the grand scheme of things. But, let’s be honest, live on Netflix during the streamer’s comedy fest in May, the two-time past Emmy winner’s take on the old school talk show clearly didn’t seem to go over that well with the hometown crowd voters.

Kristin Scott ThomasGary Oldman received an Emmy nomination today for his Slow Horses work – and rightly so. But looks like TV Academy voters forgot the other more elegant hand (an Oscar nominee and a real-life Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the two hander AppleTV+ spy show that makes the intrigue swirl.

Idris ElbaThe Hijack star got a seat on the Emmy ride. Strap in for September.

Reservation DogsAfter years of being ignored by the TV Academy, the Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi created FX/Hulu series of the Indigenous communities of rural Oklahoma got its well-deserved Emmy nom in the Comedy category for its joyous final season. Also, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai is in the best actor race too. Sometimes the good guys win, or at least get the recognition they deserve.