Plenty of shows received recognition from the Television Academy on Tuesday morning when they announced their nominations for the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. The Crown and The Mandalorian led the pack with 24 nominations apiece, while WandaVision, The Handmaid's Tale, and Lovecraft Country also had good showings.
With a finite number of slots in each category, there will never be enough room for all the contenders, especially in today's ambitious television landscape. However, there were several performers notable for their absence. These actors gave compelling and worthy performances, these shows were spectacular, and it's a shame the Academy couldn't recognize them.
The Cast Of Bridgerton
Bridgerton, Netflix's latest smash hit, scored an impressive 12 nominations. However considering the buzz surrounding it, many believe the show underperformed. It did receive the ever-important Outstanding Drama Series nomination, and series breakout Regé-Jean Page also earned a much-deserved Lead Actor mention.
However, the series' other lead Phoebe Dynevor missed a Lead Actress nomination. Furthermore, Adjoa Andoh and Jonathan Bailey also failed to crack the supporting categories. All three will return for season 2, unlike Page, so they will get another chance to compete at next year's ceremony.
Zosia Mamet & Michiel Huisman - The Flight Attendant
After going unrecognized by the Academy for her work in The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco finally received her first Emmy nomination for her work in The Flight Attendant. Co-star Rosie Perez also earned a Supporting Actress mention, and the show made it to the Outstanding Comedy Series field.
Co-stars Zosia Mamet and Michiel Huisman weren't so lucky. Many pundits expected the actors to earn nominations for the supporting turns in the show, but the Academy snubbed them. With nine nominations, The Flight Attendant made an impression on the voters, making Mamet and Huisman's absences even more confusing.
Antony Starr - The Boys
Fans and critics rejoiced at The Boys' nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series. The show is a fascinating exploration of heroism and morality, and it's a gamechanger for the superhero genre.
While voters recognized the show itself, they once again snubbed series lead Antony Starr, who delivers one of the most complex and chilling performances in any television or streaming show. As Homelander, Starr is equal parts terrifying and compelling, and it's a shame that his excellent work goes unnoticed once again. The Boys, along with Starr, will return for a third season, giving Emmy voters another chance to recognize the underrated actor.
Erin Doherty - The Crown
The Crown scored the most nominations of the ceremony, a whopping 24. Practically everyone in the series' large cast earned nominations for their acting, including a surprising bid for Claire Foy's cameo during episode eight.
However, scene-stealer Erin Doherty failed to achieve a Supporting Actress nomination. Even though season 4 focused almost entirely on Charles and Diana, Doherty got some standout scenes, including a memorable conversation with Olivia Colman's fantastic Queen Elizabeth in episode 4. Doherty won't return for season 5, so this was the last chance to acknowledge her work, making the snub even worse.
Wunmi Mosaku - Lovecraft Country
Lovecraft Country had an incredible showing on Tuesday morning. The show earned 18 Emmy Nominations, making HBO's decision to cancel it even more puzzling.
Even more confusing was Wunmi Mosaku's omission from the Supporting Actress category. Mosaku earned a Critic's Choice nomination for her performance in the show, and many expected her to repeat at the Emmys. Alas, the Emmys went a different direction, and Mosaku's incredible work went unnoticed.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
The Emmys clearly loved WandaVision. Wanda and Vision's compelling story earned 23 nominations, including nominations for its two stars, Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany. However, the Academy all but ignored Marvel's other effort, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Save for a confusing nomination for Don Cheadle's cameo, TFatWS failed to receive any recognition from the Emmys in the above-the-line categories. Many expected Wyatt Russell or even Daniel Brühl to earn Supporting Actor nominations for their turns as John Walker and Baron Zemo respectively, but the Academy had other plans.
Bill Camp & Marielle Heller - The Queen's Gambit
And speaking of confusing nominations, fans and critics all raised their eyebrows at Thomas Brodie-Sangster's Supporting Actor nomination for The Queen's Gambit. The actor was by no means awful, but his performance was hardly the most memorable in the show. Moses Ingram's Supporting Actress nomination was also surprising, although her role as Jolene made more of an impression.
On the other hand, Bill Camp and Marielle Heller failed to score nominations for their work. Camp earned a SAG mention for his role, and Heller got recognized by the Critic's Choice Awards. Many expected them to join Anya Taylor-Joy as Emmy nominees, but Emmy voters turned their attention elsewhere.
John Boyega - Small Axe
Steve McQueen's Small Axe got a curious award season journey. A collection of five individual movies, the anthology competed in both the film and television categories at several awards during the 2021 season. And while its placing was always confusing, many fans still expected it to earn a plethora of Emmy nominations, including one for John Boyega's performance.
However, the Emmy Awards surprisingly ignored Small Axe, giving it only a single yet wholly deserved Cinematography nomination. It's shocking, confusing, and outright infuriating that McQueen's ambitious anthology gets no love from the Television Academy, but there are always winners and losers in award shows.
Thuso Mbedu & Joel Edgerton - The Underground Railroad
And speaking of egregious snubs, Thuso Mbedu and Joel Edgerton's lack of nominations for The Underground Railroad is utterly shocking. Barry Jenkins' mini-series earned seven nominations, including one for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and a directing bid for Jenkins.
However, Mbedu and Edgerton's raw and brilliant portrayals went unnoticed by the Academy. Both actors received rave reviews from critics, and voters clearly watched and enjoyed the miniseries. So how exactly did they miss their much-deserved nominations?
Ethan Hawke - The Good Lord Bird
Ethan Hawke is one of Hollywood's most underrated actors. For years he has been doing consistent work in awards darlings like Boyhood and hidden gems like First Reformed. For his performance in The Good Lord Bird, Hawke earned some of the best reviews from his career, and many considered him a shoo-in for an Emmy nomination.
Not only did Hawke not receive a nomination, but The Good Lord Bird was also ignored by the Academy, failing to receive a single nomination. Hawke will continue working, of course, but it's very confusing that he keeps getting snubbed for consistently stellar work.