With HBO’s “Succession” now out of the Emmy picture, it’s boar on the floor time for this year’s Emmy race in drama series. Everyone’s a contender, as Variety TV editor Michael…
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
With HBO’s “Succession” now out of the Emmy picture, it’s boar on the floor time for this year’s Emmy race in drama series. Everyone’s a contender, as Variety TV editor Michael Schneider and senior features editor Emily Longeretta discuss in this episode of Variety‘s Awards Circuit video series.
That starts with Netflix’s “The Crown,” the only drama nominated in 2023 that is eligible for a return engagement in 2024. The show has won 21 Emmys, out of 69 nominations, and is ending its run — meaning this is the last chance for exec producer Peter Morgan to land more Emmy love, along with stars Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki.
“This cast is so strong and they gave a really powerful final season,” Longeretta says.
But coming on strong is FX’s “Shogun,” which was originally expected to enter the limited series race, but made a last-minute switch to drama as the network and producers ponder a second season. The original “Shogun” in 1981 won best miniseries this year; it’s expected to lead all drama noms this year via exec producers Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, as well as stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and Cosmo Jarvis.
“It’s a ‘Shogun’ that’s very different from that NBC original, and Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks were really genius in how they managed to re-create this for the 21st century,” Schneider says.
Meanwhile, with “Succession” gone, HBO and Max’s big drama play this year is “The Gilded Age,” which has only been nominated once — for production design for a narrative period/fantasy show, which it won in 2022. But EP Julian Fellowes and stars like Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski hope to make some noise this time.
“This is another show that below the line has always been so impressive, but this last season proved that these actors, the writing, is really coming to compete and has a really big chance,” Longeretta says.
Adds Schneider: “A lot of people are talking about Morgan Spector. That beard.”
Also looking to get back into the conversation is Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” with new showrunner Charlotte Stoudt and additional cast members like Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie joining Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Karen Pittman, Holland Taylor and Juliana Marguilies. “The Morning Show” has been nominated 11 times, but has only won once — for Crudup, as a supporting drama actor in 2020.
“‘The Morning Show’ went to space, OK?” Longeretta says. “We’ve got to just point that out.”
Schneider and Longeretta also discuss Showtime’s “The Curse,” which was nominated at the WGA and the Golden Globes, and boasts Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Also in the mix are Prime Video’s new drama “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, as well as Season 3 of Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” which is gaining momentum with stars Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden and Kristin Scott Thomas.
At the end of the episode, Schneider and Longeretta give their picks for other dramas you shouldn’t forget before voting.
Variety’s Awards Circuit is presented by Paramount+