2024 Emmys: A Recap

Didn’t get to watch? The Buzz has got you covered.

by Caroline Kawabe

Oh, the Emmys: a time when we get to see all our favorite TV stars rounded up together in one place on a very memorable night in September. This year’s Emmy Awards gave us a night filled with milestones, surprises, and, of course, laughter and tears. Father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy delivered a refreshing and genuinely comical performance as the awards show hosts.

FX’s Shogun absolutely swept the night with a total of 18 wins, including Best Drama Series. The show earned praise for its ambitious storytelling and stunning cinematography. Its stars, Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai made history as the first Japanese actors to win in the Best Lead Actor and Actress categories. As a young Japanese woman who has always been fascinated by Hollywood, I was overcome with emotion. Sanada and Sawai felt the gravity of their historic achievement as Sanada expressed his gratitude for the show's collaborative nature in his speech.

In the comedy category, HBO’s Hacks pulled off a surprising win for Best Comedy Series, beating out the predicted winner, The Bear. Jean Smart took home her third Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy for her portrayal of aging comedian Deborah Vance, a performance that has received significant praise over the show’s three seasons. Despite The Bear not taking the top comedy prize, it still had a strong showing, with Jeremy Allen White winning Best Actor in a Comedy for the second year in a row. Liza Colón-Zayas secured her first Emmy for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first Latina to do so.

The night also celebrated bold storytelling in the limited series category, with Netflix’s Baby Reindeer winning Best Limited Series. The darkly compelling show, based on creator Richard Gadd’s personal experiences with stalking, won multiple awards, including Best Lead Actor for Gadd and Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Gunning. Gadd’s acceptance speech encouraged creatives to take risks and push boundaries, echoing the show’s exploration of difficult and often uncomfortable themes.

New Girl fans, you’ll be happy to hear that Winston-actor, Lamorne Morris, also won his first Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his work in Fargo.

Rounding out the evening’s highlights, Jodie Foster took home her first Emmy for Best Actress in a Limited Series for her performance in True Detective: Night Country. Foster, already a two-time Oscar winner, played a tough Alaskan detective in the latest season of the HBO crime anthology.

Despite my personal favorite, Only Murders in the Building, not taking home many wins, the 2024 Emmys was a night to remember.