The nominations are in for The 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. So now, it's time to speculate on who will and should win in each major category. Next up for analysis is Variety Talk Series.
The Nominees Ranked By Which Program Should Win:
- HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
- CBS' The Late Late Show with James Corden
Every nominee in this category is doing innovative work. Sure, some of the nominees function as pretty typical and standard talk show formats where the host comes out every night, interviews two guests and then enjoys a musical performance. That format is perfectly fine with Stephen Colbert, James Corden and Jimmy Kimmel finding their own personal spin on it. And yet, the most vital aspect of this category has to be the way that the various comedians break down the news of the day and inform the audience about the serious and sometimes silly stakes of it all. In that regard, no one comes close to what John Oliver and Samantha Bee are doing. Sure, there are other options out there that are continually snubbed in this category. But those two do such strong work in zeroing in on specific topics once a week. It allows them to be really in-depth and informational while also being so much fun to watch. Either of them would be really deserving winners in this category.
The Nominees Ranked by Which Program Will Win:
- HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- CBS' The Late Late Show with James Corden
- CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
- ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight has won this category for the last two years. He seems like such an easy prediction to win again too. He is still creating so many headlines with the storylines he generates on his program. He was in the news again this week for his sit-down interview with Anita Hill. That was very powerful. But this year also saw him do incredibly silly but meaningful work like the publication of a children's book featuring the pet rabbit of the Vice President. If John Oliver doesn't win, then it may actually be James Corden who pulls off an upset. That may be completely surprising. And yet, the Emmy voters absolutely love him. His primetime carpool karaoke specials have won for Outstanding Variety Special the last two years. He's had serious competition in both of those nominations as well. He still won. Those were considered upsets. So, he has to be taken seriously in this race even though his show isn't as outwardly political as the other nominees. Meanwhile, this is the first time that Trevor Noah's The Daily Show has been nominated. The Jon Stewart version won eleven times. As such, it could be a surprise as well. And yet, it still feels like the voters will once again rally around John Oliver.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my predictions? Let me know in the comments below!
