Friday, July 24, 2020

Emmy Predictions 2020 - Which Programs Will Likely Be Nominated for Limited Series?

From July 2 to July 13, 2020, voting took place for The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. As such, it's fun to look at which actors and shows have the best chances of actually being nominated this year. So, these are my predictions for who will be nominated for Limited Series.





2019 Nominees:
        HBO's Chernobyl (WINNER)
        Showtime's Escape at Dannemora
        FX's Fosse/Verdon
        HBO's Sharp Objects
        Netflix's When They See Us

This category will more than likely be a race amongst three shows - Mrs. America, Unbelievable and Watchmen. Whichever of those shows receives the most nominations will more than likely be the frontrunner in this particular race. Of course, five limited series are going to be nominated. That means the list has to include two other programs. Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere has the pedigree to make it seem like a likely contender. That fifth slot though could go in any number of ways. If voters latch onto Hollywood in the acting categories, it could easily be a nominee in this race as well. Normal People may not make an impact in any of the major races but could still be a player here. The prestige of being associated with HBO could push I Know This Much Is True or The Plot Against America across the finish line. Those are the primary options at the moment. A surprise could absolutely happen. It wouldn't be shocking to see some unexpected show make its way into this category. It's hard to pinpoint which program that would be at this precise moment in time though. And so, we just have to wait for the nominations to be announced next week. Then, the real competition can begin.

For the 2020 awards ceremony, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences decided to tie the number of nominations to the number of submissions in each category. For Limited Series, 41 programs were eligible on the ballot. That will translate to five nominees in this category.

Shows most likely to be nominated:
  1. HBO's Watchmen
  2. Netflix's Unbelievable
  3. FX on Hulu's Mrs. America
  4. Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere
  5. Netflix's Hollywood
Serious threats that could break through:
  1. HBO's I Know This Much Is True
  2. Hulu's Normal People
  3. Netflix's Unorthodox
  4. HBO's The Plot Against America
  5. Showtime's The Loudest Voice
  6. AppleTV+'s Defending Jacob
  7. AMC's Quiz
Some considerable long-shots:
  1. FX's American Horror Story: 1984
  2. HBO's Mrs. Fletcher
  3. FX on Hulu's Devs
  4. Hulu's Castle Rock
  5. HBO's Years and Years
  6. Netflix's The Eddy
  7. Netflix's The Spy
Colorful oddities who still have an outside chance:
  1. HBO's Catherine the Great
  2. Netflix's Self Made
  3. National Geographic's Barkskins
  4. USA's Briarpatch
  5. TBS' Miracle Workers: Dark Ages
  6. AMC's Dispatches From Elsewhere
  7. Netflix's Dracula

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments below!