Didn’t watch the Emmy Awards? Here’s what you missed — from the winners to surprise cameos
The 74th Emmy Awards aired Monday evening on NBC. The ceremony was pushed back from its usual Sunday timeslot due to a “Sunday Night Football.” Nevertheless, it was an evening of celebration for the best and brightest performances in the television (and streaming) industry.
There were surprises, musical numbers, comedy and more to be enjoyed during this year’s Emmys. If you missed them, catch up below on all that took place Monday.
What shows were the big winners?
The HBO 6-episode series “The White Lotus” was the big winner, taking home a total of five awards, including supporting actress (Jennifer Coolidge), supporting actor (Murray Bartlett) and the overall award for Outstanding Limited Series. Though “The White Lotus” was originally planned as a miniseries, it has since been renewed for a second season with a (mostly) new cast. So if you haven’t watched the acclaimed show yet, now is the time to catch up.
Finishing in second place with four awards was the Apple TV+ comedy series “Ted Lasso,” which was honored for supporting actor in a comedy (Brett Goldstein), lead actor in a comedy (Jason Sudeikis), directing and Outstanding Comedy Series. Fans are currently awaiting the third (and possibly final) season of “Ted Lasso” to be released.
HBO’s “Succession” performed well in the drama category, taking home three awards, and both “Abbott Elementary” and Netflix’s “Squid Game” received two awards apiece.
See the full list of winners here.
Who had the acceptance speech of the night?
This one isn’t even a contest: Sheryl Lee Ralph of “Abbott Elementary” took home the award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She looked stunned as she headed to the stage, slowly accepted her award from Amy Poehler, and then broke out into the song “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves. It was a moment that seemingly couldn’t be topped, but she followed it up with a moving speech:
“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream, and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true: I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like. And don’t you ever, ever give up on you.”
How did the host do?
The host of this year’s Emmys was longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member Kenan Thompson, who introduced himself at the top of the show as “the mayor of television.”
He’s not wrong: Thompson’s been on SNL since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history. And ‘90s kids will remember him fondly from the Nickelodeon sketch comedy show “All That.” Simply put, the comedian has been a part of our television lives for a long time.
Kenan kicked things off with a song-and-dance number set to “legally cleared” TV theme songs, including “Friends,” “The Brady Bunch” and “Law & Order.” The intricate number included shredding guitars and colorful umbrellas. The medley was capped off with Thompson donning a blonde wig à la Daenerys Targaryen as the “Game of Thrones” theme played.
In a year that started with shocking celebrity moments at awards shows (hello, Oscars slap), Kenan Thompson brought levity and fun to the 2022 Emmys. His presence on screen was always appreciated. The Academy Awards should get his phone number.
What was the best comedy bit?
While the theme song dance number was exciting, nothing could beat the reunion that millennials were waiting for: Kenan and Kel.
In a sketch that included Kumail Nanjiani and Jason Sudeikis, the spotlight was on the punchline at the end, when Kel Mitchell (of “Kenan and Kel” and “All That”) appeared ordering a “good burger.” The two former child actors embraced in a genuinely excited hug, and for a moment, millions of people across the U.S. were awash with blissful nostalgia.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
