LOS ANGELES — There are the Emmys — the awards — and there are the Emmy Awards. The first is a trophy; the second is a television show. The trophy, awarded to whatever and whomever a plurality of voters happened to watch and like or remembered liking before, almost always rewards good work, and it is nice when people or programs one admires are celebrated. But given a wealth of possibilities, it’s meaningless in terms of absolute quality — though on behalf of their favorites, many viewers will consider not winning a slap in the face. Those tweets will already be coursing through the cybersphere by the time you read this.
The Emmy Awards — “The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards” to give it this year’s full royal title — is just a television show, this year hosted by Kenan Thompson, to be enjoyed or hate-watched or looked at just to see what everybody’s wearing or completely ignored. And one can say in advance, as one inevitably says in retrospect, that it will be too long and fall somewhere on a scale between Not Completely Horrible and Surprisingly Good. Which, once again, it did, if a little closer to the former than the latter.
Along with a number of questions that maintain from year to year, one wondered beforehand whether the broadcast would address more timely industrial concerns and world events. Would “Abbott Elementary” win anything, striking a blow for broadcast television? (Yes! Sheryl Lee Ralph for acting in it and creator Quinta Brunson for writing it.). Would anyone mention the queen? (No, but “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong threw some shade at the British succession and the new king: “Evidently, a little more voting involved in our winning than Prince Charles.”). Trump the hoarder? (Yes: Martin Short to audience: “I wish I could box you up and take you home like classified White House documents.” Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the last big awards show? Yes, but vague. Thompson to Oscar host Regina Hall: “Surprised she’s at another award show — girl, you brave.”
