A tradition like no other, my pretend Emmy ballot article. It’s always fun to take a look back on the year and this past year of TV was wild. This year, I felt how acutely weird TV schedules have been with shows taking a year and change between seasons. It felt like half the shows that were in series contention aren’t even coming out till 2024 and what came in their place was all over the place. Normally, there’d be a ton of variation but I found that this year the shows I loved, I LOVED, and those I did not, I really did not. However, among these shows, there are some truly all time seasons of television. So without further ado, here’s the best of the best!
Earthstorm
The Last Movie Stars
Drag Race All Stars 7
Our Universe
Next in Fashion
Episodes
Volcano, Earthstorm
Chapter One: Cosmic Orphans, The Last Movie Stars
Death Valley, America Outdoors
Lollaparuza, Drag Race Season 15
Utah, The Reluctant Traveller
Director
The Last Movie Stars
Drag Race All Stars 7
America Outdoors
Next in Fashion
The Reluctant Traveller
Music
Earthstorm
The Last Movie Stars
Drag Race All Stars 7
America Outdoors
Next in Fashion
Cinematography
Earthstorm
America Outdoors
Next in Fashion
My Kind of Country
The Reluctant Traveller
Editing
Earthstorm
The Last Movie Stars
Drag Race All Stars 7
Next in Fashion
The Reluctant Traveller
Welcome to Demon School!, Iruma-kun
Demon Slayer
Spy x Family
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
My Hero Academia
Actor
Phil Lamarr, Dragon Age: Absolution
Actress
Diamond White, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Writing
Moon Girl Landing, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
The Borough Bully, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Deku v. Class-A, My Hero Academia
Dabi’s Dance, My Hero Academia
Iruma’s True Feelings, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun
Director
A Connected Bond: Daybreak and First Light, Demon Slayer
The Mu in Muichiro, Demon Slayer
Moon Girl Landing, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Deku v. Class-A, My Hero Academia
Iruma’s True Feelings, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun
Music
Demon Slayer
Dragon Age: Absolution
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
My Hero Academia
Spy x Family
Editing
Welcome to Demon School!, Iruma-kun
Demon Slayer
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
My Hero Academia
Spy x Family
Sound
Welcome to Demon School!, Iruma-kun
Demon Slayer
Dragon Age: Absolution
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Spy x Family
Movie
Prom Pact
The Portable Door
Werewolf by Night
Fire Island
Miniseries
Beef
Blackbird
Five Days at Memorial
Great Expectations
The Last Movie Stars
Actor
Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones and the Six
Patrick Gibson, The Portable Door
Brian Tyree Henry, Class of ‘09
Milo Manheim, Prom Pact
Fionn Whitehead, Great Expectations
Steven Yeun, Beef
Bowen Yang, Fire Island
Actress
Laura Donnelly, Werewolf by Night
Vera Farmiga, Five Days at Memorial
Dominique Fishback, Swarm
Riley Keough, Daisy Jones and the Six
Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Prom Pact
Kate Mara, Class of ‘09
Ali Wong, Beef
Supporting Actor
Nick Adams, Fire Island
Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird
Joseph Lee, Beef
Young Mazino, Beef
Sam Neill, The Portable Door
Robert Pine, Five Days at Memorial
Ashley Thomas, Great Expectations
Supporting Actress
Maria Bello, Beef
Shalom Brune-Franklin, Great Expectations
Harriet Sansone Harris, Werewolf by Night
Cherry Jones, Five Days at Memorial
Camilla Morrone, Daisy Jones & The Six
Laurie Ogden, Great Expectations
Ashley Park, Beef
Writing
I Am a Cage, Beef
Just Not all at the Same Time, Beef
We Are Coming, Father Abraham, Black Bird
Day One, Five Days at Memorial
The Reckoning, Five Days at Memorial
Episode 8, Daisy Jones and the Six
Prom Pact
Director
Just Not all at the Same Time, Beef
Episode 8, Daisy Jones and the Six
Fire Island
Day One, Five Days at Memorial
The Portable Door
Werewolf by Night
Music
Beef
Daisy Jones and the Six
Great Expectations
Monster High: The Movie
The Portable Door
Werewolf by Night
Costumes
Daisy Jones and the Six
Fire Island
Five Days at Memorial
Great Expectations
Huluween Dragstravaganza
Werewolf by Night
Cinematography
Beef
Black Bird
Daisy Jones and the Six
Five Days at Memorial
Great Expectations
Werewolf by Night
Production Design
Beef
Daisy Jones and the Six
Five Days at Memorial
Great Expectations
The Portable Door
Werewolf by Night
Editing
Beef
Black Bird
Daisy Jones and the Six
Five Days at Memorial
The Last Movie Stars
The Portable Door
Sound
Black Bird
Daisy Jones and the Six
Five Days at Memorial
Great Expectations
The Last Movie Stars
Werewolf by Night
Uncoupled
Loot
Never Have I Ever
Smiley
Emily in Paris
Shrinking
Love to Hate You
The Other Two
Guest Actor
Fin Argus, The Other Two
John Bass, She-Hulk
Charlie Cox, She-Hulk
Andre DeShields, Uncoupled
Lukas Gage, The Other Two
Peter Porte, Uncoupled
Adam Scott, Loot
Guest Actress
Sarayu Blue, Never Have I Ever
Ashley De La Rosa, The Other Two
Dana Delaney, The Other Two
Patty Guggenheim, She-Hulk
Kerri Kenney, Reboot
Alison Rich, The Other Two
Wendie Malick, Shrinking
Actor
Carlos Cuevas, Smiley
Neil Patrick Harris, Uncoupled
Miki Esparbe, Smiley
Bill Hader, Barry
Jaren Lewison, Never Have I Ever
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Drew Tarver, The Other Two
Teo Yoo, Love to Hate You
Actress
Meritxell Calvo, Smiley
Lily Collins, Emily in Paris
Kim Ok-vin, Love to Hate You
Tatiana Maslany, She-Hulk
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Never Have I Ever
Maya Rudolph, Loot
Helena York, The Other Two
Supporting Actor
Brooks Ashmanskas, Uncoupled
Anthony Carrigan, Barry
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Ron Funches, Loot
Benjamin Norris, Never Have I Ever
Pepón Nieto, Smiley
Kim Ji-hoon, Love to Hate You
Josh Segarra, The Other Two
Supporting Actress
Tisha Campbell, Uncoupled
Ranjita Chakravarty, Never Have I Ever
Giannina Fruttero, Smiley
Ginger Gonzaga, She-Hulk
Poorna Jagannathan, Never Have I Ever
Christa Miller, Shrinking
Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Loot
Molly Shannon, The Other Two
Writing
It Takes a Psycho, Barry
Cahoga Lake, Loot
Bad Boy, Love to Hate You
You Are Not What I Expected, Love to Hate You
…cheated, Never Have I Ever
Cary Pays Back His Student Loans, The Other Two
Imposter Syndrome, Shrinking
Episode 2, Smiley
Episode 7, Smiley
Chapter 3, Uncoupled
Director
Episode 3.1, Emily in Paris
Cahoga Lake, Loot
You Are Not What I Expected, Love to Hate You
…had an Indian Boyfriend, Never Have I Ever
Cary Pays Back His Student Loans, The Other Two
Fortress of Solitude, Shrinking
Imposter Syndrome, Shrinking
Episode 2, Smiley
Episode 7, Smiley
Chapter 1, Uncoupled
Music
Barry
Love to Hate You
Never Have I Ever
The Other Two
Schmigadoon!
Smiley
Wednesday
Costumes
Emily in Paris
Love to Hate You
Never Have I Ever
The Other Two
Schmigadoon!
She-Hulk
Wednesday
Cinematography
Barry
Emily in Paris
Loot
Love to Hate You
Never Have I Ever
The Other Two
Smiley
Production Design
Emily in Paris
Love to Hate You
Never Have I Ever
Reboot
Schmigadoon!
Smiley
Uncoupled
Editing
Barry
Love to Hate You
Never Have I Ever
The Other Two
Shrinking
Smiley
Uncoupled
Sound
Barry
Love to Hate You
The Other Two
Reboot
Schmigadoon!
She-Hulk
Smiley
Drama
The Ark
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
The Boys
The Diplomat
Interview with the Vampire
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Partner Track
Sky Med
Guest Actor
Murray Bartlett, The Last of Us
Magnus Ehrner, Young Royals
Ferdinand Kingsley, The Sandman
Michael McKean, The Diplomat
Steven Norfleet, Interview with the Vampire
Nick Offerman, The Last of Us
Mason Anderson Park, The Sandman
David Thewlis, The Sandman
Guest Actress
Kalyne Coleman, Interview with the Vampire
Olwen Fouéré, The Head
Christine Hakim, The Last of Us
Thusitha Jaysundera, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
T’Nia Miller, The Diplomat
Sarah Niles, The Sandman
Jelena Stuplijanin, The Ark
Zoe Wannamaker, Shadow and Bone
Actor
Jacob Anderson, Interview with the Vampire
Jeff Bridges, The Old Man
Jay Lycurgo, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Zahn McClarnon, Dark Winds
Aaron Paul, Westworld
Sam Reid, Interview with the Vampire
Edvin Ryding, Young Royals
Antony Starr, The Boys
Actress
Frida Argento, Young Royals
Amy Brennaman, The Old Man
Arden Cho, Partner Track
Morfydd Clark, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Thandiwe Newton, Westworld
Emmy Raver-Lampman, The Umbrella Academy
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Tessa Thompson, Westworld
Supporting Actor
Praneet Akilla, Sky Med
Owain Arthur, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Roby Attal, Partner Track
Freddy Carter, Shadow and Bone
Boyd Holbrook, The Sandman
Will Sharpe, The White Lotus
Rafael Silva, 9-1-1: Lone Star
Emilien Vekemans, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Supporting Actress
Bailey Bass, Interview with the Vampire
Meghann Fahy, The White Lotus
Isobel Jesper Jones, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Rebecca Kwan, Sky Med
Sophia Nomvete, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Amita Suman, Shadow and Bone
Alexandra Turshen, Partner Track
Nikita Uggla, Young Royals
Writing
Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship, The Ark
Episode 1.5, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Lambs in the Dark, The Diplomat
The Great Wave, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
In the Throes of Increasing Wonder…, Interview with the Vampire
A Vile Hunger For Your Hammering Heart, Interview with the Vampire
Frozen, Sky Med
Generation Loss, Westworld
Bull Elephants, The White Lotus
Episode 4, Young Royals
Director
The Ship, 1899
Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship, The Ark
Episode 1.5, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Payback, The Boys
Lambs in the Dark, The Diplomat
In the Throes of Increasing Wonder…, Interview with the Vampire
Udûn, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Change of Venue, Partner Track
Frozen, Sky Med
Episode 4, Young Royals
Music
The Ark
His Dark Materials
Interview with the Vampire
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Sandman
Shadow and Bone
Westworld
Costumes
The Crown
Interview with the Vampire
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Partner Track
The Sandman
Shadow and Bone
Young Royals
Cinematography
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
Dark Winds
His Dark Materials
Interview with the Vampire
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Sandman
Young Royals
Production Design
1899
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
The Head
Interview with the Vampire
The Last of Us
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Sandman
Editing
The Ark
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself
The Boys
Dark Winds
The Diplomat
Interview with the Vampire
Young Royals
Sound
1899
9-1-1: Lone Star
The Head
The Last of Us
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Sandman
Sky Med