As we bid farewell to the 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, it's time to pause and reflect on the roller coaster of emotions that the night brought. The grand event, held on September 19, 2021, certainly had its share of commendable highlights, puzzling lows, and transformative, industry-shaking moments.
Begin with the highs. The Emmys 2021 was beautifully peppered with poignant moments of triumph. The evening danced with jubilance and surprise as relatively new streaming platforms like Apple TV+ notched up impressive wins against seasoned counterparts. Their prestige drama, 'Ted Lasso,' emerged as a clear favorite and bagged four awards for the night, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Lead Actor (Jason Sudeikis), Supporting Actor (Brett Goldstein), and Supporting Actress (Hannah Waddingham).
While on the subject of triumphs, one would be remiss not to mention Netflix's historic win for 'The Crown'. The British royal drama swept the drama category, taking home a total of seven awards. The show was indomitably crowned with the much-coveted Outstanding Drama Series award, with Lead Actor and Actress accolades going to Josh O'Connor and Olivia Colman respectively.
This year's Emmys also served as a refreshing moment of cultural and gender recognition. The game-changing win of Michaela Coel for 'I May Destroy You' in the Writing for a Limited Series category is a perfect example of this. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated her win to survivors of sexual assault, highlighting the societal issues her bold series confronts. Moreover, it marked groundbreaking progress for Black women in an industry long criticized for its lack of diversity.
Now, onto the lows. As with any event, there were moments that fell flat on the fabulous Emmy stage. Despite pockets of diversity, the night was critiqued for its distinct lack of awards for performers of color, despite a record number of nominations. Cecil B. DeMille Award winner, Jane Fonda, stressed the importance of diversity during her speech, calling attention to this precise issue.
The Emmy's unorthodox decision to announce some winners via Twitter also brought considerable backlash. Many, especially the creative artisans and guest actors, expressed disappointment for being relegated to the social media platform instead of receiving their due recognition on television's biggest night.
Finally, a conversation about the 2021 Emmys would be incomplete without mentioning the unforgettable moments that marked the night. Cedric The Entertainer's lively opening performance added a unique energy to the show. With a nod to Biz Markie, the host involved stars like Rita Wilson and LL Cool J in a delightful TV-themed remix of 'Just a Friend'.
Not to forget, the touching tribute to those in the industry we lost this year. As the heartrending 'In Memoriam' segment unfolded, audiences worldwide were reminded of the exceptional talent no longer with us. Weeping willows set the scene as Leon Bridges performed his beautiful song, 'River ,' paying homage to icons like Larry King, Cloris Leachman, and Michael K. Williams.
In all, the Emmys 2021 was a mixed bag of highs and lows, brilliance, and disappointments. But it was transparent in its reflection of the entertainment industry's current state: an evolving landscape punctuated with diversity-driven progressions, digital platform advances and ongoing efforts to rectify deep-rooted discrepancies. We look forward to the continued transformation of television's biggest night next year.
