Keeping in theme with every other event during the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Emmy Awards were quite a bit different than previous years; In the past, or like a year ago, the show was very formal, rich and grand. This year, it felt a little closer to home – especially for the nominees, most of whom were being televised from their homes. Jimmy Kimmel hosted, offering a largely ordinary Emmys monologue save for the statement that there was no live audience and nearly everyone involved was being filmed remotely. The only other people on set with Kimmel were a skeleton crew and a few celebrity presenters, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson and Jennifer Aniston.
Here’s a list of the nominated shows with those who won:
Outstanding Drama Series:
The nominees were “Better Call Saul”; “The Crown”; “The Handmaid’s Tale”; “Killing Eve”; “The Mandalorian”; “Ozark”; “Stranger Things”; ‘“Succession”.
Of those, HBO’s series “Succession” won.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
The nominees were Jennifer Aniston of “The Morning Show”; Olivia Colman of “The Crown”; Jodie Comer of “Killing Eve”; Laura Linney of “Ozark”; Sandra Oh of “Killing Eve”; Zendaya Coleman of “Euphoria”.
Of the nominees, Zendaya Coleman won for her role as the protagonist Rue Bennett on HBO series “Euphoria.” It should be noted that Coleman made history when she became the youngest winner in the outstanding lead actress in a drama series category at age 24.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
The nominees were Jason Bateman of “Ozark”; Sterling K. Brown of “This Is Us”; Steve Carell of “The Morning Show”; Brian Cox of “Succession”; Billy Porter of “Pose”; Jeremy Strong of “Succession.”
Of the nominees, Jeremy Strong from HBO’s “Succession” won for his role as Kendall Roy.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
The nominees were Helena Bonham Carter of “The Crown”; Laura Dern of “Big Little Lies”; Julia Garner of “Ozark”; Thandie Newton of “Westworld”; Fiona Shaw of “Killing Eve”; Sarah Snook of “Succession”; Meryl Streep of “Big Little Lies”; Samira Wiley of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Of them, Julia Garner won for her role as Ruth Langmore on Ozark.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
The nominees were Nicholas Braun of ‘Succession’; Billy Crudup of ‘The Morning Show’; Kieran Culkin of ‘Succession’; Mark Duplass of ‘The Morning Show’; Giancarlo Esposito of ‘Better Call Saul’; Matthew Macfadyen of ‘Succession’; Bradley Whitford of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’; Jeffrey Wright of ‘Westworld’. Of them, Billy Crudup of ‘The Morning Show’ won.
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series:
Andrij Parekh of “Succession” won.
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:
Jesse Armstrong of “Succession” won.
Outstanding Competition Program:
The nominees were “The Masked Singer”; “Nailed It!”; “RuPaul’s Drag Race”; “Top Chef”; “The Voice”.
Of those, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” won.
Outstanding Limited Series:
The nominees were “Little Fires Everywhere”; “Mrs. America”; “Unbelievable’; “Unorthodox”; “Watchmen.”
Of those, HBO’s “Watchmen” won. The limited series was based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie:
The nominees were Jeremy Irons of “Watchmen”; Hugh Jackman of “Bad Education”; Paul Mescal of “Normal People”; Jeremy Pope of “Hollywood”; Mark Ruffalo of “I Know This Much Is True.”
Of them, Mark Ruffalo of “I Know This Much Is True” won for his roles as identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie:
The nominees were Cate Blanchett of “Mrs. America”; Shira Haas of “Unorthodox”; Regina King of “Watchmen”; Octavia Spencer of “Self Made”; Kerry Washington of “Little Fires Everywhere.”
Of those, Regina King of “Watchmen” won for her role as Angela Abar a.k.a Sister Night.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie:
The nominees were Uzo Aduba of “Mrs. America”; Toni Collette of “Unbelievable”; Margo Martindale of “Mrs. America”; Jean Smart of “Watchmen”; Holland Taylor of “Hollywood”; Tracey Ullman of “Mrs. America”.
Of the field, Uzo Aduba of “Mrs. America” won for her role as Shirley Chisholm.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie:
The nominees were Yahya Abdul-Mateen II of “Watchmen”; Jovan Adepo of “Watchmen”; Tituss Burgess of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend”; Louis Gossett Jr. of “Watchmen”; Dylan McDermott of “Hollywood”; Jim Parsons of “Hollywood”.
Of the nominated actors, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II of “Watchmen” won for his role as Dr. Manhattan.
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie:
Maria Schrader of “Unorthodox” won.
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie:
Damon Lindelof, Cord Jefferson of “Watchmen” won.
Outstanding Variety Talk Series:
The nominees were “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”; “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”; “Jimmy Kimmel Live”; “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”; “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Of those, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” won.
Outstanding Comedy Series:
The nominees were “Curb Your Enthusiasm”; “Dead to Me”; “The Good Place”; “Insecure”; “The Kominsky Method”; “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; “Schitt’s Creek”; “What We Do In the Shadows.”
Of those, the Canadian series “Schitt’s Creek” won.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
The nominees were Anthony Anderson of “Black-ish”; Don Cheadle of “Black Monday”; Ted Danson of “The Good Place”; Michael Douglas of “The Kominsky Method”; Eugene Levy of “Schitt’s Creek”; Ramy Youssef of “Ramy.”
Of the field, Eugene Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” won for his role as Johnny Rose.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
The nominees were Christina Applegate of “Dead to Me”; Rachel Brosnahan of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; Linda Cardellini of “Dead to Me”; Catherine O’Hara of “Schitt’s Creek”; Issa Rae of “Insecure”; Tracee Ellis Ross of “Black-ish”.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
The nominees were Alex Borstein of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; D’Arcy Carden of “The Good Place”; Betty Gilpin of “GLOW”; Marin Hinkle of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; Kate McKinnon of “Saturday Night Live”; Annie Murphy of “Schitt’s Creek”; Yvonne Orji of “Insecure”; Cecily Strong of “Saturday Night Live.”
Of them, Annie Murphy of “Schitt’s Creek” won for her role as Alexis Rose.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
The nominees were Mahershala Ali of “Ramy”; Alan Arkin of “The Kominsky Method”; Andre Braugher of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”; Sterling K. Brown of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; William Jackson Harper of “The Good Place”; Daniel Levy of “Schitt’s Creek”; Tony Shalhoub of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; Kenan Thompson of “Saturday Night Live.”
Of the nominees, Daniel Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” won for his role as David Rose.
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series:
Daniel Levy and Andrew Cividino of “Schitt’s Creek” won.
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series:
Daniel Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” won.
Of them, Catherine O’Hara of “Schitt’s Creek” won for her role as Moira Rose.
With this new form of presentation came a flavor of warmth and sincerity rarely seen in these types of award shows. Where before, there was scripted laughter, a massive auditorium, rich clothes and expensive people, there is now more candidness, filmed from living rooms and some dining tables, though with the same expensive names. Cast members of some of the nominated shows (namely “Watchmen”) were gathered together in the same room, and went so far as to make sure the audience knew that they’d been tested for COVID-19. It was unusual; but it was intimate and damn near kind – and it may be just what the world needs during this uncertain year.

Feature image courtesy of Deadline.com