The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will be taking place on September 19th, 2023. Despite being so far away, shows will already be angling for the next awards season, looking to create a campaign that plays to their status as critical darlings. Those types of productions have a long history of crushing underrated gems.
It's a real shame that so many shows will illicit a response from critics that was so visceral, it overpowers many other series that are just as deserving of nominations and, crucially, victories. Unfortunately, snubs are all but certain when there is so much talent in the industry, but some juggernauts have stood the test of time after imposing their dominance on the competition.
10 The West Wing (2003)
The political drama, The West Wing, was certainly innovative in its early days. It's hard to ignore that it's a standout in its genre and continuously dominated awards seasons based on its intelligent writing, tense performances, and nuanced directing. But some years, the critics pushed the show a little too far.
During the 55th Awards, The West Wing won in the Outstanding Drama Series category. But when matched up against the likes of 24 and Six Feet Under, there were certainly questions about it being the best show. When taking into consideration that it also bested The Sopranos, which is still considered to be one of the greatest series ever, it's hard to still argue in favor that The West Wing is stronger as a candidate. The status and longevity of The Sopranos are just two indications of its quality.
9 The Office (2006)
The Office is a brilliant mockumentary series that took the British classic and reinvented it for a new audience. It's certainly memorable and was a hit with critics, who awarded the show plenty of accolades despite some of its flaws and conventionality. The show probably should have ended sooner than it did, too, with many deeming the last few seasons to be weaker and the office dynamics to be less charming.
Regardless, critics backed it enough to win at the 58th Emmy Awards in the Comedy category. Curb Your Enthusiasm was notable competition that perhaps should have gotten the nod. However, it was Arrested Development, which was arguably the better show. It was innovative and experimental in its setup and boasts jokes that are head-and-shoulders above the best of The Office.
8 Modern Family (2014)
Modern Family has all the makings of a classic, family-based sitcom, but it never stepped into new territory. It wasn't bold or that forward-thinking in its structure. It was commercially successful, popular, and beloved by critics, despite the fact that it played to many of the tropes of the genre.
Modern Family had absolutely dominated the Comedy category in previous and successive years, despite facing better shows. Most notably, in the 66th Awards, the series beat out all-time greats like Veep, Silicon Valley, and the groundbreaking Orange Is The New Black which helped to catapult Netflix to major success. The latter of the three certainly deserved to win, thanks to its passionate storytelling from a unique point of view.
7 Olive Kitteridge (2015)
The HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge, based on the popular novel by Elizabeth Strout, had all the makings of a critical darling. It discussed topics of mental health, looked at the teaching industry from a different angle, and boasted a phenomenal cast. It also left almost no cultural impact and has blended in with many other shows that discuss similar issues.
At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, Kitteridge won in the Outstanding Limited Series category. It beat out American Horror Story: Freak Show and American Crime, which are both hit series. But most notably, it also snubbed Wolf Hall, a once-in-a-generation 15th-century period drama that was gripping from start to finish and incredibly complex in its political and historical portrayals. It deserved the win that year.
6 Veep (2017)
Veep was snubbed despite outperforming its competition. But it quickly evolved into a critical darling that was gifted award after award thanks to its witty writing and standout performance of lead Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who portrayed the president with such depth. The political satire of the series was ever-relevant, but there were other shows that might have been better overall.
Veep's victory at the 69th Awards in the Comedy category meant that many major shows were snubbed. Black-ish, Atlanta, Master of None, Silicon Valley, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt featured qualities that could easily surpass that of Veep. The hip-hop Atlanta especially deserved its due, with the breakout series truly showcasing Donald Glover's immense talents.
5 Game Of Thrones (2019)
Game of Thrones has always been a critical darling thanks to its huge audience, mastery of the fantasy genre, and ability to move from fantastical to real in a single monologue. In the past, Game of Thrones was gifted with undisputed Emmys, symbolic of the sheer effort that was put into the complexities of the production.
However, by the time the 71st Emmys rolled around, GOT lost its glamor. A shell of its former self, it was laughable it won in the Outstanding Drama Series category against the likes of This Is Us, Ozark, Succession, Bodyguard, Killing Eve, and Better Call Saul – all of which were infinitely better.
4 Schitt's Creek (2020)
The family-based Schitt's Creek once again played to many of the tropes of a classic sitcom, albeit with a slightly more charming cast. Solid writing and a critical buzz that sometimes felt unjust didn't remove the fact that the series felt uninventive and familiar with some jokes not landing at all.
The 72nd Emmy Comedy category boasted stiff competition in the form of Dead To Me, What We Do In The Shadows, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. But the final season of The Good Place was so moving and profound, as its lead characters moved on to the next life, that it was completely unforgivable not to give it the nod on the grandest TV stage. The Good Place was more creative and poetic than Schitt's Creek ever demonstrated.
3 Hamilton (2021)
Hamilton is one of the greatest musicals of all time. No matter where it's viewed, it brings any stage to life and draws any audience to tears. It is masterfully executed and a critical darling in the theater space for all the right reasons. Unfortunately, that translated into the filmed adaptation. Nothing new was added when bringing Hamilton to the screen, besides an increase in the audience.
Regardless, at the 73rd Emmys, Hamilton won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), almost as if it was a legacy win. In the year when Bo Burnham created the comedy masterpiece Inside, Hamilton's win snubbed a brand-new creative endeavor that should have had its time in the spotlight for its portrayal of the Covid crisis and incredible music. Hamilton had its accolades in its own space, Inside warranted the same.
2 Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (2021)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver is an objectively superb and occasionally controversial show that deserves the praise that critics heap on it. The series wins most years at the Emmys, wiping out all the other late-night formats that genuinely bring something unique to the table. John Oliver's political ramblings are always relevant and endlessly hilarious.
But on the 73rd Emmys, something was better in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category. In the year when Stephen Colbert hosted an incredible election night, John Oliver still won out. In the year when Conan O'Brien finally said goodbye to his show in a series that genuinely broke the mold, John Oliver still won out. The irreverent Conan, in particular, had fought hard for that last victory to avoid a decline in quality and was still snubbed.
1 Succession (2022)
Succession has gone from strength to strength and will be remembered as a standout piece of television. Its final season is evidence of that. The billionaire tycoon and his family empire have captivated critics, ensuring that it has picked up plenty of awards at the Emmys.
But the 74th Awards wasn't its time, despite its victory in the Drama category. Severance, Euphoria, Yellowjackets, and Ozark had all made valid attempts to prove that they were better. And the heights to which Better Call Saul had risen were so astounding that it was seemingly impossible to conceive of the talent involved in the project. It seemed unlikely it could lose, and yet the better show did fall by the wayside, as Breaking Bad had done previously.