Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, September 13, 2016
The 68th annual Emmy Awards airs on a traditional broadcast network (ABC) but shows on outlets such as Netflix, FX and HBO are likely to dominate the proceedings.
Here are five things to know before telecast, which airs at 8 p.m. Sunday and is hosted by Jimmy Kimmel:
1- It's mostly over already. Most of the Emmy Awards have already been handed out in two separate ceremonies this past weekend. An edited, pre-taped version airs Saturday night at 8 p.m. on FXX. Or you can just read the list of winners here.
2- Emmy winners with local ties: RuPaul Charles - who graduated North Atlanta High Schoo and built his early drag career here - won for best reality show host for his work on "RuPaul's Drag Race" on Logo. He beat out Dunwoody High School grad and "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, who has been nominated six previous times but has never won. FX's 'Archer," created by Atlantan Adam Reed and produced locally, won best animated series, the first time it has done so in that category. Adult Swim took home Emmys in three categories for "Robot Chicken" and 'Children's Hospital" and CNN nabbed best information series or special again with "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown."
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
3. Those with local ties competing Sunday: University of Georgia graduate Kyle Chandler is up for best actor in a drama series for "Bloodline" but faces a tough fight against favorites such as USA's "Mr. Robot" star Rami Malek and Netflix's "House of Cards" lead Kevin Spacey in the same category. Fellow UGA grad Tituss Burgess (Netflix's "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt") is nominated a second time for best supporting actor in a comedy. He, too, is up against some very funny competitors such as Andre Braugher (Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine") and last year's winner Tony Hale (HBO's "Veep"). HBO's "Confirmation," shot in Atlanta, is considered an underdog vs. HBO's film about Lyndon B. Johnson "All The Way."
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
4- Shows that will likely get a lot of Emmy love: HBO's "Game of Thrones' won a record 12 last year including best drama. The series took home nine more this past weekend and could win best drama again although FX's 'The Americans" is receiving a lot of critical buzz for its most recent season. FX's "People vs. OJ. Simpson" will probably clean up in the miniseries categories. "Veep" is a favorite to win again for best comedy. And it's hard to imagine anyone beating Netflix's "Making a Murderer" for best documentary series. For late-night talk shows, it's a competitive arena, with relative newbies James Corden and John Oliver receiving more heat than Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
5- Actors favored to win Emmys Sunday: Julia Louis-Dreyfus has already taken home seven Emmys and may very well take home an eighth as best female actress in a comedy. The female actress in a drama category is a lot tighter and could go to Viola Davis ("How To Get Away With Murder"), Robin Wright ("House of Cards") or perhaps even Keri Russell ("The Americans"). Jeffrey Tambor won for best actor in a comedy last year for Amazon's "Transparent" and is well positioned to win again, but Aziz Ansari (Netflix's "Master of None") could supplant him.
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