Richard Gadd, please change your flight plans. The creator and star of HBO Max’s Half Man earned his only Emmy nomination for a series this year for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie. But as of last week, that category will no longer be featured on NBC’s Emmy Awards telecast on Sept. 14.
Last Thursday, the TV Academy Board of Directors voted to move five categories to the former Emmy Awards ceremony (no longer called the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, now simply the Emmy Awards): Variety Series Writing, Supporting Actor and Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, Director in a Limited Series or Movie, and Writing for a Limited Series or Movie.
This means that many nominees who thought they would only attend the September 14th Emmy Awards may end up going to the September 5th and September 6th shows. Or perhaps they’ll attend multiple ceremonies, as many of the limited supporting actor and supporting actress nominees (Jason Bateman, Dakota Fanning, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini and Nick Offerman are among them) have won categories in both shows.
Of course, that’s a very high-class question. The more nights you spend at the Peacock Theater, the more Emmy nominations you get. We’re sure these nominees will be able to find some sharp looks during their several Emmy Awards appearances. (Think of how many FYC events they attended to get here!)
The DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA immediately condemned the move, arguing that “the decision to eliminate these categories from prime-time broadcasts devalues the contributions of the talented people the Academy should celebrate.” But wait a minute. What about all the hard-working crew members who have always been recognized at previous ceremonies, including many of your own members? The Creative Arts Emmy Awards recognize talent from a variety of fields including television movies, animation, and documentaries, as well as guest performers, voice actors, costumers, hairstylists, editors, cinematographers, art directors, musicians, and more. Are we saying that these five people are too expensive to be part of this group?
I value the Television Academy very much. Indeed, this is itself a large bureaucracy that often struggles to keep pace with industry. But that’s partly because of the catch-22 we’re forever facing: making drastic changes to evolve with the times will piss people off. Without change, it is condemned as a dusty, immovable relic struggling to stay relevant. Look at how difficult it was just to find the solution for the Variety Series category. No matter which option you choose, someone is going to be unhappy.
You know the old definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing and expecting different results”? What do you think you’ll get if you win the same Emmy? More rating slides and bad reviews. At least the Academy, NBC, and Jesse Collins Entertainment are trying something different. The 2025 Emmy Awards drew just 7.4 million viewers. Would cutting back on the number of awards and filling their time with more entertainment (musical performances, comedy shows, more heartfelt acceptance speeches) ultimately make a difference? Even Chairman Chris Abrego says it’s a gamble. But this is only one year. If it doesn’t work, put it back. But at least they’re trying something! And I trust that the ceremony producers, Jesse Collins Entertainment, will do their best.
I’ve been covering this industry all my life, and this is all deja vu. History repeats itself, and the TV Academy set out to do just that in 2005 when it announced plans to move seven categories to the Creative Arts Show. The industry, including the WGA and DGA, balked, and the TV Academy was forced to withdraw. Even 20 years ago, the Emmys were trying to find a way to evolve – let’s see if it sticks this time too.
