Although they didn’t receive any Emmy awards on the big night, genre shows were highly present during the 2021 Emmys. From comic book heroes to galactic adventures to dramatic horror, it has been a good year for fannish television. While this wasn’t, ultimately, reflected in victories during the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, these shows had a strong presence in the realm of Creative Arts Emmy Awards and overall Emmys nominations.
During this Emmys season, genre shows had a tremendous showing in terms of nominations. HBO’s supernatural horror Lovecraft Country received 18 nominations. Marvel’s WandaVision received 23 nominations. Star Wars‘ The Mandalorian received 24 nominations. And Amazon Prime’s gritty superhero show The Boys received five nominations. WandaVision and The Mandalorian both had some of the highest Emmy nomination counts for any show.
And these nods did translate into wins at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies.
Amazon Studios/Marvel Studios/HBO/Disney+
Lovecraft Country took home two Creative Arts Emmys. The show won for:
- Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series — (Courtney B. Vance, as George Freeman)
- Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
Additionally, WandaVision and The Mandalorian brought home Disney+’s first Emmys.
The Mandalorian‘s seven Creative Arts Emmy Award wins included:
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie
- Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour) — (Chapter 13: The Jedi)
- Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-camera Series (Half-hour) — (Chapter 15: The Believer)
- Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) — (Chapter 16: The Rescue)
- Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup — (Chapter 13: The Jedi)
- Outstanding Stunt Coordination
- Outstanding Stunt Performance
WandaVision also received three Creative Arts Emmy Award wins. In addition to honoring the show, these wins marked the first-ever Emmy awards for Marvel studios:
- Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics — (“Breaking The Fourth Wall / Song Title: Agatha All Along“)
- Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
- Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes — 2021
All we can say is, we’re glad to see genre and nerdy shows get recognized for their achievements in any capacity. We hope the trend keeps up! And with any luck, we’ll see them winning the Emmys’ biggest prizes sooner rather than later—especially given all the fantastic TV coming our way. These shows definitely deserve and have earned critical respect.
Marvel Studios
More 2021 Emmy Awards Winners
Aside from our favorite heroes, here are some of the winners and nominees from the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards. Emmy award winners appear in bold.
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Conan
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Winner: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Nailed It!
Winner: RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Mare of Easttown (Brad Ingelsby)
The Queen’s Gambit (Scott Frank)
WandaVision (Chuck Hayward, Peter Cameron, Episode: “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!”)
WandaVision (Jac Schaeffer, Episode: “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience”)
WandaVision (Laura Donney, Episode: “Previously On”)
Winner: I May Destroy You (Michaela Coel)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant, Shrill
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Allison Janney, Mom
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Winner: Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
William H. Macy, Shameless
Winner: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Kenan Thompson, Kenan
Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Cobra Kai
Emily in Paris
Hacks
The Flight Attendant
The Kominsky Method
Pen15
Winner: Ted Lasso
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie
Paul Bettany, WandaVision
Hugh Grant, The Undoing
Winner: Ewan McGregor, Halston
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie
Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
Winner: Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series or Movie
I May Destroy You
Mare of Easttown
Winner: The Queen’s Gambit
The Underground Railroad
WandaVision
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba, In Treatment
Winner: Olivia Colman, The Crown
Emma Corrin, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Winner: Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Rege-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
Outstanding Drama Series
The Boys
Bridgerton
Winner: The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Lovecraft Country
The Mandalorian
Pose
This Is Us
