Peacock and Paramount+ Enter Make or Break Emmy Season

A third Emmy could be the charm for Peacock and Paramount+.

Often used as a punch line in conversations about the streaming wars, as their subscriber numbers still pale in comparison to behemoths like Netflix and Disney+, the two services appear to have quelled their growing pains by finishing the fiscal year strong and They entered the year 2023 with their most successful year. programming, but from both critical and commercial perspectives.

Still, as most streaming services push toward profitability, the kind that even a major Emmy nomination can deliver, this TV season is going to be a make-or-break situation for the Peacock and Paramount+. If they finally become formidable contenders in the night’s biggest Emmy categories, such as Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series, with proven broad audience and critical acclaim, and continue to be shut out of the nominations, it could be a death blow for the two streaming services. future programming opportunities.

Connected

Connected

Here, we take a closer look at which projects could shift the needle on streaming services to become genuine Emmy contenders.

Peacock

Courtesy of Greg Gayne / Peacock

Looking at Peacock first, the service’s biggest hope appears to be the comedy “Poker Face,” starring four-time Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne and produced by recent Oscar nominee Rian Johnson. The former had a big hit with the debut season of her Netflix series “Russian Doll,” which earned her attention from the Television Academy as both an actress and a writer, but the show’s edgier second season snubbed her in the same categories as Primetime. The Emmys are packed with all kinds of projects that have been waiting for a comeback since before the pandemic. But the murder-mystery comedy “Pokerface” is more accessible, drawing inspiration from classic Emmy-winning TV shows like “Columbo” and featuring exciting stars like 2023 Oscar nominee Hong Chau and Stephanie Hsu in excellent guest roles . and actress in the comedy series category. In addition to positive reviews, Nielsen ranked it as Peacock’s most-watched original to date.

“Ms. Davis, Emmy winner Damon Lindelof and “The Big Bang Theory” alum Tara Hernandez also look promising. While it still seems to be finding an audience, it’s been well received by critics and TV Academy voters will likely see Lindelof’s first series since “Watchmen.” That show is one Emmy short of the record for most wins by a series in a single year. was nominated, even if the chances of the award ceremony in the other categories of the series are dwindling.

Looking a little further down the Peacock Emmy contenders, gonzo docuseries “Paul T. Goldman” is certainly a dark horse to watch in the Outstanding Documentary or Fiction Series category, and “The Traitors” is the buzziest new series up for outstanding reality. compete. The Race Program , along with “Family Friend” and “Best Man: The Final Chapters,” received a very respectable response from critics and audiences alike, garnering enough attention for at least one to plausibly enter the crowded Outstanding Limited or Anthology series. . place.

Paramount+

Paramount+

All in all, while the Peacock’s Emmy-winning potential lies more with the creators it brings to the service, what helps Paramount+ the most is its growing audience, which, funnily enough, comes from a show that only airs on the Peacock. The entire Paramount Global conglomerate has bet big on the “Yellowstone” universe and its mastermind, Taylor Sheridan, but the Kevin Costner-led series that started it all has struggled to attract the attention of the Television Academy despite being the most popular show in the world. linear TV.

Its broadcast channel, the Paramount Network, has only received five Emmy nominations since launching in 2018, so it’s fair to argue that voters are unlikely to suddenly tune in and embrace a fifth season. However, buoyed by the introduction of Paramount+, the awards organization has nominated “Yellowstone” spin-off “1883” for three awards. And the star-studded cast of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in Paramount+’s latest “Yellowstone” venture, “1923,” gives the streaming service its most atmospheric drama series Emmy yet.

The other big swings, “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” and “Tulsa King,” are harder sells in the Outstanding Comedy Series category alone, but have plenty of potential in Emmy categories like Outstanding Music and Writing for the former. collaborated with hitmaker Justin Tranter and a comedy series standout from showrunner and Emmy Award-winning “The Sopranos” alum Terence Winter.

Paramount+ also boasts a reboot of the Emmy-winning sketch series “Inside Amy Schumer,” which is now competing in the new Outstanding Scripted Variety Series category, and “Last Flight Home,” so far the only documentary in the 2023 Oscar race. from the list of award candidates. is eligible for an Emmy Award following a recent rule change in the Outstanding Documentary or Fiction Special category. In addition, “Star Trek: Picard” will face tougher Emmys in the celebratory farewell season with below-the-line nominations thanks to its past success.

While both streaming services have more promising shows in the pipeline, such as Annette Bening’s return to television in Apples Never Fall (Peacock) and Nicole Kidman-starrer The Lion (Paramount+), this year’s major Emmy nods could give both. platforms have a fighting chance to survive the streaming wars.

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