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More strong Emmy showings from Disney+’s Andor, FX’s The Bear and What We Do In The Shadows and Hulu’s Only Murders In the Building as well as breakthrough performances from Hulu’s Paradise and FX limited series Dying for Sex helped Disney earn 137 Emmy nominations across platforms including ABC, Disney+, FX, Hulu and Nat Geo.
“We’re extraordinarily proud of our achievement today,” said Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich, who oversees ABC and Hulu Originals. “In particular Paradise, which is a show that broke through in its first season, to see it nominated for its creative excellence is very satisfying. It’s a show that, from day one, Dana [Walden] and the entire organization got behind.”
Created by This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, Paradise landed four Emmy nominations, all in marquee categories, Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor In A Drama Series for This Is Us alum Sterling K. Brown and Supporting Actor/Actress For James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson. With Fogelman also executive producing Only Murders, he got the rare distinction of dual Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series nominations in the same year.
Erwich credited the “power to both the creative culture here that Dana has championed, but also to the ecosystem” for the success of Paradise as well as fellow Hulu breakout hit The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, whose first season earned an Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program nomination.
“Both shows we also aired on ABC, and that’s something that only Disney can do,” Erwich said. “It erases the distinction between broadcast and streaming, because for us, we’re really there to serve the audience, and I have no doubt that that was a factor in not just the massive commercial success, but the very well deserved incredibly satisfying critical acclaim, and today, the recognition that those shows achieved.”
‘Abbott’ flying the flag for broadcast TV & those Quinta Brunson “moving away” comments
While Erwich spoke of erasing the distinction between broadcast and streaming, it has been persistent for Emmy voters. For four years in a row, since Abbott Elementary‘s launch, it has been the only broadcast series to earn a nomination in the Outstanding Comedy or Drama categories.
“Not surprised, the show gets better and better and better every year,” Erwich said of the achievement by the series, created, executive produced and headlined by Quinta Brunson. “I think Quinta has not just championed but really taken advantage of the creative platform that broadcast gives and watching characters grow season over season, where the audience knows that the shows are going to come back.”
Once again, Emmy winner Brunson is a triple nominee this year as actor, for playing her optimistic young teacher Janine, writer and producer, with her co-stars Janelle James as Ava and Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara also earning repeat nominations
There were recent comments by Brunson that may have been misconstrued as her and the cast being ready to move away from Abbott Elementary after the upcoming fifth season. Is ABC looking for the show to continue for multiple seasons?
“Absolutely. And I know Quinta is too. I think those comments were misconstrued,” Erwich said. “She remains incredibly dedicated to the show. And I think you can tell that from just watching the episodes. This was the year of Ava, that was part of the creative roadmap of that show. So for people to come and stand up and recognize that is fantastic.”
As for whose year it will be next season, “I don’t know yet, but when you think about where Abbott started — both in terms of its kind of creativity and popularity, and where we are now — there’s no doubt that it will continue to top itself,” Erwich said.
Also on ABC, he noted the Emmy nominations for the Oscar ceremony hosted by Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the network dominating the Outstanding Game Show category with four of the five nominees.
“It just demonstrates the breadth of excellence, the breadth of content and the breadth of talent that Disney has,” he said, adding, “Will Trent was nominated for a choreography. This is my favorite fact of the day. When was the last time a network procedural got an Emmy nomination for choreography?”
‘Paradise’s Season 2 First Impressions & Breakout New Star
“Paradise was one of the breakout hits of the entire television popular cultural landscape last year, people loved the show. I think what Dan did was groundbreaking and entertaining, but also very true to what he does in terms of deeply emotional storytelling, this time, in a more science fiction setting.”
Production is already underway on Season 2 of Paradise with several new cast members. Erwich singled out one of them.
“I have seen the first two episodes of Paradise for next season, and I am highly confident that next year we will be talking about Shailene Woodley as a nomination,” he said. “The first episode is breathtaking, an incredible departure and has to be seen to be fully enjoyed. We were all blown away when we watched it, and it reignited our enthusiasm. I think the show will go to new heights next year.”
‘Only Murders’ to show “different side of New York City” In S5
Only Murders In the Building added seven more Emmy nominations to its tally, including a fourth straight Outstanding Comedy Series nod.
“It’s incredible that Only Murders has been nominated every single year since it entered the race. Maybe we become used to it in some ways, but it should be considered a new achievement every year.”
He pulled the veil just a bit off the upcoming fifth season, revealing the setting and the stars playing a trio of major new characters.
“The show has reinvented itself every year with new characters and new mysteries,” Erwich said. “This year, it takes on a whole different side of New York City that I think people are going to really enjoy with some returning cast members, but we have some new stars too. Among them, Logan Lerman, Renée Zellweger and Christopher Waltz, who kind of become the troika that I think will define this season. It’s really, really funny.”
‘Mid-Century Modern’s Future
New Hulu multi-camera comedy Mid-Century Modern landed four Emmy nominations, including a directing nom for veteran James Burrows, though it missed out on the top categories.
“We’re really proud of Mid-Century Modern, and Jimmy Burrows is a legend and rightfully deserves to be nominated,” Erwich said.
There has been no renewal decision on the series, created by the Will & Grace duo of Max Mutchnick
David Kohan and executive produced by Ryan Murphy.
Erwich would not elaborate on the show’s Season 2 prospects, saying, “I have no news to share right now.”
As for the success of The Secret Lives of the Mormon Wives, “people are obsessed with them, and I understand why. They are incredibly authentic, they’re fearless in sharing their lives with the cameras, and the show actually has something to say,” he said.
RELATED: Veteran Sitcom Director James Burrows Lands His 28th Emmy Nomination For Directing For ‘Mid-Century Modern’
‘Handmaid’s Tale’s quiet Emmy departure & legacy
Handmaid’s Tale, which helped put Hulu on the map by becoming the first streaming series to win Outstanding Drama Emmy, was overlooked by the TV Academy, landing a single nomination for its sixth and final season, for Cherry Jones who previously won for her recurring role in 2019.
“The Handmaid’s Tale is judged by the audience’s reaction to the final season, which was overwhelmingly excited, gratified, satisfied,” Erwich said. “It’s a show we’re very proud of. It was the first streaming show ever to win Best Drama, it will be attached to that achievement forever and really defined Hulu, defined a generation of viewers. So everything beyond that, quite frankly, is gravy. This was a really good year for Handmaid’s. We’re very happy of the way it sailed off, bittersweet as it is.”
The Handmaid’s Tale‘s legacy will live on through its sequel series for Hulu, The Testaments, which is filming its first season.
“We’re very happy with The Testaments,” Erwich said. “It’s definitely a different view of that world, but I think will both will be satisfying to Handmaid’s fans, but open it up to to new viewers as well.”
Foray into standup
Disney’s nominations included two for Hulu’s Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years, including Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded). It marked the company’s entry into the field.
“About a year and a half ago, we set our sights on breaking into the standup area with our Hilarious banner, so for Bill Burr to break through into that category in our inaugural season, I think promises great things,” Erwich said. “And again, this is a testament to the quality of the lineup we put together and the way that we brought it to the audience. We made an event out of each special but also out of the Hilarious banner. You saw those comedians, those specials show up all over the Disney ecosystem, whether it’s on Good Morning America or on Jimmy Kimmel.“
Coming up: ‘Chad Powers’, ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ & More
Erwich previewed hot new series coming to ABC and Hulu in the next couple of months.
“I’m really excited about Chad Powers starring Glen Powell, that comes out,” he said. “We have a limited series based on the travails of Amanda Knox that stars Grace Van Patton, who’s our star of the hit Hulu show Tell Me Lies; I think that performance is going to get a tremendous amount of recognition. And then I think people are going to be blown away when they see Jason Clarke and Patricia Arquette in the exploration of the Murdaugh family that we have coming soon to Hulu too.”
Erwich also listed two upcoming series from Ryan Murphy, legal drama All’s Fair starring Kim Kardashian for Hulu and the new 9-1-1 spinoff, 9-1-1: Nashville, headlined by Chris O’Donnell, for ABC
“All’s Fair I think is going to be widely viewed and really enjoyed and discussed. It’s really unique, very, very special show,” he said.
As for 9-1-1: Nashville, “the scripts are great,” Erwich said. “Thrilled to have Chris O’Donnell. Ryan has continually refined that franchise in a really original way. I think the Nashville setting is going to bring a lot to it, and we’re excited for it.”
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