Shogun and Baby Reindeer to Dominate Emmys – Second Show in 2024

The big-budget epic Shogun is set to be a historic winner at this weekend's Emmy Awards, a show that is itself making history.

This is the second Emmy in the same year, an unprecedented and costly challenge for the industry, requiring a traffic jam due to last year's dual strike, which led to a postponement.

January's rescheduled Emmys saw big wins for The Bear and the final season of Legacy but without the latter's appearance, all eyes are on whatever the next major drama contender will be.

Leading the nominations with 25, Shogun, the long-running historical epic is the first Japanese-language show to receive a nomination for best drama series and only the second non-English-language show after Squid Game. At last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys, where technical and some minor acting awards are given, the show picked up 14 awards, the most of any show at the show.

“It's completely surreal to imagine that this show, after the last five, six years, is a show that's recognized so many people,” co-creator Justin Marks told The Hollywood Reporter. “Because we were just trying to survive it, all of us together, and trying to figure out how to make it — there wasn't really a mold for it.”

The series is favorite to win more awards this Sunday, which could see historic wins for actors at a ceremony that has not tended to reward performers of Asian descent. In January, Beef star Ali Wong became the first woman of Asian descent to ever win a Lead Emmy.

A report by the Women's Media Center showed that women are still underrepresented in non-acting categories, receiving just 34% of this year's nominations.

Breakout Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, about Richard Gadd's alleged experiences with a stalker, is also expected to win in its limited series category with 11 nominations. The ceremony comes in the same week as the date of the defamation trial, which begins in May 2025, was announced. The streamer is being sued for $170 million after the inspiration of Gad's stalker, Fiona Harvey, claims the show is the “biggest lie” in television history.”

After taking home a total of 10 awards for its first season, restaurant-based hit The Bear is also expected to dominate the comedy category again, beating out only Murders in the Building and Abbott Elementary. Seven wins, including one for Jamie Lee Curtis as a guest star last weekend. “I'm the luckiest girl in the world,” she said of her first Emmy.

Producers of this weekend's awards have promised to keep this January's upbeat theme, staying away from vulgarity and snark. They hired father-son duo, and Sheets Creek co-stars, Eugene and Dan Levy as “relatable” hosts.

“The idea of ​​two Canadians who won our Emmys in a literal quarantine tent being asked to host this year in an actual theater was quite encouraging,” they said in a statement.

The evening will see major reunions on stage for casts from shows including Happy Days, The West Wing and Saturday Night Live, which is celebrating its 50th year.

Producers are also hoping for an increase in viewers after the most recent telecast drew just 4.3 million viewers, a new low for an awards show.