Eliana Willis

The Emmys on Monday night felt in many ways like a bookend to one of the defining features of the streaming era: a never-ending supply of new programming.As “Succession” cast members marched up to the Emmy stage on Monday night to grab their statues for the show’s final season, they used it as one last opportunity to say goodbye.Kieran Culkin, after kissing his co-star Brian Cox on the lips, gave a tearful speech while accepting the award for best actor in a drama. Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook, who each won acting awards as well, gave loving tributes to fellow cast members. And Jesse Armstrong, the creator of “Succession,” capped off the night by accepting the best-drama award for the third and final time and noting: “We can now depart the stage.”It all punctuated an end-of-era feeling at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. “Succession” was one of many nominated shows that had farewell seasons, joined by a list that included “Ted Lasso,” “Better Call Saul,” “Barry,” “Atlanta” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”But that was not the only reason that there was an elegiac theme to Monday night. The ceremony felt in many ways like a bookend to the so-called Peak TV era itself.Nearly every year from 2010 through 2023, the number of TV programs rose in the United States, reaching 599 scripted television shows last year.It may never hit those heights again.For more than a year now, studios and networks — including streaming giants like Netflix, cable stalwarts like HBO and FX, and the broadcast channels — have hit the brakes on ordering new series. Executives, worried about hemorrhaging cash from their streaming services, customers cutting the cable cord and a soft advertising market, have instead placed more emphasis on profitability. The monthslong screenwriter and actor strikes last year also contributed to the slowdown.With a more frugal approach, there is widespread fear throughout the industry about the fallout from a contraction.The Emmy nomination submission list gives a snapshot. The number of dramas that the networks and studios submitted for Emmy consideration dropped 5 percent, according to the Television Academy, which organizes the awards. Entries for limited series fell by 16 percent, and comedies by 19 percent.At after-parties on Monday night, there was considerable angst at just how much thinner the lineup would probably be for the next Emmys.Some television genres seem to be in some degree of peril. Limited series — six to 10 episodes shows that became a sensation over the past decade, particularly after the 2014 debut of “True Detective,” the 2016 premiere of “American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson” and the 2017 start of “Big Little Lies” — have been a hallmark of the Peak TV era. The shows stood out in part because of the big stars and lavish budgets involved.At the 2021 Emmys, the statue for best limited series was the final award presented. This had long been a designation for best drama, and it signaled an admission by organizers that the category had become television’s most prestigious prize.Not anymore.As part of programming budget cuts, executives now see significantly less benefit to deploying lavish resources to a show that ends after a matter of weeks.Once again, investing in series with lots of seasons is a much bigger priority. And there is a good chance that television may start to look a lot like television from a couple of decades ago.Executives at Max, the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, are looking for a medical drama. “Suits,” a 2010s legal procedural from the USA Network, became an unexpected streaming hit last summer, after millions of people began watching reruns of the show on Netflix. “Next year, you’ll probably see a bunch of lawyer shows,” Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, said at an investor conference last month.To wit, Hulu recently ordered a project from the star producer Ryan Murphy that will chronicle an all-female divorce legal firm.Of course, Peak TV-era quality television is not going away. “The Bear,” the best-comedy winner and already the runaway favorite for the next Emmys, will return. Also coming back are “Abbott Elementary,” the beloved ABC sitcom, and “The Last of Us,” HBO’s hit adaptation of a video game, which won a haul of Emmys.Even the origin story of “Succession” seems tailor-made for the new television era. When HBO executives ordered the series, they wanted to put their spin on a classic television genre — a family drama — but had low expectations. The show did not command “Game of Thrones” or “Stranger Things” budgets. It was light on stars. Armstrong was not a brand name yet. And yet, it became a hit.Less than an hour after the Emmys ceremony ended, when Armstrong was asked at a news conference what he would turn to next, he demurred.Instead, he reflected on the past.“This group of people, I don’t expect to ever be repeated,” he said, of “Succession.” “I hope I do interesting work the rest of my life. But I’m quite comfortable with the feeling that I might not ever be involved with something quite as good.” More

After being postponed because of labor strikes in Hollywood, the Emmy Awards returned on Monday night and with the ceremony came what might be the television industry’s biggest fashion show.Though the carpet was gray, there was no shortage of red, a color that also proved quite popular at the Golden Globes this month. Bows, an inescapable accessory of 2023, held on as a favorite embellishment: Riley Keough had a black bow in her hair, while her “Daisy Jones and the Six” castmate Suki Waterhouse and the “Abbott Elementary” actress and screenwriter Quinta Brunson each had them on their gowns. (Ms. Waterhouse’s sat beneath her baby bump.)The ceremony was honoring television programs broadcast last year, which gave viewers a chance to catch up with casts like that of “White Lotus” season two. Some of its members seemed to use the occasion to pay homage to the show’s setting by wearing Italian designers: Meghann Fahy chose a rosette-laden strapless gown by Armani (that was red); Simona Tabasco donned full-skirted, floral Marni; and Jennifer Coolidge wore a sheer dress by Etro.Amid a carpet full of feathers, beads, sequins, diamonds and plenty of well-tailored suits, the following 15 outfits stood out from the rest (for better or worse).Aubrey Plaza: Most Dangerous!Looking sharp.Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesThe actress and a star of “The White Lotus” had a colossal pin stuck through her pale yellow-green Loewe look. If the accessory looked familiar, it might be because the “Past Lives” director Celine Song had a similarly large pin through her Loewe skirt at the Golden Globes.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?  More

Most of the awards on Monday night went to favored shows like “Succession” and “The Bear.” But the ceremony, delayed from September, still had a few surprises.The 2023 Emmys finally happened. In 2024.Delayed from September by the dual strike of Hollywood’s actors and writers, the belated ceremony, hosted by Anthony Anderson, took place on Monday night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. On an evening in which the broadcast competed with coverage of the Iowa caucuses and an N.F.L. playoff game — and just a week after the Golden Globes honored many of the same shows — the Emmys made for pleasant, if rarely necessary, viewing.Most of the awards went to favored artists and shows, with “Succession,” “The Bear,” “Beef” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” dominating. (“Better Call Saul,” nominated for 53 Emmys over its six seasons, failed to earn even one statue.) Still, the show did have a few surprises.There was Niecy Nash-Betts’s impassioned speech, Elton John’s newly minted EGOT status and the presenter Joan Collins’s timeless smolder. Kieran Culkin, a winner for “Succession,” used his speech to petition his wife for another child. Ebon Moss-Bachrach celebrated the best comedy win for “The Bear” by planting a long kiss on his co-star Matty Matheson. And Anderson’s mother, Doris Bowman, killed as the evening’s shadow co-host, heckling winners who took too long with their speeches.Here are some of the evenings high and lowlights. — Alexis SoloskiLeast Surprising Wins: All of Them?Most of them, anyway. It’s nice when an awards show allows for a little envelope-opening suspense. This year, the Emmys had nearly none. With a very few exceptions, three shows swept the awards: “Succession” for drama (six Emmys); “The Bear” for comedy (six Emmys); and “Beef” for limited or anthology series or movie (five Emmys). Throw in two for “Late Night With John Oliver” — the eighth consecutive time it has won Emmys in a variety series category and for variety writing — and that was pretty much the winners list.Largely, these awards felt deserved. Who could fail to honor a devastating episode like “Connor’s Wedding,” from “Succession”? Who would overlook Ali Wong? And those “Bear” actors deserve something nice — that show is stressful! But with every minute and every award, the outcomes felt more assured. This Emmys awarded the first season of “The Bear,” and a second — that, in many ways, improves on the first — has already aired. But with “Succession” having ended and “Beef” being a limited series, the next Emmys may offer a few more surprises. — Alexis SoloskiMost Surprising Win: ‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah’“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” won best talk series.Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesThe rechristened best talk series category was wide open this year after the Television Academy moved John Oliver over into best scripted variety series. (Which he won, naturally.) Most expected Oliver’s former “Daily Show” colleague Stephen Colbert, whose “Late Show” has been the most-watched late-night show for several years, to claim the trophy. But it was “The Daily Show” itself that won. The Comedy Central standby dominated this category during Jon Stewart’s tenure, but it had never won while Trevor Noah was its host. And it still hasn’t, in a way: Even though it was Noah who accepted the award and gave the speech, he left the show in 2022. (Roy Wood, the former “Daily Show” correspondent, mouthed “Please hire a host” on the stage as Noah gave his speech.) It was yet another example of the weird time warps that made these delayed Emmy Awards even more confusing than usual. — Jeremy EgnerBest Return to the Stage: Christina ApplegateChristina Applegate, who has multiple sclerosis, stood with Anthony Anderson as she presented the Emmy for best supporting actress on Monday.Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesChristina Applegate (“Dead to Me,” “Married With Children”) has made few public appearances since disclosing a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Her turn at the Emmys, presenting the award for supporting actress in a comedy series, reaffirmed why she is much missed. Leaning on a handsome escort and a cane, she teared up at the standing ovation the audience gave her, then sliced through the emotion saying, “You’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up.” Spiky, sardonic, lemon-tart, even through tears, she was as funny and complicated as any of the characters she has played. She may not have won for “Dead to Me,” but her presence was a win for the ceremony. — Alexis SoloskiBest Speech: Niecy Nash-BettsNiecy Nash-Betts won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a limited series on Monday. “As an artist, my job is to speak truth to power,” she said in her electric acceptance speech. Mario Anzuoni/ReutersNiecy Nash-Betts is regularly among the best performers in any program she appears in, and the Emmys was no exception. Accepting for “Dahmer,” Nash-Betts gave a blazing speech in which she dedicated her victory to the struggles of “unheard, yet overpoliced” Black and brown women, “like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor.” She continued: “As an artist, my job is to speak truth to power. And, baby, I’ma do it till the day I die.” She also said what you have to imagine has gone through the head of many a past award winner: “And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me, for believing in me and doing what they said I could not do.” Monday night, she did it. — James PoniewozikNot Best, Not Worst, Just Fine: Anthony Anderson as HostAnthony Anderson, left, opened the Emmy Awards ceremony with song on Monday night, accompanied on the drums by Travis Barker.Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesAnthony Anderson opened the Emmys with an ode to the programs that animated his living room TV set growing up, kicking off a 75th anniversary ceremony that spent a lot of time looking back at the history of television. Walking onstage and hanging up his fur coat a la “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” Anderson took to the piano, starting with the theme song from “Good Times,” the 1970s Norman Lear sitcom that Anderson said taught him about “the importance of family, a dynamic catchphrase and spinoff money.” He added: “No ‘Good Times,’ no ‘black-ish,’ no ‘grown-ish,’ no ‘mixed-ish,’” referring to the sitcom he is best known for and the spinoffs that followed. He followed with the theme from “The Facts of Life” and — with an assist from Travis Barker on drums — a rendition of “In the Air Tonight,” which appeared in “Miami Vice.” The theatrical romp, though short, allowed Anderson to sidestep the kind of moments that plagued Jo Koy’s monologue last week at the Golden Globes, where an opening stand-up routine with jokes about celebrities in the room and the most nominated movies fell flat. — Julia JacobsBest Working Mom: Doris BowmanPlaying off winners who ramble in their acceptance speeches? Rude. Anthony Anderson having his mother scold the loquacious? Brilliant. Anderson, who often includes his mother, Doris Bowman, in his act — and in the game show “We Are Family,” which she co-hosts — recruited her as a “playoff mama,” a job she took seriously enough to rebuke her own son when his intro ran too long. “I want to go to the after party,” she said. “Hurry up.” She interrupted Jennifer Coolidge (who would dare?) and silenced John Oliver when he baited her by padding out his speech with Liverpool football players. Kieran Culkin kept his speech short. “I don’t want to be yelled at,” he said. When Anderson donned a latex gimp suit for an “American Horror Story” bit, she piped up to tell him to wash. Good advice and seemingly a great ad-lib. — Alexis SoloskiBest Recurring Feature: The ReunionsThe ceremony’s many reunions included one featuring “Cheers” cast members including, from left, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman, Ted Danson, John Ratzenberger and George Wendt.Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesUsually, when awards shows “pay tribute” to a medium, it’s a momentum killer for the ceremony and a mildly depressing slog. But the cast reunion segments here were light on their feet — brief, and more important, integrated into the proceedings. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite … to present an award! Hey, it’s some people from the cast of “Cheers” … here to present an award! Throw in a little dance number from some “Ally McBeal” alums for good measure. (Do I wonder how exactly the guest lists were assembled? I do.) The sets did a lot of the heavy lifting, so even the flatter segments still stirred fond memories. — Margaret LyonsWorst Recurring Feature: The MathThe Emmys are usually held in September; because of the Hollywood strikes, this ceremony came four months late. This meant delayed curtain calls for series like “Better Call Saul” and “Dead to Me,” which ended in 2022, as well as having to keep track of which seasons the night’s winners were actually being celebrated for. “The Bear” picked up several wins Monday night, for instance, just as it did at the Golden Globes a week earlier. But the Globes were for the show’s more recent Season 2, while the Emmys were for … Season 1, from summer 2022. Here’s hoping that by the fall, the TV space-time continuum will have been repaired. — James PoniewozikWorst Recurring Omission: The SwearsFor those of us watching at home, it was agony not knowing what filthy, provocative words we missed in so many of the speeches. Only people at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles heard just what Kieran Culkin did to Pedro Pascal’s shoulder, what obscenities Brett Goldstein unleashed and what RuPaul said that had him silenced for multiple seconds. Lip readers of the world — or any available attendees — please advise. — Alexis SoloskiBest Career Milestone: Elton John Gets an EGOTElton John reached EGOT status by winning an Emmy for his special, “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.”Willy Sanjuan/Invision, via Associated PressElton John secured an EGOT on Monday night, joining the select group who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony when he won an Emmy for outstanding variety special category for his televised farewell concert at Dodger Stadium. John has won five Grammys, a Tony Award for best original score for “Aida” and two Oscars for songs in “The Lion King” (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight”) and “Rocketman” (“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”). With his Emmy for “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium,” which streamed on Disney+, John became the 19th person to gain a title that is totally unofficial yet an enduring source of fascination online. The rather elite club includes Audrey Hepburn, Rita Moreno, Mel Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson and Viola Davis. John, 76, did not attend the Emmys ceremony. — Julia JacobsMost Egregious Snub: ‘Better Call Saul’Seven seasons. Seven Emmy nominations for best drama series, and a whopping 53 nominations overall. And how many Emmy wins for “Better Call Saul”? Zero. I had to double check that a few times; it just didn’t seem possible. And yet, it is true. AMC’s prequel series to the much-Emmyed crime drama “Breaking Bad” had five more chances to win something on Monday night (it had already struck out on its two Creative Emmys nods earlier this month). Wins for Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn, for best actor and supporting actress, seemed at least plausible. Instead, the show holds the record for most Emmy nominations in history without a win. Slippin’ Jimmy’s final opportunity has thus slipped away. — Austin Considine More