The Emmys in 2021 will be dominated by cancelled shows.
Despite being canceled by HBO after only one season, “Lovecraft Country” received the most nominations, with a total of 18.
“It doesn’t make sense to fans and that’s all who matter,” actor Courtney B. Vance said in his “Lovecraft Country” acceptance speech for Guest Actor in a Drama at the 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. “We set everyone up and then we don’t deliver for whatever reason. I’m tired of it.”
However, this isn’t the first time that short-lived shows have been nominated for — and won – Emmys.
The show joined a long list of past and present award nominations for critically acclaimed TV shows that were only on the air for a short time or were canceled.
Jonathan Majors, who plays Tic, and Jurnee Smollett, who plays Leti, received Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama nominations for their roles in the HBO series, which aired for only one season.
“Lovecraft Country” is based on a novel by Matt Ruff in which the protagonists embark on a journey across Jim Crow-era America. Along the way, the crew is confronted with both racism and monsters.
HBO said in a statement in July 2021, shortly before the Emmy nominations for 2021, that it would not renew the show for a second season: “We are grateful for the talented cast and crew’s dedication and artistry, as well as [showrunner] Misha Green’s groundbreaking series. Thank you, too, for coming out to support us.”
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” which aired on NBC for two seasons and featured a variety of musical numbers, received two seasons. For its most recent season, the energetic show received five nominations, with Jane Levy in the lead role.
The network’s decision to cancel the show devastated Levy, who plays a woman who hears people’s inner thoughts as popular music. “Our show is about love,” says the host. It’s a real shame to take that off the air. I feel like it’s the wrong move,” the actress told Vanity Fair in June.
Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, and Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming were among the nominations for 2021.
After only nine episodes, HBO’s “Watchmen” was nominated for a whopping 26 Emmys in 2020. It went on to win a total of 11 Emmys, including Regina King’s Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Emmy for her role as masked cop Sister Night.
The film “Watchmen,” based on the comic book series of the same name, depicted an alternate history of America that began with the real-life race massacre of hundreds of black residents in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921.
It’s unclear whether a second season will be made, as HBO has stated that it will only approve a new series if creator Damon Lindelof is involved.
“We designed these nine episodes to be as self-contained as the original 12 issues,” Lindelof said of his decision to do just one s in 2019.
