Just in my personal opinion, watched more television than I ever have in my life this past year. Eligibility depends on these airing from June 2021 through May 2022. That’s the way TV does seasons.
A lot of interesting stuff this television season – AppleTV+ has emerged as a titan of quality television programming with Severance and Pachinko along with the second season of their comedy phenomenon Ted Lasso, HBOMax exploded into this monster for producing incredible comedies (Hacks, Search Party) and dramatic limited series (The Staircase, Station Eleven) and Amazon Prime more or less dropped off the map in terms of quality programming (The Kids in the Hall reboot excluded). Through all of this, HBO proper has remained the HBIC producing the largest number of excellent programs from dramas, limited series, docs, specials, and more so than ever before, great half-hour comedic-leaning shows.
From a categories perspective, I used the same exact categories the Emmy people (Academy?) used – Drama Series, Comedy Series, and Limited Series — which are not necessarily the categories I’d use if I was building my own Television Awards show. Anyway, without further ado, here are my picks!
NOTE – The pictures above each category DON’T necessarily denote my choice as a winner, I just wanted to visually represent all of my favorite shows.
Best Drama Series
Better Call Saul; AMC
Heartstopper; Netflix
Pachinko; AppleTV+
Severance; AppleTV+
Succession; HBO
Yellowjackets; Showtime
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Drama Series)
Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age; HBOMax
Tawny Cypress for Yellowjackets; Showtime
Kim Min-ha for Pachinko; AppleTV+
Juliette Lewis for Yellowjackets; Showtime
Melanie Lynskey for Yellowjackets; Showtime
Rhea Seehorn for Better Call Saul; AMC
Zendaya for Euphoria; HBO
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Drama Series)
Jason Bateman for Ozark; Netflix
Kit Connor for Heartstopper; Netflix
Brian Cox for Succession; HBO
Lee Jung-Jae for Squid Game; Netflix
Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul; AMC
Adam Scott for Severance; AppleTV+
Jeremy Strong for Succession; HBO
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Drama Series)
Nicholas Braun for Succession; HBO
Kieran Culkin for Succession; HBO
Tony Dalton for Better Call Saul; AMC
Lee Min-ho for Pachinko; AppleTV+
Matthew Macfadyen for Succession; HBO
Michael Mando for Better Call Saul; AMC
Tramell Tillman for Severance; AppleTV+
John Turturro for Severance; AppleTV+
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Drama Series)
Patricia Arquette for Severance; AppleTV+
Christine Baranski for The Gilded Age; HBOMax
Denee Benton for The Gilded Age; HBOMax
Julia Garner for Ozark; Netflix
Christina Ricci for Yellowjackets; Showtime
Sadie Sink for Stranger Things; Netflix
Sarah Snook for Succession; HBO
Youn Yuh-jung for Pachinko; AppleTV+
Best Writing for a Drama Series
Better Call Saul – Gordon Smith for the episode “Rock and a Hard Place”
Better Call Saul – Ann Cherkis for the episode “Hit and Run”
Better Call Saul – Thomas Schnauz for the episode “Plan and Execution”
Heartstopper – Alice Oseman for the episode “Kiss”
Severance – Dan Erickson for the episode “The We We Are”
Succession – Tony Roche & Susan Soon He Stanton for the episode “Retired Janitors of Idaho”
Succession – Georgia Pritchett & Tony Roche for the episode “Too Much Birthday”
Succession – Jesse Armstrong for the episode “All the Bells Say”
Best Directing for a Drama Series
Better Call Saul – Gordon Smith for the episode “Rock and a Hard Place”
Better Call Saul – Thomas Schnauz for the episode “Plan and Execution”
Pachinko – Justin Chon for the episode “Chapter Four”
Pachinko – Kogonada for the episode “Chapter Seven”
Severance – Ben Stiller for the episode “The We We Are”
Succession – Lorene Scafaria for the episode “Too Much Birthday”
Succession – Mark Mylod for the episode “All the Bells Say”
Yellowjackets – Karyn Kusama for the episode “Pilot”
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Ed Begley, Jr. for Better Call Saul; AMC
Adrien Brody for Succession; HBO
Colman Domingo for Euphoria; HBO
Nathan Lane for The Gilded Age; HBOMax
Tom Pelphrey for Ozark; Netflix
Alexander Skarsgaard for Succession; HBO
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Hope Davis for Succession; HBO
Martha Kelly for Euphoria; HBO
Lee Yoo-mi for Squid Game; Netflix
Jordana Spiro for Ozark; Netflix
Harriet Walter for Succession; HBO
Yuna for Pachinko; AppleTV+
Best Comedy Series
Atlanta; FX
Barry; HBO
Hacks; HBOMax
Insecure; HBO
Reservation Dogs; FX
The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Search Party; HBOMax
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Comedy Series)
Kaley Cuoco for The Flight Attendant; HBOMax
Hannah Einbinder for Hacks; HBOMax
Bridgett Everett for Somebody Somewhere; HBO
Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs for Reservation Dogs; FX
Issa Rae for Insecure; HBO
Alia Shawkat for Search Party; HBOMax
Jean Smart for Hacks; HBOMax
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Comedy Series)
John Goodman for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Bill Hader for Barry; HBO
Steve Martin for Only Murders in the Building; Hulu
Danny McBride for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Kayvan Novak for What We Do in the Shadows; FX
Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building; Hulu
Jason Sudeikis for Ted Lasso; AppleTV+
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Comedy Series)
Anthony Carrigan for Barry; HBO
John Early for Search Party; HBOMax
Walton Goggins for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Brett Goldstein for Ted Lasso; AppleTV+
Brian Tyree Henry for Atlanta; FX
Zahn McClarnon for Reservation Dogs; FX
Henry Winkler for Barry; HBO
Bowen Yang for Saturday Night Live; NBC
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Comedy Series)
Zazie Beetz for Atlanta; FX
Sarah Goldberg for Barry; HBO
Meredith Hagner for Search Party; HBOMax
Yvonne Orji for Insecure; HBO
Edi Patterson for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Megan Stalter for Hacks; HBOMax
Cecily Strong for Saturday Night Live; NBC
Hannah Waddingham for Ted Lasso; AppleTV+
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
Atlanta – Donald Glover for the episode “New Jazz”
Atlanta – Stefani Robinson for the episode “Tarrare”
Barry – Emily Heller for the episode “crazytimeshitshow”
Barry – Alec Berg & Bill Hader for the episode “starting now”
Hacks – Aisha Muharrar & Joe Mande for the episode “Click”
Insecure – Issa Rae for the episode “Everything is Gonna Be, Okay?!”
Reservation Dogs – Sterlin Harjo for the episode “Uncle Brownie”
The Righteous Gemstones – Danny McBride & John Carcieri & Edi Patterson for the episode “As to How They Might Destroy Him”
Best Directing for a Comedy Series
Atlanta – Hiro Murai for the episode “The Big Payback”
Atlanta – Donald Glover for the episode “Tarrare”
Barry – Bill Hader for the episode “710N”
Barry – Bill Hader for the episode “starting now”
Hacks – Lucia Aniello for the episode “The Captain’s Wife”
Only Murders in the Building – Jamie Babbit for the episode “Open and Shut”
The Righteous Gemstones – Jody Hill for the episode “I Will Tell of All Your Deeds”
Ted Lasso – Declan Lowney for the episode “Carol of the Bells”
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Eric Andre for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Kumail Nanjiani for Murderville; Netflix
Liam Neeson for Atlanta; FX
Sam Richardson for Ted Lasso; AppleTV+
Eric Roberts for The Righteous Gemstones; HBO
Alexander Skarsgaard for Atlanta; FX
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Jane Adams for Hacks; HBOMax
Jessie Ennis for The Flight Attendant; HBOMax
Harriet Sansom Harris for Hacks; HBOMax
Laurie Metcalf for Hacks; HBOMax
Elizabeth Perkins for Barry; HBO
Tracey Ullman for Curb Your Enthusiasm; HBO
Best Limited Series
Dopesick; Hulu
Midnight Mass; Netflix
The Staircase; HBOMax
Station Eleven; HBOMax
We Own This City; HBO
The White Lotus; HBO
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Limited Series)
Jessica Chastain for Scenes from a Marriage; HBO
Toni Collette for The Staircase; HBOMax
Mackenzie Davis for Station Eleven; HBOMax
Lily James for Pam & Tommy; Hulu
Olivia Colman for Landscapers; HBOMax
Amanda Seyfried for The Dropout; Hulu
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Limited Series)
Colin Firth for The Staircase; HBOMax
Andrew Garfield for Under the Banner of Heaven; Hulu
Oscar Issac for Scenes from a Marriage; HBO
Samuel L. Jackson for The Last Days of Plotemy Gray; AppleTV+
Michael Keaton for Dopesick; Hulu
Himish Patel for Station Eleven; HBOMax
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Limited Series)
Naveen Andrews for The Dropout; Hulu
Murray Bartlett for The White Lotus; HBO
Jon Bernthal for We Own This City; HBO
Jake Lacy for The White Lotus; HBO
Hamish Linklater for Midnight Mass; Netflix
Michael Stuhlbarg for Dopesick; Hulu
David Wilmot for Station Eleven; HBOMax
Steve Zahn for The White Lotus; HBO
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Limited Series)
Juliette Binoche for The Staircase; HBOMax
Connie Britton for The White Lotus; HBO
Jennifer Coolidge for The White Lotus; HBO
Alexandra Daddario for The White Lotus; HBO
Danielle Deadwyler for Station Eleven; HBOMax
Kaitlyn Dever for Dopesick; Hulu
Wunmi Mosaku for We Own This City; HBO
Natasha Rothwell for The White Lotus; HBO
Best Writing for a Limited Series
Midnight Mass – Mike Flanagan and James Flanagan for the episode “Book V: The Gospel”
The Staircase – Antonio Campos for the episode “America’s Sweetheart or: Time Over Time”
Station Eleven – Cord Jefferson for the episode “The Severn City Airport”
Station Eleven – Patrick Sommerville for the episode “Unbroken Circle”
We Own This City – David Simon and George Pelecanos for the episode “Part Four”
The White Lotus – Mike White for the episode “Mysterious Monkeys”
Best Directing for a Limited Series
Dopesick – Barry Levinson for the episode “First Bottle”
Midnight Mass – Mike Flanagan for the episode “Book VII: Revelation”
The Staircase – Antonio Campos for the episode “911”
Station Eleven – Hiro Murai for the episode “Hurricane”
Station Eleven – Lucy Tcherniak for the episode “The Severn City Airport”
The White Lotus – Mike White for the episode “The Lotus Eaters”
Margetis Movie Reviews 