Emmy shockers: ‘True Detective’ submitting as drama; ‘Shameless’ season 4 comedy

Usually when we write about Emmy submissions, we usually have a single show to talk about. That is what makes this story so interesting: We’ve got a pair of shows that are making some surprising submission decisions for the big awards show.

We start with “True Detective,” which almost everyone assumed was going to submit as a miniseries. Why? It would surely clean up there, and get nominations for series, lead actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and also Michelle Monaghan as supporting. However, sources have confirmed that the series is going to actually submit as a drama, which is a much more competitive field. This is an extremely bold move by HBO, given that this could push “Game of Thrones” (a fellow series) out of a nomination depending on what the voters think later this year.

With all of this being said, we applaud HBO for actually deciding that they don’t want to just take the predictable route because they can. They want to save the miniseries / movie category for shows that are actually miniseries or movies, and they have enough high-quality material there that they can probably pull off plenty of nominations there. (Sticking in “True Detective” would hurt their other products.)

As for the other news, Showtime is submitting “Shameless” this year as a comedy, which is something that those behind the show claim fits it far better than anything else. We don’t mind the change given that there are comedic and dramatic elements on the show. It may have an easier time getting some recognition there, but it will have some competition, still, thanks to “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” possibly “The Goldbergs,” and all the usual standbys.

What do you think about these two moves? Share some of your thoughts below.

Photo: HBO