Emmy Preview 2018: Comedy Series wishlist; vote for your favorite!
What should be nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards? We are back with another edition of our annual CarterMatt Emmy Preview Series to answer this very question!
We’re not sure that there has ever been a field as stacked when it comes to possible Comedy Series nominees as this one. After all, this year you’ve got about 20 Emmy-worthy shows in this genre plus another 20 or so that could be considered on the fence. There’s just so much TV out there and especially in this genre, which is probably why we’ve seen so much of the audience split off into a wide array of different shows. Options are a great thing, though it does make narrowing down a wishlist here a real challenge!
In addition to sharing our dream nominees, at the bottom of this article is a poll for you to vote for your own favorites! We will announce our reader picks on July 11, 2018, one day before the actual Emmy nominations are announced. Hopefully, this is a way to kick off the Emmy campaign period in a fun, super-engaging manner for everyone.
Voting Rules – Vote however many times you like! Voting is open between now and 1:00 p.m. Pacific time on July 11. By voting, you consent to have your vote tabulated in the final result. As a reminder, CarterMatt polls are simply for fun and to help aid in Emmy campaigns. Voting for the Emmys themselves is conducted by members of the Television Academy.
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CarterMatt Wishlist – Comedy Series
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox) – We’re noting Fox as the network rather begrudgingly in some ways given their cancellation of the show; yet, that’s where it aired during its eligibility, and we suppose we will give them some credit for allowing us to get a season 5 in the first place. Whether it be Jake and Amy’s wedding or getting wonderful storylines for Gina and others, this may actually be the strongest, funniest season of the show yet. Nine-Nine!
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW) – We like to think at this point that there’s a consensus out there that Crazy Ex is an exceptional show. The music is fantastic and funny and the story is super-relatable to so many people, but we think what makes this particular season stand out was in its ability to normalize mental health and actually be willing to dive into some dark, serious topics — while still keeping some of its signature tone intact.
GLOW (The CW) – The Alison Brie comedy completely delivered from every perspective we could have wanted over the course of the first season, whether it be via some of its human struggles, its physical stuntwork, or the writers managing to just put so many wonderful personalities into a cast at the same time. GLOW was a show about an unlikely, dysfunctional family in some ways, and after watching the first season you feel like part of it.
The Good Place (NBC) – This was probably the series on the list with the steepest hill to climb moving into season — it had such an earth-shattering finale last year that trying to find new ways to innovative was no easy task. Yet, executive producer Mike Schur did with a program that was somehow just as innovative and funny as it was the first time around. We still can’t forking believe that a show like this is on network TV!
Insecure (HBO) – The premium cable network’s funniest show from 2017 was is really about a grounded, human struggle of someone to find herself in the midst of a super-complicated world. Issa’s struggles have their fair share of funny moments, but beyond anything what makes this series so great is its ability to bring you right into her head and develop a real sense of understanding. You are right there with every insecurity (hence the title), including the exceptional finale that actually tells its story in multiple parts.
One Day at a Time (Netflix) – This series is in some ways perfectly emblematic of what a family comedy should be in 2018 — inspiring, inclusive, progressive, but also still incredibly funny and heartfelt. It celebrates culture while also just celebrating humanity and struggle. Even though the show is technically a reboot of another sitcom classic, it somehow feels more original than many other shows out there. Definitely a must-watch for anyone with Netflix.
Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix) – A continuously funny, gory, and grotesque delight. It’s physical in a way few comedies are and also incredibly daring. How else would you describe a second season that was all about cannibalizing white supremacists, diseased clams, Nathan Fillion’s decapitated head, and quite possibly one of the best endings to any season finale that we’ve ever seen? It may not be for the squeamish but we loved every second of it.
Other Favorites
Atlanta (FX) – The Donald Glover – FX series feels like a favorite from many critics out there, and it would be an absolute shock to not see it included on the ballot.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – The most-recent season felt very much in line with some of the other ones from the series’ original run, and we know that the Emmys love themselves some Larry David.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon) – This series got itself some serious love at the Golden Globes, and it’s gearing up for a big run this summer to go along with it.