From county fair contests to beauty pageants, appointed voters don’t always get it right. Since 1949, precipitating the fall TV lineup, thePrimetime Emmy Awardsdistribute trophies to actors and series the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences deems worthy. Not all programming or performances are created equal, nor are the opinions of their audiences. Consequently, the annual telecast disperses deserved wins, head-scratching surprises, and silence reserved for inevitable snubs with varying degrees of incredulity.
Historic instances of bonafide Emmy snub bafflement includeSteve Carell’s multi-nominated, never-win for his role as Michael Scott inThe Officeand the notoriously elongatedEmmy shut-out of the hit seriesBetter Call Saul. These slights and others like them have been well-publicized. However, thenever-nominatedsnub is a lesser-discussed tier in the Emmy snub hierarchy.These astonishingly overlooked actors are the biggest snubs the Emmys committed in the 2010swho couldn’t even claim “it was an honor just to be nominated.”
10Eva Green as Vanessa Ives / Rory Kinnear as The Creature
‘Penny Dreadful’ (2014-2016)
The horror series rooted in 19th-century Victorian fiction dissected, haunted, and sank its fangs into viewers with a Showtime subscription beginning in 2014. Despitea talented cast featuringEva Green,Josh Hartnett,Timothy Dalton,Rory Kinnear, andPatti LuPone, their fresh portrayals of well-worn characters written byMary Shelley,Bram Stoker, andOscar Wildecouldn’t beguile Emmy voters. Kinnear and Green offertwo of the most moving depictions of empathy as maligned charactersmisunderstood and cast aside by society.
Penny Dreadful’s ensemble cast is remarkable, but Green disappears into Vanessa Ives and transports audiences to the atmospheric era as witnesses to her unraveling. Similarly, Kinnear impresses with double duty as The Creatureandthe unnamed orderly who respects and cares for an institutionalized Vanessa in the season three episode, “A Blade of Grass.” The result of their efforts is a harrowing yet beautiful series that should have elicited chills, tears, and nominations from the esteemed Emmy committee. The cursed horror genre bias strikes again!
Penny Dreadful
9Noah Emmerich as Stan Beeman
‘The Americans’ (2013-2018)
InThe Americans, a pair of Soviet spies sent by the KGB pose as a married couple, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phillip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., during the Regan administration. Their low profile is complicated by a friendly neighbor and counterintelligence officer at the FBI, Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich). The couple befriends the unsuspecting FBI agent while supplying intel to Russia and hosting potluck dinners.
The Americansis a gripping, original espionage thriller flawlessly orchestrated by its creative teams, both in front of and behind the camera. Rhys received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor for the role, and his on-screen and off-screen wife, Russell, was nominated thrice but never won. Russell’s snub was heard far and wide. However, Emmerich’s slow-burn turn as the affable patriot next door, betrayed by his dear friends for years, wasa pivotal career-making performancethat should’ve been awardedat leasta nomination.
The Americans
8Katey Sagal as Gemma Teller
‘Sons of Anarchy’ (2008-2014)
Kurt Sutter’s FX crime drama loosely borrows from Shakespeare’sHamlet, though the Bard’s inclusion of denim duds or white Nike Air Force One sneakers is sadly absent from the original text. Vice President and son of the late founder of the motorcycle club, Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), grapples with legacy and leadership while butting heads with his stepfather, Clay (Ron Perlman), the club’s acting President. Jax’s mother, Gemma (Katey Sagal), the “Queen” of the club, is loyal to her newly crowned love, though allegiance to her late husband and involvement in his death is veiled.
Following eleven seasons of missed opportunities to recognize Sagal for her portrayal of Peg Bundy in the television classicMarried…with Children, Emmy voters were given a second chance withSons of Anarchy. Copious critical praise for her performance asthe complex motorcycle matriarch didn’t amount to an Emmy nodfor Sagal, who also supplied her vocal talents on the hit series. From collusion to coercion, Gemma kept her son and viewers on their toes. Sagal never let off the gas and continued to shock audiences through six years of duplicitous schemes and random acts of violence. Esteemed Emmy voting council, don’t wait until she’s the next guest star onThe Bearto acknowledge Sagal, an integral contributor to television history.
Sons of Anarchy
7Steve Zissis as Alex Pappas
‘Togetherness’ (2015-2016)
TheDuplass Brothershave developed a loyal fan baseby melding low budgets, high authenticity, and self-deprecating comedy in their film and television collaborations. True to their mumblecore origins, the siblings from New Orleans, along with childhood friend and actorSteve Zissis, created a series that piqued the interest of HBO. InTogetherness,longtime married couple Michelle (Melanie Lynskey) and Brett Pierson (Mark Duplass) engage in an unflinching depiction of relationship stagnation and stalled aspirations. Brett’s best friend, unemployed actor Alex Pappas (Zissis), moves into the marital house of upheaval and is joined by Michelle’s wayward sister Tina (Amanda Peet) for ultimate full-house awkwardness.
Togethernessis another unfortunate (and infuriating) example of “the best show no one’s watching,” which led to its cancelation after two short seasons. Even casting coups, Lynskey and Peet couldn’t summon viewers to the native Louisianan’s honest feast of self-discovery and not-so-subtleDuneworship. The real losers in this scenario are audiences who missedZissis' effortless, charming exhibition.Varietyproclaimed Zissis' contribution was the standout in a cast full of more experienced actors, and they weren’t wrong. Alex Pappas could’ve been a stereotypical character punching above his dating weight class with hopeful longing. Instead, Zissis imbued him with a winning mix of confidence and humor that should have gotten someone’s attention at Emmy headquarters.
Togetherness
6Regina King as Detective Lydia Adams
‘Southland’ (2009-2013)
Heralded for its authentic raw feel and interior perspective,Southlandtakes viewers on a gripping five-season ridealong with the officers of an LA police precinct. The series, starringMichael Cudlitz,Shawn Hatosy,Ben McKenzie, andRegina King, began its run on NBC but was picked up by TNT shortly after with more freedom to move about the law-abiding cabin. Hand-held cameras and the absence of a musical score provide palpable apprehension viewers discovered inCops, while the story remains focused on the inner lives of those sworn to serve and protect.
Though the Emmy collective would later recognize King for her upper-echelon level of acting in television (Emmy wins for Supporting inAmerican Crimeand Lead Actress inSeven SecondsandWatchmen), one glaring example of Emmy snobbery iszeronominations for her work as the pint-sized, perp-chasing, shotgun-wielding, outspoken force of nature, Detective Lydia Adams.Lydia offered an often discounted, underrepresented character perspective: an intelligent black female juggling personal responsibilities, departmental bureaucracy, and tricky jurisdictional familiarity. King’s snub is the most egregious sinceSonja Sohn’s noteworthy turn as Kima Greggs onThe Wire. Shame on you, Emmy voters. King deserved a trophy, not a gold watch.
5Shawn Hatosy as Andrew “Pope” Cody
‘Animal Kingdom’ (2016-2022)
The TNT seriesAnimal Kingdomis based on the critically acclaimed 2010 movie of the same name,inspired by a real-life crime familyfrom Melbourne, Australia. AfterJacki Weaver’s star-making performance in the film, screen legendEllen Barkinwas cast as the matriarchal mastermind, “Smurf” Cody, in the series. Her criminally gifted sons (and their assortment of all-terrain toys), played byScott Speeman,Ben Robson,Jake Weary, and Shawn Hatosy, perform sophisticated feats of burglary but have difficulty keeping a low profile in their chaotic personal lives. After his mother’s death, Smurf’s estranged nephew “J” Cody (Finn Cole) is initiated into the family business.
From the film classicsTender MerciesandSea of Loveto the hysterical dark comedyDrop Dead Gorgeous, audiences were delighted but not surprised by Barkin’s offerings as the high priestess of familial heists. Instead, the revelation emerged from Hatosys' work as the dead-eyed, socially unacceptable yet sensitive, sometimes murderer “Pope” Cody. The actor’s embodiment of the monosyllabic, mercurial eldest son of Smurf inAnimal Kingdomtranscended anything he’d done before in a truly spellbinding performance. When Pope entered the frame, viewers watched with uneasy anticipation; the show was fine, but Hatosy’s contribution wasengrossing. At the end of the series' six-season run, Hatosy had been robbed, Emmy-style.
Animal Kingdom
4Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes
Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) awakens from a coma to discover an eerily vacant landscape now home to bloodthirsty zombies. As he traverses the apocalyptic remnants of what was once Atlanta, Georgia, Rick leads a group of survivors, including his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), their son Carl (Chandler Riggs), Rick’s best friend Shane (Jon Bernthal), and others to the CDC for answers. The group soon realizes they are alone in a defunct society, and the battle for resources, community, and life begins in earnest.
The Walking Deadaired for eleven seasonsand produced multiple spin-offs, web series, and a popular live aftershow,Talking Dead. Each season introduced new members to the cast’s ensemble and featured no shortage of “walkers” (zombies), turf wars, brutal deaths, and lasting bonds. Amid a sea of dead ghouls and a sprawling living community, the show’s battle-tested beating heart is unequivocally Rick Grimes. To categorize Rick’s devastating emotional and physical journey as a gauntlet would be underselling his experience. In a mind-blowing misstep,Lincoln’s visually exhausting work as the post-apocalyptic stalwartnever garnered asingleEmmy nomination. Consider the horror genre, voters—thou art not Negan.
The Walking Dead
3Danielle Brooks as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
‘Orange Is the New Black’ (2013-2019)
Based onPiper Kerman’s Memoir,Orange Is the New Blackis Netflix’s longest-running original series. Many episodes chronicle the individual backstories of inmates, guards, and auxiliary characters through flashbacks, illustrating how their lives brought them to the fictional Litchfield Penitentiary. The series initially focused on Piper’s (Taylor Schilling) experience and perspective, but over seven seasons, audiences became acquainted with a chorus of flawed but complicated, endearing characters.
Despite the series' enormous, gifted ensemble,Danielle Brooks’s exploration and evolution of Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson is a noticeable, undeniable force. Taystee is a cheerleader, a champion of underdogs, an advocate for social change, and a die-hardHarry Potterfan. In a place where darkness thrives, she emerges as a beacon of light (aided by Brooks’s 100-watt, contagious smile), stealing scenes and capturing viewers' hearts. Brooks penetrated the camera lens in a tour de force, chill-inducing debut. It isa nomination slight that should keep Emmy voters up at night.
Orange is The New Black
Watch on Netflix
2Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter
‘Hannibal’ (2013-2015)
InBrian Fuller’s reimagining of Thomas Harris’Hannibalseries, Federal Agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) refers an exceptionally talented FBI criminal profiler, Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), to a behavioralpsychiatrist and gastronomeDr. Hannibal Lecter(Mads Mikkelsen), which leads to a precarious, inextricable bond. The charismatic, worldly Dr. Lecter effectively conceals his cannibalistic tendencies while harnessing the power of the human brain to mentally corrupt Agent Graham. The line between good and evil becomes difficult to discern as their relationship intensifies.
Hannibalisanother criminally offensive Emmy exclusion, and horror fans are exasperated by this unrelenting trend. Despite its stunning production values, clever writing, and singular performances, the show received a solitary Emmy nod for visual effects. Dancy is great, but Mikkelsen stepped into the role and the critically acclaimed shadow made famous by SirAnthony Hopkins. Hopkins' iconic performance inTheSilence of the Lambswill live in infamy, but the devilishly handsome Mikkelsen delivered a distinctly unique, stirring rendition. Where Hopkins' Lecter is overtly creepy, Mikkelsen’s darkness is insidious. Fans deservedclosure regarding the ill-fated series, but Mikkelson deserves an apology for the ludicrous Emmy oversight.
1Carrie Coon as Nora Durst
‘The Leftovers’ (2014-2017)
Based on Tom Perotta’s 2011 novel,The Leftoversis a series created byDamon Lindelof, co-creator of ABC’s hit,Lost.The Leftoversdeals with themes relating to humanity’s response to death, grief, religion, and the afterlife. In the series, 2% of the world’s population suddenly vanishes, resulting in unconventional coping strategies and general unrest among the living. The cast, featuringJustin Theroux,Carrie Coon,Amy Brenneman,Christopher Eccleston, and Regina King, eloquently depict characters grappling with sudden loss of control, uncertainty, and interconnectivity.
National treasureAnn Dowdwasawarded thesole Emmy nomination during the series' run for Outstanding Guest Actress, which she, thankfully, won. Beyond glaring snubs for best series drama, acting, writing, production, etc., it’s hard to imagine the show without conjuringCoon’s haunting, masterful portrayal of Nora Durst. Many viewers and critics were late to the party, bestowing retroactive accolades after classifying the series as “self-serious” and “too dark” in its initial release. No matter how long it took audiences to findThe Leftovers, Coon’s languid journey to reconcile the inexplicable absence of her family remains the series' touchstone andthe most ridiculous Emmy snub in recent history.
