Hey, Remember When Episode Submissions Mattered to the Emmys?

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One Emmy custom that fills the time between nomination announcements and voting for winners involves the presentation of select episodes. Although writers, directors, and guest stars have already been nominated for particular episodes, main and supporting actors from Drama and Comedy series submit specific episodes to be viewed by Emmy voters following the nominations. This week, several Lead Actor in a Drama nominees unveiled their chosen submissions.

• Pedro Pascal handed in the episode of “The Last of Us” where his character reveals the truth from the season-one finale to Ellie.

• Adam Scott submitted the season-two finale of “Severance,” which showed Innie Mark and Outie Mark in a tense discussion with each other.

• Noah Wyle submitted the somewhat quiet resolution of “The Pitt’s” season finale, wrapping up the intense episodes leading up to it.

Looking at things tactically, it appears that Scott and Pascal have stronger cases for awards consideration than Wyle, who is currently leading. The flashback episode of The Last of Us was particularly satisfying for the relationship between Joel and Ellie, making it the standout of the season. In the finale of Severance, Scott delivered an impressive performance, with the Mark-on-Mark scene being a striking acting moment that could sway some voters. However, Wyle chose not to submit any episodes where Dr. Robby had more emotionally intense scenes. Given that Severance led all shows this year with 27 nominations, this could indicate a shift in momentum towards Scott in the race…

If episode submissions still held weight like they used to, it might be different. Regrettably, that hasn’t been the case for around a decade now. Back in 2015, the Emmys revised their voting methods, effectively bringing an end to the time of voluntary blue-ribbon committees comprising selected Academy members who were required to watch all submitted episodes prior to casting their votes for winners. Now, each performance category is decided by the entire acting cohort, and there’s no obligation for them to verify they watched the submitted episodes – or any episodes from that show at all. The shift in power towards a more democratic Emmy electorate also opened the door for increasingly popular shows (such as Game of Thrones) to take over.

During the period when the Emmys favored certain shows (Kelsey Grammer won six times for Frasier, Dennis Franz got four for NYPD Blue), less popular shows had a chance to win if their submissions were exceptional and impressed the judging panels. This was crucial during the time of network dominance, as cable shows had smaller audiences compared to hits like ER and The West Wing. Now, with linear-TV losing influence and fragmentation changing what it means to be successful, Emmy winners are more dependent on buzz rather than large viewership numbers.

Andre Braugher won for Homicide: Life on the Street in 1998, as he delivered a powerful performance where his character shed tears at the bedside of his police partner who had been shot. Michael Chiklis clinched an unexpected win for FX’s The Shield when basic cable was still unrecognized at the Emmys. Sela Ward secured two Emmys – one for Sisters and another for Once and Again – by ensuring that Emmy panelists watched her submissions alongside popular shows like Murder She Wrote and The Sopranos. During the panel days, character actors often triumphed in supporting categories for smaller roles or less publicized shows, including Blythe Danner (Huff), Dianne Wiest (In Treatment), Željko Ivanek (Damages), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), and Margo Martindale (Justified).

Back in those days, discussing the Emmys was an absolute thrill! The cunning choice of episodes to submit and the subsequent armchair Emmy strategizing added layers of intrigue to the acting categories, transforming them from mere popularity contests into captivating battles. Would George Clooney finally clinch his win for ER with the episode where Dr. Ross bravely rescues a child trapped in a storm drain during a flood? Martin Sheen’s submission of the highly dramatic West Wing episode, where President Bartlet navigated his daughter’s kidnapping, was a strong competitor, but it paled in comparison to James Gandolfini’s electrifying “Whitecaps” episode from The Sopranos.

Celebrating heartfelt, long-anticipated Emmy victories for actors like Jennifer Aniston (the “Rachel Gives Birth” episode in Friends) and Drea de Matteo (“Long Term Parking”, where Adriana encounters her tragic Sopranos ending). Performers who provided support could submit two episodes each, thus Bradley Whitford triumphed for his powerful performances in The West Wing’s “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen” (where Josh Lyman is shot) and “Noel” (where he grapples with PTSD following the episode where he was wounded).

Discussing the perplexing Emmy submissions of Jason Alexander during his time on Seinfeld is still an intriguing topic. Despite never receiving an Emmy for Seinfeld, he had a chance in 1995 but passed it up with two unexpected choices: “The Race,” where George was mistaken for a communist, and “The Gymnast,” where he ate an eclair from the garbage can. These submissions were made during a season when he could have chosen more fitting episodes like “The Big Salad,” where George had a comedy-of-manners freak-out over a large salad, or “The Beard,” where he struggled with being set up with a bald woman. Thinking about this missed opportunity still ignites my passion 30 years later!

Revising the given text for a more natural and easy-to-understand flow:

The blue-ribbon panels, while having their advantages, also had certain disadvantages. They tended to favor older, retired Academy members who had the leisure to watch all these episodes. One issue that arose was a propensity for giving preference to comedy actors who submitted more dramatic episodes (a pattern you may recognize). Debra Messing’s win for her emotional performance in the “Will & Grace” episode where the characters have a heated debate about having a baby together is just one example of this trend. Nevertheless, could the system of blue-ribbon panelists reviewing episode submissions help address the current TV dilemma of too many shows and not enough time to watch them all? I’d be open to giving it another chance: Make Episode Submissions Matter Again.

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2025-07-26 15:54