Best: An Awkward Schitts Creek Reunion

After sweeping the comedy category of the 2020 Emmys, the Rose family reunited this year for a hilarious back and forth bit that should have been nominated for an Emmy itself. “Thank you so much, there’s nothing on the prompter,” Dan Levy began. “Is there a tech guy or something?” Annie Murphy asked.

As the cast fumbled to make the most out of an awkward situation, the back and forth between them slowly revealed that Eugene Levy had caused the writers to pull all of their lines after he pissed them off. Considering most of the ceremony’s other comedy bits were atrocious this year, this awkward Schitts Creek reunion was a much needed moment of levity.

Worst: A Lack of Diversity…Again

Ted Lasso Season Two Premiere West Hollywood

By Eugene Powers (Shutterstock)

After once again blabbing on about championing artists and stories of color, the Emmys once again awarded most of their awards to white talent. Pose, The Underground Railroad, and others were severely overlooked. Sure, Cedric the Entertainer was the host, and the nominations weren’t nearly as white-washed as they have been in the past, but the ceremony was still rank with white privilege.

For example, in an awkward show of said privilege, The Queen Gambit’s Scott Frank ordered that Emmy producers cease their lead-out music, for which they happily obliged. By the time Michela Cohen got her long-overdue award, it all felt rather tokenizing.

Best: Michaela Cohel’s Award

Michaela Coel

By Fred Duval

But that tokenization did not in any way diminish the award itself! Michaela Cohel, who was cheated out of a Golden Globe nomination and other well-deserved awards earlier this year, finally won an award for her critically-lauded masterpiece I May Destroy You. After two hours of predictable victories for many of the (white) shows this year, Coel snagged a win for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie. Her speech was to the point and exquisitely concise, and she dedicated her award to the survivors of sexual assault.

Worst: That Weird “Queen’s Gambit” Speech

Anya Taylor-Joy 2023

By Joe Seer (Shutterstock)

While The Queen’s Gambit was one of the most widely watched shows of the year, the Outstanding Limited Series/Movie winner this year resulted in one of the oddest acceptance speeches of the night. While accepting the award, the show’s producer thanked star Anya Taylor-Joy for bringing the “sexy back to chess,” before going into tearing down the patriarchy.

It was an odd thing to praise someone for — not to mention that diluting a female artist’s contribution down to just being sexy is right in line with what the patriarchy has done and continues to do?

Best: The Bizarre Biz Markie Tribute

When Cedric the Entertainer kicked off the show, he dove into a hilarious and charming parody of Biz Markie’s hit “Just a Friend.” Meant as an ode to the rapper, who died in July of this year, Cedric roped in other celebrities from around the room to partake in the song including Rita Wilson, who oddly stole the show with her cringe-worthy rapping abilities.