FX’s big-ticket drama series ‘Shogun’ made history at the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held on September 15, 2024. The show not only bagged the most prestigious honor of Outstanding Drama Series but it created a new milestone with a total of 18 Emmy wins, setting a new benchmark in the rich history of the event.
‘Shogun’ took deep dives into the intricate and beguiling world of 17th-century Japan. The series faced tough competition from distinguished dramas such as The Crown, Fallout, The Gilded Age, The Morning Show, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Slow Horses, and 3 Body Problem. However, Shogun emerged as the sole winner, making an astronomical impact on the industry with its groundbreaking approach.
This year, ‘Shogun’ earned an astonishing 25 nominations. At the Creative Arts Emmys, the historic sweep for the show began when it took home 14 awards. The series then claimed four more trophies at the Primetime Emmys, including those for leads Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai.
Co-creator Justin Marks was full of thanks in his speech as he accepted the award. “Thank you very much for this wonderful privilege; we are indeed very grateful,” said Marks. He thanked FX executives John Landgraf, Gina Balin, Kate Lambert, Lindsay Donahue, and Nick Grad for their unrelenting support, taking a leap of faith to approve “a very expensive, subtitled, Japanese period piece with a central climax revolving around a poetry competition.” Marks spoke in jest about the logic behind their decision as he turned the microphone over to Hiroyuki Sanada.
Speaking Japanese and through the translations of Marks, Sanada said, “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the crew, directors, and masters who have supported our samurai period dramas up until now.” “The passion and dreams that we have inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders,” he said.
That victory for ‘Shogun’ was all the more remarkable because ‘Shogun’ faced stiff competition. ‘The Crown,’ which wrapped up its sixth and final season, was hailed for its sensitive handling of royal life. It earned nominations for Dominic West and Imelda Staunton, among others.
‘Fallout’ – An adaptation of the popular video game series, this show took viewers on a journey through a unique world-post-apocalyptic and 2296. Star Walter Goggins picked up one of the nominations for his performance as Ghoul.
‘The Gilded Age,’ by Julian Fellowes, earned massive attention with its atemporal plot line and high relevance to modern-day audiences about the tensions between old and new money in New York City at the end of the 19th century. Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon scored nominations themselves for performances.
‘The Morning Show’ gave an inside look into the fictional UBA network and was praised for leading great performances by Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. The show received 10 nominations.
Then again, a rebooted version of the classic film entitled ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ starred Donald Glover and Maya Erskine. And ‘Slow Horses,’ a fast-moving spy thriller supported by performances by Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden.
The Emmys 2024 were back with much pomp and vigor after the delay caused by the dual strikes last year. Telecasting live from Peacock Theatre, Los Angeles, on Lionsgate Play. The evening was about celebrating one year of great stories and immense talent.
ANI