The Emmy Awards, a prestigious event in the television industry, has long been criticized for its exclusion of international shows, particularly those without American involvement. This year, the absence of the Canadian-made, HBO Max-distributed series 'Heated Rivalry' from the drama series nominees is a prime example of this issue. The show, a steamy queer hockey romance, was a streaming phenomenon and had the potential to be a breakout hit, yet it was not eligible to compete in the main Emmy categories. This raises a deeper question: why are international shows consistently overlooked in favor of American productions?
One of the main reasons for this exclusion is the Emmy rules, which require American involvement in co-production for shows to be eligible in the main categories. This rule effectively punts international shows to the International Emmys, a separate ceremony with less visibility and prestige. This segmentation is depressingly outdated, especially in an era where national boundaries have all but collapsed in terms of media consumption.
The problem is particularly glaring in thinner fields that could desperately use a boost in competition. For example, the limited series crop this year is underwhelming, with few contenders remotely up to the task of taking their places on the actual ballot. Shows like 'The Beast in Me and All Her Fault', 'Beef', 'Love Story', and 'DTF St. Louis' are great works that were produced outside the U.S. and should have been eligible for the main Emmy categories.
This issue is not limited to the limited series category. Oscar-nominated director Joe Wright's 'Mussolini: Son of the Century' is a maximalist and unbearably timely portrait of encroaching fascism, yet it was not eligible for the Emmys due to its British production. Similarly, Thomas Vinterberg's 'Families Like Ours', an intimate seven-episode drama about an environmental catastrophe, was not eligible due to its Danish production.
The Emmys also missed out on the chance to platform a genuine cross-continental smash in 'The Other Bennet Sister', a drama based on Janice Hadlow's novel that imagines the life of Pride & Prejudice's most overlooked sister, Mary. The show broke ratings records in the U.K. and drove unprecedented subscriber growth in the U.S., yet it was not eligible for the Emmys.
The good news is that there may be hope for change. The separate organizations that oversee the two Emmy ceremonies announced in July that they were entering exploratory talks to consider merging for the first time since 1977. This could put an end to the outdated segmentation and expand the Emmys' parameters to include more international shows.
Expanding the Emmys' parameters would not only increase the mean quality of nominated work but also bring attention to great stuff flying under the radar. Just look at the example set by the Oscars, which has nominated more and more non-English-language movies for best picture every year. The sentiment applies no less to TV, and the Emmys should take note.
In my opinion, the Emmy Awards should embrace international shows and expand its parameters to include more diverse and global content. This would not only enhance the quality of nominated work but also bring attention to great shows that might otherwise be overlooked. The time has come for the Emmys to reflect the global nature of television and celebrate the best of the best, regardless of their country of origin.
