“Feud: Bette and Joan” is the most nominated limited series at the 2017 Emmys, but that does not make it a safe bet to win Best Limited Series. A closer look at its nominations reveals that “Feud” was snubbed in some key categories and instead racked up nominations that are seldom foretelling of a Best Limited Series victory. Find below a breakdown of how nominations for certain achievements have correlated with a Best Limited Series (previously called Best Miniseries) victory since the Emmys revamped voting in 2002. Note movies “Game Change” (2012) and “Behind the Candelabra” (2013) won in combined Best Movie/Miniseries categories.
Directing: 11/13 (85%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
All five of this year’s Best Limited Series nominees — “Big Little Lies,” “Fargo” (season 3), “Feud” (season 1: “Bette and Joan”), “Genius” (season 1: “Einstein”) and “The Night Of” — are nominated for Best Movie/Limited Directing.
Writing: 11/13 (85%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
“The Lost Prince” and “Taken” throw a wrench into most statistics. The win by “The Lost Prince” seems to have been a product of the process by which the Emmys selected winners at the time — by a separate small panel for each category watching the nominees, instead of by a popular vote of the entire relevant branch(es) of the academy, as happens now. This levelled the playing field for a contender like “The Little Prince” that only had enough visibility to garner two other nominations. “The Little Prince” went on to win all three of its Emmy races. “Taken” won in a year in which most available nominations in the categories that recognize movies and limited series went to movies; only movies were nominated for Best Movie/Limited Writing.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Genius”
Casting: 11/13 (85%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
“Genius” was snubbed in many key fields.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Genius”
Picture Editing: 11/13 (85%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Little Dorrit” (2009), “The Lost Prince” (2005)
Looking also at Best Comedy and Drama Series winners, having a Picture Editing nomination is most crucial to a Best Program victory after having an Acting nomination.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Feud,” “Genius”
Makeup & Hairstyling: 10/13 (77%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Downton Abbey” (2011), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
“Downton Abbey” was snubbed in Best Movie/Limited Hairstyling, but went on to win four times for Best Series Hairstyling.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “The Night Of”
SEE 2017 Emmy nominations list: All the nominees
Costumes: 10/13 (77%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Fargo” (2014), “Taken” (2003), “Band of Brothers” (2002)
Best Movie/Mini Costumes was last awarded three years ago. Limited series now contend opposite comedies and dramas in the Best Contemporary Costumes and Best Period/Fantasy Costumes categories. Three slots between them were allocated for limited series and movies this year.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Fargo,” “The Night Of”
Acting: 9/13 (69%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The Pacific” (2010), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003), “Band of Brothers” (2002)
This history contrasts how no recent Best Comedy or Drama Series winner has been shut out in the acting races. All of this year’s Best Limited Series nominees are nominated for acting.
Sound Mixing: 9/13 (69%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Downton Abbey” (2011), Little Dorrit” (2009), “The Lost Prince” (2005)
The snub for “Feud” here is especially glaring because its sound team won this category last year for “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and was nominated for “American Horror Story” the four years before last.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Feud”
Cinematography: 9/13 (69%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
Pundits often consider Best Cinematography and Best Directing in tandem, but both “Olive Kitteridge” and “Elizabeth I” won Best Movie/Mini Directing despite Best Movie/Limited Cinematography snubs.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Feud,” “Genius”
Production Design: 9/13 (69%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Fargo” (2014), “Taken” (2003)
This field was much more telling during the existence of the Best Movie/Mini Art Direction category through 2013. Limited series have competed with dramas in the Best Narrative Period Production Design and Best Narrative Fantasy/Contemporary Production Design categories the last three years. “Feud” is nominated in the former and fellow limited series “The Young Pope” is nominated in the latter.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Big Little Lies,” “Fargo,” “Genius,” “The Night Of”
Sound Editing: 7/13 (54%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Little Dorrit” (2009), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Angels in America” (2004)
As dominant as the likes of “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and “Angels in America” were across the board, they were snubbed for Best Limited/Movie Sound Editing, which favors higher-octane fare.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Big Little Lies,” “Feud”
Visual Effects: 6/13 (46%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Fargo” (2014), “Downton Abbey” (2011), “Little Dorrit” (2009), “Broken Trail” (2007), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005)
“Genius” is nominated for Best Supporting Visual Effects; no limited series made the shortlist for the main Best Visual Effects category.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Big Little Lies,” “Fargo,” “Feud,” “The Night Of”
Music: 5/13 (38%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Downton Abbey” (2011), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Angels in America” (2004), “Taken” (2003), “Band of Brothers” (2002)
The composer of “The Night Of” is nominated for his “Fargo” score.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “The Night Of”
Title Design: 4/13 (31%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Fargo” (2014), “Downton Abbey” (2011), “Little Dorrit” (2009), “John Adams” (2008), “Broken Trail” (2007), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Taken” (2003)
“Fargo” did not submit for Best Main Title Design consideration.
2017 nominees without a nomination: “Big Little Lies,” “Fargo,” “Genius,” “The Night Of”
Stunts: 1/13 (8%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Fargo” (2014), “Downton Abbey” (2011), “The Pacific” (2010), “Little Dorrit” (2009), “John Adams” (2008), “Broken Trail” (2007), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Angels in America” (2004), “Taken” (2003)
No limited series are nominated for Best Drama/Limited/Movie Stunt Coordination this year.
Interactive Media: 1/13 (8%)
Modern winners without a nomination: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016), “Olive Kitteridge” (2015), “Fargo” (2014), “Downton Abbey” (2011), “The Pacific” (2010), “Little Dorrit” (2009), “John Adams” (2008), “Broken Trail” (2007), “Elizabeth I” (2006), “The Lost Prince” (2005), “Angels in America” (2004), “Taken” (2003)
No limited series submitted in the Interactive Media categories this year.
Choreography: 0/13 (0%)
The last limited series nominated for Best Choreography was “Pride and Prejudice” (1996).
Technical Direction: 0/13 (0%)
No limited series have ever been nominated for Best Limited/Movie/Special Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control.
Be sure to make your Emmy predictions so that Hollywood insiders can see how their TV shows and performers are faring in our Emmy odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before winners are announced on September 17. And join in the fierce debate over the 2017 Emmys taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our TV forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
