Emmy season is upon us, UO staff take us through the shows they are rooting for this year.
Adolescence (Katie Byrne)
Adolescence garnered thirteen well deserved Emmy nominations this year, including nominations in Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actor. The four-episode series documents the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is convicted of murdering a classmate named Katie.
The integral question posed throughout the show is not ‘who did it’, but rather ‘why’. The series quickly gained traction with social media alight with clips from the show. One-shot takes, cheese sandwiches and an improvised but chilling yawn from Owen Cooper (Jamie) were key elements that earned high praise online.
Cooper is the youngest nominee in the history of his category, despite no previous acting experience and not even appearing in the final episode. His performance is raw and vulnerable, leaving viewers immediately stunned. Not often do we get insight into the life of the perpetrator and their family. In doing so, this show begins a conversation amongst parents and children alike. The show reaches corners of understanding that have not yet been explored in the digital age. This exploration of a young teenager whose mindset is so heavily influenced by what he sees online is nothing short of brave, monumental and ultimately, Emmy Award deserving.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Adam Schmitz)
You know we are in an interesting Emmy season when candidates are actively supporting their category rivals. Thanks to the corporate world of late night television, that’s where we find ourselves as in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel displays a large billboard stating ‘I’m voting for Stephen’.
I, too, would be voting for Stephen Colbert this year. The nine-time Emmy winner announced earlier this summer that both himself and The Late Show were being taken off the CBS roster against the wishes of himself and his millions of viewers. CBS states it is a purely financial decision, but the comedian’s cancellation came at suspicious timing. Just days prior, Colbert criticised a $16 million settlement deal that CBS parent company Paramount paid out to the Trump administration. Many fans believe that his claims the deal was a “big fat bribe” is the true cause of the end of this 30 year old television franchise started by David Letterman.
Regardless of industry politics, Stephen Colbert deserves the gong for Outstanding Variety Series before he heads for the hills. His show remains winless in the category despite eight nominations. With years of ratings war victories, incisive political commentary and viral monologues behind him, not to mention the backing of his rivals, it's time for Colbert to bow out with a bang.
Severance (Mary O’Leary)
What would it be like to separate your work life memories from your real-life memories? That is the initial question posed by Severance which leads the pack at the 2025 Emmys with twenty seven nominations including Outstanding Drama Series. The show follows the “Innie” versions of the central characters whose lives only exist while at work.
Many stories have intriguing concepts, but very rarely do they explore them in the level of detail and creativity that Severance has. From episode to episode, Severance explores the choices of the characters’ two different and often opposing consciences. The writing of the relationships between said choices never fails.
What once was one question has now expanded into a myriad of ideas, each connected to and in exploration of this core theme. Is it our memories that make us who we are or is it something deeper, more innate? Why do we crave knowledge of the unknown and what lengths would we go through to find it? Can we truly change a system we were created to be a part of?
Severance asks this and more yet never does it feel like it’s overloading itself with theories and concepts. Each plot point is carefully constructed, given room to breathe and help keep the story flowing. It is a reflection of our world, our work culture, our ideals, and a warning to those all too willing to ignore it. For these reasons, Severance has well earned its inevitable sweep at the upcoming Emmys.