The Emmys’ Exciting Wins Were Overshadowed by an Uninspiring Host and Countdown-Clock Gimmick: TV Review

After a highly tumultuous week in America, the 77th Primetime Emmys began as an overly tempered ceremony and then quickly dissolved into a frenzied program full of (mostly delightful) unexpected wins. The Television Academy had made a surprising choice when announcing that comedian Nate Bargatze would be taking the stage as the host, and he didn’t exactly make his mark. From his opening monologue, Bargatze set an almost lackadaisical, apolitical tone for the evening. He lacked the enthusiasm and gumption needed to lead a three-hour-long award program and often seemed stunned to be in the spotlight. At one point, he even donned a dreadful Canadian tuxedo, which may have been a nod to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial jeans ad. (It would have been nice if this and many of Bargatze’s other jokes landed more clearly.)

Bargatze opened not with a monologue, but with a sketch, and it was middling,…