TV Writer Emily Wallace reports on the biggest wins – and snubs – at the socially distanced ceremony that officially kicked off the 2021 awards season
The Golden Globes is always a hotly anticipated event in the world of TV, but over this past year, the role of television has been particularly prominent, as many people across the world have turned to television to provide entertainment when going out has not been an option. Therefore, it felt particularly exciting to see the shows that have provided talking points across the various lockdowns get the recognition they deserve in the form of awards.
It felt particularly exciting to see the shows that have provided talking points across the various lockdowns get the recognition they deserve
Naturally, the awards show had to adapt to a different format this year, so the ceremony consisted of all the celebrities tuning in via video call as the awards were announced. The show was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, broadcasting from the two different American coasts, and the reduced in-person audience was filled with essential workers instead. Within their opening monologue, Fey and Poehler spoke out against the lack of diversity within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the body that chooses the nominees and winners for the awards, highlighting that it is made up of ’90 international no-black journalists.’
Season 4 of The Crown was the biggest winner of the evening on the TV side of the awards, winning ‘Best Television Series – Drama,’ as well as acting awards for Josh O’Connor, Emma Corrin, and Gillian Anderson, who played Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Margaret Thatcher respectively. In a touching moment, Corrin paid tribute to the late Princess Diana in her acceptance speech for the award, stating ‘You have taught me compassion and empathy beyond any measure that I could ever imagine.’
Having not received any previous Golden Globe nominations, these two awards seem like a fitting send-off for [Schitt’s Creek]
The Queen’s Gambit also had a successful night, taking home awards for ‘Best Television Limited Series’ and ‘Best Actress in a Television Limited Series’ for Anya Taylor-Joy. The show, which follows Taylor-Joy as chess prodigy Beth Harmon, was one of Netflix’s most successful programmes of the year, gaining 62 million viewers within its first 28 days on the streaming platform. There is a particular poignance to this show’s success both with audiences and in awards, given producer Allan Scott’s 30-year journey to adapt this story to screen. Schitt’s Creek, which had its final season release in 2020, also received awards for ‘Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy’ and ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy’ for Catherine O’Hara. Having not received any previous Golden Globe nominations, these two awards seem like a fitting send-off for the show. Other winners included John Boyega for his performance in Small Axe, Mark Ruffalo for I Know This Much Is True, and Jason Sudeikis for Ted Lasso.
Of course, while celebrating the wins of all these series, it is also important to take the time to reflect on successful shows that missed out on nominations or victories. There was an outcry when Michaela Coel’s powerful I May Destroy You was not nominated for any awards, particularly in comparison to shows such as Netflix’s Emily in Paris. Even one of Emily in Paris’s writers spoke out against this snub. However, despite snubs like this, the Golden Globes started this rather different year’s awards season strongly with a celebration of the shows that kept the world entertained over the past year of the pandemic.
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