2024 Emmy Predictions: Best Variety Special Directing
The current Best Variety Special Directing Emmy lineup features an abundance of heavy hitters, including reigning champ Hamish Hamilton, who finally triumphed on his seventh bid in this category for helming the “Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show.” Having shared that victory with Jay-Z, he is now generally expected to achieve a solo win for his work on the 2024 Oscars ceremony.
Hamilton’s most imposing challengers are Stan Lathan (“Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer”) and Glenn Weiss (“76th Tony Awards”), each of whom has already beaten him at least once. Also in the mix are the directors of “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic,” “Tig Notaro: Hello Again,” and “Trevor Noah: Where Was I,” all of whom are new to the category.
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In order to determine just how likely Hamilton’s potential follow-up win is, let’s take a closer look at each nominee. Be sure to make your predictions in this and 30 other Creative Arts Emmy categories by September 7.
“Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer” – Stan Lathan
Lathan has now been nominated for producing and directing four of Chappelle’s eight Netflix stand-up specials and has already won both types of Emmys for “Sticks & Stones” (2020) plus a producing one for “Equanimity” (2018). His working relationship with the comedian dates back to the 1990s when they were both involved with HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam.”
“Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic” – Russell Norman
DGA Award winner Norman (“The Final Table”) is now a first-time Emmy nominee thanks to his work on this 90-minute career retrospective that aired on CBS last December. Having gotten his start nearly three decades ago, he has built a TV directing resume that, among many other reality and competition programs, includes hundreds of episodes of “Jeopardy!” and “America’s Got Talent.”
“96th Oscars” – Hamish Hamilton
For the third year in a row, Hamilton is up for multiple Emmys at once, as he also shares in a Best Live Variety Special notice for the latest Grammys ceremony. His eighth directing nomination is also his third for presiding over the Oscars, with his first two having come in 2014 and 2015. Along with Weiss, he is one of only 17 people to have directed the Academy Awards since they began being televised in 1953.
“Tig Notaro: Hello Again” – Stephanie Allynne
Emmys newcomer Allynne is indeed a novice when it comes to TV directing in general, as this comedy special starring her wife constitutes her first such credit. She has previously worked with Notaro on projects such as “One Mississippi” and “Under a Rock” and amassed dozens of acting credits on shows like “The L Word,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Twin Peaks: The Return.”
“76th Tony Awards” – Glenn Weiss
Since 2003, Weiss has racked up a whopping 40 Emmy nominations, including eight for directing the Tonys and another 16 for producing them. His work in the former capacity led to wins in 2003, 2012, and 2014, which were followed by 2017 and 2018 directing victories for the Oscars. Outside of these awards shows, he has earned TV academy recognition for helming “The Apprentice,” “Survivor,” and even Barack Obama’s first presidential inauguration special.
“Trevor Noah: Where Was I” – David Paul Meyer
Since 2020, Meyer has received nine Emmy nominations in four categories, including a successful Best Talk Series one for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” last year. He is currently competing for four awards as a producer and director of said Comedy Central series (which no longer stars Noah) and this Netflix stand-up special.
So, what will win the 2024 Emmy for Best Variety Special Directing? While one might argue that Hamilton’s recent triumph makes him the strongest candidate, the fact that he suffered three solo halftime show directing losses before winning alongside Jay-Z indicates that last year’s voters may have simply had their sights set on awarding his partner. With that in mind, his eighth independent outing could easily yield the usual result.
Since “The Dreamer” respectively won’t and can’t achieve producing and writing wins like “Sticks & Stones” did, Lathan poses very little threat here. Factoring in the high improbability of any of the newcomers succeeding reveals a tight struggle between Hamilton and Weiss, the former of whom must prove his individual worth if he is to avoid going zero-for-three against the latter.
PREDICT the Creative Arts Emmy winners through September 7
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