2024 Emmys recap: ‘The Bear’ continues to dominate comedy wins

Before the red carpet unfurled for the 2024 Emmy Awards, there was little suspense about which network would come out on top on television’s biggest night.

Disney’s FX on Hulu walked into Sunday’s awards ceremony with its “ Shōgun” and “ The Bear” boasting record-breaking nominations in the drama and comedy categories, respectively.

The former, a reimagining of James Clavell’s epic set in feudal Japan, held 25 nominations, the most any drama has ever received, and already won 14 at last weekend’s Creative Arts ceremony. “The Bear,” meanwhile, took home seven wins, including a first-time Emmy for guest star Jamie Lee Curtis.

“We haven’t given out a single award tonight and yet Shogun has already made Emmys history,” said co-host Dan Levy during the opening monologue.

As for its comedic counterpart, co-host Eugene Levy acknowledged the notably somber nature of “The Bear.”

“Some of you might be expecting us to joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is really a comedy. But in the spirit of ‘The Bear,’ we will not be making any jokes,” he quipped.

The “Schitt’s Creek” co-creators, while always very funny, didn’t shock viewers. The father-son duo, hailing from Canada, were possibly selected to limit the political undertones that often tinge awards ceremonies during a presidential election year.

And though there was almost no element of surprise in drama, comedy, nor the opening monologue, the limited series categories remain pretty up in the air. Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” and “Ripley,” along with a critically beloved season of the anthology series “Fargo” (also from FX) are among the favorites, but it’s less likely for one show to sweep.

“The Bear” star Ebon Moss-Bachrach was played off as he took home the first award of the night, winning for supporting actor (comedy) — the same honor he took home at the 2023 ceremony, also for his role as Richie (or, as “The Bear” fans know him, “Cousin”).

Billy Crudup meanwhile won supporting actor (drama) for his role as Cory Ellison in “The Morning Show.” In an apparent nod to Trump’s many anti-immigrant remarks made at last week’s presidential debate, Crudup shouted out Naomi Watts as his “piece of eye candy there, my wife, who also happens to be an immigrant … she starts business, too,” in a joke that largely fell flat.

Jeremy Allen White continued the unsurprising run of “The Bear,” winning lead actor (comedy) for the second consecutive year for his role as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, during which he pledged his eternal love to his castmates before sharing a remark that was bleeped out of the live ceremony but earned some laughs.

“I love you forever … and I want us to be in each other’s lives forever,” White said of his co-stars, before ultimately being played off.

The show’s reign continued when Liza Colón-Zayas won for her role as Tina, thanking her husband, “who told me to write a speech and I didn’t,” as she didn’t think such an achievement was possible when up against fellow nominees Carol Burnett, Meryl Streep, Hannah Einbinder, Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Colón-Zayas dedicated her award to her fellow Latinos, who she told to “vote for your rights.”

Speaking of reigns, Elizabeth Debicki won her first Emmy for the supporting actress (drama) for her portrayal as Princess Diana in the final season of Netflix’s royal epic, “The Crown.”

“Hacks” star Jean Smart won her sixth Emmy — and second for the HBO series — when she took home lead actress (comedy), in an upset that resulted in the first loss for “The Bear” whose star Ayo Edebiri was also nominated in a cohort that also included Quinta Brunson, Selena Gomez, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph.

“I really appreciate this, ’cause I just don’t get enough attention,” said Smart, and then, as the audience laughed, “I’m serious.” After conflating HBO’s name with that of its streamer Max (originally HBO Max), Smart joked, “Just what we need, another network.”

“Baby Reindeer” star Jessica Gunning won her first Emmy for supporting actress (limited or anthology series or movie) for the Netflix sensation, based on creator and star Richard Gadd’s real-life incident with a bar patron-turned-alleged stalker. Gunning was played off as she thanked fellow nominee Gadd “for trusting me to be your Martha.”

“Hacks” upset “The Bear” yet again when creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky won writing (comedy), beating out the latter’s fan (and critical) favorite episode, “Fishes.”

Lamorne Morris won outstanding supporting actor (limited or anthology series or movie) for his role in FX’s “Fargo,” beating out newly minted Oscar winner Robert Downey, Jr. — who Morris said he has a poster of at home — as well as the late Treat Williams. The “Iron Man” star was nominated for HBO’s “The Sympathizer” and Williams had been posthumously recognized for “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.”

Will Smith (not the actor) won the writing (drama) award for Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” in a surprising upset to “Shogun.” Nodding to the infamous Oscars slap and their identical monikers, Smith joked, “Despite my name, I come in peace.”

Gadd won his first Emmy of the night for writing (limited or anthology series or movie) for “Baby Reindeer. The creator and star later won for outstanding lead actor (limited or anthology series or movie).

Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening was not any of the winners, but the presenters — bringing together TV dads, moms, doctors, coaches and cops throughout small screen history.

Ron Howard and Henry Winkler also reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ABC classic, “Happy Days,” to present the award for directing (comedy series) — which went to “The Bear” creator Christopher Storer.

Emmy winner John Leguizamo honored the start of Hispanic Heritage Month by introducing Cris Abrego, the first-ever Latino chair of the Television Academy, and praised the diversity in the room.

Dubbing himself one of the night’s “DEI hires,” Leguizamo reclaimed the label not to mean diversity, equity and inclusion but “diligence, excellence and imagination,” qualities he said were possessed by everyone in the room.

Ahead of Emmys nominations in June, Leguizamo took out a New York Times ad in which he called on the Academy to make this “the year we truly find Equity, and see artists of color represented across not just one category but ALL categories.”

Ultimately, on Sunday, Leguizamo called on Hollywood to keep making room for “more stories” from underrepresented groups, including those who are Black, Latinx, Jewish and Arab.

Jelly Roll performed for the In Memoriam segment, which included the likes of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Dabney Coleman, Gena Rowlands, James Earl Jones and Bob Newhart — the latter of whom was afterwards also honored by Jimmy Kimmel.

Jodie Foster received a standing ovation as she took the stage to accept her first-ever Emmy for lead actress (limited or anthology series or movie) for “True Detective: Night Country,” which the two-time Oscar winner called “an incredibly emotional moment.”

Much like “The Bear,” “Baby Reindeer” shocked absolutely no one when it was crowned best limited or anthology series, with executive produce Gadd accepting the award. He concluded by noting that IP was not necessary “to have a hit … the only constant across any success in television is good storytelling, good storytelling that speaks to our times. … Dare to fail in order to achieve.”