Emmys Outlook: Succession, Prey, and Melanie Lynskey

Aug. 16—The Emmy nominations have been revealed and, with groundbreaking shows like these, there's so much to unpack on before the big day. Now that the awards won't take place until at least January with the Writers' and Actors' strike (and frankly, no one to write the ceremony), there's still plenty of time left to stream this year's heavy hitters.

It seems like even the judges had difficulty deciding what's a comedy and what's a drama this year, with titles like The Bear and The White Lotus that could easily fit into both. This will make for interesting match-ups across drama and comedy genres this Emmys season. And a small screen junkie who's watched basically every nominated show — I consider myself an expert on all the biggest players.

First, let's discuss the most nominated show of the year, the sci-fi thriller no one saw coming, and one actress making waves in two different dramas. We're talking Succession, Prey, and Melanie Lynsky.

Don't worry, I'll spare you the spoilers.

Succession

Listen, I know every year for the last three years Succession has dominated Emmy wins and by their fourth and final season — it's getting annoying. Succession leads again in 2023/4 with 27 nominations and honestly, we can't talk about the Emmys without talking about this critically-acclaimed HBO show.

Last year, Succession broke the record for most nominations by any television series and this year, they are represented in just about every award category they're eligible for.

This entire cast always brings their A-game. Instead of relying on shocking visuals and dramatic explosions, the story plays out through dialogue. Executive producer Adam Mckay enjoys introducing improv into many scenes, and these actors are so into their characters that they just play off each other.

The final installment of the series has the eccentric Roy family and colleagues at their best yet again. These actors elevate each other. The entire main cast is nominated for an Emmy and I wouldn't be surprised if they go out with a bang.

The show already made Emmys history this year seeing Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, and Brian Cox all nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. After several years of Culkin being nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor as Roman Roy, he moves up a category in the season finale along with his on-screen sister, Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy who's also up for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In season four, they both graduate into main roles.

Alexander Skaarsgard evolves from guest actor to a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series this awards season as an arrogant modern tech billionaire coming to shake things up within the Roy family. And for the Con-heads, Alan Ruck is also up for the award for the first time.

However, it will be difficult to compete against their castmates and third-year nominees in the category, Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfayden — who I could watch bicker all day as Greg and Tom, respectively. Macfayden won the award in 2022 for his delightful role as Shiv's pushover husband. It will be exciting to see how this award plays out because these four Succession nominees will directly face off against four nominees from The White Lotus.

I could literally go on and on about this show. Maybe it's because lead actor Jeremy Strong was relatively unknown before his lead role as Kendall Roy and won Outstanding Lead Actor in the show's second year over names like Steve Carell and Jason Bateman. Maybe it's because someone finally gave Kieran Culkin, J. Smith Cameron, Matthew McFayden, and Nicholas Braun roles that flex their acting ability. Or maybe it's just because they take us behind the scenes of the biggest baddest companies in the world to reveal their disturbingly human underbelly. They're just like us, and it's haunting.

Each character is so awful in their own way but, remain relatable. You hate to love them, love to hate them. Succession begs us the question — is possible that the worst families in America are, in the end, somehow even more tragic than we are? The Roys are a ultimately dysfunctional family like any other, just with a few billion dollars on top.

Will Succession will continue to dominate in 2024? With talent like this, it's tough to say who will take what. The Last of Us and The White Lotus are also two beautifully written shows that will be pitted against the Succession strongholds across categories. All three shows had remarkable seasons, and no matter who takes the gold — it will be well-deserved.

Prey

Outstanding Television Movie is often a forgettable accolade but this year — pay attention. We may finally see as Alien/Predator Universe movie finally get its moment in the sun with "Prey" on the ballot.

This Hulu Original movie is a Predator prequel that brings us back to early America during the creature's first visits to earth. Our protagonist is a Native American girl fighting to save her people and planet from destruction. The film recieved six total nominations.

If you haven't streamed this film yet, oh — you're in for a treat. Expect all the gore and action of any Predator film with a deep, culture-rich storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This thriller utilizes American history to tell its tale, demonstrating once again that real monsters are human.

Unlike the majority of action movies, the Alien/Predator Universe loves to give us a female protagonist. Sigourney Weaver started us off in Alien as Ripley back in 1979. Since then, we've also seen Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw, Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Wood, and Katherine Waterson as Daniels save the world from intergalactic undoing in the same timeline. These leading ladies prove that defeating alien lifeforms has nothing to do with muscle and testosterone. Finally, it's a Predator movie's turn to follow suit. Amber Midthunder as our lead, Naru, is another force to be reckoned with.

The beauty of Alien/Predator movies is that they always demonstrate that survival isn't about who's the strongest, it's about who's the smartest. Naru wishes to prove her strength and earn the Comanche tribe's respect, but when she gets more than she bargained for — she'll do whatever it takes to protect her people.

Melanie Lynskey

Speaking of underdogs, let's celebrate Melanie Lynskey's nominations for the 2024 Emmys. She's up for two nominations for both Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Yellowjackets as well as Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series with the well-nominated The Last of Us.

Her performance as Shauna in Yellowjackets is both complicated and captivating. She's sometimes aggravating as a protagonist, but you can't help but empathize with her struggle. Shauna, much like the ladies of the Alien/Predator universe is tough beyond simply physical strength. One second I'm screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SHAUNA!?" and the next, I'm saying "Okay, I get it."

This is the second time in a row that Lynskey is nominated for this character and it'll be fierce competition between the leading actresses in this category. As mentioned earlier, Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy steps up her game in the final season of Succession. Lynskey will also be up against Keri Russell in The Diplomat and Elisabeth Moss in The Handmaid's Tale, an annual favorite. It's anyone's game.

Yellowjackets itself is also up for Best Drama Series. Don't mistake this gripping horror drama as just another teen show. This thriller flips back in forth in time from when a high school girls soccer team crashed in the Canadian wilderness and were forced to survive to 25 years in the future with the adults who made it out alive. And, Lynskey as Shauna is at the heart of the tale.

It's no mistake that Lynskey is also up for another award for a different show in the same year. She was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her chilling role on The Last of Us. Her episode in this zombie drama shows us a whole different side to survival than Yellowjackets.

This woman is on her acting game and the critics are noticing. Before this, Lynskey was best known for her role in "Heavenly Creatures" back in 1994. But, the polished actress is creating a new legacy for herself with small screen excellence. — Comment and tell us which Emmy-nominated shows and other streaming favorites you want us to cover next on The Weekender!