Stranger Things 4 scores 13 Emmy nominations, but actors are snubbed

Stranger Things season 4 earned an impressive amount of Emmy nominations — just none for the actors.

Netflix's mega hit scored a whopping 13 nominations, including the biggie for Outstanding Drama Series, as well as a slew of technical nods. At the same time, stars like Millie Bobby Brown and Sadie Sink (the clear standout of the fourth season) remained snubbed.

That said, the Television Academy did nominate Stranger Things for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, implying that voters were impressed with the cast overall in season 4.

Sink, in particular, earned wide acclaim from both fans and critics for her meaty storyline this year as grieving teenager Max Mayfield. The actress spoke with EW after that intense tearjerker of a finale, and the 20-year-old rising star said she finally no longer feels like the new kid among the cast.

"I always had a little voice in my head saying 'you're still the new kid,'" Sink had said. "Even while we were filming season 4, I think I was so used to just playing a character that was a little bit newer and I, as Sadie, was still finding my footing. So when the scripts came out [for season 4], it was a shock to see the storyline that they had planned for Max."

Courtesy of Netflix Max (Sadie Sink) reads a letter to her dead brother Billy in 'Stranger Things' season 4

Perhaps the reason for the acting snubs has to do with Emmys' requirements. Shows and TV movies had to have premiered in the window of June 1, 2021-May 31, 2022 to qualify for 2022 Emmys consideration. There is an exception called the Hanging Episode Rule, which gives Emmys consideration to programs that at least premiered in that window, even if there were additional episodes in the season released after the fact. This rule requires networks to provide all episodes of the season to Television Academy voters by May 31.

Stranger Things 4 was split into two parts. Volume 1, consisting of seven episodes, was released on May 27. Volume 2, consisting of the final two, arrived on July 1.

Several of the season's Emmy nominations are for "Dear Billy," an episode that heavily features Sink (and, as you're probably aware, Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill"). Shawn Levy directed that installment, which earned nods for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, Outstanding Music Supervision, and Outstanding Stunt Performance.

The show was also recognized in categories for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour Or More); Outstanding Period and/or Character Hairstyling; Outstanding Period and/or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic); Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour); Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour); Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie; and Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

One wonders if things might've shaken out differently for Sink had the season unfolded how the creators originally envisioned.

See the full list of 2022 Emmy nominations.

The Emmy Awards will air Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Peacock.

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