CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot

It’s that time again! The 2021 Emmy nominations will be announced on July 13, which means I’ve got a Wish List for the nommy noms I’d most like to see! In case you’re wondering, I haven’t held myself to any minimum or maximum number of entrants per category, nor do I strictly adhere to official Emmy rules. (I’ve included explanations for my deviations.) And of course, I must mention that I haven’t seen everything, so there are probably some worthy considerations I may have missed. Finally, on Day 4, we wrap things up with Variety and Reality.

Did you know that there’s a talk show hosted by an alien puppet on Disney+? If you didn’t before, you do now. And you’re going to want to watch all of it as soon as possible before you die. It’s called Earth to Ned, and it’s hilarious and boasts a lineup of fantastic guests. It’s got vibes of Jiminy Glick, but it’s much more kind-hearted. It’s a celebration of talk shows as an art form and general phenomenon, and that’s why I believe that it should win the Emmy for Variety Talk Series.

Variety Sketch Series is where the oddballs that don’t slot easily into any other category end up, and thus that’s where the inimitable How to with John Wilson deserves our love.

And as for Reality, my enthusiasm is much the same as it was last year, when I was demanding praise for the first season of mini-golf extravaganza Holey Moley while the second season was airing. And now this year, I’m demanding praise for Season 2 while we’re in the midst of Season 3.

KEY:
Bold=My winner

Variety Talk Series
Conan
Earth to Ned
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
WILMORE

CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot

Variety Sketch Series
How to with John Wilson
Whose Line is it Anyway?

CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot

Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Eric Andre: Legalize Everything
Natalie Palamides: Nate – A One Man Show
Sherman’s Showcase Black History Month Spectacular
What the Constitution Means to Me

CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot

Competition Program
The Chase
Holey Moley
The Hustler
The Masked Singer
Match Game
RuPaul’s Drag Race
To Tell the Truth
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot

Host, Reality/Reality Competition
Alec Baldwin, Match Game
RuPaul Charles, RuPaul’s Drag Race
Craig Ferguson, The Hustler
Sara Haines, The Chase
Rob Riggle and Joe Tessitore, Holey Moley