Emmys Analysis: A Loving And Nostalgic Night Of Television Triumphs Even As Only A Handful Of Shows Hogged All The Gold

gave 1980s TV junkies a thrill with a surprise group appearance set against the unmistakable “Cheers” backdrop midway through the star-studded Jan. 15 fête. While stationed at their usual spot around the cozy Boston bar, Grammer and his former colleagues collectively presented Hulu’s “The Bear” with the awards for Best Directing for a Comedy Series and Best Writing in a Comedy Series.

The first big Marvel story of 2024 was Steven Yeun exiting “Thunderbolts” due to scheduling conflicts. Yeun joined the cast of the MCU installment last February, and if the rumors are true, he would’ve played the movie’s villain, Sentry.

Alex Ritman Lucy van Beek, the award-winning factual TV and film specialist, has launched her own production outfit, Tailfeather Productions. The company, whose focus will be premium specialist factual documentaries and series for streaming platforms, broadcasters and theatrical release, launches with two major commissions, “Alexander: The Making of a God” for Netflix and “Born to Be Wild” for Apple TV+.

The Sundance Institute and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation today named the recipients of three artist grants aimed at supporting projects currently in development, as they officially bestowed their Feature Film Prize on Sam and Andy Zuchero’s Love Me, all through their joint Science-In-Film Initiative.

HBO in November 2022 announced a third season for , which will bring a new installment of the Mike White-created anthology series to screens.

Benedict Fitzgerald, best known as the screenwriter of The Passion of the Christ, died at home in Marsala, Sicily after a long illness on January 17, 2024. He was 74 and no cause of death was given by his family.

Caroline Brew editor Benedict Fitzgerald, co-screenwriter of “The Passion of the Christ,” died Jan. 17 in Marsala, Sicily, after a long illness, his cousin Nancy Ritter told Variety. He was 74.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Kristen Stewart‘s domination of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival continued at the Variety Sundance Cover Party presented by United Airlines, where Stewart was honored for her starring roles in two big festival premieres: “Love Me,” a post-apocalyptic romance film in which she stars opposite Steven Yeun, and “Loves Lies Bleeding,” an A24-backed crime thriller in which she played a reclusive gym manager who falls for a local bodybuilder. “It’s hard to get here,” Stewart told Variety at the party about returning to Sundance, where she has premiered more than a dozen movies throughout her career. “Not because it’s an established and elite film festival, but because it supports marginalized voices.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic On the most literal level, Sam and Andy Zuchero’s “Love Me” is about the relationship between a buoy adrift at sea and a satellite circling the earth. The eccentric rom-com takes place in a time after humans have gone extinct, when the surviving machines’ only references are a massive hard drive’s worth of data combed from search engines and social media sites.

PARK CITY – Whatever your thoughts on Sam and Andy Zuchero’s “Love Me” few will dispute that for an independently financed film it’s a unique and creative achievement. At least a third of the movie is CG animation, another third is motion capture animation, and the final portion is live action.

Set in a post-human world, Love Me, directed and written by Sam and Amy Zuchero and starring Steven Yeun and Kristen Stewart, unfolds as an unconventional love story between two inanimate objects. These entities stumble upon each other in the digital realm and, through the remnants of human knowledge, adopt new identities in hopes of evolving their relationship.

Kristen Stewart is keeping busy at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Sofia Vergara! The Colombian actress is single and ready to mingle in the big apple.Vergara, who recently stepped out in London, is currently promoting her Netflix series Griselda, which premiers January 25. She stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Tuesday, where she talked about the series, and shared insight into one of the reasons she loves New York. Fallon asked the Modern Family star, who used to live in NYC, why she liked the city.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are licking their wounds following yet another Emmy nomination snub, according to a p.r. expert.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s names were once again left off the nominations list — despite their “Harry & Meghan” docuseries setting a record for the biggest debut for a Netflix documentary.And Hollywood guru Lynn Carratt believes the snub has left the runaway royals feeling “wounded.”“Meghan and Harry may feel slightly wounded by not receiving an Emmy nomination,” Carratt told the Mirror.

Emmy Awards Monday night.The “Married… With Children” alum, 52, became emotional as she received a standing ovation from the crowd whilst up on stage amid her multiple sclerosis battle.Schaech — who was married to the “Anchorman” actress from 2001 to 2007 — praised Applegate’s courage to walk the stage despite her health woes.“She danced opening night on Broadway on a broken foot! Beat cancer! She’s the toughest human being I’ve ever met! F–k MS! So proud of her! Go, Christina!” he wrote on X in response to a story about Applegate’s standing ovation at the event.Schaech later uploaded a screenshot of his tweet on his Instagram Story and shared a video of his ex-wife in her stunning Christian Siriano gown.“We are so proud of you, Christina,” he added.Applegate paired her cane with a gorgeous red gown to present the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series to Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear.”As she walked up to the stage, Applegate joked that her body was “not by Ozempic.”The “Dead To Me” alum, who has been married to Dutch musician Martyn LeNoble since 2013, was diagnosed with MS in early 2021 and remained open about how the condition — which affects the brain and nerves — forced her to pump the brakes on her acting career.Her MS diagnosis came in tandem with the third and final season of the hit Netflix show, in which she starred opposite Linda Cardellini.In an interview with Variety, Applegate opened up on being diagnosed with the disease while in the middle of filming. “I didn’t know what was happening to me,” she said in 2022.

Brian Cox says Succession creator Jesse Armstrong was a “gentleman” to salute him during his acceptance speech at Sunday night’s Emmy Awards.

Monday night’s 75th Emmy Awards.That’s a new all-time record for futility, people, and was one of the biggest snubs on television’s biggest night, part-and-parcel of the dominance of “Succession,” “Beef” and “The Bear.”“Better Call Saul” star Odenkirk was nominated six times for Best Lead Actor in a Drama for playing slimy lawyer Jimmy McGill — a k a Saul Goodman — but failed to ever take home a statuette.

2024 ceremony, with “The Bear,” “The White Lotus” and “Abbott Elementary” also in the spotlight. Anderson gave a tame, non-controversial opening, unlike widely-derided Golden Globes host Jo Koy’s.

Emmy Awards on Monday night. The cast appeared in a replica hospital room at the awards ceremony, where they presented Paul Walter Hauser with a trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for “Black Bird.” “When the first episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ aired in March of 2005, I’m not sure Shonda Rhimes knew that she had created a show that would have a lasting imprint on television and create lifelong friendships,” Pompeo, 54, began about the show’s creator.“Over 400 episodes and counting — a tribute to everyone who has been a part of our family,” Chambers, 53, added.

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.And for the cast of “Cheers,” that was especially true at the Emmys 2024.Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger and George Wendt reunited Monday night as part of a special tribute at the awards ceremony honoring some of the most beloved shows in TV history.Host Anthony Anderson introduced the reunion, calling “Cheers” “one of the greatest television shows of all time” before the cast appeared onstage inside a replica of the iconic Boston bar.“This feels nice to be here in front of you,” Danson said, before Ratzenberger added that the event was a “long overdue class reunion.”The cast gathered to present the Best Directing for a Comedy Series and Best Writing in a Comedy Series statuettes. Both awards went to Hulu’s “The Bear.”“Being together brings back some great memories of a show we’re all very proud of,” said Grammer.In addition to “Cheers,” “The Sopranos,” “All in the Family,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ally McBeal,” “Game of Thrones,” “Martin,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “I Love Lucy,” and more received special tributes at Monday night’s ceremony, which was broadcast on Fox.“It was really about, ‘How can we celebrate 75 years of television differently?’” the show’s executive producer Jesse Collins told the Associated Press before the ceremony.“The core of it,” said Dionne Harmon, another executive producer, “is really celebrating television and to honor the shows of yesterday while we honor the shows of today.”Anderson also opened up about the reunions before the telecast kicked off.