The Emmy nominations are out today. With viewership declining for awards shows, that would therefore suggest that there's declining interest in who is being nominated for awards (after all, these aren't even winners yet).

But there are a few interesting aspects to the award noms this year:

What were the most nominated shows?

The Crown (Netflix) & The Mandalorian (Disney+) - tied at 24 each
WandaVision (Disney+) - 23
The Handmaid’s Tale - 21
Saturday Night Live (NBC) - 21
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) - 20
Lovecraft Country (HBO) - 18
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) - 18
Mare of Easttown (HBO) - 16

What's pretty interesting this year is that we are seeing a number of titles that are actual zeitgeist successes. Mando, WandaVision, Queen's Gambit, Ted Lasso, and Mare of Easttown - all widely known and beloved by audiences outside of the usual prestige bubble.

What were the most nominated networks?

HBO / HBO Max - 130
Netflix - 129
Disney+ - 71

You may look at HBO / HBO Max edging out Netflix and suggest that isn't really fair as they are two separate platforms. Using that logic, Disney actually tops both when you consider Disney's other TV channels - ABC (23), Disney+ (71), Freeform (1), FX Networks (16), Hulu (25), and Nat Geo (10). That's a total of 146. The network record, btw, was Netflix last year with 160 nominations.

If you want a full list of nominations, check them out here at Variety.

Don Cheadle got a nomination for Falcon & The Winter Soldier

If, like me, you forgot that Cheadle appeared in the Disney+ series Falcon & The Winter Soldier, you're probably scratching your head at this one. He appeared in two scenes during the first episode - one without dialogue. In total, his screen time amounted to three minutes.

BUT... he did get a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. You're not alone in thinking it is all a bit weird:

Meanwhile Carl Lumbly, who put in a very strong and substantial guest performance in that show... not a nomination to be seen.

Courtney Cox got her first Emmy nomination for Friends

The Friends star was the only Friends star never to be nominated for an Emmy. That changes now with a nomination for her work as a producer on Friends: The Reunion.

Courteney Cox Scores First Emmy Nomination for ‘Friends,’ Almost Two Decades After Show Ends
It took almost three decades, but Courteney Cox finally got an Emmy nomination for “Friends.” More specifically, the HBO Max special “Friends: The Reunion” received a variet…
VarietyDanielle Turchiano

The category you should all care about

In the past Emmy awards have been given for stunt coordination, but never to the performers themselves. This year will be the first time that they are being nominated by way of the new Outstanding Stunt Performance category. Nominated this year:

Cobra Kai • December 19 • Netflix • Sony Pictures Television for Netflix
Jahnel Curfman, Stunt Performer Julia Maggio, Stunt Performer John Cihangir, Stunt Performer Marc Canonizado, Stunt Performer

The Falcon And The Winter Soldier • Truth • Disney+ • Marvel Studios
John Nania, Stunt Performer Aaron Toney, Stunt Performer Justin Eaton, Stunt Performer

Gangs Of London • Episode 2 • AMC+ • Pulse Films in association with SISTER
Mens-Sana Tamakloe, Stunt Performer

Lovecraft Country • I Am. • HBO • HBO in association with afemme, Monkeypaw, Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. Television
Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Stunt Performer

The Mandalorian • Chapter 16: The Rescue • Disney+ • Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lateef Crowder, Stunt Performer

There are always complaints about how dull these award shows are - maybe showing this category during the main broadcast would liven things up and make the entire show more accessible-feeling. These guys do amazing work.

Quibi got nominations

Eight of them. Quibi series Reno 911!, Die Hart, and Mapleworth Murders all got nominations. But good luck beating out the nominated The Randy Rainbow Show on YouTube.

TeeVee Snacks

  • If you had every intention to watch the Olympics in 4K this year in Australia, you are out of luck - a planned partnership between Seven, Optus, and Fetch is no longer going ahead. One assumes the venn diagram of those with a 5G connection and a Fetch account was smaller than the cost/effort involved. Read: TV Tonight
  • Not-yet-seen footage of Dune will play in IMAX cinemas in the US and Australia ahead of its cinema/HBO Max release later this year. Read: Dark Horizons
  • RIP Night Court actor Charlie Robinson, who died at age 75. Read: Rolling Stone
  • Jerry O'Connell is set to replace Sharon Osbourne as a panelist on The Talk. Read: The Wrap
  • A Quiet Place Part 2 is now streaming via Paramount+ in the US. Welcome to the new cinema status quo - 45 days and it is available to watch at home. Read: Deadline
  • Former Arsenio Hall Show host Arsenio Hall is guest hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live this week. Read: The AV Club
  • Undercover Boss returns to TV in the UK by way of ITV. Read: TBI

How to do marketing with Deadpool

This is truly unusual - Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool doing a response video on YouTube to the trailer for the upcoming Ryan Reynolds film Free Guy. He's joined by Free Guy co-star Taika Waititi as Thor: Ragnarok character Korg.

Trailer Park

Shiny Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord debuts on Netflix soon.

Maximilian Schmidt aka Shiny Flakes reveals how he built an online drug empire from his childhood bedroom in the true story that also inspired the series How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast).

Behind The Attraction debuts on Disney+ July 21.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf debuts August 23 on Netflix.

Spriggan debuts on Netflix in 2022.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf debuts Oct 26 on PC and video game consoles.

What's next? Tomorrow.