Showmax emerges as the biggest winner at the 2022 Emmys

Showmax is the best place in Africa to stream international series, according to the Primetime Emmy Awards. Content on Showmax won 28 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama (HBO’s Succession) and Limited or Anthology Series (HBO’s The White Lotus, the Emmys’ biggest winner this year with 10.)

This follows on from Showmax’s stellar performance at the SAFTAs, where the African streaming service reaffirmed its positioning as the best place on the continent to stream local content. Content on Showmax won 45 SAFTAs, with the Showmax Originals Tali’s Baby Diary and Glasshouse the two joint biggest winners overall (tied in first place with Mzansi Magic’s telenovela Diep City).

“Showmax’s local content has been dominating conversations recently,” says Yolisa Phahle, CEO of Connected Video at MultiChoice. “But, as the Emmy results show, our international series lineup is also the best around. Congrats to all our international partners.”

The White Lotus Season 1 | Binge now, first on Showmax

10 Emmys from 20 nominations: Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Directing, Writing, Supporting Actor (Murray Bartlett), Supporting Actress (Jennifer Coolidge), Editing, Casting, Original Dramatic Score, Original Main Title Theme Music, and Sound Mixing

The most awarded series overall at the 2022 Emmys, The White Lotus is set at an exclusive Hawaiian resort over one highly transformative week, gradually peeling back the glossy veneer of picture-perfect travellers, cheerful hotel employees, and the idyllic locale itself to reveal something far uglier beneath.​

HBO’s six-part series won 10 of its 20 nominations, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Directing, Writing, Editing, Casting, Original Dramatic Score, Original Main Title Theme Music, and Sound Mixing.

Jennifer Coolidge, as the grieving guest, Tanya, and Murray Bartlett, as hotel manager Armond, won their first Emmys in the Supporting Actress and Actor category respectively, holding off strong competition from their nominated co-stars: five-time nominee Connie Britton (Nashville, Friday Night Lights, American Horror Story) and first-time acting nominees Alexandra Daddario, Jake Lacy, Natasha Rothwell, Steve Zahn, and Sydney Sweeney (who was also nominated in the Drama category for her role as Cassie in Euphoria).

The Guardian hailed The White Lotus as “2021’s best, and most uncomfortable, show…” describing the comedy drama as a “scathing social satire” and “a ballsy take-no-prisoners state of the nation series.” As they say, “It might not be a relaxing vacation but it won’t be one you’ll forget any time soon…”

Season 2 premieres first on Showmax on 31 October 2022, leaving Hawaii behind to follow a different group of vacationers as they jet to another White Lotus property and settle in temporarily among its inhabitants.

Watch writer-director Mike White accept his Emmys for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series here, Directing here and Writing here. Watch his winnerview here. 

Watch Coolidge receive her Emmy here and her winnerview here.  

Watch Bartlett receive his Emmy here and his winnerview here. 

Euphoria Season 2 | Binge now, first on Showmax

6 Emmys from 16 nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress (Zendaya), Guest Actor (Colman Domingo), Picture Editing, Choreography, Cinematography and Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)

Zendaya became the Emmys’ youngest ever two-time acting winner for her lead performance as teen addict Rue in HBO’s Euphoria, which also won Outstanding Guest Actor (Colman Domingo), Picture Editing, Choreography, Cinematography and Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic).

With six wins from 16 nominations, Euphoria was in joint second place overall at this year’s Emmys, tied with Squid Game behind The White Lotus.

Season 2 of HBO’s groundbreaking 18LSDVN teen series has an 82% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus hails it for being “as wilfully provocative as ever.” Mashable calls the show, “smart,” “spectacular”, “triumphant”, “stupefyingly bold” and “electrifying”, adding, “Euphoria’s intoxicating blend of striking music, visuals, and supercharged feeling makes for a dream-like watch.”

Watch Zendaya receive her Emmy here and her winnerview here. 

Succession Season 3 | Binge now, first on Showmax

4 Emmys from 25 nominations: Outstanding Drama Series, Supporting Actor (Matthew Macfadyen), Writing, and Casting

Succession follows four very rich siblings behaving very badly while trying to win their father’s approval – and control of his company, a global media and entertainment empire.

The third season of HBO’s hit drama series was the most nominated series overall at this year’s Emmy Awards, winning four of its 25 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Casting, both for the second time, and Outstanding Writing for the third time.

As Tom, Matthew Macfadyen won his first Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor, against stiff competition from his nominated co-stars Kieran Culkin and Nicholas Braun.

Vanity Fair hails Succession as “the best showcase of performances on television”, adding, “There’s no other show that’s as dramatically compelling or twistedly funny… It’s hard not to reach for hyperbole when talking about how Succession makes the viewer feel.”

Watch Jesse Armstrong receive his award for Outstanding Drama Series here and Writing here.  

Watch Matthew Macfadyen receive his Emmy here and his winnerview here. 

Barry Season 3 | Binge now, first on Showmax

3 Emmys from 14 nominations: Outstanding Stunt Coordination, Picture Editing and Sound Editing

Picking up six months after the Season 2 finale, in the aftermath of the monastery shootout, HBO’s hitman in Hollywood comedy starts with Sally filming her own show, NoHo Hank in love, and our favourite hitman, Barry, without an acting class to go to anymore.

Season 3 of Barry won three Emmys from 14 nominations: Outstanding Stunt Coordination, Picture Editing, and Sound Editing. Spare a thought for co-creator Bill Hader, who lost all five of the Emmy categories he was nominated for: Outstanding Comedy, Leading Actor, Directing, Writing and Guest Actor (for his cameo on Curb Your Enthusiasm S11).

S3 of Barry has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Daily Beast calling it, “the best show on TV”; Variety hailing it as “a masterpiece … funnier and sharper than ever… TV’s most fascinating protagonist”; and Entertainment Weekly writing, “I’ve never seen violence like the violence on Barry. HBO’s hitman comedy is a legitimate thrillfest, and the new season has three of the best action scenes I’ve ever seen.”

A Black Lady Sketch Show Season 3 | Binge now

2 Emmys from 5 nominations: Outstanding Directing for A Variety Series and Picture Editing

A Black Lady Sketch Show won Outstanding Directing for A Variety Series and Picture Editing after being nominated for five Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.

The HBO sketch comedy also earned series creator Robin Thede an Outstanding Actress: Comedy nomination at the 2022 Black Reel Awards, where Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) was also nominated as Guest Actress. Thede won the category in 2021, when A Black Lady Sketch Show’s Gabrielle Dennis won Supporting Actress over co-star Ashley Nicole Black. This season’s guest stars include Ava DuVernay, Wanda Sykes, Wayne Brady, Vanessa Williams, Lance Reddick and Phil LaMarr.

Already renewed for a fourth season, A Black Lady Sketch Show has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Root hailing this season as “the smartest, freshest, funniest comedy on TV.”

George Carlin’s American Dream | Binge now

1 Emmy from 5 nominations: Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Special

Directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, the two-part HBO documentary George Carlin’s American Dream was named Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Special at this year’s Emmys.

Described by Stephen Colbert as “the Beatles of comedy”, Carlin’s fearless countercultural comedy spanned five decades, including 14 HBO comedy specials and more than 130 appearances on The Tonight Show, until his death in 2008. The documentary chronicles the life and work of the legendary comedian, a cultural chameleon who is remembered as one of the most influential stand-up comics of all time.

The documentary opens an intimate window into Carlin’s personal life, and includes both material from his stand-up specials and footage from his personal archive, as well as interviews with George Carlin’s family, friends, and the people he inspired – legends like Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patton Oswalt, Bette Midler, W. Kamau Bell, and Jon Stewart.

George Carlin’s American Dream holds a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus calls it a “revealing retrospective on the beloved comedian’s career that ought to be mandatory viewing for standup fans.”

The Gilded Age Season 1 | Binge now

1 Emmy from 1 nomination: Outstanding Production Design

Winner of a 2022 Emmy for its production design, The Gilded Age is a new period drama from Oscar winner Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey, Gosford Park).

The Gilded Age kicks off in 1882, when young Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) moves from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father. She moves in with her thoroughly old-money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski from The Good Fight) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City).

Accompanied by Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), an aspiring writer seeking a fresh start, Marian is soon caught up in a social war between one of her aunts and her stupendously rich new-money neighbours, a ruthless railroad tycoon George Russell (Morgan Spector from The Plot Against America and Homeland) and his ambitious wife, Bertha (Carrie Coon from Fargo). Exposed to a world on the brink of the modern age, will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path?

HBO has already ordered a second season of The Gilded Age, which has an 8/10 rating on IMDb. As Glamour says, “The Gilded Age is like Downton Abbey – but better.”

What We Do In The Shadows Season 3 | Binge now, first on Showmax

1 Emmy from 7 nominations: Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes

Based on the 2014 cult movie from the batty brains of nine-time Emmy nominee Jemaine Clement (Flight Of The Conchords) and Oscar winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok), What We Do in the Shadows follows four vampires who’ve “lived” together for hundreds of years – plenty of time to get on each other’s nerves.

Season 3 of What We Do In The Shadows won Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-fi Costumes after being up for seven Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy.

As Decider says, “FX’s mockumentary series featuring the world’s dumbest vampires, What We Do In the Shadows, has been one of the best comedies on TV since it premiered in 2019. But Season 3 felt like the show’s breakout year, in part because of the internet’s affinity for the brilliant slow-burn relationship between Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak)—formerly a bloodthirsty leader, now a somewhat reluctant vampire going through a midlife crisis—and his human familiar, Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén), formerly a soft-spoken servant, now a badass vampire slayer. It’s a season full of priceless, quotable moments.”

Coming soon to Showmax

Other winners that will make their way to Showmax include:

Hacks Season 2, which won three Comedy Emmys from its 17 nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress (Jean Smart), Guest Actress (Laurie Metcalfe), and Contemporary Costumes. The second season of the comedy about comedians will be available to binge on Showmax from 1 November 2022, with Season 1 currently available.

We’re Here Season 2, which won two Emmys – Outstanding Costumes and Outstanding Makeup for Variety, Non-Fiction Or Reality Programming. A hit reality series about taking drag shows across small-town America, We’re Here Season 2 will be available to binge on Showmax from 23 October 2022.

100 Foot Wave, which won Outstanding Cinematography after also being nominated for Documentary or Non-Fiction Series. 100 Foot Wave, about big-wave pioneer Garrett McNamara, premieres first on Showmax from 13 September 2022.

Other nominees on Showmax

Snubbed nominees you can binge on Showmax include:

• Showtime survival horror series Yellowjackets, which was up for seven Emmys this year, including Outstanding Drama
• HBO Max sci-fi series Station Eleven, which was up for seven Emmys, including Outstanding Actor for Himesh Patel
• Season 11 of HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, which was up for four Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy
• Showtime’s Ray Donovan: The Movie, which was nominated for a 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie
• HBO’s Insecure Season 4, which earned Issa Rae her third Outstanding Lead Actress: Comedy nomination
• HBO drama Scenes From A Marriage, which was nominated for Outstanding Actor: Limited Series (Oscar Isaac)
• HBO Max’s John Cena superhero series Peacemaker, which was up for Stunt Coordination
• Season 2 of HBO’s televangelism comedy The Righteous Gemstones, which was up for Sound Editing
• HBO’s basketball drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, which was up for Cinematography
• The Staircase, which was up for Outstanding Actress (Toni Collette) and Actor (Colin Firth) in a Limited Series, will be available to binge on Showmax from Thursday, 15 September 2022.