In the last few years, the Emmy race for outstanding drama series has felt a little less than exciting. The end of peak TV, the pivot toward starry limited series, and the impact of both COVID and the 2023 guild strikes have all contributed to a slight rusting of what was once television’s most reliably shiny form.
But this year is starting to feel like old times. You’ve got heavyweights that are back in contention and more popular than ever, like The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and Severance; additional former category nominees such as Squid Game, House of the Dragon, and Slow Horses; a bona fide phenomenon of a breakout in The Pitt; The Handmaid’s Tale, a former winner on the creative upswing in its final season; and a few returning shows angling for their first best-drama nods, including The Diplomat and Industry. This doesn’t even cover all of the major players—particularly one show that seems to be crashing the party.
I’m David Canfield, and while it should be no surprise that the Star Wars series Andor has returned in fine form, the sheer number of early raves coming in demands some attention. (My colleague Richard Lawson called it “the best television of the year so far,” and he’s not the only critic to have done so.) The second and final season, whose narrative leads right into New Hope prequel film Rogue One, has been hailed as a bright spot in the oft-clunky modern Lucasfilm machine—a rigorous, meticulous examination of empire and rebellion that feels equally relevant to today’s geopolitical scene and the broader Star Wars canon.
By Disney standards, Andor was a much bigger hit with critics than with viewers in its first season, and it took a break of more than two years before returning to air. There’s some question, then, as to what its ceiling with the Television Academy might be—though season one received an Emmy nod for best drama, the cast was snubbed completely, and the series went home empty-handed. Shows like Game of Thrones and Watchmen have proven that genre breakthroughs are possible with these voters. But hard sci-fi remains a tall hurdle to clear.
Still, this season of Andor packs a potent punch, with some of the grandest set pieces you’ll see on the small screen and an expansive allegorical narrative, the sort that is only possible in the best of episodic TV. If the critical noise resonates, Andor has a chance to prove itself as more than an IP extension. During an era in which Hollywood is trying—and, frankly, struggling—to put its best creative foot forward amid endless, narrow demand for sequels, prequels, and everything in between, it’s an example worthy of a look.
At minimum, let’s hope the acting branch gives Andor’s superb cast some love. Diego Luna was nominated as a producer for Andor’s first season, but between his work on Narcos: Mexico, last year’s La Máquina (also eligible this cycle), and Andor, he’s well overdue for his first Emmy nod for acting. This season also features terrific supporting turns from Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, and more. So while I know those White Lotus actors are great fun (I wrote about them here just a few weeks ago!), here’s another massive cast of industry veterans getting long-overdue showcase parts. They deserve some consideration too.
