The fast overnight ratings for the 2024 Emmy Awards are pretty shabby.
Playing against NFL games, and a day after the Critics Choice Awards were basically the same, the Emmys were tackled long before they got to the end zone.
The highest they got was 3.99 million viewers about mid way through the show. Otherwise they were stuck around 3.85 million.
These numbers come from major markets and could get a little higher when all the ballots are counted. But football ruled the night.
The last Emmys, in September 2022, scored 5.9 million, which was down from 7.6 million the year before. The trend is down down down.
The show last night was admirable for saluting nostalgia, bringing on reunions of old shows and replicating their sets. But not all of it worked. Anthony Anderson’s mother has worn out her welcome. Also, Fox ran so many commercials that the show seemed secondary to them.
The theme of the Emmys now is Netflix vs. HBO. “Abbott Elementary” is the only broadcast show involved in the game. There’s nary a mention of network TV, not a nod to the existence of “Law & Order” or the Dick Wolf shows, or any of the other procedurals.
The funniest moment came when the cast of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” was allowed to present an award and realized the Emmys had been going on behind their backs for the last 16 seasons!
