12 TV Performances That Never Won Emmys (But Will Still Go Down In Television History)
Summary
- Despite being nominated multiple times, actors like Bob Odenkirk, Steve Carell, and Kerry Washington have never won an Emmy for their acclaimed performances.
- The Emmys don’t always recognize the best performances in television history, as many notable performances have gone unrecognized or un-nominated.
- The impact of certain performances, such as Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, goes beyond awards, with their characters becoming iconic and praised by audiences and critics.
Throughout television history, there are a few performances that continue to be recognized as some of the greatest, despite not having been awarded an Emmy. These actors’ performances were not only favored by audiences but by critics too, making it more confusing as to why they were continuously ignored by the Emmys. Most recently, the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards was the last chance for Bob Odenkirk to win an Emmy for his portrayal of Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul.
While award ceremonies like the Emmys don’t always substantiate what a “good” television show is or isn’t, audiences typically expect the best work to be awarded. However, viewing the ceremony through this lens is flawed when many of the more notable performances in television history went unrecognized by the television academies. While some actors, like Odenkirk, had been nominated multiple times for their roles but never received an Emmy, others were never given a chance to win because they were never nominated.
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12 Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman
Nominated 6 times for Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bob Odenkirk took on the role of Saul Goodman in the Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul. First appearing in Breaking Bad, the character of Saul quickly became a fan favorite due to Odenkirk’s performance. This led to Saul getting developed further and gaining more airtime than the writers had originally planned for. Odenkirk received six Emmy nominations for this role but never took the award home. After striking out at the 75th Emmy Awards, Odenkirk and Better Call Saul are now among the handful of widely acclaimed series ignored at the Emmys.
11 Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Nominated 6 times for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
The impact of The Office has been long-lasting due to its filming style and ensemble of characters. This, of course, includes the iconic character of Michael Scott, comedically played by Steve Carell. Yet, Carell would never win an Emmy for his role as Michael. During his time on The Office, Carell received six consecutive nominations but was never given the win. Despite this, years after its finale, the series as a whole, and Carell’s performance are often revisited and praised by critics and audiences alike and are noted as being an essential television series from the 2000s.
10 Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope
Nominated 2 times for Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kerry Washington portrayed Olivia Pope in Scandal. Olivia’s character is often praised for being powerful, yet complicated, giving complexity to the protagonist, which can be a rare occurrence for female characters, especially those played by Black actresses. This role earned Washington two nominations at the 65th and 66th Emmy Awards. Her nominations during this time gave Washington the honor of being the first Black actress to be nominated in the category in the past 18 years. Although she wasn’t given an Emmy, Washington did win a NAACP Image Award and the People’s Choice Award for her work in Scandal.
9 Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
Nominated 5 times for Lead Actor in a Drama Series
In Dexter, Michael C. Hall plays the titular antihero as he kills criminals who have escaped the justice system. Playing a character like Dexter is not an easy task, because while audiences spend the most time with the protagonist, they’re not necessarily supposed to advocate for his every choice. Although the response to later seasons has been mixed, Hall’s performance and the show as a whole have been viewed positively overall. For his work as Dexter, Hall received five nominations at the Emmy Awards, but the win was instead given to actors such as Bryan Cranston and Kyle Chandler.
8 Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen
Nominated 3 times for Supporting Actress and 1 time for Lead Actress
While Emilia Clarke has had a variety of notable roles throughout her career, one of the most recognized was her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Clarke would be nominated three times for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and once in the lead actress category. However, she was never awarded an Emmy. Daenerys’ character arc isn’t universally celebrated, but what most can agree on is the quality of Clarke’s acting. Throughout her time on Game of Thrones, Clarke gained lots of acclaim for her performance and her ability to stand out as a powerful female character.
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7 Michael K. Williams as Omar Little
Never nominated for an Emmy
The HBO series, The Wire, is known as one of the television series to be neglected by the Emmys time and time again, only being nominated twice, both times in the writing category. The series didn’t garner massive ratings and wasn’t awarded by prominent award ceremonies despite the quality and overall acclaim of the series and its actors. One of these actors was Michael K. Williams, who played Omar Little, a robber in the Baltimore area.
Williams was praised for his performance, often cited by critics and audiences as being a fan favorite for his humor and honesty. The character of Omar is unique because his caring nature and homosexuality contrast with what audiences would expect from someone involved in crime. Though the responses to Omar’s sexuality were mixed, Williams was happy to challenge the attitude and perceptions of audiences while being the start of larger discussions.
6 Connie Britton as Tami Taylor
Nominated 2 times for Lead Actress in a Drama Series
One of Connie Britton’s most notable roles in her career was as Tami Taylor in the television series, Friday Night Lights. Britton was nominated multiple times for this role, but only twice at the Emmys. Even though much of the praise for Britton’s work on the series has been due to her chemistry with her on-screen husband Kyle Chandler, Britton holds her own. Providing a hand and acting as a mentor to others within the show, Tami was seen as kind-hearted and strong. Critics praised Britton’s performance and have listed Tami as one of the best female leads on television.
5 Hugh Laurie as Gregory House
Nominated 6 times for Lead Actor in a Drama Series
The likability of Gregory House, played by Hugh Laurie, varies among audience members due to his witty and provoking nature. However, critics gave recognition to Laurie’s performance, noting the required skill and scope needed to pull off the depth of the series’ protagonist. Hugh Laurie has been nominated for numerous awards for his work on House, six of which were Emmy nominations, but he did not win.
4 Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang
Nominated 5 times for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Sandra Oh was nominated five times for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for one of her more recognizable roles as Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy. Oh’s performance as Cristina was praised by critics and, since her departure from Grey’s Anatomy, she continues to be a fan favorite and a positive takeaway from the ongoing series. Cristina was often seen as ambitious and determined, while her friendship with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) was a central part of the series and was celebrated for being a positive and realistic portrayal of female friendship.
3 Issa Rae as Issa Dee
Nominated 3 times for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Working as the lead and co-creator of Insecure, Issa Rae played the character Issa Dee and was nominated three times at the Emmys. Rae described the series as exploring the experiences of being Black, sharing with audiences a story about relatable and awkward characters that are often stereotyped in other stories. Although she never won an Emmy for her acclaimed role, it’s because of Rae’s desire to share an authentic and relatable story that the series won a Peabody Award.
2 Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway
Nominated 6 times for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Mad Men character Joan Holloway, played by Christina Hendricks, is a fan favorite for many audiences. Joan was only supposed to appear as a guest role, but due to Hendricks’ acting abilities, she became a larger part of the series. However, the critical praise that’s followed Hendricks since the series’ ending didn’t result in an Emmy win despite six consecutive nominations. Putting this aside, Hendricks’ performance continues to be talked about positively as she was a tough and bold female character, despite the many obstacles thrown Joan’s way.
1 Jason Alexander as George Costanza
Nominated 7 times for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jason Alexander played the character of George Costanza in Seinfeld, recognized as one of the most influential television series of all time. Part of what makes the series one of the most successful and revisited sitcoms is its beloved characters. George’s character was based on Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld, and is a fan favorite due to his relatable nature, often shown as anxious and self-deprecating. Alexander would be nominated seven times for his portrayal of George, but would never win, despite wins by fellow supporting castmates Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
