Westerly Sun Column | Watch All the Shows — With Your Library Card

The nominations for the 75th Emmy Awards were just announced, and now I have to cancel all of my summer plans to catch up on these amazing shows. In order to be eligible for this year’s awards, TV shows had to have aired between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. It just so happens that about a hundred great shows aired in that time period, so the competition is fierce this year! I wish I had time and space to rave about all the nominees, but I don’t. So, here are a few that you can find at the library.

As a surprise to absolutely nobody, the HBO series “Succession” dominated this year, garnering 27 nominations, including three for lead actors (Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong) and one for Lead Actress (Sarah Snook). Given that the show is all about family rivalry, it makes sense that they should be pitted against one another. Post-apocalyptic drama “The Last of Us” had 24 nominations, including one each for leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. We currently have the first three seasons of “Succession,” and “The Last of Us” will be available at the library later this month!

Actress Melanie Lynskey has seemingly been in every TV show in the last 15 years, and this year she was nominated for her roles in both “Yellowjackets” and “The Last of Us”. If you haven’t yet watched “Yellowjackets,” the drama about a high school girls’ soccer team whose plane crashes in the Ontario wilderness, you can borrow the first season from the library. It’s incredibly gripping, with an amazing ensemble cast including Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis. If you love an ensemble, you’ll also want to watch “The White Lotus,” which earned a whopping 23 nominations. Last year it won five, including one for lead Jennifer Coolidge, who returned for season 2 (it’s an anthology series, so the second season includes a nearly brand new cast). Other dramas that were nominated this year include “House of the Dragon,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Crown,” all of which have seasons available on DVD at the library.

The competition is equally tough among comedy shows, including “Abbott Elementary,” “Barry” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which you can check out now. Unfortunately, some of the frontrunners this year are only available through streaming services, such as “Ted Lasso” and “The Bear.” The latter stars Jeremy Allen White, who also starred in the American version of “Shameless,” which ran for 11 seasons (and yes, we have access to all of them). Though his performance was praised, this is his first Emmy nomination. Personally, I’m rooting for him!

The Emmys are currently scheduled for Monday, Sept. 18, though this could shift due to the ongoing writers strike. That said, this gives you a solid two months to catch up on the many great TV shows that are up for awards, so visit us now to get started.

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian