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VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton WRITTEN BY: Nick Spake
#10: “Futurama” (1999-2003; 2008-13; 2023-)
Just when you thought the Planet Express crew was out, Hulu pulled them back in. Considering how well Season 7 wrapped up a decade earlier, we weren’t sure if “Futurama” needed to return. Much has happened during that ten-year gap, though, giving “Futurama” plenty to parody in Season 8. It also explored topics that the show surprisingly hadn’t covered before like simulated realities, which provides the basis for the episode “All the Way Down.” It’s easy to see why the team chose this episode for Outstanding Animated Program consideration given its inventive story and experimental animation. While “Futurama” has been an Emmy favorite for years, several cast members are overdue. Billy West and John DiMaggio have never been nominated for an Emmy. Let’s fix that!
#9: “Harley Quinn” (2019-)
“Harley Quinn” stands out as one of the funniest shows of the past few years, animation or live-action. The only thing more consistent than the show’s laugh ratio is the TV Academy’s reluctance to nominate it for an Emmy. Sometimes, it takes a while for a show to catch on with voters, and we can only hope Season 4 provides a breakthrough for Team Harley. This year, the crew has entered “Icons Only” for Outstanding Animated Program and Writing for a Comedy Series. Several cast members, including Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell, also chose this episode as their Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance submission. The episode makes strong use of its ensemble with outrageous interlocking comedic hijinks complemented by a glitzy Las Vegas backdrop.
#8: “Pluto” (2023)
We rarely see anime shows at the Emmys because they simply aren’t submitted. Even when they are, voters tend to favor Western animation. This year brings a few Eastern offerings with “Ninja Kamui” and “Pluto.” The latter is an especially gripping miniseries that draws from “Astro Boy” with several dark twists. Based on Naoki Urasawa’s manga, the series takes place in an evolved society where humans and robots have learned to coexist. This makes it all the more shocking when a beloved robot is murdered with more bodies - mechanical and flesh - soon piling up. The first episode establishes this overarching mystery while finding room for an emotional standalone story about a blind composer and his robot butler. If nominated, “Pluto” could make Emmy history.
#7: “Scavengers Reign” (2023)
From its first episode, which has been submitted for Outstanding Animated Program consideration, “Scavengers Reign” immerses us in a foreign planet that feels alive in more ways than one. The world of Vesta is haunting yet oddly inviting, making us want to explore every inch despite the skin-crawling danger around every corner. Thankfully, we have a cast of well-defined characters to accompany us on individual journeys that gradually merge toward something larger. We sadly may never know what that “something” is, as Max prematurely canceled “Scavengers Reign” after one season. The good news is that Netflix might pick it up for a second season, and an Emmy nomination would certainly give them another reason to do so. We’ve only scratched the surface of this world.
#6: “Invincible” (2021-)
Fans waited an eternity between Seasons 1 and 2 of “Invincible.” In reality, it was more like two years, but it felt like forever, which is alluded to in the season’s penultimate episode. It’s the Season 2 finale that’s being pushed for Emmy consideration, however. The superhero drama again caps things off on a hard-hitting note as Mark enters a rematch with a vengeful Angstrom. Mark has repeatedly demonstrated that his spirit is more invincible than his body. Throughout this season, though, we see the potential for Mark to go down a darker path. Angstrom not only tests Mark’s physical strength, but also how far he’s willing to go to protect his loved ones, revealing victory and loss as two sides of the same coin.
#5: “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” (2023)
Some expected “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” to be a straightforward adaptation. The pilot heads in this direction, but suddenly shifts the spotlight to Ramona and the supporting players in Scott Pilgrim’s precious little life. This helps the show to form a unique identity by the time we reach episode 3, “Ramona Rents a Video,” which is in the running for Outstanding Animated Program consideration. At the same time, creator Bryan Lee O’Malley and co-developer BenDavid Grabinski celebrate all things “Scott Pilgrim.” Animation studio Science Saru brings the comics’ artwork to life with kinetic energy while the voice talent reunites the cast from the 2010 cult classic. We’d love to see the actors get some Emmy love along with the song, “Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Musical.”
#4: “Hazbin Hotel” (2024-)
Speaking of songs, “Hazbin Hotel” should be a frontrunner in Outstanding Music and Lyrics for the infinitely upbeat “Loser, Baby” from the episode “Masquerade.” That same episode has been entered for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, but in the Animated Program category, the crew submitted “Dad Beat Dad.” This episode introduces Charlie’s father, who isn’t everything you’d expect Lucifer to be. If Lucifer can be a loving father, there might be hope for others in Hell, further vindicating Charlie’s dream of rehabilitating sinners. In that sense, this episode sums up what the show is all about, complete with lively music and eye-popping animation. Vivienne Medrano’s creation has come a long way since its YouTube genesis. Whatever happens at the Emmys, it’s a winner, baby.
#3: “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake” (2023-)
Since Fionna and Cake were introduced as fictional characters in “Adventure Time,” you wouldn’t think a show about them would do much to advance the story. Fionna and Cake are far more important to the lore than anyone initially assumed, however. This spinoff is just as much about Simon Petrikov, aka Ice King, voiced by Tom Kenny in an Emmy-worthy performance. As for Outstanding Animated Program, the crew submitted the episode “The Winter King,” which presents several familiar faces in a fresh light. It’s one of several episodes that take us across a multiverse of wonder in a series that balances complex ideas and charming characters as only “Adventure Time” can. While more adult-oriented than its predecessor, “Fionna and Cake” is eternally young at heart.
#2: “X-Men '97” (2024-)
Another show that grew up with its viewers, “X-Men ‘97” evolves everything we loved about its predecessor to the next level, from the vibrant animation, to the serialized storytelling, to the mature themes. The original series was shockingly never nominated for a single Emmy. Voters can do “‘97” justice by nominating the episode “Remember It” for Outstanding Animated Program. A high point of an exceptional first season, this episode overflows with intense action, emotional turns, and heartbreaking performances, most notably Lenore Zann as Rogue. It’s no wonder that Zann also selected this as her submission in the voiceover category. Marvel has another contender with “What If... Kahhori Reshaped The World?,” but few superhero shows have captured the zeitgeist like this throwback that’s constantly looking forward.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Rick and Morty” (2013-)
This Two-Time Winner Aims for a Third Emmy with “Unmortricken”
“South Park: Joining the Panderverse” (2023)
This Special Does Everything Except Pander To Its Fanbase
“Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020-)
Elevate This Show to a Higher Status By Nominating The Episode “Twovix”
“Clone High” (2002-03, 2023-)
This Revived Show Strategically Submitted an Episode Called “For Your Consideration”
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” (2023-)
Let’s Give These Clones a Farewell Hug By Awarding the Series Finale
#1: “Blue Eye Samurai” (2023-)
“Blue Eye Samurai” isn’t just the most strikingly animated show we’ve seen in the past year. It contains possibly the most gripping story we’ve experienced across all mediums. Protagonist Mizu’s revenge mission had us hooked from the first episode, which is contending for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series consideration. In Outstanding Animated Program, the crew has entered “The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride,” which explores how Mizu almost had a very different life bound to end in heartbreak. Maya Erskine delivers a restrained yet deeply powerful performance as Mizu while Kenneth Branagh crafts the most hateable villain of recent memory. “Blue Eye Samurai” already swept the Annies. It deserves to conquer the Emmys next - and not just in the animation categories.
What animated show are you hoping to see at the Emmys? Let us know in the comments.
