The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s shift into episodic storytelling has now turned the world’s biggest franchise into a small screen awards season juggernaut, with WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier combining to rack up a combined haul of 28 Emmy nominations.
Of course, the majority of the burden was shouldered by the former, which accounted for 23 of them, including nods for Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, director Matt Shakman and four of the writers. In terms of the major categories, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes’ spinoff was entirely shut out, with the exception of Don Cheadle’s surprise shortlisting for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
It was the actor’s eleventh Emmy nomination in total, and even he was surprised that his one-scene cameo made the cut. Needless to say, fans have been roasting the decision to ignore virtually every other aspect of the show, which you can see in the reactions below.
If anyone deserved recognition for their onscreen contributions to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, then surely it had to be Carl Lumbly’s powerful turn as Isaiah Bradley, especially if Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan were being overlooked. Of course, there doesn’t seem to be any logical thought process behind a lot of decisions made by the Emmys, but it’s gained an extra level of scrutiny this time around because it focuses on the MCU.
It tells you everything you need to know about the situation when fans went nuts at the news Olsen had made the cut for her incredible performance in WandaVision, but Cheadle’s brief conversation in the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier generated little more than confusion and bemusement.