Yahoo News 2024 Emmys Documentary Series and Specials Categories
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
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2024 Emmy Predictions:
Documentary Categories (Series, Special, Hosted Nonfiction, Exceptional Merit)
Weekly Commentary (Updated: May 31, 2024): Netflix has confirmed to Variety “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult” was not submitted for the Primetime Emmys. Instead, the series will seek consideration from the upcoming News & Documentary Emmy Awards later this year.
We’re still living in a golden era of nonfiction programming in television and film. Stories about cults have been very popular, with titles like “Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God.”
Old Hollywood has been deeply examined, as seen with Investigation Discovery’s “Quiet on the Set,” which had everyone talking. In addition, the industry looked back at classic stars like Rock Hudson, trailblazers like Jim Henson and musicians such as Jon Bon Jovi. Any of those series and specials could break into their respective categories.
Anything related to unresolved murders will always attract attention, and the second season of HBO/Max’s “The Jinx” lived up to its predecessor. Despite its disturbing nature, I was enamored by Netflix’s “American Nightmare” series and Prime’s “Shiny Happy People,” which looks back at the Duggar Family.
The exceptional merit race is a juried category that can be difficult to follow, but we have our first guesses below. Check out the rankings in the four documentary categories and where they currently stand.
The eligibility deadline for all series concluding their runs is May 31. The nominations-voting-round is open from June 13 to June 24.
Read: All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category on Variety’s Awards Circuit.
Outstanding Documentary Series
And the Predicted Nominees Are
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
1 | “Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” (ID) |
2 | “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (Max) |
3 | “Beckham” (Netflix) |
4 | “Our Planet II” (Netflix) |
5 | “Secrets of the Octopus” (National Geographic) |
Next in Line
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
6 | “The Super Models” (Apple TV+) |
7 | “Queens” (National Geographic) |
8 | “American Nightmare” (Netflix) |
9 | “American Masters” (PBS) |
10 | “Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God” (Max) |
11 | “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” (Apple TV+) |
12 | “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story” (Hulu) |
13 | “Black Twitter: A People’s History” (Hulu) |
14 | “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” (Prime Video) |
15 | “Where is Wendy Williams?” (Lifetime) |
Outstanding Documentary Special
And the Predicted Nominees Are
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
1 | “The Greatest Night in Pop” (Netflix) |
2 | “STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces” (Apple TV+) |
3 | “Jim Henson Idea Man” (Disney+) |
4 | “The Beach Boys” (Disney+) |
5 | “Wham!” (Netflix) |
Next in Line
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
6 | “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” (Max) |
7 | “Girls State” (Apple TV+) |
8 | “For Love & Life: No Ordinary Campaign” (Prime Video) |
9 | “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed” (Max) |
10 | “aka Mr. Chow” (Max) |
11 | “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” (Prime Video) |
12 | “Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only” (Netflix) |
13 | “Sly” (Netflix) |
14 | “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero” (Max) |
15 | “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon” (MGM+) |
Hosted Nonfiction
And the Predicted Nominees Are
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
1 | “My Next Guest with David Letterman and John Mulaney” (Netflix) |
2 | “Life on our Planet” (Netflix) |
3 | “Conan O’Brien Must Go” (Max) |
4 | “The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy” (Apple TV+) |
5 | “Finding Your Roots” (PBS) |
Next in Line
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
6 | “Somebody Feed Phil” (Netflix) |
7 | “High on the Hog” (Netflix) |
8 | “History’s Greatest Mysteries” (History) |
9 | “How to With John Wilson” (Max) |
10 | “The Express Way with Dulé Hill” (PBS) |
11 | “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” (National Geographic) |
12 | “Orlando Bloom: To the Edge” (Peacock) |
13 | “Ride With Norman Reedus” (AMC) |
14 | “Hostage” (TBN) |
15 | “Beauty Beneath the Pyramids” (JODA |
Exceptional Merit
And the Predicted Nominees Are
Rank | Series |
|---|---|
1 | “Stamped from the Beginning” (Netflix) |
2 | “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” (Max) |
3 | “The Pigeon Tunnel” (Apple TV+) |
4 | “The Blue Angels” (Apple TV+) |
5 | “Immediate Family” (Magnolia) |
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