The Last Of Us may have gotten 24 nominations, but Succession is expected to win most categories against the HBO show, with 27 nominations.
The Last of Us is unlikely to beat Succession at the Emmys in most, if any, categories as the second season of Naughty Dog’s adaptation has 24 nominations, while Succession has 27.
While I thoroughly enjoyed The Last of Us and think it’s a great adaptation, I’m not going to pretend it’s the same calibre as Succession, which has had a cultural impact that few other shows have. The performances are incredibly strong contenders, but I love Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong, so I’m not surprised they got nominations.
While The Last of Us has had a lot of critical acclaim, it hasn’t had the same cultural impact as Succession, which is praised as one of HBO’s most unique television shows that effectively confronts the evil, selfishness, and greed of the rich while humanizing its characters. The performances are all incredibly nuanced, with Matthew Macfadyen delivering a standout performance, seamlessly transitioning between humor and seriousness.
Sarah Snook’s micro-expressions have become iconic and her heart-wrenching performance as the tragic and flawed Shiv has been consistently excellent throughout the show. Jeremy Strong gives a career-defining performance as a sad rich boy who has been given everything, but still feels like he has nothing. Kieran Culkin’s portrayal of a flawed and traumatized character is exceptional and one of my favorites, and he has been consistently excellent throughout all three seasons.
I’m not going to pretend I’m not a huge fan of Succession, as I watched the finale while on vacation in Taiwan, and I have to say it was one of the best finales of any television show I’ve seen. It was the perfect ending to a near-perfect show, and while I enjoyed The Last of Us, it doesn’t compare to the complexity and cultural impact of Succession.
That being said, I’m not surprised Naughty Dog’s game adaptation got nominations, as it’s a great show with a lot of heart and deserves at least some recognition. However, I doubt it’ll sweep the Emmys this year and I’m perfectly fine with that, as this year belongs to Succession.
If The Last of Us season 2 is even better than the first and matches the quality of Succession, then The Last of Us will sweep the Emmys in the future, but we’ll have to wait and see. For now, this year belongs to Succession, and I’m perfectly fine with that.
The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Andy Samberg and will air on September, with The Last of Us season two due for release in October.
