The Golden Globes’ Staggering Snub Of ‘I May Destroy You’ Has Sparked A Social Media Outcry

This morning’s Golden Globes nominations generally open awards season, but (as you no doubt realize) that schedule is all kinds of messed up this year. Still, the awards ceremony will happen on February 28 (co-hosted by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey on separate coasts), and expect it to be messy. Also messy The actual nominations threw one heck of a stunner about five seconds into the live-streamed list:

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Emily in Paris

The Flight Attendant

The Great

Schitt’s Creek

Ted Lasso

That list mostly makes sense, yes Well, it does in 4 out of 5 ways, all except for the first entry, Emily in Paris, which certainly has its place as airy entertainment but is almost entirely devoid of substance. That’s likely by design (it is, after all, a production from Darren Star, the king of primetime soaps), but Emily’s also held out by the French as an “insulting” depiction of the country, and it feels like an unintended personification of white privilege when it comes to the title character. And that makes things even more perplexing when it comes to the complete snub of one of the most authentic, dazzling, and Best Shows of 2020, HBO’s I May Destroy You.

Categorization here doesn’t really matter in this context, because the issue is that I May Destroy You deserved nominations, regardless of category. Yet it’s worth a quick scan here: it a limited series, or a comedy, or a drama Arguably, this is a fiery and fearless show that could go either way, comedy or drama. It is more of a comedy, however, because although it deals with a bleak subject (sexual assault and consent), it is spiked with pitch-black humor. It’s an enormously funny show in places, but sure, it could arguably be shuffled over to the TV Drama category. I think fans would be satisfied enough with drama. Yet look, it didn’t end up there (or in the limited series list), either.

Best Television Series – Drama

The Crown

Lovecraft Country

The Mandalorian

Ozark

Ratched

Best Limited Series

Normal People

The Queen’s Gambit

Small Axe

The Undoing

Unorthodox

In addition, not a single acting nomination from the show materialized from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Snubs do happen, yes, but this feels particularly egregious, especially since Michaela Coel — who multi-hyphenated as creator, writer, star, executive producer, and co-director — received zero recognition for her stunning and layered creation. Twitter’s calling shenanigans, in a major way, on this highly influential show being bypassed for other selections (very much including Emily in Paris).

— Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe) February 3, 2021

emily in paris nominated but i may destroy you isn’t….this is just so.. pic.twitter.com/e3942jdpLH

— ambar (@battinsuns) February 3, 2021

pic.twitter.com/RHV2P4DTVT

— Matt Jacobs (@tarantallegra) February 3, 2021

Every single conversation I've had with people in television over the last 10 or so months has included everyone gushing about, citing, or being influenced by I May Destroy You. Really bewildered by the Golden Globes nominations.

— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) February 3, 2021

These Golden Globes nominations gave me a headache. At first I was happy to see Chloé Zhao, Regina King and Emerald Fennell score noms for Best Director, then the confusion and annoyance kicked in when I saw Michaela Coel and "I May Destroy You" completely snubbed.

— Alex Berg (@itsalexberg) February 3, 2021

@MichaelaCoel and #IMayDestroyYou being snubbed at #GoldenGlobes is an abomination to all young, talented and bold creators with groundbreaking ideas who pay with blood to shake up this stale industry.