Game of Thrones wasn’t quite the phenomenon it would turn into just a couple of years later, but its fourth season served as the most convincing of its grandeur and dynamic fireworks. On the heels of the Red Wedding in season 3, the HBO megahit continued to take daring chances by killing off main characters, introducing new superstars like Pedro Pascal, and redefining the ability of an ensemble cast to work in perfect unison. Game of Thrones season 4 is the best piece of fantasy on-screen since Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Its excellence contributed to the disappointment of later seasons because the writers set an impossible standard they could never reach again.
The same could be said about True Detective. The last three seasons of this mystery crime drama are above average, engaging, and unique. Still, the first set starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson is the stuff of legend. These two film legends checked their egos by detouring to TV (it helped that Harrelson had been a fixture on Cheers), proving that serialized storytelling is truly capable of being even more captivating than its theatrical older sibling. Since True Detective season 1, Academy Award-winning performers such as Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, and Nicole Kidman have followed McConaughey and Harrelson’s path by adding to the television legendarium.
All of these shows created such rabid fandom that the announcement of who would win felt like a sporting event. Superfans wanted their favorite series to get the statuette, but only one could get etched into the history books in perpetuity. Breaking Bad was the winner of the category, a decision that still looks good after 10 years of reflection. It’s almost too good to be true that the academy had such a Sophie’s choice, but they hit the home run anyway. I suppose if the quality of TV was so divine, the critics following the series had to up their analysis, too!
At the end of the day, many fans don’t remember or care who won an Emmy. Better Call Saul went 0 for 53, while The Idol took home a prize this weekend for Outstanding Choreography. This bit of sinful irony makes it hard to take any of these voters seriously. I suppose that means we need to appreciate the 2014 Outstanding Drama Series category even more. It’s a tribute to a bygone era of television that we’ll only get to experience in reruns on streaming and online chatter like right here. Like Tony Soprano said, “Remember the good times.”