Another year, another set of award show nominations that disappointed many. For a year that was shrouded in COVID horror, it still produced a solid collection of television and movies. There were some real lows (Tiger King) and some amazing highs (Queen’s Gambit), and the Golden Globes is the awards show that kicks off the season of celebrating these entertainment gems (and more). If you’ve been paying attention to social media this past week, you know some key players were left off the list this year—receiving zero nominations for their work that many Americans thought was superb. We will never have answers as to why these artistic endeavors were snubbed, but we can highlight them and give them (just a little) of the spotlight they deserve.
Never Have I Ever
A coming-of-age comedy that you can’t help but fall in love with. Shining a spotlight on the life of an Indian teenage girl, the audience is brought into an unfamiliar set of circumstances that are quite familiar to the classic Indian American teen. While a comedy at its core, this show has moments of true heart that create an inevitable emotional connection to these characters. A show that certainly isn’t getting the attention it deserves, and if you haven’t watched—queue it up ASAP.
I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You wasn’t just a great show, it was an important show. A painfully personal account of a non-consensual sexual encounter sets the scene for a series that talks about consent, sexuality, friendship, and trauma just to name a few. The writing and acting are without flaws and it truly is a show that just needs to be watched to be fully understood.
Bridgerton
While this show lacks the profoundness of I May Destroy You, it was captivating all the same and could have easily earned a spot in the 2020 nominations. Certainly not a perfect show, but a show that created a riveting storyline that puts you somewhere between Gossip Girl and Pride and Prejudice. It broke classical period piece constructs with its casting, music, atypical period piece storylines to create a truly unique piece of television that people will talk about long after the Golden Globes.
PEN15
Our hearts break and become whole again in every episode of PEN15. This show is sometimes hard to watch, but that’s only because it’s so painfully relatable that we have trouble facing our truest, dorkiest younger selves. PEN15 follows two young women (played by two adults) who put a magnifying glass up to being a teenager in middle school. It’s smart, it’s silly, it’s awkward, and it reminds us all of our humble beginnings. If the Golden Globes won’t give it a little love, we certainly will.