As both cable and broadcast networks begin to submit their nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards, cable network FX finds itself in a unique situation: which of its three miniseries (Fargo, American Horror Story: Hotel and the mega-hit People vs. O.J. Simpson) should it submit for Emmy consideration. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it’s possible that FX could submit all three shows for Emmy nominations, as it’s happened before with the rise of cable networks in the 2000s. Even before that, PBS and NBC have both had multiple nominees in the same category in the past.
In the past, American Horror Story has been a habitual name tossed around for a nomination in the best miniseries category, and while it still could be nominated this year, the show boasts an average approval rating of 58 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critical consensus being that “Favoring garish style over effective storytelling, the fifth American Horror Story strands a talented cast at Ryan Murphy’s Hotel.”
The fifth season of American Horror Story followed the residents and visitors of the Hotel Cortez, a hotel in California that is home to The Countess (Lady Gaga) and others, where a series of murders have been committed, which brings John Lowe (Wes Brantley), a police detective, to the hotel to try and solve the murders.
Meanwhile, Fargo’s second season has a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the general consensus being that “Season two of Fargo retains all the elements that made the series an award-winning hit, successfully delivering another stellar saga powered by fascinating characters, cheeky cynicism, and just a touch of the absurd.”
The second season of Fargo is set as a prequel to the first season of the show and shows the events leading up to a massacre in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The television show is based off the popular 1996 movie of the same name, which stars William H. Macy and Frances McDormand.
And everyone’s new favorite true-crime show People vs. O.J. Simpson has a rating of 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with the general consensus being that “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson brings top-shelf writing, directing, and acting to bear on a still-topical story while shedding further light on the facts — and provoking passionate responses along the way.”
Of course most people know the story of The People vs. O.J. Simpson, which recreated the murder trial that captivated Americans in the mid-1990s and once again captivated viewing audiences in 2016 with their spot-on casting that led the show to become the most-watched new cable show of 2016.
If FX looked at just those numbers alone, it could make more sense for the network to submit Fargo or People vs. O.J. Simpson for Emmy consideration.
But that’s not all that FX has to consider when it comes to submitting any of the shows. It also would depend on who had strong storylines, which all three shows had. If FX chooses to submit any one of the shows, the network could possibly stand a strong chance of winning the Emmy for best miniseries this year.