On the latest episode of “Awards Circuit,” presented by HBO, Variety TV editors Michael Schneider and Emily Longeretta dissect this year’s Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Nominated shows include “Better Call Saul,” “The Crown,” “Ozark,” “Severance” and “The White Lotus.” But the general consensus among the co-anchors was that creator Mike White’s “The White Lotus” is poised to take the top prize.
“It’s hard to top your first season — especially [since] the first season of ‘The White Lotus’ was a phenomenon,” Schneider said. But he credits the show’s recent release and actor Jennifer Coolidge’s solo SAG nomination as factors that will work in the series’ favor when voting commences.
“Better Call Saul” is coming in hot to the awards circuit as well with its final season, which has yet to see recognition by the Television Academy. Stars Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks are both up for outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series in addition to their ensemble nomination.
“Time is running out. This is really our last opportunity to give this show the love that it deserves,” Schneider said. “‘Breaking Bad’ was sort of one of the great shows of the 2000s, and there was no way to top it. Well somehow they found a way with ‘Better Call Saul’ — a show that, from start to finish, was really just an amazing story.”
Netflix’s “Ozark” was also nominated for its fourth and final season. The series is a frontrunner at this year’s SAG Awards with the most nominations of any TV series, including solo nominations for stars Jason Bateman, Julia Garner and Laura Linney.
“The Crown” returns to the ballot this year, marking its fifth nomination for the same category. The latest season of the SAG-favorite series features a star-studded cast including Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Jonny Lee Miller, Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki, who earned a solo nomination for her role as Princess Diana.
And if it’s not “The White Lotus” winning big at this year’s ceremony, Schneider and Longeretta agreed the second most popular contender is the Apple TV+ series “Severance,” which earned lead actor Adam Scott a solo nomination. The twists and turns of Season 1 left viewers craving more, Schneider said, describing the show as the “critical darling of the year.”
Even so, Schneider and Longeretta conceded it could be anyone’s game, seeing as how “Succession” won the award for the same category last year against slim odds. The HBO series beat out strong contenders like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Morning Show,” “Squid Game” and “Yellowstone.”
The 2023 SAG Awards will be held Feb. 26 at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The ceremony will stream on Netflix’s YouTube channel.
