Network Bidding for the Emmys

So I know I promised I'd share more about my writing projects in this post, but right now, I don't feel like talking about them so I'm going to go on a new rant about the Emmys. Right now, the networks aren't really feeling the Emmys. They have to pay licensing fees and production costs and the benefit doesn't feel worth the expense (Hollywood Reporter).

The intended benefit of the Emmys are to bring more attention to the networks' shows, but the Emmys haven't improved the ratings for recent winners. Looking at Emmy-nominated shows, it is easy to understand why.

I'm not saying the shows suck, they're awesome. However, Americans don't like awesome television. Americans really like crap. There's a reason that the MTV Movie Awards exist and that they're talked about amongst regular people far more than the Oscars. MTV is fun and features movies and actors that people actually know and like. If MTV had a television award show, I'm sure it would be the same way.

The show would actually be entertaining, including skits featuring the Jersey Shore cast, America's Top Model judges and other stars and cast-offs from crappy reality shows, and feature characters from shows the 18-49 crowd watches, like Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother and Glee.

Granted, Glee can currently change things in the world of the Emmys next year. Critics and regular people like it, so if there's some good stuff from Glee, the show's ratings will probably benefit. But my point is that the Emmys are suffering from the same disconnection with the people that the Oscars are. Until the networks start producing fictional programming that attracts the 18-49 crowd and the Emmys become just as fun as the programs themselves, it's going to continue to go down the toilet.

Even if the Emmys were highlighting shows that the American public was actually watching, the award's show format is pretty boring. I feel like it's essentially the same format since the inception of awards shows. MTV award shows work because they constantly have to switch things up to get the attention of their demographic. I'm not saying that Jon Hamm should fall naked from the ceiling onto Charlie Sheen, I'm just saying the Emmys could stand to mix things up a little. Have Beyonce perform with the Glee kids. Or better yet, just invite Kanye and have him present an Emmy to Courtney Cox after beating out Tina Fey and see what happens.