The China Mail - 'Shogun' set to reign at historic Emmys

The epic series about feuding dynasties in the intricate and deadly royal courts of 17th-century Japan is expected to make history with wins for its cast, including veteran leading man Hiroyuki Sanada, at the gala in downtown Los Angeles.

"Shogun" hit the ground running at the Creative Arts Emmys this past weekend, notching a record-breaking 14 wins in technical and smaller categories, which are handed out ahead of the gala.

Sunday's other big winners could include "The Bear," a dark comedy set in the Chicago restaurant scene that returned for an experimental second season, and Netflix's controversial limited series "Baby Reindeer."

Father-and-son acting duo Eugene and Daniel Levy will host the ceremony, from 5:00 pm (0400 GMT Monday).

Here are four things to look out for:

- 'Shogun' to reign? -

Based on James Clavell's historical fiction novel, "Shogun" led the nominations with 25 overall.

Though produced by Disney-owned FX, and shot in Canada, it features Japanese cast and subtitled dialogue, making it only the second non-English-language show to earn a best drama nomination, after South Korea's "Squid Game" two years ago.

In addition to the night's biggest prize, for best drama series, wins are predicted for stars Sanada and Anna Sawai. And supporting actor Tadanobu Asano could ride the "Shogun" wave to victory for his villainous turn as the brutal Kashigi Yabushige.

With its wins in the minor categories, "Shogun" has already eclipsed the previous record of 12 set by "Game of Thrones" for number of Emmys for a drama in a single season. It is nearly certain to tack on a few more on Sunday.

Its biggest rival this year is former drama winner "The Crown." The final season of Netflix's British royal saga drew a lukewarm response from critics, but Elizabeth Debicki is tipped for best supporting actress as princess Diana.

- Comedy? Yes, chef -

In the comedy sections, "The Bear" and its foodie chefs played by Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach look primed for more Emmys glory.

The show's intense debut season dominated the last Emmys, and its even more acclaimed and ambitious second season is eligible this time around.

It scooped up seven prizes in minor categories, including a best guest actress award for Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.

If there is any suspense, it may be over whether the show should even be considered a comedy. Jokes are few and far between in a series dealing with hard-hitting issues from death and mourning to betrayal and emotional abuse.

HBO's "Hacks" is expected to limit the "Bear" rampage, with Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder looking like frontrunners for their roles as a diva comedienne and her dysfunctional millennial assistant.

- 'True story'? -

Based on a relatively unknown Scottish comedian's harrowing one-man show about sexual abuse, "Baby Reindeer" became a huge word-of-mouth hit for Netflix this year.

Part of the attention stemmed from the show's claim to be "a true story" -- an insistence that earned the streamer a $170 million lawsuit from a British woman who claims she was the inspiration for its obsessive and violent stalker.

But controversy aside, pundits predict Emmy voters will choose "Baby Reindeer" as best limited series, and its creator Richard Gadd goes head-to-head with Andrew Scott ("Ripley") and Jon Hamm ("Fargo") for best actor.

The limited series section, for shows that end in a single season, always draws A-list Hollywood stars, and this year is no exception.

Jodie Foster is a best actress favorite for her turn as an Alaskan cop in "True Detective: Night Country," up against fellow Oscar winner Brie Larson, as a pioneering female chemist in "Lessons in Chemistry."

- Strike silver lining? -

Unusually, the 76th Emmy Awards will be the second Emmys gala held this year, after the previous edition was shunted to January due to last summer's Hollywood strikes.

That months-long walkout by actors and writers also crimped the pipeline of new shows that could be released in time for this edition, meaning submissions dropped by a third year-on-year.

With several bigger series skipping this year -- and others such as "Succession" having ended their runs -- could this be an opportunity for new titles like "Fallout" and "Mr and Mrs Smith" to shine?

Potentially. But even "Shogun" is a remake of sorts. A previous miniseries based on the same novel, which aired way back in 1980, won three Emmys.

L.Johnson--ThChM