The best TV series of the year: “Gryznya”, “Bear” and “Heirs”

The choice of favorites at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2023 surprised many. Of course, we are talking about the critically acclaimed series “Succession”, “The Bear” and “Beef”. It was these three shows that collected awards in almost all categories. “Heirs” and “Bear” – at six and “Gryznya” – at five. We tell you what you need to know about the main winners.

“Heirs”

After the family’s patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), suffers a stroke, a desperate struggle begins among his four children for their inheritance, media company Waystar Royco. They resort to the most despicable methods for the sake of a huge bonus. Everyone has their own interests: Kendall (Jeremy Strong) hopes to take the CEO’s seat, Siobhan (Sarah Snook) is building a career in politics, Connor (Alan Ruck) aims to succeed in his career, and Roman (Kieran Culkin) is just trying to shuffle everyone’s cards.

Although their hatred and greed seem to have no limits, in reality they only want to harm each other. Childhood traumas, unrealized ambitions, and resentments accumulated throughout life push them into conflicts and betrayals. When the cruel and authoritarian 80-year-old father comes to his senses, he does not even consider leaving his life’s work to anyone, thinking that his heirs are worthless. But children do not even think of giving up. Although the series has numerous scenes of long conversations involving many characters, this in no way diminishes the seriousness and degree of intrigue throughout the viewing. By the way, the characters have real prototypes, since the plot is based on the story of the founder of the Fox company Rupert Murdoch and his children.

Awards:

Best Drama Series.

Best Actor: Kieran Culkin.

Best Actress: Sarah Snook.

Best Supporting Actor – Matthew Macfadyen.

Best Screenplay: “Connor’s Wedding” (4×03)

Best Director – “Connor’s Wedding” (4×03)

“Bear”

Instead of serving delicacies to a sophisticated crowd, talented chef Carmi Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) returns to his hometown to clean his father’s restaurant. It previously belonged to his older brother, who unexpectedly committed suicide. Trying to understand the reasons for such an action, the hero is carried away by memories and feelings of guilt, since he is always in competition with it. Carmi plans to turn his unprofitable sandwich shop into a top restaurant, but faces desperate resistance from the employees. Now she not only has to pay off family debts, but also instill good taste in her colleagues. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) comes to her aid.

The action of the series develops slowly, so at first it seems like nothing is happening, but gradually the plot fascinates with intense kitchen scenes, in which you involuntarily become attached to the state of the characters running around the kitchen and hysterically screaming at each other. . The shot itself creates a feeling of claustrophobia, increasing the degree of anxiety. The moments when the heroes had to prepare more than 100 sandwiches in 20 minutes were shot in one continuous take. But what really captures the series is the stranger heroes who not only genuinely relate to each other, but also find a calling in cooking.

Awards:

Best Comedy Series.

Best Actor – Jeremy Allen White.

Best Supporting Actor: Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Best Supporting Actress: Ayo Edebiri.

Best Screenplay: Episode “System” (1×01).

Best Director – Episode “Review” (1×07).

“Graznia”

Two Asian Americans, handyman Danny Cho (Steven Yang) and flower boutique owner Amy Lau Nakai (Ali Wong), collide on the road, and their conflict turns into a car chase and then a revenge chase. They break into each other’s homes, destroy items, and pour out angry emotions. Each of them has many problems in life: the money in his bank account is running out, he is in danger of poverty, his marriage is falling apart before his eyes. But when together they can suppress feelings of loneliness and dissatisfaction and just be themselves, without conventions and desire for approval.

Black comedy has a psychotherapeutic effect on the viewer, as if it allows him to join the heroes and relieve his stress. At first it seems that the hatred between Danny and Amy is caused by jealousy arising from financial well-being and domestic problems, but later it becomes clear that both of them have been deeply depressed for a long time.

Awards:

The best miniseries.

Best Actor: Steven Yeun.

Best Actress – Ali Wong.

Best Screenplay: “Birds Don’t Sing, They Scream in Pain” (1×01).

Best Director – Episode “Figures of Light” (1×10).

You can find more information about other nominees of the Emmy Awards in our material.