Entertainment
Bridgerton

'Bridgerton' Was Snubbed By The Golden Globes & Twitter Is Outraged

by Ani Bundel
Netflix

Bridgerton smashed records for Netflix upon its debut. According to the streamer's reports, the series was watched by 82 million people in its first month, an unheard-of number even by Netflix standards. But a show's popularity does not automatically translate to awards glory. Case in point: Bridgerton's lack of top-line Golden Globes nods. These tweets about Bridgerton's 2021 Golden Globes snub are proof fans think the Hollywood Foreign Press doesn't always get it right.

Even though Bridgerton's Christmas 2020 release was close to the end of the Golden Globes nominations window, that doesn't mean the series was well-positioned for this particular awards show. The Globes has a reputation for nominating wildcard movies and series, and the Hollywood Foreign Press doesn't seem to include many fans of overtly genre-specific TV.

Game of Thrones is the perfect example of this. The series smashed records in viewership and Emmys (both nominations and wins) and ushered in a new era of fantasy series on television. And yet, it barely made a blip in Golden Globes love, earning barely eight nominations in the decade it was on the air. The show won exactly one Globe, for Peter Dinklage's acting in 2012.

Bridgerton is much like GoT in that it appears to be opening a whole new genre (romance) for prestige TV. Now, it's also following in the footsteps of being ignored by the Globes.

Twitter is not pleased by this.

Part of the reason the Golden Globes can snub Bridgerton and other genre series is the nature of the awards show's small scope. Unlike the EGOT (Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) set, the Golden Globes focuses narrowly on performances, writing, directing, and scoring. That means there's no "Best Costume Design" or "Best Sound Editing" or "Best Cinematography," all of which are categories in which Bridgerton would have been a shoo-in.

On the one hand, it makes handing out the awards during the live ceremony far more manageable. On the other, it meant Bridgerton had few chances to find a foothold in the lower-rung categories.

But not all of Twitter knows the ins and outs of the Golden Globes, leading to some wondering if nefarious behind-the-scenes action was afoot in deciding who would get recognition.

Further, fans were not happy with the Globes for once again ignoring a beloved genre show when other popular series like Ratched and Emily In Paris are being celebrated.

What would Lady Whistledown say, indeed? Perhaps Bridgerton Season 2 will have better luck next year.