Prime Video Execs on Drama Push, Emmy Nods, ‘Fallout’ & ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ S2

In 2018, Prime Video became the first streaming service to win an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, achieving a repeat victory the following year with Fleabag. After breaking into the Outstanding Drama Series category with a nomination for The Boys in 2021, Prime Video made a significant leap this year. Two of its series, Kilter Films’ Fallout, based on the Bethesda video games, and Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, inspired by the 2005 film, each secured 16 nominations, totaling 32.

This triumph accounted for the bulk of Prime Video’s 37 Emmy nominations this year, trailing behind other major networks and streaming platforms. Among the other notable nominations for Prime Video was Red, White & Royal Blue for Outstanding Television Movie.

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, expressed satisfaction with the performance, even though she wished limited series Expats and its star/executive producer Nicole Kidman had been recognized.

“The last few years, we’ve been committed to creating special global series that resonate worldwide,” said Salke. “We always look for that blend of great vision and a passionate creator who deeply cares about the project. We found that with Fallout and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”

Salke praised the Fallout team for their strong vision and connection with Bethesda, which enabled the story to come to life in a unique, entertaining way that was post-apocalyptic but not depressing. Similarly, she commended Donald Glover’s approach to Mr. & Mrs. Smith for its focus on character-driven stories through the prism of a marriage and relationship.

This year, writers Robertson-Dworet and Wagner, as well as Glover and Sloane, received Emmy nominations for writing the pilot episodes of Fallout and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, respectively.

Both series have been renewed for a second season. Salke and Amazon MGM Studios Head Of Television Vernon Sanders provided updates on their progress. Sanders revealed that scripts for Fallout Season 2 are already in hand, promising that it will live up to and exceed the first season. Though he couldn’t give an exact date, Sanders assured that progress was being made quickly.

For Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Sanders indicated that the writers are hard at work. Despite Donald Glover’s busy schedule, the series is expected to return sooner rather than later.

There’s been much speculation about whether Glover and Maya Erskine—both nominated for their performances—will return in the next season. Salke and Sanders remained tight-lipped, though Salke hinted that audiences would get what they wanted.

“Beyond not answering that question directly, I think the incredible roster of talent they’ve brought to the show in Season 1 really impressed us,” Sanders added.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith received five Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama Series nominations for Michaela Coel, Sarah Paulson, Parker Posey, Paul Dano, and John Turturro.

Both Fallout and Mr. & Mrs. Smith originated from overall deals Amazon MGM Studios had with Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy’s Kilter Films and Glover. Salke emphasized the studio’s commitment to such partnerships, mentioning that another notable Amazon talent, Fleabag creator/star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, is developing her follow-up series, Lara Croft.

“We’re very committed to our staple of creators,” Salke noted. “We’re not in the volume game at all, but we cherish our partnerships with our key overalls.”

This year, Prime Video did not secure any nominations in the Outstanding Comedy category after having nominations for the final season of Mrs. Maisel and Jury Duty from sibling platform Freevee last year. There have been talks about a potential follow-up to Jury Duty that retains the original’s general setup, confirmed Sanders.

“There is only one Jury Duty, but the visionary minds behind it are discussing new, different ideas they want to pursue,” he said.

Upcoming Prime Video shows highlighted by Salke and Sanders include Etoile from the Mrs. Maisel duo of Amy-Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino, as well as new series featuring Nicole Kidman (Kay Scarpetta), Scarlett Johansson (Just Cause), and Robin Wright (The Girlfriend).

Source: Deadline, Variety