{"id":67073,"date":"2025-07-16T11:23:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T11:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/67073\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T11:23:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T11:23:10","slug":"craig-erwich-on-paradise-only-murders-abbott-elementary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/67073\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Erwich On ‘Paradise’, ‘Only Murders’ & ‘Abbott Elementary’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tMore strong Emmy showings from Disney+\u2019s Andor, FX\u2019s The Bear and What We Do In The Shadows and Hulu\u2019s Only Murders In the Building<\/a> as well as breakthrough performances from Hulu\u2019s Paradise<\/a> and FX limited series Dying for Sex helped Disney earn 137 Emmy nominations across platforms including ABC, Disney+, FX, Hulu and Nat Geo.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re extraordinarily proud of our achievement today,\u201d said Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich<\/a>, who oversees ABC and Hulu Originals. \u201cIn particular Paradise, which is a show that broke through in its first season, to see it nominated for its creative excellence is very satisfying. It\u2019s a show that, from day one, Dana [Walden] and the entire organization got behind.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tCreated by This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, Paradise landed four Emmy nominations, all in marquee categories, Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor In A Drama Series for This Is Us alum Sterling K. Brown and Supporting Actor\/Actress For James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson. With Fogelman also executive producing Only Murders, he got the rare distinction of dual Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series nominations in the same year.<\/p>\n

\n\tErwich credited the \u201cpower to both the creative culture here that Dana has championed, but also to the ecosystem\u201d for the success of Paradise as well as fellow Hulu breakout hit The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/a>, whose first season earned an Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program nomination. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cBoth shows we also aired on ABC, and that\u2019s something that only Disney can do,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cIt erases the distinction between broadcast and streaming, because for us, we\u2019re really there to serve the audience, and I have no doubt that that was a factor in not just the massive commercial success, but the very well deserved incredibly satisfying critical acclaim, and today, the recognition that those shows achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\u2018Abbott\u2019 flying the flag for broadcast TV & those Quinta Brunson \u201cmoving away\u201d comments\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile Erwich spoke of erasing the distinction between broadcast and streaming, it has been persistent for Emmy voters. For four years in a row, since Abbott Elementary<\/a>\u2018s launch, it has been the only broadcast series to earn a nomination in the Outstanding Comedy or Drama categories. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNot surprised, the show gets better and better and better every year,\u201d Erwich said of the achievement by the series, created, executive produced and headlined by Quinta Brunson. \u201cI think Quinta has not just championed but really taken advantage of the creative platform that broadcast gives and watching characters grow season over season, where the audience knows that the shows are going to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOnce again, Emmy winner Brunson is a triple nominee as actor, for playing optimistic young teacher Janine, writer and producer, with her co-stars Janelle James as Ava and Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara also earning repeat nominations.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere were recent comments by Brunson<\/a> that may have been misconstrued as her and the cast being ready to move away from Abbott Elementary after the upcoming fifth season. Is ABC looking for the show to continue for multiple seasons?<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAbsolutely. And I know Quinta is too. I think those comments were misconstrued,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cShe remains incredibly dedicated to the show. And I think you can tell that from just watching the episodes. This was the year of Ava, that was part of the creative roadmap of that show. So for people to come and stand up and recognize that is fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs for whose year it will be next season, \u201cI don\u2019t know yet, but when you think about where Abbott started \u2014 both in terms of its kind of creativity and popularity, and where we are now \u2014 there\u2019s no doubt that it will continue to top itself,\u201d Erwich said.<\/p>\n

\n\tAlso on ABC, he noted the Emmy nominations for the Oscar ceremony hosted by Conan O\u2019Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the network dominating the Outstanding Game Show category with four of the five nominees.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt just demonstrates the breadth of excellence, the breadth of content and the breadth of talent that Disney has,\u201d he said, adding, \u201cWill Trent was nominated for a choreography. This is my favorite fact of the day. When was the last time a network procedural got an Emmy nomination for choreography?\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\u2018Paradise\u2019s Season 2 First Impressions & Breakout New Star \t<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cParadise was one of the breakout hits of the entire television popular cultural landscape last year, people loved the show. I think what Dan did was groundbreaking and entertaining, but also very true to what he does in terms of deeply emotional storytelling, this time, in a more science fiction setting.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tProduction is already underway on Season 2 of Paradise with several new cast members. Erwich singled out one of them.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI have seen the first two episodes of Paradise for next season, and I am highly confident that next year we will be talking about Shailene Woodley as a nomination,\u201d he said. \u201cThe first episode is breathtaking, an incredible departure and has to be seen to be fully enjoyed. We were all blown away when we watched it, and it reignited our enthusiasm. I think the show will go to new heights next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\u2018Only Murders\u2019 to show \u201cdifferent side of New York\u201d In S5\t<\/p>\n

\n\tOnly Murders In the Building added seven more Emmy nominations to its tally, including a fourth straight Outstanding Comedy Series nod.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s incredible that Only Murders has been nominated every single year since it entered the race. Maybe we become used to it in some ways, but it should be considered a new achievement every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHe pulled the veil just a bit off the upcoming fifth season, teasing its setting and revealing the stars playing a trio of major new characters.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe show has reinvented itself every year with new characters and new mysteries,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cThis year, it takes on a whole different side of New York City that I think people are going to really enjoy with some returning cast members, but we have some new stars too. Among them, Logan Lerman, Ren\u00e9e Zellweger and Christopher Waltz, who kind of become the troika that I think will define this season. It\u2019s really, really funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\u2018Mid-Century Modern\u2019s Future\t<\/p>\n

\n\tNew Hulu multi-camera comedy Mid-Century Modern<\/a> landed four Emmy nominations, including a directing nom for veteran James Burrows, though it missed out on the top categories.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re really proud of Mid-Century Modern, and Jimmy Burrows is a legend and rightfully deserves to be nominated,\u201d Erwich said. <\/p>\n

\n\tThere has been no renewal decision on the series, created by the Will & Grace duo of Max Mutchnick
David Kohan and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, which was released in March.<\/p>\n

\n\tErwich would not elaborate on the show\u2019s Season 2 prospects, saying, \u201cI have no news to share right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs for the success of The Secret Lives of the Mormon Wives, \u201cpeople are obsessed with them, and I understand why. They are incredibly authentic, they\u2019re fearless in sharing their lives with the cameras, and the show actually has something to say,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: Veteran Sitcom Director James Burrows Lands His 28th Emmy Nomination For Directing For \u2018Mid-Century Modern\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\t\t\u2018Handmaid\u2019s Tale\u2019s quiet Emmy departure & legacy\t<\/p>\n

\n\tHandmaid\u2019s Tale, which helped put Hulu on the map by becoming the first streaming series to win Outstanding Drama Emmy, was overlooked by the TV Academy, landing a single nomination for its sixth and final season, for Cherry Jones who previously won for her recurring role in 2019.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale is judged by the audience\u2019s reaction to the final season, which was overwhelmingly excited, gratified, satisfied,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cIt\u2019s a show we\u2019re very proud of. It was the first streaming show ever to win Best Drama, it will be attached to that achievement forever and really defined Hulu, defined a generation of viewers. So everything beyond that, quite frankly, is gravy. This was a really good year for Handmaid\u2019s. We\u2019re very happy of the way it sailed off, bittersweet as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale\u2018s legacy will carry on with its sequel series for Hulu, The Testaments, which is filming its first season.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re very happy with The Testaments,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a different view of that world, but I think will both will be satisfying to Handmaid\u2019s fans, but open it up to to new viewers as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tForay into standup\t<\/p>\n

\n\tDisney\u2019s nominations included two for Hulu\u2019s Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years, including Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded). It marked the company\u2019s entry into the field. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAbout a year and a half ago, we set our sights on breaking into the standup area with our Hilarious banner, so for Bill Burr to break through into that category in our inaugural season, I think promises great things,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cAnd again, this is a testament to the quality of the lineup we put together and the way that we brought it to the audience. We made an event out of each special but also out of the Hilarious banner. You saw those comedians, those specials show up all over the Disney ecosystem, whether it\u2019s on Good Morning America or on Jimmy Kimmel.\u201c<\/p>\n

\t\tComing up: \u2018Chad Powers\u2019, \u20189-1-1: Nashville\u2019 & More\t<\/p>\n

\n\tErwich previewed high-profile new series coming to ABC and Hulu in the next couple of months.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m really excited about Chad Powers starring Glen Powell, that comes out,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a limited series based on the travails of Amanda Knox that stars Grace Van Patton, who\u2019s our star of the hit Hulu show Tell Me Lies; I think that performance is going to get a tremendous amount of recognition. And then I think people are going to be blown away when they see Jason Clarke and Patricia Arquette in the exploration of the Murdaugh family that we have coming soon to Hulu too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tErwich also listed two upcoming series from Ryan Murphy, legal drama All\u2019s Fair starring Kim Kardashian and the new 9-1-1 spinoff, 9-1-1: Nashville, headlined by Chris O\u2019Donnell.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAll\u2019s Fair I think is going to be widely viewed and really enjoyed and discussed. It\u2019s really unique, very, very special show,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\n\tAs for 9-1-1: Nashville, \u201cthe scripts are great,\u201d Erwich said. \u201cThrilled to have Chris O\u2019Donnell. Ryan has continually refined that franchise in a really original way. I think the Nashville setting is going to bring a lot to it, and we\u2019re excited for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: <\/strong>Emmy Winners For Best Comedy Since 1952<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: <\/strong>Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More strong Emmy showings from Disney+\u2019s Andor, FX\u2019s The Bear and What We Do In The Shadows and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":67074,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[33001,47490,47491,47492,30046,171,12352,47493,16224,47494,173,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-67073","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-abbott-elementary","9":"tag-craig-erwich","10":"tag-emmy-awards","11":"tag-emmy-interview","12":"tag-emmys","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-mid-century-modern","15":"tag-only-murders-in-the-building","16":"tag-paradise","17":"tag-the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives","18":"tag-tv","19":"tag-united-states","20":"tag-unitedstates","21":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114862660313760318","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}