Emmys: Documentary TV Categories – Personal Stories About Musicians and Culture Occupy the Race

VarietyAwards Circuitsection is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

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UPDATED: June 13, 2023

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Series)

Harry Meghan was directed by Liz Garbus. Courtesy of Prince Harry and Meg Weekly Commentary: Netflixs Harry Meghan and HBOs 100 Foot Wave look to have the buzz at the moment. FXs Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur and CNNs The Last Movie Stars are critical darlings on the circuit and are in the discussion.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 winner The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Harry Meghan (Netflix)100 Foot Wave (HBO)Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur (FX)The Last Movie Stars (CNN)The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS) Next in LineThe 1619 Project (Hulu)Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix)MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (Netflix)Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (Hulu)The Secrets of Hillsong (FX) Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesAmerican Masters (PBS)Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)Mind Over Murder (HBO)Menudo: Forever Young (HBO)Full Swing (Netflix)Surviving R. Kelly Part III: The Final Chapter (Lifetime)30 for 30 (ESPN)Chimp Empire (Netflix)Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever (Disney+)Boys in Blue (Showtime) All Other Eligible Titles (Alphabetical Order) The Anarchists (HBO); The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters (History); Biography: WWE Legends (A The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast (Starz); Branson (HBO); Chefs Table: Pizza (Netflix); The Children of the Underground (FX); Colosseum (History); Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (Netflix); Cosmic Love (Prime Video); Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin (National Geographic); Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All (Disney+); FDR (History); Forever Summer: Hamptons (Prime Video); God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty (Hulu); The Grand Tour: A Scandi Flick (Prime Video); Inmate to Roommate (A Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (Netflix); Light Magic (Disney+); The Murder Inc Story (BET); The One That Got Away (Prime Video); Origins of Hip Hop (A Pepsi, Wheres My Jet? (Netflix); RapCaviar Presents (Hulu); Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist (Netflix); The Vow Part III (HBO)

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Special)

Selena Gomez in My MInd Me Apple+ Weekly Commentary: Michael J. Fox, Pamela Anderson, Judy Blume, Robert Downey Jr, Selena Gomez and Lizzo are in a competitive race for outstanding documentary (special).

National Geographics Wild Life from Free Solo directors Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi is a wonderful tribute to conservationists Kris and Doug Tompkins.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 winner George Carlins American Dream (HBO)

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Pamela: A Love Story (Netflix)Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)Judy Blume Forever (Prime Video)The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari (Netflix)Selena Gomez: My Mind Me (Apple TV+) Next in LinePretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu)Love, Lizzo (HBO)Sr. (Netflix)If These Walls Could Sing (Disney+)Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO) Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesSidney (Apple TV+)Descendant (Netflix)Wild Life (National Geographic)Love to Love You: Donna Summer (HBO)The Princess (HBO)Bama Rush (HBO)The Sound of 007 (Prime Video)The New York Times Presents The Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano (FX)Music Box: Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed (HBO)Pelosi in the House (HBO) All Other Eligible Titles (Alphabetical Order) American Pain (HBO); Director by Night (Disney+); Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedis Return (Disney+); 100 Years of Warner Bros. (HBO); Right to Offend (A Stutz (Netflix); Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney Travis (Hulu); The Torso Killer Confessions (A Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby (Prime Video); Unzipped: An Autopsy of American Inequality (Grainey); Willow: Behind the Magic (Disney+)

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special

CNN Weekly Commentary: CNN could dominate this category with three high-profile contenders Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell and Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico. Will they be able to get all three recognized?

It may be difficult with Showtimes Vice and Netflixs Somebody Feed Phil in the running.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 winner Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (CNN)

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (CNN)United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Netflix)Vice (Showtime)Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix) Next in LinePrehistoric Planet 2 (Apple TV+)Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (Hulu)Leguizamo Does America (MSNBC)Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico (CNN)The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+) Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesThe Light We Carry: Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey (Netflix)SmartLess: On the Road (HBO)Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss (Peacock)Great White Open Ocean (Discovery)Gutsy (Apple TV+)Limitless With Chris Hemsworth (National Geographic)Now Hear This (Great Performances) (PBS)Rennervations (Disney+)Restaurants at the End of the World (National Geographic)Historys Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan (History) All Other Eligible Titles (Alphabetical Order) The Hair Tales (Hulu); Historys Greatest Mysteries (History); Planet Sex With Cara Delevingne (Hulu)

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Exceptional Merit

BAD AXE, from left: Chun Siev, Rachel Siev, 2022. IFC Films / Courtesy Everett Collection IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection Weekly Commentary: A juried category but this is where the most buzzy films bubble to the top. The former Oscar contenders such as IFCs Bad Axe, HBOs Moonage Daydream and Paramounts Last Flight Home are beloved.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 winner When Claude Got Shot (PBS)

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Moonage Daydream (HBO)Last Flight Home (Paramount+)Bad Axe (AMC)The Territory (National Geographic)Katrina Babies (HBO) Next in LineAftershock (Hulu)American Experience: Taken Hostage (PBS)Sam Now (PBS)Algiers, America (Hulu)Afghan Dreamers (Paramount+)Gabby Giffords Wont Back Down (CNN) Emmy Awards Predictions Categories DRAMA SERIES | COMEDY SERIES | LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES | TV MOVIE | LEAD ACTOR (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTOR (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | LEAD ACTRESS (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTRESS (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | TALK SERIES | SCRIPTED VARIETY | GAME SHOW | DIRECTING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | WRITING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | REALITY (COMPETITION, STRUCTURED, UNSTRUCTURED, HOST)

Creative Arts and Other Emmy Categories GUEST ACTOR (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTRESS (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTOR (COMEDY) | GUEST ACTRESS (COMEDY) | VOICE-OVER | SHORT FORM | DOCUMENTARY | MUSIC | ANIMATED | OTHER CATEGORIES

About the Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known as the Emmys, are given out by the Academy of Television Arts Sciences (ATAS). Since 1949, the awards have recognized excellence in American primetime television programming. They are divided into three classes Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (honors artisan achievements), and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards (recognizes significant engineering and technological contributions). The typical eligibility period is between June 1 and May 31 of any given year. The Television Academy comprises over 25,000 members, representing 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans, and executives.