Why did Outlander miss out on Emmy nominations again?

While Terry Dresbach and co. were nominated for an Emmy this year, we can’t help but see the snub against Outlander, both the series and the actors. Just why is that and how can it change that in the future?

Outlander the show and the actors were snubbed at the Emmy nominations yet again. It’s disappointing for many, especially for a season that was so strong (especially in the earlier half of the season). In my opinion, it was a much better season than the last season of Game of Thrones!

While we’ll all be watching to see if Terry Dresbach and her team will finally get the win for the costumes, we can’t help but look forward to the next Emmys. Next year, the series will be eligible again, which means another shot at some nominations. But will it be a case of same-old-same-old?

I do believe there’s one major thing holding the series back from nominations. It’s going to be difficult to change that, but that doesn’t mean it will be impossible.

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /

It’s to do with the love story

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When you look at the shows that have been nominated, many have one thing in common: they aren’t love stories. Even Game of Thrones, which has its sex and romance here and there, isn’t purely a love story. The shows are dark and gritty. They tell a deep story, often focusing on very real elements of life right now.

That’s not to say Outlander doesn’t do this. We just have to look at the one episode that makes Sam Heughan stand out to see that there are heartbreak, deep storylines there. However, the main focus on the show is Claire and Jamie’s love story. The first half of the season was all about the two finding their way back to each other–well, Claire finding her way back to Jamie. In the second half, it was about rediscovering themselves as a couple.

Many people view the series as a romance or a love story, rather than everything else that is thrown into it. We just have to look at the debate over whether the books are a romance or not to see how people view the whole series of novels. The Emmys don’t tend to include romance shows in their nominations.

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /

Can Outlander change this?

It’s not going to be easy to change the whole layout and opinion of the show now. The fourth season is already focused on home and family, which means there will be elements of Claire and Jamie. We’ll also have Brianna and Roger to focus on and can’t forget about Marsali and Fergus. As much as it involves history, battles, and some dark subjects, most of the focus is on the love stories evolving.

Maybe Outlander Season 4 can change this in a way. After all, Brianna’s storyline is definitely more than just a romance with Roger. There’s the upcoming rape storyline, which will affect her for the whole season. Roger will have his journey to find Brianna, which takes a scarily dark path. We may see more of a chance in the Emmys next year.

For now, let’s celebrate the fact that Terry Dresbach has been nominated. The costume team definitely deserves it for bringing all the time periods to life.

Next: 7 most highly anticipated moments between Brianna and Jamie in Outlander Season 4 [Spoilers]

Why do you think Outlander was overlooked? What needs to change to prevent it happening again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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