What to watch this weekend March 10, 2023: TV awards contenders

The Oscars telecast is our top pick among TV awards contenders to watch this weekend, both because it’s necessary viewing if you care about awards, and because it’s an awards contender in its own right. Every year, the show picks up some Emmy nominations in variety special categories. Our other picks are streaming series that have come out in the past week or are coming out this weekend that could pick up some nominations this spring. 

The contender to watch this weekend: The 95th Academy Awards 

The Oscars! You love them, even when they drive you crazy. This year’s ceremony is once again hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who will try to return the show to some sense of normalcy after the poorly received experimentation of 2021 and the chaos of 2022. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is projected to dominate. If the multiverse dramedy doesn’t win Best Picture, it will be a big surprise. The Oscars air live on ABC Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Other contenders:

• “Perry Mason”: This 1930s-set crime drama returned to HBO and HBO Max for its pandemic-delayed second season this past Monday. Season 1 scored four nominations in 2020, including Best Actor for Matthew Rhys. Rhys probably won’t be nominated again this year – Pedro Pascal is widely predicted to take his spot – but the series could pick up some more noms for cinematography and production design.
• “Poker Face”: Peacock’s hit mystery series wrapped up its first season this week. If you haven’t watched it or fell behind, you should catch up on the very fun show that will likely score many nominations, including comedy actress for Natasha Lyonne and directing for Rian Johnson. 
• “UnPrisoned”: Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo star in this Hulu dramedy about the complicated relationship between a father and his professionally accomplished adult daughter after he’s released from prison and moves in with her. Lindo has never been nominated for an Emmy, which is shocking, considering how good he’s been in so many things over the years. He’s great in this one, too. It’s a long shot, but maybe this will be the series that finally gets him that recognition.
• “The Last of Us”: The likely Outstanding Drama Series nominee’s superhit first season comes to a close with an episode that features the video game adaptation’s most video game-y scene of the whole season. It’s not a bad scene, it’s just very clearly taken directly from a video game. This might be the episode Pedro Pascal uses for his Emmy submission. He’s great in it. The episode streams Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.   

PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominees through July 12

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