‘Outlander’, Sam Heughan, and Caitriona Balfe Snubbed by the Emmys Once Again

Outlander Season 6

Despite its dedicated fanbase, Outlander has once again been left out of the Emmy conversation. Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, and the rest of the production crew were nowhere to be found on the list of Emmy nominations, despite getting submitted for consideration this year.

Outlander Season 6 aired between March and May, making it eligible for the 2022 Emmy Awards. But when the nominations were announced on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, none of the 14 Outlander actors submitted appeared on the nominations list. And fans are furious. And it’s easy to understand why, especially for Caitriona Balfe fans. Balfe delivered some truly incredible performances last season.

Let’s take a look at why the awards committee may have left the series and its cast off the list once again.

Outlander Season 7 Cast

Outlander’s History at the Emmys

Despite the cast and crew’s incredible performances across 6 seasons, Outlander has only secured four official Emmy nominations so far.

They were:

  • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) in 2015
  • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More) in 2016
  • Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series, or Movie in 2016
  • Outstanding Period Costumes in 2018

While the composers, designers, and costumers certainly deserve credit, no actors or heads of production have scored a nomination yet. Because of their love of the show, fans are left scratching their heads, wondering why the series hasn’t received Emmy recognition.

However, the Emmys are certainly not the only awards to be won. Caitriona Balfe received a BAFTA Award for Best Actress. Sam Heughan won two Gold Derby Awards for Best Drama Actor. And Outlander as a whole has won three People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television Show and two Critics’ Choice Awards for Most Bingeworthy Show.

Despite their success elsewhere, fans still cannot believe the Emmys’ disregard for the television series. Taking to Twitter to voice their disdain, viewers have said things like “These Emmys lose more credibility every year with their narrow-mindedness” and “It shocks me that #Outlander has been overlooked so many times!”

But with such devoted fans, why has it been consistently overlooked? Let’s talk about it.

Outlander Season 6

Why Doesn’t Outlander Get the Attention It Deserves?

Fans of Outlander are furious with the obvious absence of the likes of Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan from the 2022 Emmy nominations. And rightfully so. When you see actors giving it their all on set, it’s hard to see them without the recognition they deserve. 

The problem with Outlander and the Emmys is that the Outlander fanbase is fairly insular. Unless you’re a dedicated fan (which if you’ve seen the series – you are), not many people know of Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan yet. Outlander doesn’t have the captivating and consuming star power of other contenders like This Is Us whose cast has become household names

Self-proclaimed nerdy podcasters Mary and Blake profess their love for Outlander. But admit that they’ll likely never see the show up for major awards. They write frankly, “can anyone tell me with a straight face that he’s a bigger star than the likes of his opponents: Jason Bateman (Ozark), Steve Carell (The Morning Show), Brian Cox (Succession), and Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)?”

And it’s a fair argument. It’s tough to compete with such big shows with a show on the Starz network.

Outlander Caitriona Balfe
Photo Credit: DFree

Caitriona Balfe’s Future with the Academy

However, we think that Balfe might have a fighting chance going forward. Viewers outside the Outlander fandom got to know her when she appeared in Belfast (2021) as Ma. According to IMDB, Belfast garnered 237 award nominations. If she continues to professionally step outside the Outlander universe, she might someday have the opportunity to receive the recognition she deserves.

In the meantime, she might get the opportunity to have a say in who takes home an Oscar. She has officially been invited to join the committee. With 43% of the new invitees being women, her acceptance of the position would get the committee a few steps closer to gender equity.

However, her acceptance will not guarantee voting power just yet. It’s simply the first step in advancing, and now she must officially accept the invitation to move forward.

Despite our disappointment with the lack of Emmy nominations for 2022, there’s always next year. With production for Outlander Season 7 on the way, there’s always hope that the fanbase will grow. With more notoriety, maybe we’ll finally see the Starz stars getting their time on the awards stage.

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  1. Outlander cast and crew be glad you’re not on the Emmy list..these people have no clue what acting is.. your acting, sets, costumes, storyline is great..no comparison.. please continue with this great series and wonderful talented actors..if the series ends I hope there is another one waiting for all these talented people