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For the first time in years, the Golden Globes delivered a show that was both worth watching and entertaining. The 82nd ceremony, held on January 5, wasn’t just a celebration of the best in film and television, it was a reminder of why audiences love awards shows in the first place. With its surprising wins, moving speeches, charismatic host, and a sense of purpose, this year’s Globes regained the magic that it (as well as other award shows) have been lacking in recent years.
Host, comedian Nikki Glaser, is the primary person to thank for this year’s success. As the Globes’ first solo female host, she met the show’s high expectations within the program’s first hour. Her jokes, which included celebrities in the audience, landed without overshadowing the ceremony itself. She kept the night going, even through a minor technical problem with the teleprompter, and walked the ever-difficult tightrope between offending and joking with the audience with grace that we haven’t seen before. Her performance gained attention on social media platforms for bringing liveliness to this year’s show, with many people saying they hope she will host more shows in the future, a far cry from the response the host received last year.
The winners also highlighted why this year’s Golden Globes were so special. In drama, The Brutalist received well-deserved wins for Adrien Brody and director Brady Corbet. For TV, Shōgun took home several awards, proving that stories about different cultures can resonate with everyone. The not-so-surprising awards went to Jermey Allan White for The Bear in the Comedy TV category; Baby Reindeer for Best Miniseries or TV show, and Wicked for Box Office Achievement.
The night was not without its upsets, however, as Emilia Pérez won four awards, including Best Musical or Comedy over the smash-hit, fan-favorite Wicked, which resulted in confusion and accusations of online bias in response.
This year’s Globes proved that awards shows can stay meaningful and relevant and was the best ceremony in years, promising a better path forward not only for this event, but for the other award shows like it.
