Typically, I’m not a proponent of Hollywood family dynasties (one lineage shouldn’t wield so much influence!), but Eugene and Dan Levy are an uncommon exception. As it happens, the Levy x Levy cross-generational humor that made their series Schitt’s Creek essential viewing transfers nearly flawlessly to award-show hosting, as was revealed on Sunday when the father-son duo took the platform at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
The last few years have been challenging for the craft of award-show banter; Jo Koy didn’t quite hit the mark at the latest Golden Globes, and Jimmy Kimmel… well, he’s reliable, yet how many times can someone present the Oscars before their routine begins to seem a bit tiresome? There are certainly celebrity parent-child duos I don’t feel enough sincere warmth for to find amusement in their friendly jabs at the Emmys, but the Levys combined solid humor (there’s always a laugh in a boomers-not-knowing-how-to-operate-their-iPhones-and-their-gay-kids-being-irritated-by-it bit, and I particularly enjoyed the Levys’ take on the “plus” in Hulu+ making the streaming service a component of the LGBTQ+ spectrum) with the impression that they indeed, you know, genuinely enjoy each other’s company a little.
We face a long stretch of award-show engagements, particularly for those contractually committed to watch these ceremonies for professional purposes (although who am I fooling? I’d certainly tune in anyway), so it’s refreshing to witness what could otherwise be a monotonous evening of lackluster jokes and outdated references led by talents who excel at captivating an audience under stress without relying on the simplest pop-culture gags merely because the spotlight is intense and Nicole Kidman is present. Personally, I’d embrace the chance to grow slightly tired of Eugene and Dan Levy as award-show hosts—please, Emmys, offer us the opportunity!