This year marked the first time the SAG Awards were streamed live on Netflix, and unlike previous experiments (ahem, Love Is Blind), this broadcast generally went off without a hitch. But just how different did the awards show feel over on its new streaming home?
Throughout the night, there were plenty of references to the streamer, most of which were from the ceremony’s unofficial but de facto host Idris Elba. He kicked things off by joking, “Personally, I can’t wait to get home and have Netflix recommend this show to me, based on all the other stuff I watch myself in,” before shouting out the fact that not being on television meant they were able to swear. That perk was one that plenty of presenters and winners took advantage of throughout the night. Most notable, perhaps, was an admittedly drunk Pedro Pascal, who said, “This is an incredible fucking honor … we’re on Netflix.” SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher also gave their new home a shout-out during her speech, noting that it meant her parents could watch in their South Florida condo, and Elba even circled back later, joking about Ted Sarandos giving him a stand-up special.
But how was the Netflix synergy? It’s standard for any awards show to pad out the ceremony with presenters to promote some show airing on the host network, and this year was no different. For the most part, the show leaned on exciting cast reunions for its presenter lineup, but it managed to sneak in its fair share of plugs — like Sofia Vergara shouting out her new Netflix show Griselda while presenting alongside the Modern Family cast. “My new show Griselda is already number one in 90 countries,” she said. Elba is a company man as well, between the Luther movie and his 2019 series Turn Up Charlie, where he famously played a DJ. And naturally, Netflix turned to its reliable employee Tan France, of Queer Eye, Next in Fashion, and the Selling Sunset reunions, for preshow coverage and post-win interviews.
Perhaps the biggest sign that we weren’t on broadcast anymore was the show’s lack of commercials. Despite Elba noting that streaming means no interruptions, the show did insert some breaks to maintain the type of pacing we’re used to. But instead of cartoon bears shilling toilet paper, the breaks were largely spent with France, who interviewed a few of the show’s winners backstage. Giddy off of their wins, those brief chats were far more entertaining than the rushed red-carpet coverage that kicked off the show. And perhaps best of all, being on Netflix means the ceremony is especially easy to catch up on if you missed it — at least for the next 28 days.
