Daytime fans saw a return to the usual glitz and glamor of the Daytime Emmy Awards when the 49th Annual event was presented live on CBS and simultaneously streamed on Paramount+ the evening of Friday, June 24, 2022. After two years of virtual ceremonies that included pre-recorded segments, the star-studded extravaganza was back to the way soap opera audiences remember the Daytime Emmys -- but even better, because a realignment of categories by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) ensured that the event was more streamlined, leaving ample space to celebrate daytime dramas.
The just over two-hour long telecast featured just 14 categories -- four less than the 2021 ceremony -- and with children's and family programming now being part of the newly minted Children's & Family Emmys, and newsy morning shows such as Today and Good Morning America now being part of the News & Documentary Emmys, the Daytime ceremony was able to keep its focus on soap operas, talks shows, and game shows. (But that didn't necessarily mean that soaps had a stronger chance of winning: in the case of the Creative Arts Emmys, which took place on Saturday, June 18, all the technical and craft categories were opened up to all daytime programs, and it was a pretty dismal night for soaps!)
In addition to more coverage at the main ceremony, soaps also saw more representation during the Daytime Emmys this year: for the first time since 2014, there were five nominees in the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series category, thanks to the Days of our Lives spinoff Beyond Salem snagging a nomination in the top category. The streaming series competed against its mother soap, Days of our Lives, as well as The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless.
This year's Daytime Emmys also improved in their representation of diversity in daytime. There were African American nominees in both the Lead Actor and Lead Actress categories for the first time since 2012 -- one of which turned into a historic first.
And speaking of firsts, every winner in the six acting categories was a first-time Daytime Emmy winner, something that hasn't since 2016 when there were seven first-time winners due to the existence of the Younger Actor and Younger Actress categories.
Entertainment Tonight anchors Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner hosted, taking over for The Talk panelist Sheryl Underwood, who had hosted the show several times in recent years (by herself, with her The Talk co-stars, and with Mario Lopez [ex-Dr. Christian Raměrez, B&B]).
With the ceremony being live once more, viewers got to see fun, spontaneous moments that were missing during the mid-pandemic productions. But there were sad moments, as well, such as when Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bolton performed during the In Memoriam segment that honored stars who have passed in the last year.
All in all, the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards was both an exciting and emotional night that honored the best of daytime television and all that the genre has to offer.
