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With the award season in full swing, a look at how we should remember iconic pop culture moments.
If you were surprised by some stirring reunions at various awards ceremonies, don’t be. It was about paying homage to the respective ceremonies and series. Here’s how and why they happened and most importantly, what we could learn more from them.
The 75th edition of the Emmy Awards was a landmark moment. They are to television what Oscars are to films. And this year was a big year for them. Like every year, snubs and surprising wins were a part of the package. But the more iconic and overshadowing moments weren’t about who won and who didn’t.
To celebrate this particular year, the Emmys didn’t rely on a host with punchy jokes. They went full steam ahead and reminded us of a world that existed long before social media and streaming and sent a nod to television history.
To that end, they made an Ally McBeal reunion happen. Whaaat?
If you’re from the generation that grew up in the ‘90s and were a fan of the legal series that first aired 21 years ago, you should find the clip endearing, and in case you’re not, watch it for the nostalgic moment it created.
The throwback began with the show’s famous theme song, ‘Searchin My Soul Tonight’ by Vonda Shepard playing on the screens. Cut to a recreated set onstage where Ally is talking to herself. And then came the biggest surprise as the show’s other cast members: Greg Germann, Peter MacNicol, and Gil Bellows emerged from the same toilet (the series was famous for its unisex bathroom) and danced to Barry White’s song ‘You’re The First’ as they did many years ago. It was such a blast from the past and had such vision behind it, that we want to give an award to the person or people who came up with this idea. People cheered them on as the cast danced onstage before leading Calista Flockhart, who was still dancing, to the podium. As they went backstage and Calista Flockhart stayed to give an award, she didn’t forget to remind us that the series was created by the master of television, David. E. Kelley, its incredible cast, and how Ally McBeal defied the norm with humour and humanity. And yes, the camera did go to Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart’s partner in life.
Other fan favorite shows like Cheers, The Sopranos also had their moments but we were most thrilled by the reunion of Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler. The incredibly talented duo also got together, reminding us of the incredible laughs they brought into our lives as part of Saturday Night Live. The two actors, comedians, writers reenacted their roles of news anchors from Saturday Night Live for a special edition of Weekend Update and they brought the goods. If it was up to us, we would choose them as hosts of every award ceremony but since it isn’t up to us, this reunion will just have to do. As usual, they did joke and poke fun at nominees but in jest.
“We’ve reached the stage in life where we’ll only present awards sitting down,” Fey said to a laughing and happy crowd.
Okay, so the cast of Grey’s Anatomy didn’t dance their way to the stage but the originals who made us fall in love with the medical drama: Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, Ellen Pompeo, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson made an appearance. Paying homage to the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, Ellen Pompeo noted how even Rhimes didn’t expect Grey’s Anatomy, which made its debut in 2005, to become such an iconic show. What was most delightful was how Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl held hands, knocking out the story that their characters had a bad history, behind-the-scenes. Even those who are no longer a part of it were present for this very special moment. And yes, when they came onstage, the set included a hospital room. We may hate hospitals but this was one series that made a medical drama and its characters a huge part of our lives.
Note: This is the way you should celebrate the nostalgic and beautiful moments of television. The Emmys surpassed even the Friends reunion, which was extraordinarily strange and disappointing. This is how television, film or music history should be remembered.
Lux Style Awards, please take note.
