9 Webby-Nominated Series Now Streaming: Watch These 2021 Nominees
The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences recently announced its nominees for the 25th Annual Webby Awards, honoring the year’s best Internet content across a broad range of categories.
“The 25th Annual Webby nominees represent far more than innovation,” Webby Awards executive director Claire Graves said in a press release. “Despite so much adversity this year, the creators behind our nominated work have found new and exciting ways to use their platforms and creativity to help the world stay connected.”
Jameela Jamil will host the virtual award show at www.webbyawards.com on May 18. Until then, you can check out some of the nominated series below, which range from hard-hitting to heartily hilarious.
Say Their Stories
The NFL’s “Say Their Stories” campaign features football stars shedding light on racism in America and detailing lives cut short by police violence across the country. The Webby Awards specifically highlighted the video of San Francisco 49ers talking about Elijah McClain’s 2019 death at the hands of cops, and it’s excruciating but crucial viewing.
Decoded
This MTV News production features comedian and “accidental activist” Franchesca Ramsey covering social issues. Season 8, which premiered last year, focused specifically on the problems of policing in America, culminating in an episode showing what defunding the police can accomplish.
The Black Response
Color of Change, America’s largest online racial justice organization and a change-maker in Hollywood, started this digital campaign to “demand the protection and justice Black people need to survive COVID-19.” That work couldn’t be more important, considering non-Hispanic Black people and Hispanic or Latino people have been hospitalized at 4.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic white people.
Speaking Frankly
A CBSN original, Speaking Frankly “dives into the cultural conversations that society as a whole has grappled with in the modern era.” Recent episodes, for example, have tackled fat-shaming, non-monogamy, socialism, and cancel culture.
Modern Masculinity
In this YouTube series from The Guardian—now with two seasons to its name—journalist Iman Amrani talks to men and boys about their evolving notions of masculinity. “It isn’t about telling people what to think, it’s about asking questions and speaking to men who generally don’t have a space to have their voices heard in the mainstream,” Amrani says.
Actors on Actors
Variety’s web series features some of your favorite screen idols in conversation with each other. Recently, the series has been featuring pairings of Oscar nominees—Steven Yeun and Riz Ahmed, for example, and Vanessa Kirby and Amanda Seyfried—plus the occasional cast reunion—like The Silence of the Lambs’ Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.
Netflix Film Club
Netflix’s cinema-centric YouTube channel features the kind of behind-the-scenes content you’d find in DVD special features, back when DVDs were still a thing. (This clip, for instance, shows us that Jennifer Garner’s roller-coaster terror in Yes Day was the real deal.)
Jennifer Garner’s “Pretend Cooking Show”
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Speaking of Garner, the Alias and Camping actress’ informal Instagram cooking show has her attempting recipes with a heaping spoonful of humor and humility. (And apparently, her Insta clips have garnered industry offers to make this “pretend” show into a real show!)
Turnt Up With The Taylors
Starring Keke Palmer, Keke Palmer, Keke Palmer, Keke Palmer, and Keke Palmer, this reality show parody features the Good Morning America alum playing multiple over-the-top characters. Palmer told Harper’s Bazaar that she’s riffing on “people really living in that kind of hyper-reality.” (That said, she didn’t name names!)
2021 Webby Awards, Tuesday, May 18, Webbyawards.com
