Review: The tarnished Golden Globes regain some luster. Just don’t call it a comeback

Returning for the first time in nearly two years, the awards show long billed as “Hollywood’s Party of the Year” felt more like a humble comeback than a cork-popping spectacle when the Golden Globes aired Tuesday night.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here,” said host Jerrod Carmichael in his opening monologue from the Beverly Hilton ballroom stage. “I’m here because I’m Black. … This show did not air last year because the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died, so do with that information what you will.”

The mood around the Golden Globes had been anything but celebratory leading up to its 80th ceremony, which was broadcast on NBC and its streaming platform, Peacock. The HFPA, the organization’s nominating body of journalists, has for the last two years been embroiled in ethical, financial and racial scandals involving bribery, grift and a stunning lack of diversity … even by Hollywood terms. The investigations triggered boycotts of the association and the show from celebrities such as Tom Cruise and networks like NBC, who dropped the broadcast last year. Studios including Netflix and WarnerMedia also cut ties.

Tuesday’s broadcast was a test of sorts for the embattled association since it began implementing reforms. Is the HFPA redeemable, and if so, are the Golden Globes still relevant as an awards show?

The night’s big winners signaled that Golden Globe voters were leaning in the direction of change. More actors of color, from popular shows and films rooted in diverse storylines, took home awards than had in the past. The shift was possibly a reflection of the HFPA’s more diverse membership, and the indisputable fact that many of the year’s most successful projects were made by, and starred, Black creators and talent. Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams won for their lead and supporting performances, respectively, in “Abbott Elementary,” and the ABC series won for best comedy. Angela Bassett won for her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix) took home the prize for animated feature, making it a first for a streamer to win the prize. And speaking directly to the advancement of LGBTQ stories on television, Ryan Murphy received the Carol Burnett Award.

For their performances in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Ke Huy Quan won supporting actor and Michelle Yeoh took home the award for actress. In her acceptance speech, she spoke of the evolution of Hollywood, citing discrimination she experienced early in her career. She recalled when someone said to her, “Oh, you speak English!” and she answered, “Yeah, the flight here was about 13 hours long so I learned.” Additionally, M.M. Keeravani’s “Naatu Naatu” from the film “RRR” won for original song, beating out Taylor Swift and Rihanna.

The more streamlined show, and the cool, disciplined delivery of Carmichael, were also indicators that the formerly loose and boozy event was headed in a new direction. The slurred and drunken speeches of yore were nearly absent (except for del Toro, who joked about his inebriated state), and when the camera panned across the audience, it captured a more reserved room than in the past.

Jennifer Coolidge was one of the winners who added some much-needed levity, bringing “White Lotus” creator and friend Mike White to tears with her hilarious speech following her win for supporting actress in a limited or anthology series.

Carmichael led the three-hour broadcast with a conciliatory confidence, offering no apologies for why he decided to be the face of a beleaguered show (“they paid me $500,000”) while facilitating the organization’s first steps toward redemption by laying bare its indiscretions. Each time he returned after a commercial break in a fresh, dapper outfit, he dug a bit deeper into the HFPA’s indiscretions with blistering commentary (“… they haven’t had a Black host in 79 years!”).

His cool delivery caught the star-studded audience off guard; at times, they weren’t sure if they should laugh. But it was his Scientology joke about Cruise that rendered them silent, and proved that the Globes were still the irreverent cousin of the Oscars.

The comedian was holding three Golden Globes when he said to the audience, “Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe Awards that Tom Cruise returned [in 2021, in protest of the HFPA].” Carmichael continued, “I have a pitch. I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of [wife of a Scientology leader] Shelly Miscavige.” Then he welcomed Cruise’s stunned “Top Gun: Maverick” co-stars Glen Powell and Jay Ellis onstage to present an award.

There’s still a long road ahead for the HFPA as it seeks a comeback, particularly in an environment where the popularity of award shows is fading. Ratings across the board continue to dip due to a number of factors, including that many of the films nominated are relatively obscure. The Globes, more than any other event, relies on star power in the audience to grab attention, and there was certainly less of it this year. Cate Blanchett (“Tár”), Zendaya (“Euphoria”), Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”) and Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”) were not there to accept their awards. Brad Pitt and Rihanna can only carry so much weight.

But Hollywood royalty resumed its place at the top of the pile when, after “House of the Dragon” won for best drama series, the award for the best motion picture went to “The Fabelmans.” Winner of the night’s best director prize, Steven Spielberg accepted the honor. Eddie Murphy during his acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille Award provided the night’s viral celebrity moment when he joked about the Oscar slap heard ’round the world, and demanded, “Keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out of your [bleeped] mouth!”

Hollywood, brace yourself. The Golden Globes are back.