The end of last night’s Oscars broadcast was interesting, to say the least. Some people would go so far as to call it chaotic. Others, however, called it a complete failure on the part of the Academy. Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings has a different take, though. He is comparing it to the ending of The Sopranos. Which, to be fair, is fitting.
For those who aren’t familiar with it, The Sopranos was a primetime drama series. It followed the life and exploits of Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mobster, and his family. It was a hugely popular show. People around the world were deeply invested in the story. In the final moment of the series finale, the screen cut to black. The series abruptly ended, leaving many viewers disappointed, confused, and outraged. So, Ken Jennings makes a strong point. That’s the same way many people felt about last night’s Oscars broadcast.
Ken Jennings’ Oscar Comparison Is Spot On
In case you missed it, the closing moments of this year’s Oscars were a little strange. It started in the planning stages of the show, really. Traditionally, the broadcast ends with the Best Picture category. For many, that is the biggest award of the night. However, last night, they changed things up. The final category was changed to Best Actor.
Anthony Hopkins, Riz Ahmed, Gary Oldman, Steven Yeun, and Chadwick Boseman were all nominated for the award. Many believed that Boseman would win posthumously. After all, they arranged the categories in such a way that a win for Boseman would have let the show end on an emotional note. It would have been a touching and tearful way to cap off the show. His win was pretty much telegraphed early in the broadcast. Then, things didn’t go as planned. At least, they didn’t go the way most people, Ken Jennings included, thought they would.
In the end, Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar. He wasn’t even available to accept the award. There’s a good chance that Hopkins, like most other people, thought that Boseman would get the award. So, there was no speech. The Academy accepted the award for Hopkins and the show abruptly ended. Ken Jennings isn’t far off in his comparison.
The Twitter users in Ken Jennings’ replies agree with his assessment. Stan Pilinski said, “No bang, all whimper. I would have voted for Hopkins, but the show desperately needed a tearful Boseman win.” That sentiment has been shared by people all around the internet today.
