Emmy Noms Analysis: Reading Between the Lines of Tuesday’s Announcement

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One surprising yet predictable aspect of Tuesday’s Emmy nominations lies in their familiarity – my final predictions accurately forecasted seven out of eight drama series nominees, all comedy series nominees, and five out of five limited/anthology series nominees beforehand. Upon closer examination, however, these choices reveal an intriguing picture of the current TV landscape.

HBO/HBO Max garnered a record-breaking and impressive 142 nominations, outperforming all other platforms. Apple TV+ experienced its best year ever, earning 81 nominations in total. The top nominees for individual shows were dominated by Apple TV+’s sophomore drama “Severance” (with 27 nominations, an increase from its prior season’s 14), HBO’s limited series “The Penguin” (with 24 nominations), Apple TV+’s freshman comedy “The Studio” (with 23 nominations, tying the comedy series record set last year by FX’s “The Bear”), the third installment of HBO’s drama franchise “The White Lotus” (with 23 nominations, matching the number from both seasons one and two), and the second season of HBO’s drama “The Last of Us” (with 16 nominations, a decrease from its first season’s 24). Close behind were returning comedy “Hacks” from Max (with 14 nominations) and rookie drama “The Pitt” from Max (with 13 nominations).

In essence, Netflix, though it came in second with 121 nominations, stood out just as impressively. It secured a nomination for at least one program in 44 different titles, making it the leader in this category, surpassing HBO/HBO Max’s 23 nominated programs. Furthermore, Netflix was nominated across 69 categories, falling slightly short of HBO/HBO Max’s 73 nominations in total categories.

The data indicates that similar to most people, the approximately 24,000 members of the TV Academy are limited in their viewing options due to time constraints. They tend to watch popular shows that everyone is discussing, except for those produced by Taylor Sheridan which were once again overlooked. However, it appears they have a habit of exploring content available on Netflix. It’s not necessarily because Netflix’s shows are always superior; other platforms also produce strong shows. Yet, Netflix has a larger and more diverse collection of content compared to its competitors, and it dedicates more resources towards campaigning for its shows. This might be the reason behind their frequent nominations. For instance, while Squid Game and Everyone’s Live With John Mulaney were not nominated in every category they were submitted for.

It appears that in many cases, the highly contested final spots within categories tended to favor Netflix. This is evident in acting nominations for shows like “The Residence” (Uzo Aduba), which has been canceled, “Sirens” (Meghann Fahy), a popcorn-style series, “Black Mirror” (Rashida Jones) from the anthology series, and “The Four Seasons” (Colman Domingo), a critically divisive show. This trend boosted their streaming numbers, as did strong performances in variety shows such as the “Beyoncé Bowl”, “Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor”, stand-up specials by Ali Wong, Sarah Silverman and Adam Sandler. Additionally, it was successful in nonfiction categories with shows like “Will & Harper”, “Martha”, “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin”, “Our Oceans”, “Chef’s Table” and “Simone Biles Rising”. Furthermore, it excelled in below-the-line categories with series such as “Bridgerton”, “Cobra Kai” and “Emily in Paris”.

A standout contender that outperformed expectations was Hulu/FX on Hulu, even though it didn’t have as strong a start this year compared to the previous one. However, it managed to secure at least one nominee in each of the top three TV categories: best drama series (“Paradise,” with Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, and Julianne Nicholson also receiving potential nominations), best comedy series (“The Bear” and “What We Do in the Shadows”), and best limited/anthology series (“Dying for Sex”). Only a few other platforms can claim similar achievements: HBO/HBO Max (with “The Last of Us,” “The Pitt,” and “The White Lotus” for drama, “Hacks” for comedy, and “The Penguin” for limited/anthology series), Netflix (with “The Diplomat” for drama, “Nobody Wants This” for comedy, and “Adolescence,” “Black Mirror,” and “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” for limited/anthology).

The major broadcast networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, and PBS) had significantly fewer reasons to rejoice as they secured only one nomination for best comedy series (ABC’s “Abbott Elementary”) and five acting nominations (Kathy Bates for CBS’s “Matlock,” Bowen Yang for NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” and Quinta Brunson, Janelle James, and Sheryl Lee Ralph for “Abbott Elementary”). For the first time in a while, none of the hosts from “SNL” were nominated in the comedy guest acting categories.

Despite a moderate number of nominations for Saturday Night Live’s 50th season (7), the count was significantly increased to a record-breaking 31 when considering nominations for SNL50: The Anniversary Special (12), SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (6), SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night Live (3), Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music (2), and SNL 50th The Anniversary Special: Immersive Experience (1). Additionally, it’s worth noting that two out of the three talk series slots were secured by networks, specifically ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Both shows are contenders in their own right, though they trail behind defending champion Comedy Central’s The Daily Show.

If they persist with the rotating broadcast of the Emmys, as I’ve been advocating for years, it’s high time they establish separate categories for their unique content. Otherwise, they risk fostering their more daring competitors and ultimately undermining their own success.

I found it particularly astonishing in these awards that Apple’s new drama, “Your Friends & Neighbors,” performed poorly, with no recognition for its star Jon Hamm or even a nomination for the theme music; on the other hand, Apple’s limited/anthology series “Presumed Innocent” exceeded expectations, earning nominations not just for Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard as expected, but also for Bill Camp and Ruth Negga. I was also taken aback by the fact that Hulu’s multiple award-winning drama, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which had won best drama in its first season, only received a single nomination for guest acting in its final season. Lastly, the unexpected best comedy supporting actor nomination for Jeff Hiller in the final season of HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere” was another surprise I encountered.

As a gamer, I was thrilled to spot nominations for Brian Tyree Henry (Best Limited/Anthology Actor for Apple’s Dope Thief) and Sharon Horgan (Best Drama Actress for Apple’s Bad Sisters). However, it was disappointing to see the snubs of Patrick Ball (Best Drama Supporting Actor for The Pitt), Chase Sui Wonders (Best Comedy Supporting Actress for The Studio), and Diego Luna (Best Drama Actor for Andor), all of whom truly deserved recognition. Unfortunately, we can’t always get everything we hope for.

The second stage of the Emmy awards has begun, with the upcoming month being a frantic sprint towards the final voting period (August 18-27). Many top categories are yet undecided, making this a nail-biting race. In the comedy category, will previous winners like The Bear or Hacks manage to outshine newcomers such as The Studio and Nobody Wants This? Among the eight nominees for best drama, which one will claim victory? None of them have won this award before, but contenders like The Pitt, Severance, and The White Lotus are popular among fans. Lastly, can anything prevent Adolescence from winning in the limited/anthology race, or is Netflix set to secure a third consecutive triumph following their successes with Beef and Baby Reindeer?

Only time will tell. Let the games begin (again)!

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2025-07-15 22:25