Emmy Awards 2026 Nominations: The Pitt and Hacks Lead the Field
- Comedy series "Hacks" followed closely behind "The Pitt" with 24 nominations, setting a record for the most nominations received by a comedy series in a single year.
- The race for Outstanding Drama Series features a crowded field of eight contenders, including "The Diplomat," "The Gilded Age," "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," "Paradise," "The Pitt,"...
- In the major acting categories, performers from across cable, broadcast, and streaming platforms secured recognition.
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Major Program Totals and Platform Dominance
Comedy series “Hacks” followed closely behind “The Pitt” with 24 nominations, setting a record for the most nominations received by a comedy series in a single year. Apple TV+ newcomer “Widow’s Bay” earned 19 nominations, while “Pluribus” collected 18 and “Beef” secured 16. Across all platforms, HBO Max led the field with approximately 122 total nods across its programming slate, outpacing Netflix with about 111 nominations and Apple TV+ with roughly 87 nods.
Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego spoke on the breadth of this year’s recognized projects. This year’s nominees represent the extraordinary creativity and artistry that make television such a dynamic form of entertainment,
Abrego stated. The breadth of work recognised this year, from intimate character-driven comedies and satires to fantasy, thrillers, and costume dramas, demonstrates that great storytelling knows no bounds.
Top Drama and Comedy Series Contenders
The race for Outstanding Drama Series features a crowded field of eight contenders, including “The Diplomat,” “The Gilded Age,” “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” “Paradise,” “The Pitt,” “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses,” and “Your Friends & Neighbours,” according to the full nominee list. The Outstanding Comedy Series category likewise pits eight shows against one another: “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Shrinking,” and “Widow’s Bay.” Meanwhile, the Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series race highlights “All Her Fault,” “The Beast in Me,” “Beef,” “DTF St. Louis,” and “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.”
Acting Categories and Lead Nominees
In the major acting categories, performers from across cable, broadcast, and streaming platforms secured recognition. Brown for “Paradise,” Gary Oldman for “Slow Horses,” Mark Ruffalo for “Task,” Rufus Sewell for “The Diplomat,” and Noah Wyle for “The Pitt.” The corresponding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category features Carrie Coon for “The Gilded Age,” Chase Infiniti for “The Testaments,” Keri Russell for “The Diplomat,” Rhea Seehorn for “Pluribus,” and Zendaya for “Euphoria.”
Comedy lead acting races feature nominees Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for “Wonder Man,” Steve Carell for “Rooster,” Matthew Rhys for “Widow’s Bay,” Jason Segel for “Shrinking,” and Martin Short for “Only Murders in the Building” on the actor side. For comedy lead actress, the nominees are Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary,” Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear,” Elle Fanning for “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” Lisa Kudrow for “The Comeback,” and Jean Smart for “Hacks.”
Ceremony Schedule and Broadcast Details
The main 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will follow on September 14, 2026, broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock. Actress Mariska Hargitay, widely recognized for her starring role in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” will host the event.