The 2026 Primetime Emmy nominations dropped yesterday, and, as always, they’re packed with jaw-dropping surprises and some seriously infuriating snubs. This feels particularly true this year, as we close out several beloved shows like The Bear and Hacks and welcome new heavy hitters like Widow’s Bay and Margot’s Got Money Troubles. (And we finally get to bid farewell to Euphoria.)
Anyone who watches television — or was at the very least near someone who does — won’t be surprised to hear that HBO heavyweights The Pitt and Hacks dominated this year’s awards, with 25 and 24 nominations, respectively. Hacks, which recently celebrated its fifth and final season, broke the record for the most nominations for a comedy series in a single year. Up until now, The Bear and The Studio claimed this record, with 23 nominations in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The acting categories feature some predictable names, of course, including Hannah Einbinder, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks, and Ayo Edebiri, nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for The Bear. But we’re excited to see Kate O’Flynn nominated in the comedy Supporting Actress category for Widow’s Bay and Elle Fanning nominated in the comedy Lead Actress category for Margo’s Got Money Troubles. We can’t wait to see where the Television Academy falls during the ceremony on September 14.
Here, Harper’s Bazaar breaks down the biggest takeaways, snubs, and surprises from this year’s Emmy Award nominees.
Widow’s Bay Is This Year’s Sleeper Hit
A silly horror comedy stole people’s hearts mid-season earlier this year. Widow’s Bay centers around a sleepy town by the same name, a fishing hamlet well-positioned to be the next Martha’s Vineyard, with one glaring exception: it’s haunted. When I say “haunted,” I mean really, really haunted. The town’s roster of ghouls includes a ghostly killer clown and a malevolent spirit known as the Sea Hag, not to mention the demonic entity that seems to feed on the island’s inhabitants. Matthew Rhys plays the town mayor, Tom Loftis, who is desperately trying to enliven the town — and face off with its (literal) demons — with the help of his assistant, Patricia (Kate O’Flynn), and the local folklorist, Wyck (Stephen Root). The show, which only piqued audience interest mid-season earlier this summer, racked up a shocking 19 nominations.
Wait, Did We Not Love L.A.?
Rachel Sennott’s HBO comedy I Love LA received a whopping zero nominations. This is surprising because the California-set comedy received a swell of positive reviews and featured a cast of budding and beloved young actors. Sennott stars in the show as Maia Simsburg, an LA transplant aspiring to succeed as a talent manager against all odds, including those set by her boss, Alyssa (Leighton Meester). Her best friends are played by Odessa A’zion, Jordan Firstman, and True Whitaker, who plays a role close to her heart: a nepo baby. Josh Hutcherson is the cherry on top, playing Maia’s boyfriend. Despite the cast and the laughs, this season failed to win over awards voters, but let’s hope the second season capitalizes on its entire cast’s meteoric trajectories.
Zendaya Finds a Way In for Euphoria
You might expect Euphoria to receive zero nominations for its miserable third season — but you’d be wrong. Zendaya’s final turn as Rue, the show’s drug-addled protagonist, garnered enough critical acclaim to keep Sam Levinson’s cynical drama afloat for one more award cycle. Zendaya is once again nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, which she previously won for the same role in 2020 and 2022. Can she pull off a triple whammy, even if the third season was panned? Maybe — it is Zendaya after all. But the category is stacked, with Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Chase Infiniti for The Testaments, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, and Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus.
A (Welcomed) Connor Storrie Surprise
Many were pleased and surprised to hear that Connor Storrie scored a nomination despite Heated Rivalry being disqualified from the competition. The show isn’t eligible because it’s entirely Canadian-funded, which bars it from the Primetime Emmys — though it remains eligible for the International Emmy this November. Still, Storrie managed to snag a nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, typically awarded ahead of the main ceremony at the Creative Arts Emmys, for his turn as host of Saturday Night Live. It really was a delightful episode, featuring a guest appearance by his on-screen lover, Hudson Williams, so we’re happy it landed the late-night sketch comedy show’s only nomination.
What Is It With the Industry Snubs?
Industry never got its due — and it appears it never will. The show, a high-stakes financial drama packed with sex and deception, follows the lives of young professionals in London. These professionals are played by a fantastic, sharp-witted young cast including Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, and Max Minghella. Its fourth season even brought in names like Charlie Heaton (of Stranger Things fame) and Kiernan Shipka (of Mad Men). Despite rave reviews and a die-hard fanbase, the Television Academy once again passed over the HBO wunderkind, awarding it zero nominations.
Some of The Bear Staff Is Missing
As mentioned earlier, The Bear previously claimed the record for the most nominations by a comedy series, racking up 23 nominations in 2024 across Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series — the latter of which Jeremy Allen White won. The FX/Hulu sensation welcomed its fifth and final season this past June, still managing to grip its audience with kitchen-fueled anxiety and genuinely poignant storytelling. Yet the show is down to just three nominations, having snagged nods for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for director Christopher Storer — a modest sendoff for a show that once owned the Emmy record books.
