The nominees for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are here, and the 2025–26 TV season delivered a few genuine shocks alongside the expected heavyweights. HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt leads the entire field with 25 nominations, while the final season of Hacks set a new record on the comedy side.
Below is the full rundown of the major categories, plus the biggest snubs, the ceremony date, and how to watch. We’ll keep this page updated as the September ceremony approaches bookmark it.
Quick facts: 2026 Emmy Awards
| Event | 78th Primetime Emmy Awards |
| Nominations announced | Wednesday, July 8, 2026 |
| Ceremony date | Monday, Sept. 14, 2026 |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT |
| Where to watch | NBC (live), streaming on Peacock |
| Host | Mariska Hargitay (first-time host) |
| Venue | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles |
| Most nominations | The Pitt (25) |
The nominations were announced by recent Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller at the Television Academy in Los Angeles. Eligible shows had to air between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026.
2026 Emmy Nominations: Image Credit goes to original creator
Who led the nominations?
The Pitt, the reigning Outstanding Drama Series champion, again dominated with 25 nominations, the most of any show. On the comedy side, the fifth and final season of Hacks earned 24 nominations a record for a comedy series in a single year, topping the 23 that The Bear and The Studio each earned last year.
Apple TV+ had its strongest showing ever. Its horror-comedy Widow’s Bay landed 19 nominations, and the acclaimed sci-fi drama Pluribus, led by Rhea Seehorn, earned 18. Netflix’s Beef returned for a second season with 16 nods.
Nomination leaders at a glance:
- The Pitt — 25
- Hacks — 24
- Widow’s Bay — 19
- Pluribus — 18
- Beef — 16
Outstanding drama series
- The Diplomat (Netflix)
- The Gilded Age (HBO Max)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max)
- Paradise (Hulu)
- The Pitt (HBO Max)
- Pluribus (Apple TV+)
- Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
- Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple TV+)
Outstanding comedy series
- Abbott Elementary (ABC)
- The Bear (FX)
- Hacks (HBO Max)
- Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV+)
- Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
- Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
- Shrinking (Apple TV+)
- Widow’s Bay (Apple TV+)
Outstanding limited or anthology series
- All Her Fault (Peacock)
- The Beast in Me (Netflix)
- Beef (Netflix)
- DTF St. Louis (HBO Max)
- Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette (Hulu)
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
- Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
- Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
- Keri Russell, The Diplomat
- Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
- Zendaya, Euphoria
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
- Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
- Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
- Mark Ruffalo, Task
- Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat
- Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
- Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
- Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
- Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
- Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
- Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man
- Steve Carell, Rooster
- Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
- Jason Segel, Shrinking
- Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Outstanding reality competition program
- Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
- RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
- Survivor (CBS)
- Top Chef (Bravo)
- The Traitors (Peacock)
Outstanding variety series
- The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO Max)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
- Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The biggest storylines, snubs and surprises
A comedy lead-actress showdown. The Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy race is shaping up as the night’s marquee battle, with Jean Smart (Hacks) and Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) both earning nods for the final seasons of their shows. Smart has already won four Emmys for playing Deborah Vance; Kudrow’s only prior win came in 1998 for Friends.
Apple TV+’s big year. Between Pluribus, Widow’s Bay, Shrinking, Slow Horses and more, Apple TV+ posted its most nominations ever, cementing its place among the major awards players.
Euphoria snubbed up top. After a divisive final season, Euphoria missed the Outstanding Drama Series category, though Zendaya and Colman Domingo still earned acting nominations.
Ineligible breakouts. Two of the season’s most talked-about series, Heated Rivalry and Taylor Sheridan’s Dutton Ranch, were absent Heated Rivalry was financed outside the U.S. and therefore ineligible, disappointing fans expecting a big showing.
A first-time host. Mariska Hargitay, long-running star of Law & Order: SVU, hosts for the first time. It marks the first time in 15 years that a woman has hosted the ceremony.
How and when to watch the 2026 Emmys
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards air live on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC, with streaming on Peacock. The ceremony moved off its usual Sunday slot because of an NFL game on NBC. Mariska Hargitay hosts from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
We’ll update this page with red-carpet coverage, winners and analysis as the ceremony approaches.
