Record‑Breaking Nominations
The Television Academy unveiled the 2026 Primetime Emmy nominations on Monday, and the headlines are all about historic highs. HBO Max’s comedy Hacks closed out its fifth and final season with a staggering 24 nominations—the most ever for a single comedy series in one year, surpassing the previous record held by The Studio and The Bear. Meanwhile, the medical drama The Pitt amassed 25 nods, making it the most‑nominated series across all genres this cycle. Apple TV+ freshman thriller Pluribus followed with 18 nominations, while the streaming giant’s sophomore hit Your Friends & Neighbors earned a surprise nod in the drama field.
The ceremony will air live on September 14, 2026, at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT on NBC and stream on Peacock. This year, Law & Order: SVU veteran Mariska Hargitay will take the host reins for the first time, adding a fresh face to the traditional gala.
A few buzzworthy series—Heated Rivalry and Dutton Ranch—were deemed ineligible this year, prompting chatter about what could have been.
Drama Series Contenders
The Outstanding Drama Series race features a mix of returning favorites and fresh faces:
The Diplomat (Netflix)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO)
Paradise (Hulu)
The Pitt (HBO Max)
Pluribus (Apple TV+)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple TV+)
In the lead acting categories, Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Chase Infiniti (The Testaments), Keri Russell (The Diplomat), Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus), and Zendaya (Euphoria) compete for Actress, while Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Mark Ruffalo (Task), Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat), and Noah Wyle (The Pitt) vie for Actor.
Supporting Actress nominees include Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Allison Janney, Katherine LaNasa, Sepideh Moafi, and Julianne Nicholson, all from The Pitt and The Diplomat. On the supporting actor side, Patrick Ball, Billy Crudup, Shawn Hatosy, Gerran Howell, Jack Lowden, Tom Pelphrey, and Carlos‑Manuel Vesga represent The Pitt, The Morning Show, Slow Horses, Task, and Pluribus.
Guest appearances add further intrigue, with Brittany Allen, Tal Anderson, Tina Ivlev, Miriam Shor, Merritt Wever, and Shailene Woodley competing for Guest Actress, and Colman Domingo, Ernest Harden Jr., Jeff Hiller, Jeff Kober, Jonathan Pryce, and Bradley Whitford battling for Guest Actor.
Comedy Series Showdown
Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, and Widow’s Bay square off for Outstanding Comedy.
Lead Actress hopefuls are Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Elle Fanning (Margo’s Got Money Troubles), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback), and Jean Smart (Hacks). On the male side, Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II (Wonder Man), Steve Carell (Rooster), Matthew Rhys (Widow’s Bay), Jason Segel (Shrinking), and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) are in the running.
Supporting Actress honors include Dale Dickey, Hannah Einbinder, Janelle James, Kate O’Flynn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Megan Stalter, and Jessica Williams, while Supporting Actor nominees feature Colman Domingo, Paul W. Downs, Harrison Ford, Nick Offerman, Stephen Root, Michael Urie, and Tyler James Williams.
Guest Actress and Actor categories are equally stacked, with names like Leslie Bib, Jamie Lee Curtis, Betty Gilpin, Michael J. Fox, Brett Goldstein, and Rob Reiner making appearances.
Limited Series, TV Movies, and Other Categories
The Limited or Anthology Series race showcases All Her Fault, The Beast in Me, BEEF, DTF St. Louis, and Love Story. Television Movie nominees include Heads of State, Miss You, Love You, People We Meet on Vacation, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and Jack Ryan: Ghost War.
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie sees Claire Danes, Sally Field, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Pidgeon, and Sarah Snook battling, while Lead Actor contenders are Riz Ahmed, Jason Bateman, Charlie Hunnam, Oscar Isaac, and Matthew Rhys.
Supporting categories round out the field with talents such as Linda Cardellini, Dakota Fanning, Laurie Metcalf, Youn Yuh‑jung, Jason Bateman, Richard Gadd, David Harbour, and Charles Melton.
Variety, Reality, and Game Shows
In the scripted variety space, The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Saturday Night Live compete. Reality competition staples like Dancing With the Stars, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef, and The Traitors also appear.
Structured reality programs—Antiques Roadshow, Diners, Drive‑Ins and Dives, Love Is Blind, Queer Eye, and Shark Tank—round out the non‑fiction categories.
Game shows Celebrity Family Feud, Jeopardy!, The Price Is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire vie for top honors, with hosts Steve Harvey, Ken Jennings, Colin Jost, Jimmy Kimmel, and Martin Short in the running.
Looking Ahead
With the ceremony set for September 14, the industry and fans alike are gearing up for a night that promises both historic milestones and fresh storytelling. The record‑breaking totals for Hacks and The Pitt underscore the evolving landscape of television, where streaming platforms continue to dominate the awards conversation.
Stay tuned for live coverage, red‑carpet highlights, and instant reactions as the 2026 Emmys approach.
