The Pitt storms the Emmys with 25 nods as Hacks sets a new comedy record in its final season

Right, it’s that season again – everyone in tellyland dusts off their acceptance speeches and tunes up their fake humble faces, because the nominations for the 2026 Emmy Awards have just landed. The big show’s set for the 14th of September, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock, so if you’re in the mood for drama (and, yes, some truly strange comedy choices), that’s where you’ll find it.

Announced bright and early (well, American early – 11:30 a.m. Eastern) by Liza Colón-Zayas from 'The Bear' and Jeff Hiller of 'Widow’s Bay', this list is not messing about. And, honestly, neither are the top contenders this year.

The Pitt and Hacks: Sheer Volume, Record Setters, and a Bit of a Shock

For the poor sods tallying these up, HBO’s medical drama 'The Pitt' has snatched a massive 25 nominations – not too shabby. Then there’s 'Hacks', bowing out with a fifth and final series and a new record: 24 nominations for a comedy series in a single year. If that doesn’t shout 'award-bait', I don’t know what does.

Meanwhile, Apple TV isn’t left clutching at straws. Their drama 'Pluribus' manages a respectable 18 nods, and to keep things competitive, the streamer’s 'Your Friends and Neighbors' wormed its way into the Best Drama Series category as well.

Here’s Where the Awards Are Headed – 2026 Emmy Major Nominees

• OUTSTANDING DRAMA: 'The Diplomat', 'The Gilded Age', 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', 'Paradise', 'The Pitt', 'Pluribus', 'Slow Horses', 'Your Friends & Neighbors'
• Leading Actress (Drama): Carrie Coon ('The Gilded Age'), Chase Infiniti ('The Testaments'), Keri Russell ('The Diplomat'), Rhea Seehorn ('Pluribus'), Zendaya ('Euphoria')
• Leading Actor (Drama): Sterling K. Brown ('Paradise'), Gary Oldman ('Slow Horses'), Mark Ruffalo ('Task'), Rufus Sewell ('The Diplomat'), Noah Wyle ('The Pitt')
• Comedy Frontrunners: 'Abbott Elementary', 'The Bear', 'Hacks', 'Margo's Got Money Troubles', 'Nobody Wants This', 'Only Murders in the Building', 'Shrinking', 'Widow’s Bay'
• Limited Series/TV Movie Standouts: 'All Her Fault', 'The Beast in Me', 'BEEF', 'DTF St. Louis', 'Love Story', with big hitters like 'Heads of State' and 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' up for TV Movie

If you want the full 60-metre list of everyone who got a nod, keep reading. Otherwise, here’s a quick taste of how things are shaking out:

• 'The Pitt' absolutely dominates the drama categories, with a jaw-dropping number of its cast listed in both supporting and guest roles. Genuinely, at this point, it might be easier to count which roles weren’t up for something.
• If you’re still guessing whether 'Hacks' might take home a truckload, consider its lead, Jean Smart, plus both supporting and guest actors (Laurie Metcalf, Kaitlin Olson, Cherry Jones) are in the running too. They’re clearly aiming for an awards-sweep send-off.
• Apple’s 'Pluribus' does well in drama with both cast and series, plus somehow they managed a slot for 'Your Friends & Neighbors' as an overall drama series nominee.
• 'The Bear' continues its Emmy run, but not with loads of quantity compared to 'The Pitt' and 'Hacks'. Still, Ayo Edebiri is back in the Best Actress slot and Jamie Lee Curtis crops up in guest.
• In terms of surprises, quite a few performances in 'Widow’s Bay' and 'Margo’s Got Money Troubles' show up in the comedy locks, alongside returning usual suspects like 'Only Murders' and 'Abbott Elementary' (nearly a given at this point).
• Oh, and fans of reality and unscripted, yes: more nominations for 'RuPaul’s Drag Race', 'Welcome to Wrexham', 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives', and the game show usuals. No wildcards. If you’re hoping for a radical shakeup this year on that front, not happening.

A Closer Look: Full Major Nominees

I’m not going to list every single technical nomination (lighting design stans, apologies), but if you’re keeping score on the ship’s hull worth of acting nods:

Outstanding Drama Series

'The Diplomat', 'The Gilded Age', 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', 'Paradise', 'The Pitt', 'Pluribus', 'Slow Horses', 'Your Friends & Neighbors'

Outstanding Comedy Series

'Abbott Elementary', 'The Bear', 'Hacks', 'Margo's Got Money Troubles', 'Nobody Wants This', 'Only Murders in the Building', 'Shrinking', 'Widow’s Bay'

Lead Drama Actress

Carrie Coon ('The Gilded Age'), Chase Infiniti ('The Testaments'), Keri Russell ('The Diplomat'), Rhea Seehorn ('Pluribus'), Zendaya ('Euphoria')

Lead Drama Actor

Sterling K. Brown ('Paradise'), Gary Oldman ('Slow Horses'), Mark Ruffalo ('Task'), Rufus Sewell ('The Diplomat'), Noah Wyle ('The Pitt')

Lead Comedy Actress

Quinta Brunson ('Abbott Elementary'), Ayo Edebiri ('The Bear'), Elle Fanning ('Margo's Got Money Troubles'), Lisa Kudrow ('The Comeback'), Jean Smart ('Hacks')

Lead Comedy Actor

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 Limited or Anthology Series

'All Her Fault', 'The Beast in Me', 'BEEF', 'DTF St. Louis', 'Love Story'

Outstanding Television Movie

'Heads of State', 'Miss You, Love You', 'People We Meet on Vacation', 'Remarkably Bright Creatures', 'Jack Ryan: Ghost War'

Reality & Variety Big Hitters

Reality Competition: 'Dancing With the Stars', 'RuPaul’s Drag Race', 'Survivor', 'Top Chef', 'The Traitors'
Structured/Unstructured Reality: From 'Antiques Roadshow' to 'Love on the Spectrum', plus the now-mandatory nomination for 'Welcome to Wrexham'
Game Shows & Hosts: 'Celebrity Family Feud', 'Jeopardy!', 'Wheel of Fortune', and host nods for Steve Harvey, Ken Jennings, Jimmy Kimmel, and so on
Variety Series: Standard bearers like 'The Daily Show', 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', 'Last Week Tonight', 'The Late Show', 'Saturday Night Live'

Just in case you need a quote to tide you over until the show: NBC’s official line as the network hosting the main event is simply 'This year’s Emmys will shine a spotlight on all the incredible storytelling and talent that television continues to deliver.' Say what you like about the awards season, but you can’t say it doesn’t have its own script.

This round of nominations is stacked, familiar, and yet – between all the repeat faces – there are a few fresh standouts, which should make for an interesting, if not completely unpredictable, awards night later in the year. More details are apparently on the way, so expect even more in-depth breakdowns (and more gossip) as we get closer to September.