The winners from the 2026 Emmy Awards have been announced, and the evening brought plenty of unexpected results. The show took place on Monday, September 14th on NBC, with the broadcast beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. Mariska Hargitay served as host, fresh off her own win of two Emmys for her HBO documentary My Mom Jayne.
Drama Series Dominance
The contest for drama honors looks like a lock for The Pitt, which arrives with a second season just as strong as its first and thus stands as the clear top pick. The competition for comedy awards, by contrast, runs much closer. The reigning champion, Hacks, goes head to head with the buzzy Widow’s Bay, an Apple TV horror-comedy hybrid that earned eight prizes at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards held Labor Day weekend.
The Lead Actress in a Drama race pits Rhea Seehorn, who has been overlooked repeatedly for her part on Better Call Saul, against Zendaya, who is up for the final season of Euphoria and holds two Emmys for her performance there. Zendaya is… well, Zendaya. No one can say how it will end.
Variety Series Surprise
The days when Last Week Tonight With John Oliver won Outstanding Variety Series by default are gone. That category now includes Saturday Night Live, and two shows with strong years are leading the race. The recently canceled The Late Show With Stephen Colbert stands a good chance of beating the still-running Jimmy Kimmel Live!, even though Trump has tried his hardest to stop it.
The teams have been promoting one another with genuine kindness, showing true sportsmanship. This kind of friendly campaigning is rare in awards season, and it has drawn notice from observers following the show.
Limited Series Field
This year’s Limited Series category does not draw much attention from the crowd. Instead, the field has narrowed down to a battle between past winner Beef and FX’s glitzy Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, and HBO’s DTF St. Louis, which has already taken home awards for David Harbour and Linda Cardellini for supporting actor/actress. At this point, DTF appears to be the clear favorite, though no one can say for sure.
The Full List
Below you will find the complete list of winners, which is being updated live throughout the evening. That list contains:
- Drama Series: The Pitt
- Comedy Series: Hacks vs. Widow’s Bay
- Lead Actress in a Drama: Rhea Seehorn vs. Zendaya
- Outstanding Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert vs. Saturday Night Live
- Limited Series: Beef, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, DTF St. Louis
A variety of shows are represented among the nominees, including broadcast mainstays like Abbott Elementary and streaming newcomers such as Pluribus and Widow’s Bay. The competition across categories is notable, particularly in comedy and drama, where The Pitt and Hacks find themselves facing off against each other in separate races.
A strong slate of limited series is currently on offer. Beef won an earlier season, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette brings fresh star power to the category, and DTF St. Louis has already secured its supporting victories. The variety field adds a wild card with Saturday Night Live making its first appearance, while the hosts’ campaign shows a pleasant sense of sportsmanship.
This year’s Emmy nominations span broadcast, cable, and streaming, and they give us a chance to honor the very best of television.
See the video the story is built around at Consequence.
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