Following this year’s nominations, many industry professionals are speculating about the 2026 Emmy Awards. Critics and analysts participated in a roundtable discussion that dissected the winners, surprising snubs and surprise standouts from the year’s major TV contenders.Medical drama “Pitt” leads all shows with an unprecedented 25 nominations, including best drama and 13 acting nods, according to a roundtable discussion on Variety’s awards show podcast. Its star, Noah Wyle, is positioned as a strong contender for the male lead. The fifth season of the comedy series “The Crackers” received 24 nominations, setting a new record for the most nominations for a comedy show. Starring Gene Smart is now on track to win her fifth Emmy for the show, which would make her the most Emmy-winning actress in history.
“Pete” leads the 2026 Emmy Awards nominations list with 25 nominations, making it the most nominated drama series of the year. Image source (Instagram)
Surprising Contenders and Newcomers
There are two first-year programs emerging as serious contenders this year. Horror comedy “Widow’s Cove” received 19 nominations after attracting widespread attention during the Emmy Awards season. The TV series “Pluribus” also performed strongly in its first year, earning 18 nominations. Limited series from rival streaming platforms topped the category with 16 nominations.Roundtable participants Michael Schneider, Emily Longeretta and Jazz Tangcay highlighted several noteworthy moments from the nominations. Longretta expressed disappointment at one glaring omission. “I’m really sad that Half Man doesn’t get more love. I would say that’s the most important thing to me. While one of the actors gave an incredible performance, not recognizing Jamie Bell was quite shocking to me. I didn’t approve of the show as a whole because the script was so crazy,” she said.“Widow’s Cove” earned special praise for its unexpected success, as shows that premiere late in the Emmy cycle typically struggle to gain traction. “I know for a long time, talking to a lot of people, they felt like they didn’t have time to do another show. But ‘Widow’s Cove’ was so popular that I think a lot of people saw it and said, ‘Oh, this is great,'” Schneider explained.
Mariska Hargitay’s remarkable year and hosting duties
The panel also discussed the remarkable year that actress Mariska Hargitay has had, who will host this year’s Emmy Awards. She is the first woman to perform the ceremony in 15 years. In addition to her hosting role, Hargitay has had an incredibly busy period that has included wins with professional sports teams, Broadway theater performances, two Emmy Award nominations for her documentary, a milestone episode of her long-running series, and her award show hosting duties.
Notable Absences and Surprises
Despite having huge star power, shows and talent from specific universes of creative producers failed to receive nominations, with some high-profile series not being considered at all. However, the show, which stars a veteran actress in a supporting role, sparked enthusiasm among the panelists. “I love that Sally Field was shortlisted for ‘Very Intelligent Creatures.’ I mean, Sally is just a legend. It’s great to see her do that,” Tang Kai said.The roundtable discussion, moderated by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta and Michael Schneider, explored the top contenders for this year’s Emmy Awards and provided analysis of the upcoming ceremony.
