2026 Emmy Nominations: "Hacks" Sets Record in Comedy Category with 24 Nods

The nominations were announced on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the Wolf Theatre. Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas ("The Bear") and Jeff Hiller ("Somebody Somewhere") served as announcers. Colón-Zayas won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Bear"; Hiller is credited as a winner for "Somebody Somewhere." Cris Abrego, Chairman of the Television Academy, accompanied the announcement.

Record in the Comedy Category

With a record 24 nominations, "Hacks" is nominated among others for Best Comedy. Lead character Jean Smart has won the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy in all four previous seasons. Industry observers expect her to win a fifth trophy in this category in September. The fifth season, which concludes the series, had previously been praised in several reviews for its tone and performances.

Behind "Hacks" and "The Pitt," the remaining top spots in this year's nominations field are distributed. Both "Pluribus" and "Widow's Bay" earned numerous nominations in their premiere seasons; according to the Television Academy, Widow's Bay received 19 nominations for the first season of the Apple TV+ series. The awards will be presented in mid-September in Los Angeles.

Prominent Nominations

Numerous prominent actors are nominated for an Emmy this year. Jamie Lee Curtis was nominated for her role in "The Bear," Matthew Rhys for his role in "Widow's Bay," Michelle Pfeiffer for her role in the series "Margo's Got Money Troubles," and Steve Carell for his role in "Rooster." In addition, there are further nominations from the ensemble of "The Pitt." Three of its cast members are considered in the Best Supporting Actor category: Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell. Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, and Sepideh Moafi also received nominations.

According to the Television Academy, "The Pitt" also secured four of the seven nomination slots in the Best Supporting Actress category. Katherine LaNasa, who won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in the first season, was nominated again for the second season. The HBO Max series "The Pitt" won the Emmy for Best Drama in its first season and is in the running this year with its second season.

"The Pitt" Dominates the Drama Field

In the anthology series category, according to the information, the series "Beef" recorded the most nominations. In addition, other series such as "Somebody Somewhere" were again considered in the nominations field through already known winners. Overall, the 2026 Emmy field is broadly positioned, with familiar names and newcomers who have received wide recognition in their respective seasons.

The 78th Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled for September 14. The awards will be presented in mid-September in Los Angeles. Which show or broadcaster will air the gala this year was not named during the nominations announcement. The industry is now looking ahead to the coming weeks, in which the Academy is expected to release further details about the gala and possible special awards.

Ceremony on September 14 in Los Angeles

In Germany, "Hacks" is available on RTL+, as the broadcaster confirmed. This gives viewers in Germany the opportunity to watch the fifth and final season of the comedy series, which set the nominations record this year, before the Emmy ceremony in September. Other nominated series are also available in this country via streaming providers and linear broadcasters.

The record mark of 24 nominations in the comedy category is not the only notable result this year: with "The Pitt" (25 nominations) and "Hacks" (24 nominations), two HBO Max productions jointly lead the field. According to the Television Academy, both series are produced by the HBO Max platform. That two series from the same provider hold the top spots is seen in industry circles as an expression of the current strength of the programming brand.

Alongside the front runners, the Emmy tally for "Widow's Bay" was also high: 19 nominations for a first season of a new Apple TV+ series is considered a strong premiere in the current competition. In English-language reporting, it was also emphasized that both "Pluribus" and "Widow's Bay" received Emmy nominations on a larger scale in their premiere seasons. The Academy views this as an indication of a broad distribution of quality in the current series year.

For the second season of "The Pitt," in addition to the already mentioned actors, further members of the main ensemble have received nominations. A significant portion of the 2026 drama nominations is thus concentrated on a single production. In English-language reporting, it was also mentioned that with Wyle, LaNasa, and other ensemble members, several actors from the series are nominated in various categories.

Historic Mark for "Hacks"

The fact that "Hacks" is setting the comedy record in its final season gives the 2026 Emmy season additional narrative weight. The series had regularly won awards in previous years and built its reputation as one of the defining comedy brands of the 2020s. With the 24-fold nomination and the nomination as Best Comedy, the Emmy chapter of the series ends in the realm of records and awards.

The Emmy gala on September 14 in Los Angeles will show how many of the 24 nominations for "Hacks" can ultimately be converted into trophies. The starting position is considered favorable by industry observers, as the series has been regularly honored in recent years and its lead actress Jean Smart continues to be traded as the favorite in the Best Actress in a Comedy category. A confirmation of this assessment would then also formally be a historic mark.

Overall, the 2026 Emmy season is characterized by an unusual concentration of multiple nominations for individual productions. With "The Pitt" (25 nominations) and "Hacks" (24 nominations) at the top and "Widow's Bay" (19 nominations) in third place in this segment, the current year is above the usual distribution pattern of previous years. The 78th Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14 in Los Angeles.

The announcement at the Wolf Theatre in the presence of Cris Abrego and the announcing winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller marks the official kickoff of the 2026 Emmy season. The coming weeks are anticipated with excitement by industry observers, production companies, and streaming providers as the advertising and marketing campaigns around the nominated series and actors continue to intensify.