AppleTV’s Severance, as expected, wildly improved over its freshman season Emmy nomination haul with a series-leading 27 2025 Emmy nominations. The series was followed by the HBO limited series The Penguin (24 nominations), The Studio (23 nominations), and The White Lotus (23 nominations). One interesting note we’ve seen so far: The Studio accounted for 5 out of 6 total Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nominations. Jon Bernthal (The Bear) faces The Studio‘s Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Martin Scorsese.
Biggest surprise likely sits with Paradise which over performed with nominations for Drama Series and three performance nominations. Sterling K. Brown was expected, but Julianne Nicholson and James Marsden were larger surprises. A few series were notably down from previous season nominations: The Last Of Us (receiving 16 compared to 24 its first year out) and Only Murders In the Building (down to 7 nominations from season four’s 21). It’s also very apparent that the Television Academy moved on from some previous serious Emmy contenders. Squid Game and Yellowjackets were completely shut out, while The Handmaid’s Tale only received a single nomination (Cherry Jones for Guest Actress in a Drama Series).
And some readers will be very happy to know that the Television Academy finally broke their long-standing issue with Kristen Bell and nominated her for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Nobody Wants This.
More later as The Contending assembles tonight for a reactions podcast.
Drama Series
Andor
The Diplomat
The Last Of Us
Paradise
The Pitt
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus
Directing For A Drama Series
Janus Metz, Andor
Amanda Marsalis, The Pitt
John Wells, The Pitt
Jessica Lee Gagne, Severance
Ben Stiller, Severance
Adam Randall, Slow Horses
Mike White, The White Lotus
Writing For A Drama Series
Andor
The Pitt (“2:00 PM”)
The Pitt (“7:00 AM”)
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus
Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters
Britt Lower, Severance
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us
Adam Scott, Severance
Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Patricia Arquette, Severance
Carrie Coon, The White Lotus
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
Parker Posey, The White Lotus
Natasha Rothwell, The White Lotus
Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus
Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Zach Cherry, Severance
Walton Goggins, The White Lotus
Jason Isaacs, The White Lotus
James Marsden, Paradise
Sam Rockwell, The White Lotus
Tramell Tillman, Severance
John Turturro, Severance
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
The Studio
What We Do in the Shadows
Directing For A Comedy Series
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Lucia Aniello, Hacks
James Burrows, Mid-Century Modern
Nathan Fielder, The Rehearsal
Seth Rogan & Evan Goldberg, The Studio
Writing For A Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
Hacks
The Rehearsal
Somebody Somewhere
What We Do in the Shadows
Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, The Residence
Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Jean Smart, Hacks
Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
Seth Rogen, The Studio
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders In the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Liza Colon-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Kathryn Hahn, The Studio
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Catherine O’Hara, The Studio
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Jessica Williams, Shrinking
Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Ike Barinholtz, The Studio
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
Limited Or Anthology Series
Adolescence
Black Mirror
Dying For Sex
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendendez Story
The Penguin
Television Movie
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
The Gorge
Mountainhead
Nonnas
Rebel Ridge
Directing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Philip Barantini, Adolescence
Shannon Murphy, Dying For Sex
Helen Shaver, The Penguin
Jennifer Getzinger, The Penguin
Lesli Linka Glatter, Zero Day
Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Adolescence
Black Mirror
Dying For Sex
The Penguin
Say Nothing
Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer
Meagan Fahy, Sirens
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Michelle Williams, Dying For Sex
Rashida Jones, Black Mirror
Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Colin Farrell, The Penguin
Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent
Brian Tyree Henry, Dope Thief
Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendendez Story
Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Erin Doherty, Adolescence
Ruth Negga, Presumed Innocent
Deirdre O’Connell, The Penguin
Chloë Sevigny, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendendez Story
Jenny Slate, Dying For Sex
Christine Tremarco, Adolescence
Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendendez Story
Bill Camp, Presumed Innocent
Owen Cooper, Adolescence
Rob Delaney, Dying For Sex
Peter Sarsgaard, Presumed Innocent
Ashley Waters, Adolescence
Talk Series
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Scripted Variety Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Saturday Night Live
Variety Special (Live)
The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar
Beyoncé Bowl
The Oscars
SNL50: The Anniversary Special
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Adam Sandler: Love You
Ali Wong: Single Lady
Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years
Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor
Sarah Silverman: Post Mortem
Your Friend, Nate Bargatze
Reality Competition Program
The Amazing Race
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
The Traitors
Can do without Uzo Aduba in a show practically nobody saw. Selena Gomez has every right to be perturbed. Important thing; this will not be another Jean Smart walkover. Not this time.
Aduba's performance might have been enjoyable if the "Detective who is rude and condescending because they're so much smarter than everyone" trope didn't feel so tired and played out.
That…is not a perspective that I ever considered with Cordelia Cupp. She has to keep a distance from anyone in the case. Also, just her performance in the last episode with alllll that dialogue is impressive enough to warrant a nomination in my eyes.
She's not just distant. She belittles people's intelligence and frequently declares that she's smarter than them. It was a lot like Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock and Hugh Laurie in House.
It's not spam, Mr. Moye, when it's just an opinion. Uzo Aduba has no business being in Comedy Lead Actress for a show that dozens of people saw. Selena Gomez DOES. And this will not be yet another boring Jean Smart walkover win. In an ideal world.
I don’t know what you’re talking about with “spam.”
Okay I see what you’re talking about. That’s an automated response from Disqus. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I have approved that comment, and it shows below.
You need to calm down.
OK. 🙂
That Tyler snub is absolutely shameful.
HORRIBLE!
Steve Martin too.
This is why dumping dramas in the comedy category is so annoying. Actual good comedy gets boxed out.
I predicted Rashida Jones, go me! I should have gone with my gut and predicted Fahy as well.
I tried the first couple of episodes of Hacks and didn't see the appeal at all. Not sure what I was missing there.
I don't really get the "automatically nominate everyone in White Lotus" voters, either.
Severance is funnier than The Bear.
Pachinko? Cinematography and production design only?
At least with 1st season it felt like they watched the opening on Youtube and called it a day but now..
Severance and The Pitt though, glad to see them up there. Curious about Paradise, gotta check it out.