Aside from a handful of locks, this year’s limited series race feels rather limited. We break down potential contenders for the final slots.
When we broke down Emmy’s 2025 drama series race, we ran into something of an embarrassment of riches when trying to fill the final category slots. Not so with the 2025 Emmy limited series race. We do have a handful of sure bets for limited series nominations: Netflix’s Adolescence, MAX’s The Penguin, and FX’s Dying For Sex. Aside from that, disappointments and critically underwhelming contenders remain. Most thought a highly touted 2024 fall festival launch of Alfonso Cuarón’s Disclaimer would catapult it into serious Emmy contention, but does anyone really love it? Or what about that cast in Netflix’s Zero Day which critics loathed? Despite high profile disappointments, that doesn’t mean there aren’t series worthy of nominations. It’s just a little challenging to forecast those final two slots based on what we have now. We take a look at the 2025 limited series Emmy race and try to figure it all out.
But first, Megan previews the upcoming Miami Film Festival, which she will be covering for The Contending.
We close our podcast with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.
If you haven’t heard it yet, take a listen to our spin-off series, Desperate Housewives Revisited, where Joey and Clarence look back at the first season of Marc Cherry’s 2004 phenomenon.
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What is the definition of a "Limited Series"? Everyone knows The Penguin is going to run for more than one season.
Is Graham going lead or supporting for Adolescence? He's barely in the second episode and not in the third episode at all.
According to gold derby, he will be lead. We will know for sure once Netflix makes their official category placements public on their FYSee site.
And answering your other question (which somehow fell into the PENDING APPROVAL category and hasn't appeared here after I approved it), they haven't fully announced a second season for The Penguin yet. Yes, I too assume there will be one, but they're doing the same thing they did for Big Little Lies and The White Lotus: competing in Limited because it's easier and then approving the inevitable second season later.
Owen Cooper would obviously be most deserving, but I'm not sure of how young actors have done as Emmy leads in the past.
Traditionally, they are not submitted in lead for sure.
Really adored Adolescence so am excited about the possibility about it doing well with the Emmys.
I'll agree this year is a bit weak for the limited series categories. How I wish we were back in 2021 when were spoiled of miniseries choices with five fantastic series:
The Queen's Gambit, I May Destroy You, Mare of Easttown, The Underground Railroad & WandaVision.
I'm excited to watch Dying for Sex this week and while I'd like to see Cristin Milioti get the Emmy if Williams is as good as people say I can't be mad at a second Emmy win.
The one nomination I really want regardless of everything is Ruth Negga getting a supporting nomination for Presumed Innocent.