Emmy Frontrunners: “Hacks,” “The Pitt,” and “Beef” Heat Up the Race for the 78th Annual Awards

According to the CinemaDrame News Agency, The Emmys season is officially underway, and speculation is reaching a fever pitch regarding the top contenders for television’s biggest night. The official nominations are scheduled to be announced on Wednesday, July 8. Below is an overview of the current state of the race in major categories and the frontrunners poised for success this year.

The State of the Race

In the Outstanding Drama Series category, there is a strong possibility that Apple TV’s “Pluribus” will stand as the sole freshman nominee. Much of its momentum stems from being the first collaboration between Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn since “Better Call Saul.” Nevertheless, HBO Max’s “The Pitt” continues to benefit from its status as the reigning category winner, even though the reception to its second season has been somewhat tepid.

For Outstanding Comedy Series, HBO Max’s “Hacks” is dominating the conversation in Los Angeles. The series faces its closest competition from the third season of HBO’s “The Comeback,” starring Lisa Kudrow. Apple TV+ also enters the conversation with its new freshman title, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” though its cast has yet to fully connect with the TV Academy voter base.

In the Limited or Anthology Series categories, Netflix is making a powerful push to maintain its three-year dominance, this time led by Season 2 of “Beef,” starring Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan. HBO is countering with strong word-of-mouth campaigns for “DTF: St. Louis” and “Half Man,” while FX’s critically and commercially successful “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette” is well-positioned to overperform on nominations morning.

Emmy Nominations Category Predictions (Frontrunners)

1. Outstanding Comedy Series

• “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
• “The Bear” (FX)
• “The Comeback” (HBO)
• “Hacks” (HBO Max)
• “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” (Apple TV)
• “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
• “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
• “Shrinking” (Apple TV)

2. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This”
• Steve Carell, “Rooster”
• Jason Segel, “Shrinking”
• Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
• Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”

3. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
• Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”
• Elle Fanning, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
• Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
• Jean Smart, “Hacks”

4. Outstanding Drama Series

• “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
• “Euphoria” (HBO)
• “The Gilded Age” (HBO)
• “Industry” (HBO)
• “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (HBO)
• “Paradise” (Hulu)
• “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
• “Pluribus” (Apple TV)

5. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise”
• Peter Claffey, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
• Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
• Mark Ruffalo, “Task”
• Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”

6. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Kathy Bates, “Matlock”
• Carrie Coon, “The Gilded Age”
• Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”
• Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus”
• Zendaya, “Euphoria”

7. Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

• “Beef” (Netflix)
• “DTF St. Louis” (HBO)
• “Half Man” (HBO)
• “Lord of the Flies” (Netflix)
• “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette” (FX)

8. Outstanding Movie

• “People We Meet on Vacation” (Netflix)
• “Miss You, Love You” (HBO)
• “Remarkably Bright Creatures” (Netflix)
• “Swiped” (Hulu)
• “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War” (Prime Video)

9. Outstanding Animated Program

“The Simpsons” (Fox)

“Bob’s Burgers” (Fox)

“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal” (Adult Swim)

“Long Story Short” (Netflix)

“South Park” (Comedy Central)