Pop Culture Happy Hour - 2026 Emmy Nominations

Episode Date: July 8, 2026

The 2026 Emmy nominations are here. We’re unpacking the record-breaking nominations for Hacks, plus a big day for Widow’s Bay, The Pitt, and The Bear. We’ll also talk about the snubs and make some early predictions of who will win. Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

All right, we're taping this on the heels of the 2026 Emmy nominations, and it was a very good morning for our favorites like Hacks, the Pit, and the Bear, and we welcome some new faces to the Emmy's party, like Widows Bay, Pluribus, and Marcos got money troubles. And one Hollywood couple really cleaned up. Carrie Russell got a nom for the diplomat while her partner Matthew Reese scored double acting nominations. I'm Glenn Weldon, and joining me today to unpack this year's Emmy nominations on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour are my fellow co-host. Linda Holmes. Hey, Linda.

Hello, Glenn. And Aisha Harris. Hey, Aisha. So we don't have time to hit all the categories, so we're going to stick to the biggies. Let's get right to it. The surprises, the snubs, the category fraud, the whole nominations, smear, really. Starting with outstanding comedy series. First up, Abbott Elementary, the workplace sitcom on ABC is set at a severely underfunded Philadelphia Public School where teachers strive to make do with their limited resources. The Bear, FX's intense and fast-paced series about a fine dining chef who takes over his family's Chicago Italian beef sandwich. Shop. Hacks, the HBO Mac series in which the great, Gene Smart plays a legendary stand-up comic. This year, Hacks set the record for the most nominations in the comedy categories. Margot's Got Money Troubles. A college student's life gets very complicated when she becomes pregnant and decides to become a single mom, turning to only fans as a source of income. That one is

on Apple TV. Nobody wants this, a romantic comedy from Netflix that stars Kristen Bell as an agnostic podcast host, and Adam Brody as a rapist. by only murders in the building. Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez star as true crime fans who investigate a real murder and make a podcast about it. That is streaming on Hulu. Next up is shrinking Apple TV series with a big heart and lots of jokes. That stars Jason Siegel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams, all of whom play therapists. And lastly, and happily, Widows Bay.

A New England mayor would like to bring more tourists to his town except for the small problem that it is maybe cursed. That one is streaming on Apple TV. All right, folks, what do you make of this? Well, I felt like these are pretty good nominees. Some of these I'm very excited about. I thought Margaret's Got Money Troubles was great. I think Widows Bay was great. I'm a long-time booster of shrinking.

So there's a lot in here that I like. I mean, I think they're just going to nominate only murders until it runs out of gas. Yep. Some would argue. It already has. Yeah, I mean, I haven't been as excited by the episodes I've seen in the last couple of seasons. But still, like, listen, I can't be mad at that show. There's a lot here that I like.

I personally, I think. I'll be rooting for Widows Bay, although I would also accept Margot's Got Money Troubles. The Bear continues to not be a comedy, so regardless of how you feel about it, I would not root for it in this category. Yeah, the thing about the Emmys is that these are shows, sometimes shows that have a lot of seasons. And so there's really any surprises year to year. I'm not surprised to see most of these years. I will say that I'm also rooting for Margot's Got Money Troubles or Widows Bay. I think both of the best. them are really fantastic new additions to this lineup. I got to say, though, I'm kind of shocked

that nobody wants this is here, but something like a man on the inside is not. Nobody wants this. It's fine. I watch it, but I kind of hate watch it. A man on the inside is like a genuinely good show, and I thought the second season was really, really good. And I love Ted Danson in that role as a widower who is suddenly becoming like a private detective. So I would have loved to see that instead of something like nobody wants this. But overall, a very solid category, I would say. Solid category. I had no illusions that a show like Murder Bot was going to make it in.

I still had hope. I still had hope for the lowdown, which they submitted as a comedy, even though they should not have submitted it as a comedy. Yes, of course, yeah. Fantastic show. So good. Fantastic show. I do love to see Abbott out here representing the half-hour network sitcom.

Abbott is still good, too. It's maintained. It's like Spark, I would argue. Yeah. Yeah. And we should just note here that this nomination is for the Bear season four, not the most recent season.

Just keep that straight. So we got another Emmy season of this after this year of talking about the show. One more time. We're going to be making the same complaint. I am pulling for Widows Bay, obviously. That is an old school word of mouth phenomenon. That is very funny. And we're not covering the supporting actor nominations,

but in supporting actress, both Kate O'Flin and Dale Dickey got nom. So in that one tiny corner of the world, all is right. But it's a small corner. All right. Next up is lead actor in a comedy series, starting with Yaya Abdul Matine II for Wonder Man. He plays a down on his luck actor trying to make it in Hollywood.

He also happens to have superpowers. Next up is Steve Corell for Rooster. He plays a writer of pulpy crime novels. He gets pressured into teaching at the college where his daughter also works. Matthew Reese for Widows Bay, Rees plays a New England mayor who wants to increase tourism on his island, but strange things abound. Jason Siegel for shrinking. He plays a widowed therapist who adopts some unexpected methods for his therapy patients. And one Mogan, Martin Short, for Only Murders in the Building.

Short plays Oliver, an ambitious Broadway director turned true crime podcaster. Aisha, anything stand out? I think I'm rooting for Matthew Reese here, for sure. We've kind of already said what we had to say about only murders. I do think Jason Siegel for shrinking, look, I really like him as a performer. I wasn't a huge fan of the most recent season. It felt like it got a little too 90 sitcomy and a little too hammy for my taste. And the draws for that show are less Jason Siegel and more like Harrison Ford and Jessica

Williams. But I mean, not really a surprise here. Yeah, I will be pulling for Jason Seagull just because of how much I love that show and had loved that show. I think I feel legit being like over the course of that show. I think that's a performance that deserves to be recognized. But I suspect Matthew Reese will win, and that will not make me unhappy in the slightest. Steve Carrell is fine in Rooster.

I like him in Rooster. I like him in most things. I think he's kind of doing the Steve Correll thing to a great degree, and I enjoyed it. But that's about my take on that. I think this will be Reese, and I think that will be very awesome. Yeah, the big surprise for me here was Abdul Matine for Wonder Man. Yeah, I didn't see that show. Yeah, I didn't either.

But I know you liked it. Yeah, I mean, I love to see some rare Marvel representation. I didn't hear a lot of people talking about this show. The talk I did here revolved around Ben Kingsley, who did not get a supporting nomination. So solid category with a lot of returning faces. Next up is lead actress in a comedy series. Quinta Brunson. For Abbott Elementary, Brunson plays Janine and educator in the Philadelphia Public School System.

Iowa Debris for the Bear. She plays Sydney and ambitious young chef. Elle Fenning for Margot's Got Money Troubles. Fenning plays a single mother who turns to online sex work to support herself and her child. Lisa Cudrow for the comeback. Cudrow plays Valerie Cherish, who was trying to make it big again in a sitcom written by AI.

And finally, one more again, Gene Smart for Hacks. She plays comedy legend Deborah Vance. Smart has won this category four times before for this very same role. Linda, would you make of it? Yeah, I mean,

this is a category made up entirely of actors I very, very much like. I think it will be Gene Smart again. This is the last time around for Hax. I don't know why they'd stop giving it to her now. But I think everybody here is deserving, particularly if you take, as I did with Jason Siegel, a longer view. For all the things that have sort of foundered about the bear, Iowa Debris to me, has never stopped being fabulous to watch. I think she's wonderful. And she is the one who is most in a comedy, I think. I also really loved El Fanning and Margot Scott Money Troubles. And I love Quinta Brunson and Abbott always. So there's nobody here that I, that I don't like and wouldn't root for. I feel confident it will be Gene Smart again. Yeah. I mean, I feel very similarly, but I think I am rooting for Lisa Kudrow here. I just, you know, Glenn, as you know, I was late to the comeback game. And I loved it. I think it is one of the best shows of this year. And Lisa Kudrow is just doing something really, really special there. I'm rooting for her. But if anyone in this category one, like, yes, L. Fanning also very much love her. But that isn't a comedy? I don't know if I would argue that Marcos got many troubles is like a comedy.

But again, we're getting into the bear and all these things. It's hard. It's hard to tell. So, yeah. Yeah, I'm a middle-aged gay man, so I'm going to root for the comeback because that's the law. But she was nominated for both previous seasons of the comeback. She didn't win for either. I fear that history is going to repeat itself.

Iowa Debris got a great episode that focused on Sydney in this season. I wonder if that's going to carry. I also wonder, frankly, Linda, if there's an appetite to say that Smart has been recognized and it's time to move on to someone else. And if that's the case, I think El Fanning has the wind at her back. I mean, that show earned a lot. lot of nominations that I didn't suspect it would. So it's getting recognized by the Emmy. So it's very possible. It's possible. I will tell you, Nick Offerman is nominated for that show in the

supporting category. And when I saw that show, the first thing I texted to one of the people I know is Nick's going to win an Emmy for this. There you go. I can totally see it. He's so good in that role. Yes, yes. He was also in Death by Lightning, which did not get nominated. But he did. He did. Okay. All right. Next up is Outstanding Drama Series. First up, The Diplomat, the Netflix series, in which Kerry Russell plays the titular U.S. diplomat in the United Kingdom. The Gilded Age again. It's old money versus new money in 1800s Manhattan in this historical piece airing on HBO. Next up, A Night of the Seven Kingdoms.

A Knight and his Squire go on adventures in Westeros in this prequel to Game of Thrones. Paradise, Hulu's drama series follows a Secret Service agent played by Sterling K. Brown, who's caught up in a web of intrigue after a president is assassinated. The Pit, the HBO Max Hospital show that follows Noah Wiley and and other doctors and nurses over the course of one long shift in a Pittsburgh emergency room. Next up, for the first time, it's Plyubus, the Apple TV series in which a proud misanthrope suddenly finds herself truly alone. Slow Horses, that stars Gary Oldman. This Apple series is about a disregarded division of MI5, which serves as a dumping ground for British spies who've made huge mistakes.

And finally, your friends and neighbors, John Hamm, plays a divorce hedge fund manager, who begins to steal from his friends after he loses his job. That is also on Apple TV. you make of it? Again, a lot of familiar faces here. But I am very happy to see Pluribus here, which is kind of the newcomer out of all of these. Also, a 9-07 king is also new. But Pluribus, my goodness, so, so good and weird and probably the most, like, carving out new ground of the bunch of this. I am going to continue, though, banging my drum very, very loudly at the fact that industry, the HBO show, has never. been nominated in any category? What are we doing here? Season four was, I mean, it just kind of

re-energized the series and took on a new turn and kind of became more of like a psychological conspiracy thriller sort of show and completely just did something different. And the roles there, the performs is there. Myhala as Harper Stern and Ken Myeong as Eric Tao, her sort of mentor slash business partner. I don't understand how it doesn't have enough people. in Hollywood in the industry rooting for it. So yeah, that's that's my one. What are we doing here? Why is it not there? But overall, look, Pluribus or the Pit, I'd be very happy to see when here. Yeah, there are shows like that, Aisha, where it just becomes a thing the Emmys are not looking at. And then they just never look at it. And it's always mystifying to me. I agree with you. I don't really

understand that. There are a lot of shows in this category that I think are solid shows. I think the diplomat is a solid show. I wasn't quite as into this season as previous seasons, but that's a good show. Slow horses remains a really good show. I was late to slow horses, but I really love it. I will be pulling for either the pit or Pluribus. Either of those is fine with me. I suspect it will be the pit again. But I think Aisha is exactly right that Pluribus is the most inventive of these shows. The weird nomination in here for me, I don't know anything about the Game of Thrones stuff, so I have no feelings about that. But the weird nomination in here for me is your friends and neighbors because it got this nomination and only this

nomination. And it's unusual to get the series nomination and then nothing else. Yeah. That's an odd nomination for me. But I guess when you go out to eight nominees, you get a little more, you know, you're likely to have a little bit more of that kind of thing happening. But the pit's fine. Pluribus is fine. I think it will be one of those, probably the pit. I am not on team. the pit got worse in the second season. I loved it just as much, pretty much. I'm still on board for that, but absolutely love Pluribus. Well, I'm the guy who is delighted to see Night of the Seven Kingdoms nominated. I'm always surprised. I shouldn't be surprised when nerd stuff gets nominated. It's as if I haven't lived through the last 20 years of popular culture and Game of Thrones didn't dominate. Well, this and Wonder Man, right? Yeah, that's true. That's true. Inside my bubble, of course, my little critic bubble, it's pluribus all the way. I don't have any illusions. That is a bubble. We'll see. The show that you won't see listed here that a lot of people are going to be wondering why not is heated rivalry.

It's nowhere in these nominations because it is ineligible. It is, according to the rules, quote, a foreign television production is ineligible unless it is the result of a co-production, both financially and creatively, between U.S. and foreign partners, which precedes the start of production and with a purpose to be shown on U.S. television. So the deal is here, HBO was not involved in this production, and they didn't even acquire the U.S. rights. from Cray, the Canadian production team, until a few weeks before the premiere. A lot of other shows produced outside the U.S. like Downton Abbey, like Squid Game, like Baby Ranger, like industry. They're eligible because they had U.S. companies as producers. And Heated Rivalry didn't.

So that's why that happened. Exactly. Because Canada can take every ounce of credit for heated rivalry, they unfortunately cannot get any Emmys for heated rivalry. But they deserve every smidgen of credit and HBO Max gets credit only for recognizing that they should get it and grab it and put it on. And let us note, Connor Story, who is one of the leads of heated rivalry, did get a nomination for his appearance hosting Saturday Night Live.

So despite their ineligibility for the show itself, it's not as if they went entirely unrecognized. Absolutely, absolutely. Okay. Next up is Outstanding Lead Actor in a drama series, starting with Sterling K. Brown for Paradise. Brown returns as a Secret Service agent who must survive a post-apocalyptic World? Gary Oldman for slow horses. Oldman plays the slovenly burnt-out head of a run-down

disregarded division of MI5 that serves as a dumping ground for British spies. Mark Ruffalo for task. Ruffalo is a weary FBI agent who is called back to duty. Rufus Sewell, he plays Carrie Russell's husband and a hot-shot veteran diplomat in his own right who brings a huge amount of baggage in the diplomat. And finally, you heard it before, you'll hear it again. Noah Wiley for the pit. Wiley plays Dr. Rabinovich or Dr. Robbie who runs an emergency room. Linda, I guess you have a favorite. Well, listen, I love Noah Wiley. I think he's so good on that show. I think he did such an effective job of demonstrating Robbie's collapse that it almost got missed in some analysis of the show. But I think he's very deserving. Gary Oldman is great on slow horses. He really is. If you never

watch that show, that's a great performance. I tapped out of Paradise at some point, but nobody will ever displease me by giving Sterling Cape Brown an award for something. And I will say, Rufus Sewell is such an interesting nomination for me because I despise that character so deeply that I think it's because he's very good. But I can't stand that character. My entire reaction to that show is, when are you going to dump your horrible husband? And I think it's to his credit. Yes, yes.

I mean, I also tapped out on Paradise After Season 1. But Sterling K. Brown give him all the awards. I'm rooting for Noah Wiley for the pit. I think that the genius of the second season of that show is the fact that they made Dr. Robbie kind of an a-hole, you know, and still good at his job, but sometimes not. And I love that the show is willing to let him not be this unchallenged hero and to show how the things that he's not dealing with are affecting the way he interacts with his work. And it's a credit to the writing, but it's also a credit to Noah Wiley in that performance that he makes this character unlikable, yet we understand who he is. And so I'm rooting for him in this category for sure. I love him in this show.

I mean, the only new show in this whole mix is TASC, which I thought was a limited series, but it's not. It's getting a second season. And so the only new face here is Mark Ruffalo. I'd love to see him get recognized. But I have a feeling the goodwill toward Noah Wiley is not going away anytime soon. so I think we're going to be seeing him on Emmy Night. Next up, outstanding lead actress in a drama series. First up, Carrie Coon for the Gilded Age.

Coon plays an ambitious socialite in Manhattan. Chase Infinity for the Testaments. Infinity plays a young girl living in fictional Gilead in the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. Carrie Russell for the diplomat. Russell plays a diplomat whose career takes an unexpected turn when she is stationed in the U.K. Ray Seahorn for Plyubus. Seahorn plays a miserable romanticist. the author who escapes an event that infects practically everyone on Earth.

And finally, Zendaya for Euphoria. Zendaya plays Rue Bennett, who battles a years-long addiction to drugs. Aisha, would you make of this? Look, Zendaya has won for Euphoria before. I was very happy for her, but I gave up on that show after season one because I was like, this is not a good show. It's very stressful. And why would I do that to myself?

I am rooting for Ray Seahorn. Ever since Better Call Saul, I've been. in the tank for her. And Pluribus is a good chunk of Pluribus is just Racyhorn and no one else. And to be able to pull that off and keep the show compelling and keep the drama compelling, like that is a grand performance that is also small and distinct and very specific. And so I don't know if we're going to get that win. I do think that there are others in this. Carrie Russell, I mean, it could be her, but I would love it, love it, love it, if Ray Seahorn won for Purpose. Yeah, I'm in the tank for Ray Seahorn in this category, and I think she will win. I think she will win. I hope so. For one thing, she was repeatedly left out when she was on Better Call Saul, and it was something of a scandal. So I think maybe people will take this opportunity to recognize her. Now, it could go the other way. It could be while they ignored her before. They'll ignore her again. But I think this is the best performance in the category. even though these are all of the ones that I know well. Best performance in the category for me

and also these are all actors I admire. So there's nobody here where I'd be like, ugh, not you. But it's got to be Ray Seahorn for me. Yeah, I'm hoping it's Raciehorn only because I think Vince Gilligan, the creator of Flores, wrote that part so that you can't ignore Ray Sehorn anymore. I think that is there just to say,

look, people, we've got to stop doing this. You know, they don't give Emmys for most work. They don't give Emmys for like, much of a show is squarely on your shoulders. But if they did, she'd walk. This is a show that is all about her. All right. We're going to be talking about some more of the nominations after this quick break.

Welcome back. If you like what you hear in this podcast, you'll like what we're sending out in our newsletter. It's where we can go deeper into our discussions and highlight stuff that didn't make the final edit with exclusive links and recommendations from our team. Stay connected to the voices you trust. Sign up at npr.org slash pop culture newsletter.

Now on to the nominations for outstanding, limited or anthology series. First up, all her fault in which Sarah Snoke plays a woman whose world is turned upside down when her son goes missing, that is streaming on peacock. The Beast in Me, the Netflix series in which Claire Daines plays a writer who has mixed feelings about the arrival of her new neighbor who is suspected of murder. Beef, the second season of the Netflix anthology, features a new dramatic feud between two couples. Next up, DTF St. Louis, a love triangle takes a dark turn in this dark comedy on HBO, and finally love story. The FX series follows the courtship and marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr. and

Carolyn Bessette. Linda, any thoughts? You know, it might surprise people to hear this, but my favorite in this category is all her fault, which was on Peacock. That sort of started off a little slow for me, but by the end, it's actually pretty delicious, and I kind of enjoyed it. And Sarah Snook is a gigantically gifted actor. The Beast in me, I thought, was only okay. The second season of beef, I was only okay. I did not watch DTF St. Louis love story I thought was short of okay, honestly. Did not care for that one. So I will be rooting hard for all her fault, even though I suspect it's going to be DTF St. Louis. Interesting. Honestly, I don't have very strong feelings about this category because I have not seen all her fault or love story. You should watch all her fault. I know. It's been on

my list of things to watch. I will say, I agree. Beef, when we did our episode on that show, basically I think my feelings overall are that it's still good, it's still got some performances, but it kind of loses its central, like the beef isn't really there like it was in season one. It kind of just focused more on this sort of class analysis of class and status and that sort of thing. So I was the less enamored of beef season two than I was season one. And DTF St. Louis, I started it and did not finish it because I just felt again like I'd seen this kind of thing before. I love the performers, all the people in it. But, yeah, I don't know.

I just don't have strong feelings about this category, if I'm being completely honest. Yeah, a couple of things that didn't get nominated here that some folks thought would were half man and Lord of the Flies. Now that those got a nominations. But, yeah, DTF St. Louis. I think you're right, Linda. I think that's going to take it. Next up, outstanding lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie. First up, Claire Daines for The Beast in Me.

Daines plays a struggling writer who is made uneasy by their arrival of a new neighbor who is suspected of murder. Sally Field, for remarkably bright creatures, Fields is a lonely janitor at an aquarium who forms an unexpected bond with an octopus. Next up, Carrie Mulligan for beef. Mulligan plays an interior designer in a strained marriage. Next up, Sarah Pigeon for Love Story. Pigeon portrays Carolyn Bissette and her whirlwind relationship with JFK Jr. And finally, Sarah Snook for all her fault. Snoke plays a wealth manager who is desperate.

Looking for her missing son. Anything to add? Slam dunk Sarah Snoke. She's so good in this. Mesmerizing. I did not watch the octopus thing because after my octopus teacher, I decided I don't do octopus content anymore. Yeah, I don't have anything that I have except. Yes, having not seen the show, I do think that Linda's probably right.

Sarah Snoke, people do love her. And she is great and everything. Yes, I'm going to watch it. I promise. Okay. Like I said, the word delicious. Okay. Next up, outstanding lead actor in a limited or

anthology series or movie. First up is Riz Ahmed. Ahmed plays Shah, an actor who's currently in the middle of a career downturn and auditions to be the new James Bond. Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit. He plays Vince, who returns to work in the New York nightlife scene. Charlie Hunnam from Monster, the Ed Gein's story. Hunnam plays the convicted murderer. Next up, Oscar Isaac for beef. Isaac plays the general manager of a Montecito country club whose marriage is hanging by a thread. And finally, back, back again. Matthew Reese, for The Beast in Me, Reese plays a real estate tycoon who is suspected of murdering his first wife.

Ayesha, any thoughts? Well, I'm really pleased to see Riz Ahmed in here for Bates. I basically down to that entire series. I mean, it was only a few. It was like six episodes. But I down the entire thing in one sitting. And a lot of it is because of Riz Ahmed. And this idea of him sort of playing with the,

James Bond and also what it means to be in an actor and an actor of color. Like, it treads some familiar territory, but I think he is just so good in that role. And it's so fun and very kind of wacky and different and goes into very unexpected places. I'm happy to see him here. So I'm rooting for him, but also I would not be surprised if maybe, like, Matthew Reese gets in here. If not for Widows Bay, maybe for this. I'm curious to hear what you think. Yeah, I think the limited categories are,

little thin this year compared to past years to tell you the truth, which is not to say there aren't any good shows here. But I was looking back at, for example, 2021, when the Queen's Gambit beat Mayor of East Town and Underground Railroad and other really good things. And it really felt like that was where a lot of the action and the inventiveness and television was. I have felt less that way more recently. The only thing I would add here is that the surprise nomination to me was Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, a show I did not care for. And I thought he was completely miscast. I think the way that Bateman is going in his career right now is just not of interest to me personally. But if Aisha's going to watch all her fall, I'm going to watch Bait because I didn't

watch Bate. And I do love Riz Ahmed. And I thought Oscar Isaac was good in beef. I just didn't think that season was super great. But, yeah, I mean, Matthew Reese and The Beast of Me is also good, although when you're playing sort of a suspected murderer, it can get very big. And I actually think he's better in Widow's Bay. Yeah. Which is not to say that isn't big, but it's big, more straightforwardly comically big, as opposed to dramatically big. And I prefer that.

I think it's more satisfying. So I would root for either Reese just because I like him or Ahmed just because I like him. Right. Even though, as I said, you're going to watch all her fault and I'm going to watch bait. You got it. There you go. All right. Well, thanks, guys.

I mean, we didn't get to everything, but we can't. That brings us to the end of our show. Aisha Harris, Linda Holmes. Thank you so much for being here. you, bud. Thank you. This episode was produced by Liz Metzger, Hufsafatham, and Mike Katz have been edited by our surerunner, Jessica Reedy. Hello, Kham, and provides our theme music. Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. I'm Glenn Weldon, and we'll see you all next time.