The 2026 Emmy Awards nominations have the chance to represent a wide swath of series, including a mix of returning favorites and new blood: Long gone are the days where you could rely on every nominated series from the previous year’s awards being eligible again, thanks to the extended breaks many shows now take between seasons.
There are a few exceptions, though: Last year’s Comedy Series winner The Studio won’t be playing in this year’s game (Season 2 is still in production). But Drama Series winner and Lead Actor winner Noah Wyle are both back for The Pitt Season 2, a shoo-in for nominations. Peacock’s The Traitors, which won for Reality Competition Series in 2025, will also be a returning contender in that category.
New Blood and Returning Favorites
As for new blood, Apple TV will likely make a big splash with the acclaimed Pluribus, which is also an opportunity for the TV Academy to make it up to Rhea Seehorn, who deserved much greater recognition for her work on Better Call Saul. Water cooler favorite (yes, we still have those) Widow’s Bay may also make a big impact in the comedy series categories, especially with Matthew Rhys and breakout star Kate O’Flynn in contention. It’ll be up against the Elle Fanning-led Margo’s Got Money Troubles, which will also get Nick Offerman a nomination if there’s any justice in this world.
Nick Offerman could also get recognized for his scene-stealing work in the Netflix limited series Death by Lightning, which also starred Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen. The other big players in that category include the second installment of Beef, FX’s newest based-on-true-events franchise Love Story, and HBO’s well-liked drama series DTF St. Louis. Richard Gadd, who dominated the limited series categories in 2024 with the brutal Baby Reindeer, could also pull off a similar feat with HBO’s Half Man, though that series hasn’t hit quite the same level of buzz.
Final Seasons and New Contenders
The final season of Hacks should also make a big impact, as well as the final season of HBO’s The Comeback — if nothing else, look for Jean Smart and Lisa Kudrow to be nominated for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The Bear also just ended with a bang — however, it’s not Season 5 that’s eligible this year but Season 4, which wasn’t the show’s strongest. Still, it’s possible FX’s Emmy-winning series could make a comeback, especially in the acting categories.
As for the series up for Best Drama, the Emmys’ love for Game of Thrones might lead to recognition for the more low-key but quite fun spinoff series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Past nominees like The Diplomat, Paradise, Slow Horses, and The Gilded Age also have a real chance. And who knows? Maybe Academy voters who didn’t have to give up their New Year’s Eves for the Stranger Things series finale will look on the conclusion of that show kindly.
The 2026 Emmy nominations will be announced on Wednesday, July 8th at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT, and it will be interesting to see which series and actors will be recognized for their outstanding work. With a mix of returning favorites and new blood, this year’s nominations are sure to be exciting and unpredictable.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
