The Television Academy has announced the nominees for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Actors Harvey Guillén and Brenda Song made the announcements this year. There were some predicted wins and some unexpected misses, which made for an intriguing awards season. Apple TV+ became a major player, getting a record-breaking 81 nominations for 14 titles.
Important Points: Most Nominated Shows and Networks
Severance from Apple TV+ has the most nominations this year, with 27 for its second season. HBO Max's The Penguin is in second place with 24 nominations, and HBO Max's The White Lotus and Apple TV+'s The Studio are tied for third place with 23 nominations each. The Studio also made history by being the most nominated new comedy series, tying The Bear's record from last year.
A Closer Look at Apple TV+ Dominance
Apple TV+ had a great year, with 81 nominations showing a wide spectrum of popular shows. Beyond Severance and The Studio, Shrinking and other shows got seven nominations, including its first for Outstanding Comedy Series. Slow Horses also got a lot of attention, with five nominations, one of which was for Outstanding Drama Series. Apple TV+ is the only network that has more than one show nominated for both Outstanding Comedy and Outstanding Drama Series. This includes The Gorge getting Apple's first nomination for Outstanding Television Movie.
A look at how other networks and streamers are doing
Apple TV+ did quite well, but other networks and streamers also got a lot of attention. The Penguin and The White Lotus on HBO Max showed that HBO is still strong, especially in limited series and drama. Adolescence, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and Black Mirror all got nominations from Netflix. Black Mirror's seventh season got ten nominations. Hulu's Only Murders in the Building and Paradise also got some attention, and Disney+ got nominations for Andor.
The Complete List: 2025 Primetime Emmy Nominations by Group
The nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards cover a wide range of categories, honoring outstanding work in many areas of TV production. Here is a list of some of the main categories and the people that are running for them.
Nominees and Analysis for Outstanding Drama Series
There are a lot of good shows in the running for Outstanding Drama Series. Severance is in command, and it is accompanied by Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus. This category shows a combination of old favorites and new challengers, which is a good representation of the wide range of TV dramas available right now.
Outstanding Comedy Series: Nominees and a Look at Them
The Studio is a formidable contender in the comedy arena. It is up against Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, and What We Do in the Shadows. This category has a mix of well-known hits and new shows that have become popular.
Exceptional Limited or Anthology Series: Nominees and Analysis
The Penguin leads the way in this category with 24 nods for great storytelling. Adolescence, Black Mirror, Dying for Sex, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story are all up for awards. These series are some of the most talked-about stories that stand on their own this year.
Who made the cut for the Lead Actor/Actress categories?
There are a lot of great performances in the acting categories. Adam Scott was nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Severance, and Britt Lower was nominated for Lead Actress. Jason Segel got a Lead Actor nomination for Shrinking, and Seth Rogen got a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for The Studio. For Bad Sisters, Sharon Horgan was nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama Series. People also know Kathy Bates for Matlock. Colin Farrell is up for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in The Penguin. Rashida Jones and Cristin Milioti are both up for Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for their roles in Black Mirror and The Penguin, respectively.
Supporting Actor or Actress Types: Breakdowns and Talks
Supporting roles also got a lot of attention. Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever all got nominations for Severance. The Studio got nominations for Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, and guest stars Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Martin Scorsese. Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese were nominated for their first Emmys for acting in The Studio, where they played themselves. Harrison Ford got his first Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Shrinking. He is now the second-oldest person to ever be nominated in this category. Somebody Somewhere nominated Jeff Hiller. For her role in Presumed Innocent, Ruth Negga was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. For his role in Paradise, Sterling K. Brown is up for Lead Actor in a Drama.
Directing and Writing Nominations: Honoring Great Work
The craft categories honor the creative people who work behind the scenes. Seth Rogen was nominated for directing and writing for The Studio. Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné are nominated for directing Severance, and Dan Erickson is nominated for writing it. Will Smith was nominated for writing for Slow Horses.
The biggest snubs and surprises in the Emmy nominations for 2025
The Emmy nominations always have a mix of expected winners and surprises, which gets people talking about them.
Why Were These Shows/Stars Left Out?
There were a lot of shows and performers who people thought would be on the list that weren't. The second season of Squid Game didn't get any nominations, which was a surprise given the first season was so popular. The last season of The Handmaid's Tale only got one nomination, for Cherry Jones in a guest appearance. It didn't get any nominations in big categories like Outstanding Drama Series or Lead Actress for Elisabeth Moss, even though it had a lot of success at the Emmys in the past. Diego Luna for Andor and Allison Janney for The Diplomat are two other noteworthy people who were left out.
Surprising Winners: The 2025 Emmy Surprises
On the other hand, several nominations were nice shocks. It was a big deal that Harrison Ford got his first Emmy nomination for Shrinking at the age of 83. People also talked about Colin Farrell's nomination for The Penguin. It was a nice surprise that Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese were nominated for acting awards at The Studio.
People on social media swiftly reacted to the news:
@TVInsightAnalyst: Severance and The Studio were the first to talk about it, but the actual story of the 2025 Emmys is how streaming services are changing and how certain people were left out.
@AwardsWatchDog: The 2025 Emmy nominations are full of ups and downs for fans, from Harrison Ford's first nomination to the unexpected lack of Squid Game.
Historical Context: Nominations for the 2025 Emmys and Trends
The Emmy nominations for 2025 show how the TV landscape is changing all the time. Apple TV+ has received 81 nominations, which is a new record for the service. The Studio tying The Bear's record for most comedy nominations in a single year is another proof that streaming services are making some of the best comedy shows. The unprecedented number of people who voted for this year's nominations also shows that the Television Academy is getting more involved.
Reaction from the audience and buzz on social media
The release of the nominees caused a lot of talk on social media. People talked about anything from their favorite shows and performers to their strong feelings about people they thought were being snubbed. Fans were both excited by the nominees and upset about those who weren't nominated. This shows how much people care about favorite TV shows.
@StreamQueen: This year, Apple TV+ really created a name for itself, but the 2025 Emmy nominations show that TV is in its golden age since there is so much talent on all networks.
@EmmyFanatic: The 77th Emmy nominations show us that even shows we adore may end up on the "snub" list. Who others felt the pain for their favorites?
@ContentCurator: The 2025 Emmy nominations show interesting themes in both storytelling and acting that go beyond the headlines. Get to know the categories!
What will happen next with the nominated series?
The Emmy nomination can bring new attention to many nominated series and possibly affect future seasons or projects. Shows like Severance and The Studio are already quite popular, and their good Emmy showing will just make them more popular. For newer shows, getting nominated can really help them get more viewers and better reviews. The awards are also a way for actors and artists to get more attention, which can lead to more opportunities in the future.
When and where to watch the 77th Emmy Awards live and online
The Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles will host the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 14, 2025. The event will be hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze. At 8:00 PM EDT and 5:00 PM PDT, CBS will show the ceremony live. SHOWTIME customers can also watch the event live and on demand on Paramount+. People who subscribe to Paramount+ Essential will be able to watch the ceremony on demand the day after it airs.
What is the difference between the Creative Arts Emmys and the Primetime Emmys?
The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be on Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, at the Peacock Theater. They will be the major event. These ceremonies highlight technical and artistic achievements, like cinematography, editing, costume design, and guest performance. These categories don't always get broadcast during the Primetime program. FXX will show a shortened version of the Creative Arts ceremony on Saturday, September 13.
Early Favorites for the Emmys
Even though the nominees have just come out, early guesses say that several categories will be very close. Severance, which has 27 nominations, is a strong candidate for Outstanding Drama Series. The Studio is in the running for Outstanding Comedy Series because it has the most nominations ever. The Emmys are known for its surprises, though, and the final voting session will decide who wins the honors.