2025 Emmys Predictions: Outstanding Comedy Series
The State of the Race
The Outstanding Comedy Series nominations have been the most consistent among the main series categories, so it feels really easy to say that 'Abbott Elementary,' 'The Bear,' 'Hacks,' and 'Only Murders in the Building' are all set for their third or fourth nominations in the category. 'What We Do in the Shadows' also feels like a safe prediction, even though it was not nominated every season it was on, because it made the cut last year, and is in its last eligible year.
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In terms of new contenders, Netflix has uncharacteristically entered this season with the most comedies, which could be seen as a good thing or a bad thing for the streaming service. The consensus is that romantic comedy 'Nobody Wants This' is a shoo-in for a nomination, as it has had a long runway of campaigning that includes some winter TV award wins, but it has been harder to parse whether voters preferred 'The Four Season' over 'The Residence,' or 'A Man on the Inside' over 'Running Point.' All the shows have run strong campaigns, to the point where an Emmy voter would have a different answer on which ones they're voting for any given day.
Apple TV+ has been more succinct. 'The Studio' is its big new comedy, and although people have questions about who the show is for outside of people who work in Hollywood, the Emmys are importantly voted on by people who work in Hollywood. 'Shrinking' also stands out as a strong candidate for a nomination, even though it did not receive one for Season 1, because it is one of the series that has leaned heavily into being shot in Los Angeles, even having voters come visit the set as part of its official For Your Consideration event. The devastating wildfires in January have really put that element into focus, as the influential Television Academy members that are going to all these shows' FYC events are largely LA-based creatives that want to keep more work inside the city.
Surprisingly, the big wild cards in the comedy race are HBO series. While 'Hacks' has helped the develop the identity of HBO Max as this hub for broader shows with an edge that comes from not having to worry about standards and practices as much, HBO proper has seen its comedies get darker and weirder in the past couple years. Ultimately, that has led to continued critical success, but on the Emmys front, voters have not been as welcoming to 'The Righteous Gemstones' or 'The Rehearsal,' which is a shame, because they are two contenders that have made their audiences laugh the hardest.
With this being the last season for 'The Righteous Gemstones,' and 'The Rehearsal' becoming a bigger hit that does not have to deal with comparisons to 'Jury Duty' this time around, there is a glimmer of hope that the Emmys will embrace both shows this year, or the small but adored 'Somebody Somewhere.' After all, this is the network that absolutely dominated this category with 'Veep' less than a decade ago.
Predicted Nominees:'Abbott Elementary' (ABC)'The Bear' (FX)'Hacks' (HBO Max)'Nobody Wants This' (Netflix)'Only Murders in the Building' (Hulu)'Shrinking' (Apple TV+)'The Studio' (Apple TV+)'What We Do in the Shadows' (FX)
Contenders:'Agatha All Along' (Disney+)'The Four Seasons' (Netflix)'The Rehearsal' (HBO)In a Perfect World:'Colin from Accounts' (Paramount+)'Ghosts' (CBS)'Overcompensating' (Prime Video)
More Comedy Category Predictions:Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
View IndieWire's full set of predictions for the 77th Emmy Awards.
Last Year's Winner: 'Hacks'Still Eligible: Yes.Hot Streak: While 'Ted Lasso' is the most recent series to win the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series twice in a row, it's been years since the category has had a true hot streak with a specific show and/or network winning the category year after year.Notable Ineligible Series: 'Reservation Dogs' (ended); 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' (ended); 'The Gentlemen' (Season 2 is not eligible); 'Palm Royale' (Season 2 is not eligible)
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