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After another year of Too Much TV, the 2024 Emmy nominations were always doomed to deliver some unforgivable snubs. (We Are Lady Parts, know we’ll always love you.) But the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences did manage to reward many of the past season’s cream-of-the-crop shows (Shōgun!) and nod to actors and titles previously neglected inside the Emmys circle. (Reservation Dogs, your time has come.) When the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards go live on ABC this September 15, presenters at the Peacock Theater are certain to do the expected: hand over multiple statuettes to The Bear. That’s a given. But when it comes to categories such as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama, the winners are much less obvious at this juncture. With that in mind, let’s assess the snubs, surprises, front-runners, dark horses, and other superlatives amongst the 2024 Emmy nominees.
The front-runners: Shōgun and The Bear
We saw these landslides coming, but they’re still worth celebrating. Shōgun, one of the best new shows of the year (and now categorized as a drama rather than a limited series, thanks to a renewal right in the nick of time), leads the race with 25 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, lead actor (Hiroyuki Sanada) and actress (Anna Sawai) nods, and nominations for supporting and guest stars. Over in the comedy category, The Bear continues to dominate. With 23 nods, it has set a new record for comedy nominations in a single year, breaking 30 Rock’s record. Of course, Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are nominated again, but supporting stars like Liza Colón-Zayas, Lionel Boyce, and even Will Poulter (!) are sharing in the wealth this time. As a reminder, these nods are for the show’s stellar second season, which released last year, not the recently released season 3. —Erica Gonzales, senior culture editor
Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White in The Bear.
The breakthrough: Baby Reindeer
It’s hard to imagine that, only a few months ago, Baby Reindeer was barely a blip on the radar of upcoming Netflix shows. Within days of its release in April, the limited series soared up the streaming charts, becoming one of the most-watched (and most-discussed) titles of the year. That’s thanks to a combination of factors, among them Baby Reindeer’s talented cast; its based-on-a-true-ish-story components; its psychological thriller allure; and its ensuing controversy. And though Emmy voters aren’t always ones to jump on the bandwagon, they’re certainly not immune to buzz—especially when the buzz points in the direction of something substantial. With 11 total nominations, including in the Outstanding Limited Series category and multiple actor/actress categories, Baby Reindeer is shaping up to be a true contender. —Lauren Puckett-Pope, culture writer
Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer.
The long-awaited recognition: Reservation Dogs
The Emmys have finally given Rez Dogs its due with four nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series. The FX series has been terribly overlooked by the TV academy since it debuted in 2021—despite even winning a Peabody Award!—but thankfully that changed with its stunning final season, which arrived last year. Following four Indigenous friends coming of age on their Oklahoma reservation, the Sterlin Harjo- and Taika Waititi-created show explores identity, grief, friendship, history, and community. Lead actor D’Pharaoh Woon-a-Tai thankfully got a nod for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, but his co-stars, including Devery Jacobs, did not. His, Lily Gladstone’s, and Kali Reis’ nods mark the first time three Indigenous actors have been nominated for Emmys in any year, according to The Wrap. —EG
Paulina Alexis, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Devery Jacobs, and Lane Factor in Reservation Dogs.
The surprising first-timer: Selena Gomez
She’s been nominated as a producer for Only Murders in the Building before, but Gomez has been shut out of the acting categories in the past, even while her co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short earned nods. This year, the actress, who has been on TV since Barney, is nominated as Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the first time. Now the question is how she’ll hold up against her fellow nominees: Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Maya Rudolph, Jean Smart, and Kristen Wiig. —EG
Selena Gomez in Only Murders in the Building.
The constants: Only Murders in the Building, The Crown, The Morning Show, Hacks, Fargo, and Abbott Elementary
Even if you haven’t watched these shows, you probably know their names—and you’ve watched them win something at the Emmys before. They’ve become near-constants at the ceremony, and 2024 won’t be any different. This year, Only Murders in the Building boasts 21 total nominations; The Crown, 18; The Morning Show, 16; Hacks, 16; Fargo, 15; and Abbott Elementary, nine. Whether these time-tested series win in September is a different story, but expect their respective networks and streamers to mount mighty campaigns. —LPP
Reese Witherspoon in The Morning Show.
The one that got away: The Curse
Was The Curse just too weird for the Emmys? The Showtime-A24 series from Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie might have been bizarre, and at times too cringey to watch, but it won critics over last fall and was expected to land at least some nods. Plus, with Emma Stone lending her star power to the series, she seemed like a shoo-in for the lead drama actress race, especially after winning her second Oscar this year. But in the end, the much talked-about series got no nominations. It’s almost like The Curse was… cursed. —EG
Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone in The Curse.
The fan-favorite: Hijack
Look, Idris Elba deserves this. Earning the sole nomination for the surprise Apple TV hit Hijack, lead actor Elba took a cliché thriller premise—a plane is hijacked, chaos ensues—and turned it into a compelling heart-pounder that climbed the Nielsen charts. Will Elba beat out Donald Glover, Walton Goggins, Gary Oldman, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Dominic West for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series? Doubtful. But I’ll bet he has a damn good time at September’s ceremony regardless. —LPP
Idris Elba in Hijack.
The snubbed comedies: We Are Lady Parts, The Other Two, Girls5Eva, and The Gentlemen
Girls5Eva, you will always be famous. If not to the Television Academy, then at least to me. It’s a shame the laugh-out-loud series couldn’t get break into the major comedy categories or acting race (Renée Elise Goldsberry is right there!), but at least it earned nods for original music and writing. It’s a similar case for the oft-memed and quoted The Other Two, which only earned one nod for comedy writing, and We Are Lady Parts, which triumphantly returned this year but earned no nods. While Netflix’s The Gentlemen got production and directing nods, not even a tweed-suited Theo James could get a nomination. —EG
Paula Pell, Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Busy Phillipps in Girls5Eva.
The snubbed dramas: Under the Bridge, The Sympathizer, The Fall of the House of Usher, A Murder at the End of the World, I’m A Virgo, and Expats
Unfortunately, the Emmys is not a simple meritocracy, which means lots of worthy shows get slighted each year. But a few particularly egregious standouts in 2024 include the true-crime drama Under the Bridge, which only got a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress (Lily Gladstone); the HBO book adaptation The Sympathizer, which snagged one nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.); and a slew of complete shut-outs including (but not limited to) The Fall of the House of Usher, A Murder at the End of the World, I’m A Virgo, and Expats. These are particular surprises given the talent attached to each, among them Riley Keough, Mike Flanagan, Emma Corrin, Boots Riley, and Lulu Wang. But Emmy voters don’t always flock to flashy names—even when their shows are good!—and, this year, these titles didn’t have the juice to compete. —LPP
Riley Keough in Under the Bridge.
The new favorites: Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Fallout
Not all of 2024’s new shows made as big of a splash as Shōgun, but these titles still made buzzy debuts. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s relatable take on Mr. and Mrs. Smith earned 16 Emmy nominations (including Outstanding Drama Series, lead actor and actress, and nods for its guest stars), as did Fallout, Prime Video’s big and bold video game adaptation. Perhaps the latter benefited from The Last of Us effect, as the HBO video game-to-screen adaptation earned 24 nominations last year, but it also helps that it has a strong team behind it, including Westworld producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Fallout’s nods include production design, costumes, makeup, and Outstanding Drama Series. With both series renewed, I’m interested to see whether they’ll keep up the momentum for future seasons. —EG
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
The inexplicable nominee: Palm Royale
Palm Royale getting 11 nominations when it was widely considered one of the more disappointing debuts of 2024? Be so serious. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, given the (undeniable) talent attached: Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney hold reserved spots in social media’s dream blunt rotation, I know. But there are other fabulous shows that Palm Royale knocked out of competition, and for that reason I have to view it with some ire. —LPP
Kristin Wiig in Palm Royale.
The double (and triple) nominees: Quinta Brunson, Jodie Foster, Maya Rudolph, and more
Several stars scored multiple nods this morning—some of them for multiple shows! Those multi-nominees include: Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Donald Glover (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Maya Rudolph (Loot, Saturday Night Live, and Big Mouth), Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale and Saturday Night Live), Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country), Jon Hamm (Fargo and The Morning Show), Brie Larson (Lessons in Chemistry), Jonathan Pryce (The Crown and Slow Horses), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer), Paul Rudd (Only Murders in the Building and Secrets of the Octopus), and Andrew Scott (Ripley). Imagine having that much energy! —LPP
Maya Rudolph in Loot.
The new reality contender: Love Is Blind
The Emmys might’ve, unsurprisingly, given a rose to The Golden Bachelor for reality casting, but the real dating show shocker is that Love Is Blind is now in the running for Outstanding Structured Reality Program. The widely popular but often chaotic Netflix series, which tests whether couples can really fall in love without seeing each other, has taken over our FYPs over its six seasons. Now, the Television Academy is entering the chat. What does this mean for the future of Netflix’s reality catalogue? And those poor future couples? —EG