‘Severance,’ ‘The Bear’ and ‘Hacks’ lead the race at the 77th Emmys

The countdown to the 77th Emmy Awards has begun, and television’s biggest night is ready to shine. The ceremony will be held on September 14 in Los Angeles, bringing together the best of the small screen from June 2024 to May 2025. According to the Television Academy, winners are determined by peer voting, with members casting ballots in their areas of expertise.

Leading the charge this year is ‘Severance’, which collected a staggering 27 nominations. The Apple TV+ thriller is among the heavyweights competing for Outstanding Drama Series, where it faces ‘Andor’, ‘The Diplomat’, ‘The Last of Us’, ‘Paradise’, ‘The Pitt’, ‘Slow Horses’ and ‘The White Lotus’.

The Comedy category promises tough competition as well. Last year’s champion ‘Hacks’ will have to fend off fan favorites like ‘Abbott Elementary’, ‘The Bear’, ‘Only Murders in the Building’, and ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. Also in the running are ‘Shrinking’, ‘The Studio’ and ‘Nobody Wants This’.

In acting races, some of the industry’s biggest names are front and centre. For Lead Actor in a Drama, nominees include Sterling K. Brown (‘Paradise’), Gary Oldman (‘Slow Horses’), Pedro Pascal (‘The Last of Us’), Adam Scott (‘Severance’) and Noah Wyle (‘The Pitt’). The Lead Actress lineup is equally strong, with Kathy Bates (‘Matlock’), Sharon Horgan (‘Bad Sisters’), Britt Lower (‘Severance’), Bella Ramsey (‘The Last of Us’) and Keri Russell (‘The Diplomat’) vying for the honor.

Comedy performers also delivered standout turns this year. The Lead Actor nominees are Adam Brody (‘Nobody Wants This’), Seth Rogen (‘The Studio’), Jason Segel (‘Shrinking’), Martin Short (‘Only Murders in the Building’) and Jeremy Allen White (‘The Bear’). On the actress side, Uzo Aduba (‘The Residence’), Kristen Bell (‘Nobody Wants This’), Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’), Ayo Edebiri (‘The Bear’) and Jean Smart (‘Hacks’) are all in contention.

Limited and anthology series have their moment too, with ‘Adolescence’, ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Dying for Sex’, ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ and ‘The Penguin’ competing for the top prize. Over in the movie category, titles like ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’, ‘The Gorge’, ‘Mountainhead’, ‘Nonnas’ and ‘Rebel Ridge’ are nominated.

Other highlights include ‘The Amazing Race’, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’, ‘Survivor’, ‘Top Chef’ and ‘The Traitors’ in the Reality Competition Program lineup. Talk Series contenders are ‘The Daily Show’, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’, while scripted variety comes down to ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’.

From guest appearances to supporting roles, writing to directing, the list of nominees spans the entire landscape of television. With so many acclaimed shows and performances in the mix, this year’s Emmy Awards promise surprises, celebrations and some very close calls.