Another volatile year for the television industry has come and gone. Yet even in the face of economic and creative headwinds, Hollywood has managed to produce its fair share of bangers: Severance season 2, The White Lotus season 3, Andor season 2, The Pitt, Industry season 3, Squid Game season 2, The Studio, The Penguin, Adolescence, Black Mirror season 7, Hacks season 4, The Last of Us season 2.
These critically acclaimed shows all captured our attention during this season’s Emmys eligibility window—from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025—and, as announced this morning, many of the same series also captured Emmy voters’ hearts. But the favor of the Emmy ballot is fickle, and a number of well-deserving entries lost their chance at a little gold statuette this year. Fans are probably already furious about Industry. What happened to Overcompensating? And will Nathan Fielder ever get the attention he deserves?
Ahead of the ceremony, set to air on September 14, let’s break down the biggest snubs and surprises from this year’s list of nominees.
Snub: The Television Academy fails to recognize the talented cast of Andor.
Andor is without a doubt one of the best (if not the best) Star Wars series on television. But I’d argue it’s also one of the best series on television, period. Political but not didactic, action-packed but character-driven, as interested in the sacrifices of revolution as the rewards, Andor season 2 was a seminal viewing experience—even for those less inclined to trust in the Force. It’s a joy to see the show nominated in the Outstanding Drama Series category, though my pleasure is tempered by the frustration of watching Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Benjamin Bratt, and Adria Arjona miss out on their deserved acting nominations. (Forest Whitaker got a nod for Guest Actor in a Drama Series, though.) Justice for Luna, in particular—with Cassian Andor, he gave us a hero’s journey unlike anything we’ve seen from the Skywalkers. More of this, Disney. Please. —Lauren Puckett-Pope, culture writer
Snub: Where is Industry?!
It’s no secret I’m an Industry evangelist. I’ve been a fan of the HBO finance drama since its fledgling seasons, but the series has only grown more compelling—and its cast buzzier—with each additional chapter. Before Kit Harington joined the show in season 3, Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, Harry Lawtey, and co. were already doing a bang-up job depicting the in-fighting amongst a group of London investment bankers. But as the aristocratic Henry Muck, Harrington added a delicious infusion of charm, snobbery, sleaze, and practiced vulnerability-slash-incompetence. Combine his performance with the others’, including Sagar Radia’s pulse-pounding turn as Rishi Ramdani, and Industry season 4 should have had Emmy voters betting big. Alas, the market failed them this time as the HBO series earned no nominations. But if we’ve learned anything about Harper Stern, it’s that she always has another move up her sleeve. —LPP
Snub: The White Lotus cast gets their flowers—but they’re not distributed evenly.
With such a stacked (and extensive) cast, The White Lotus season 3 couldn’t possibly have secured Emmy nods for all of its actors. Still, it was interesting to see which actors earned a chance at taking the stage—and which will have to watch from the audience. Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell all received nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. And on the Outstanding Supporting Actress front, we have Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, and Aimee Lou Wood. Scott Glenn also received a nod for Outstanding Guest Actor. However, notable snubs are Patrick Schwarzenegger, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan. But they still might get the chance to grace the stage, as The White Lotus received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series.—Juliana Ukiomogbe, contributor
Snub: It’s curtains for The Rehearsal.
Despite its headline-making insights on air-traffic control, Nathan Fielder’s HBO series The Rehearsal did not receive a Comedy Series nomination. (Though, it did earn nods for directing, writing, and editing.) Perhaps Fielder is operating on a level the Academy can’t quite grasp yet. In just six episodes, he incorporated a one-of-a-kind biopic of Sully Sullenberger, a real singing competition, a genius needle drop of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life,” insightful commentary on airplane safety, and his own real-life training to fly (and land) a commercial aircraft. All of that is a feat not only for Fielder but also for HBO’s legal team! This isn’t the first time the TV Academy has snubbed the comedian; his and Emma Stone’s brilliantly cringe series The Curse was shut out at last year’s ceremony too. The kind of never-before-seen television Fielder makes should be awarded, not ignored. —Erica Gonzales, deputy editor, culture
Snub: Lee Jung-Jae and Squid Game get the red light.
Squid Game’s third and final season did not premiere during this year’s eligibility period, but its long-awaited second season did. This earlier and less chaotic chapter still showed off Lee’s superb range, but with such stiff competition, he was unable to get a nod in the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. (His performance in Disney+’s The Acolyte was also snubbed.) And to think just three years ago, Lee made history with his Emmy win in this same category. Let’s see how season 3 fares next year. —EG
Snub: Your Friends & Neighbors didn’t get an invite to the Emmys.
Despite boasting an all-star cast—including Emmy winner Jon Hamm!—and some critical praise, Apple TV+’s buzzy new rich people satire, Your & Friends Neighbors, didn’t get any major nominations. Its only nod is for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, but at least the series has already been renewed for another season, so they’ll have another go next year. —EG
Surprise: Sterling K. Brown could continue his Emmys streak with Paradise.
Hulu’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller Paradise became a surprise hit earlier this year, with Sterling K. Brown’s depiction of Secret Service agent Xavier Collins drawing particular praise. Brown is already a three-time Emmy winner—for American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, This Is Us, and Lincoln: Divided We Stand—and he absolutely deserves another shot at the spotlight for Paradise. Thankfully, he received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Other Paradise nominations include Outstanding Drama Series, James Marsden for Outstanding Supporting Actor, and Julianne Nicholson for Outstanding Supporting Actress.—JU
Snub: Not much love for Interview With the Vampire, Somebody Somewhere, Black Doves, Say Nothing, Agatha All Along, and Running Point.
With such heavy-hitters as Severance, The White Lotus, The Bear, The Penguin, and others gobbling up dozens of nomination slots, there were bound to be a handful of series the Television Academy would overlook. This year, those shows included Interview With the Vampire (which only earned makeup and hairstyling nominations), Somebody Somewhere (which got writing and supporting actor nods), Agatha All Along (which got nods for music and costumes), and Black Doves and Running Point (which both got zero nods). The historical FX drama Say Nothing was also shut out, earning only a nomination for Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, despite high praise from critics last fall. —LPP
Surprise: Colman Domingo gets some love for The Four Seasons.
Netflix’s The Four Seasons was one of the sleeper hits of the year—and it was recently renewed for a second season. The series, based on the 1981 film of the same name, boasts an ensemble cast: Tina Fey (who also created the show), Steve Carell, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Erika Henningsen, and Marco Calvani. But it was Colman Domingo—and his chic wardrobe—that left the biggest impression. Domingo earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and if he takes it home, he’ll become a two-time winner, having previously won Outstanding Guest Actor for his role as Ali in Euphoria. —JU
Snub: Timothée Chalamet and Ariana Grande lose out on nominations for Saturday Night Live.
Chalamet and Grande are unfortunately no closer to EGOT status. Despite successfully tackling one of the toughest gigs in television—yes, I’m talking about guest-hosting Saturday Night Live—neither Bungee Queen nor Antonio could sway ballots their way. Maybe after they book their next Oscar-winning film role, they’ll have a better shot. —LPP
Snub: The Emmys ignore Taylor Sheridan... again.
Look, clearly Taylor Sheridan doesn’t need Emmy voters’ approval to enjoy his massive success. The Yellowstone creator has launched an entire cinematic universe around his name, and even though Yellowstone itself wrapped up last year, its multiple spin-off series are just getting started. With or without the Emmys, the Dutton Ranch will persist. Still, it’s nevertheless worth noting that this year’s Emmy voters turned up their noses at Sheridan’s Landman, despite its relatively warm critical reception. —LPP
Surprise: Uzo Aduba earns a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nomination for her now-canceled show.
The surprise here isn’t so much Aduba’s talent (the Orange Is the New Black alum already has three trophies to her name) but that voters gave The Residence more attention than its own streamer. Netflix canceled the playful, White House-set murder mystery after only one season, but that didn’t stop Aduba from earning a nod for her portrayal of no-nonsense detective and bird watcher Cordelia Cupp. —EG
Surprise: Sharon Horgan slips into the lead actress race with Bad Sisters.
Though the second season of Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters didn’t garner as much buzz as the first one (which earned four Emmy nominations), it still got some love. Sharon Horgan received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She’s nominated alongside Kathy Bates (Matlock), Britt Lower (Severance), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), and Keri Russell (The Diplomat). —JU
Snub: The Handmaid’s Tale only gets one nod for its final season.
Although the Hulu drama has historically scooped up nominations (and famously set a record for Emmys losses), you’d think the voters would follow tradition and give the series a little bit of extra love for its sixth and final season. (Especially Elisabeth Moss and Bradley Whitford.) But the series didn’t make much noise with the Academy—only nabbing a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series (Cherry Jones). At least they have The Testaments in the works. —EG
Surprise: Meghann Fahy is back with Sirens.
It’s really Meghann Fahy season. After being nominated for her first Emmy in the supporting category for The White Lotus, she finally got her lead actress nod for Sirens. Though the Netflix dark comedy boasts an impressive cast with Julianne Moore, Milly Alcock, and Kevin Bacon, Fahy was the only one to receive an acting nomination for the series. She’s in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series category alongside Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer), Rashida Jones (Black Mirror), Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex), and Cristin Milioti (The Penguin). —JU
Surprise: Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show and the Beyoncé Bowl get nominations.
Not only did Kendrick Lamar bring his diss track “Not Like Us” to the Super Bowl, but he also just got an Emmy nomination for it. For Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Lamar received a nod for his Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. He’s also represented in the categories for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Music Direction, and Choreography (Variety/Reality). His work wife Beyoncé was also nominated for Outstanding Variety Special, Outstanding Production Design, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Directing for Beyoncé Bowl, her NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show. —JU
Snub: Fantasmas did not have the cultural momentum to get nominated, but I’m still mad about it.
Look, I know that Julio Torres’s lovably bizarre, surrealist HBO series was probably not going to garner enough buzz to stand up to The Bear, Abbott Elementary, or Hacks; but this is, again, another case of creativity being overlooked for a mainstream favorite. Not to say the others aren’t deserving, but Torres and his cast and crew should get credit for breaking the boundaries of television and making viewers actually laugh as they do it. Pirulinpinpina, you are a winner to me! —EG
Snub: Overcompensating was overlooked.
Benito Skinner created a new fan-favorite with his TV debut, Overcompensating, in which he stars as a closeted college student trying to navigate his freshman year. Despite laugh-out-loud jokes, a Charli xcx cameo, and a killer 2016-era soundtrack, the buzz among viewers and on TikTok was not enough to push the comedy series into the Emmys race. This is just the start of Skinner’s TV career, though; hopefully we get another season and even more from him onscreen in the future. —EG
