We’ve crossed a new threshold when it comes to television and TV awards.
Instead of the usual routine of being angry and annoyed when nominations are announced for the Emmys and, inevitably, everything we love is ignored and we wonder why we aren’t put in charge of these things because we’re apparently the only TV fan who has good taste…we’re kind of just shrugging.
Yeah, it makes sense that these are the nominees this year. I could have predicted most of the list months ago.
It’s a funny thing that’s happening: As there are more and more streaming services and different offerings for what to watch, consensus has become clearer than ever over what are the things that people actually are watching—and, moreover, liking.
Of course Severance, The White Lotus, The Penguin, and The Studio dominated this year’s nominations. Those are, in fact, the shows that everyone watched, and everyone liked.
And because the writing and directing categories typically feature the underrated series that real TV lovers are obsessed with, it’s even harder to be mad about this year’s nominees: Somebody Somewhere, The Rehearsal, and Mid-Century Modern all got love there.
Still, there’s a lot of fun stuff to nerd out about with this year’s nods. Here’s our biggest talking points after carefully poring over the 2025 Emmy nominations.
It Helps to Work Behind the Scenes of Your Own Show
Actors made a huge showing in the directing and writing categories this year for shows they also star in. Seth Rogen (The Studio), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), and Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal) all are nominated for directing episodes of their series. Rogen and Fielder are also nominated for writing, as are Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) and Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere).
Beyoncé Is an Emmy Nominee
Beyoncé Bowl, the halftime show that saved Christmas, is up for four Emmy Awards. Beyoncé herself is nominated for two of them, as she’s credited as both a director and a producer on the special.
The Gays Are Funny
I’m obsessed with the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category. Four of the eight nominees are out gay actors: Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons), Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere), Michael Urie (Shrinking), and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live). These also happen to be four of my favorite performances of the year, and I’m not used to Emmy voters getting it so right.
The SNL Singers
Another very fun category is Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. You’ll notice some familiar names in the category…but maybe not ones you typically associate with the music industry. Adam Sandler and Kristen Wiig are both nominated, Sandler for his song in the SNL 50th anniversary special and Wiig for the wonderfully silly and profound song she wrote for the documentary Will and Harper, which followed Will Ferrell’s road trip with his trans best friend.
The Emmys Are Spoiler-Free
Pedro Pascal was nominated for Lead Actor for the most recent season of The Last of Us, which, we’ll say…uh…he wasn’t in a lot of. Emmy voters don’t want to spoil what happened, I guess?
The Handmaid’s Tale Love Is Over
The Handmaid’s Tale is the first streaming series to win Outstanding Drama Series, and has scooped several awards and a flurry of nominations over its run. Its just-wrapped last season, however, only got one nod, for guest actress Cherry Jones.
The White Lotus Acting Bloodbath
When it comes to each season of The White Lotus, the question is less if any actor will be nominated, but how many. The main cast all compete in supporting, which makes Emmy voting a sort-of whack-a-mole when it comes to who makes it in. Walton Goggins, Jason Isaac, and Sam Rockwell all were nominated, as were Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, and Aimee Lou Wood. (Scott Glenn was nominated as a guest actor.)
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Is Emmy-Nominated
Hulu’s very trashy, very fun reality show about Mormon TikTok influencers living in Salt Lake City has done what no Real Housewives series has ever done before: gotten nominated for an Emmy. They can probably thank Vanderpump Rules, though, which broke that ground the year of the Scandoval.
Paradise and Presumed Innocent Are Very Popular
The Hulu drama Paradise and Apple TV+ limited series Presumed Innocent were, at least anecdotally among my social circle, well-liked shows, but neither was predicted by awards pundits to perform as well as they did Tuesday morning. Both got four nominations, in each of the major categories they were up for, including three acting nods each.
A Nice Nod to Mid-Century Modern
I love Mid-Century Modern, the show lovingly and quite accurately referred to as “The Gay Golden Girls.” The most touching episode of the season is a funeral episode for the character played by Linda Lavin, who died during production. I’m very happy to see that the legendary James Burrows got a directing nomination for the episode.
No Love for Industry
If there is one major snub to gripe about this morning, it’s that the HBO drama Industry didn’t get a single nomination. The show is a) excellent and b) airs in the former Succession time slot on HBO. What more does it have to do to get Emmy voters’ attention?
My Favorite Acting Nominations
I am beyond thrilled that Jeff Hiller got recognized for his beautiful work in Somebody Somewhere. Likewise, I’m so glad that Katherine LaNasa, whose character Dana on The Pitt I would take a bullet for—though she’d probably take one for me first—got in. And comedian Robby Hoffman’s nomination for playing a scene-stealing assistant on Hacks just makes me so, so happy.
They Have the Range
Congrats to Catherine O’Hara and Julianne Nicholson, who were nominated in both drama and comedy acting categories this year: O’Hara in supporting comedy for The Studio and guest drama for The Last of Us, and Nicholson in supporting drama for Paradise and guest comedy for Hacks.
Mr. Emmy-Nominated President
Barack Obama received his third Primetime Emmy nomination, this time for narrating the Netflix documentary series Our Oceans. He’s actually won the category twice before, which means Barack Obama officially has more Emmys than Jane Krakowski. Makes you think.
The Role of the Year Is “As Himself”
Five of the six nominees for guest actor in a comedy series are from The Studio, and four of those actors—Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Martin Scorsese—are credited in the official Emmys press release “as Himself.” Funnily enough, one of the most nominated documentaries of the year has a similar title: Pee-wee as Himself.
The Best Category
If someone asked me what my ideal day would be, I would say “laying on the couch watching these shows” and then show them list of nominees for Outstanding Reality Program: Antique Roadshow; Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; Love Is Blind; Queer Eye; and Shark Tank. The category should just be renamed “Outstanding It’s Raining on a Sunday Series.”
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