It’s been a long time since the broadcast networks ruled at the Emmys, but this year’s nominations are a reminder of how little they now factor into the race. Among the major drama, comedy and limited/anthology series categories, just one broadcast show earned a nod: ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.”
“Abbott” received noms for outstanding comedy series, lead actress (Quinta Brunson), supporting comedy actress (Janelle James) and supporting comedy actor (Tyler James Williams).
And if you look at the entire list of Emmy nominations, just seven live-action scripted broadcast primetime shows made the cut: “Abbott,” “FBI,” “The Neighborhood,” “The Rookie,” “Shifting Gears,” “Stumble” and “Will Trent.”
The lack of broadcast representation is part of the ongoing conversation the TV Academy is having with outlets as its current “wheel deal” with ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC ends and it looks to strike a new licensing agreement for the Emmy ceremony. (Still pushing for my “road block” simulcast idea, which seems to be gaining traction!) Meanwhile, here are a few more pieces of trivia, oddities and curiosities coming out of the 2026 Emmy nominations.
KEEP IT SHORT: There are several Emmy performance overachievers this year, including Jason Bateman (nominated for “Black Rabbit” and “DTF St. Louis”), Matthew Rhys (“Widow’s Bay” and “The Beast in Me”), Colman Domingo (“The Four Seasons” and “Euphoria”), Laurie Metcalf (“Monster: The Ed Gein Story” and “Hacks”) and Nick Offerman (“Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and “Death by Lightning”). But Martin Short has an even more unusual trifecta: He’s nominated for lead comedy actor (“Only Murders in the Building”) and game show host (“Match Game”), and he’s the subject of the doc “Marty, Life Is Short,” nommed for documentary or nonfiction special.
TALK BUDDIES: Sure, they compete on air and sometimes for awards, but the recent crop of late night hosts have formed a bond in recent years — and that extends to even helping each other win Emmys, as Jimmy Kimmel did when he campaigned last year for Stephen Colbert. Now, Colbert has a chance to return the favor: “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is nominated in two categories (production design and lighting design/lighting direction) for an episode that features Colbert and another late-night competitor, Seth Meyers, as guests.
CANCELED BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: NBC’s late “Stumble” did better than most broadcast shows still on the air, landing a nom for scripted programming choreography. Other canceled shows that scored nods included Peacock’s “Ponies” and “Poker Face,” Prime Video’s “Gen V” and Apple TV’s “Palm Royale,” which landed eight noms. Then, of course, there’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” picking up a series-best nine nominations as CBS inexplicably ended the top-rated late-night program.
DIRECTING HISTORY: Salli Richardson-Whitfield became the first Black woman to receive two nominations in the outstanding directing in a drama series category — picking up nods for HBO Max’s “The Gilded Age” episode “My Mind Is Made Up” and “Task” episode “Out Beyond Ideas of Wrongdoing and Rightdoing, There Is a River.”
NOT SO BAD: “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny” earned nine noms — the most ever for a Super Bowl halftime show (surpassing Lady Gaga’s six in 2017). But that wasn’t all for Bad Bunny: His gig as guest host scored a nom for “Saturday Night Live” in makeup for a variety/nonfiction/reality program.
TWO BUNNIES?: In the outstanding variety special (live) category, the listed nominee credit for “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show” initially included both “Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, producer” and “Bad Bunny, performer.” But that’s the same person. Could both personas take home a statue? We asked the TV Academy and they shared an update that his two credits have been combined, as “Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio/Bad Bunny, producer/performer.” So if the program wins, he will only receive one Emmy.
’MOUNT THIS: The “South Park” episode “Sermon on the ’Mount,” which skewered then-Comedy Central parent Paramount Global and its concessions to the Trump administration in the wake of the company’s acquisition by Skydance, earned two nominations. That’s more than the single nod that the entire Paramount+ streamer achieved.
HAPPY CENTENNIAL: David Attenborough earned two outstanding narrator nominations (Netflix’s “A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough” and Nat Geo’s “Ocean With David Attenborough”), making him the oldest Primetime Emmy nominee ever. That distinction was previously held by Norman Lear, who was 99 years and 11 months old when nominated in 2022.
STOLEN VIDEO VALOR: MTV received 11 Emmy nominations this year, split between “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked.” But not included in the cabler’s tally? “The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards,” which was nominated in the outstanding choreography for variety or reality programming category but credited to CBS. The Eye network served as lead broadcaster for the VMAs this year — stripping an already barren MTV of its flagship event. Now, CBS gets to benefit from the decline of MTV by adding the VMAs to its tally instead of the beleaguered cabler.
THROUGH THE YEARS: Outstanding period costumes voters can make their choice depending on era. That includes “Bridgerton” (1810s), “The Gilded Age” (1880s), “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” (1950s), “Palm Royale” (1960s), or “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” (1990s).
AVA FEST: It’s always amusing to note that Janelle James is nominated for playing Ava Coleman on “Abbot Elementary.” But then, the real Ava Coleman is nominated as a supervising producer on “Abbott Elementary,” up for outstanding comedy series. So there’s always a chance two different Ava Colemans hit the stage on Emmy night.
FANNING OUT: Elle and Dakota Fanning both had a great Emmy nomination morning. Both are nominated as part of the production team on Apple TV’s “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” up for outstanding comedy. Elle Fanning is also nominated for comedy lead actress, while Dakota Fanning is nommed for supporting actress in limited/anthology for Peacock’s “All Her Fault.”
LIVE-TO-TAPE: Nikki Glaser is covered in both variety special categories. For variety special (live) she’s nommed as part of the 83rd Annual Golden Globes team, and in variety special (pre-recorded), her special “Nikki Glaser: Good Girl” scored a nod.
OK EPKs: The TV Academy’s outstanding short form nonfiction or reality series category continues to be dominated by what are essentially marketing videos for TV shows. Nominated are “Hacks: Bit By Bit,” “Inside The Pitt,” “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette – A Love Untold” and “Shrnking — In It Together.” The one original entrant: Netflix’s “This Is A Gardening Show.”
YOU LIKE HER: Sally Field gets the longevity title among all performers this year when it comes to how long ago they received their first Emmy Award: Field first won in 1977 in the outstanding lead actress in a limited series (back then we called them “miniseries”) field for “Sybil.” In 2026, she’s nominated in the lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie category for Netflix’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures.”
THE CHALMERS BEFORE THE STORM: Hank Azaria has received 12 nominations and won four Emmys for his voice work on “The Simpsons.” But in 2026, this reps the first time he has landed the Emmy nom for voicing Superintendent Gary Chalmers — a minor Springfield character who has been seen on the show more often in recent years. Azaria first won in 1998 for voicing Apu; in 2001 he won for a host of characters: Apu, Comic Book Guy, Carl, Lou, Police Chief Wiggum and Moe. His 2003 win was for Moe, Carl, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Johnny Tightlips, Bumblebee Man and Cletus, while in 2015, he won for Moe Szyslak and Pedicab Driver. Azaria’s most recent nominations, in 2024 and 2025, were also for Moe. But break out the steamed hams, because Superintendent (or as Ralph would say, “Super Nintendo”) Chalmers has now arrived!
HACKING HISTORY: If Jean Smart were to win her fifth consecutive best comedy actress Emmy for “Hacks,” it would complete her entire series run and also tie her with Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus with the most Emmys won by a performer (with a career eight wins). What’s more, she’d glide into second place for the title of most Emmys won by a performer in the same role and same series, alongside Candice Bergen (“Murphy Brown”) and Don Knotts (“Andy Griffith Show”), who each earned five. Only Louis-Dreyfus scored more — six, for “Veep.” Maybe trying to tie that record was reason alone for “Hacks” to squeeze out one more season!
EMMY PITT: Get on “The Pitt,” and there’s a good chance you’ll land your first-ever Emmy nom. This year, that included first-time nods for Brittany Allen, Tal Anderson, Patrick Ball, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Ernest Harden Jr., Gerran Howell, Tina Ivlev, Jeff Kober and Sepideh Moafi. Other first time nominees were Leslie Bibb (“Hacks”), Dale Dickey (“Widow’s Bay”), Charlie Hunnam (“Monster: The Ed Gein Story”), Chase Infiniti (“The Testaments”), Hamish Linklater (“Widow’s Bay”), Charles Melton (“Beef”), Carey Mulligan (“Beef”), Kate O’Flynn (“Widow’s Bay”), Sarah Pidgeon (“Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette”), Miriam Shor (“Pluribus”), Megan Stalter (“Hacks”), Connor Storrie (“Saturday Night Live”), Joy Sunday (“DTF St. Louis”), Carlos-Manuel Vesga (“Pluribus”), Matt Vogel (“The Muppet Show”), Lauren Weedman (“Hacks”), Karolina Wydra (“Pluribus”) And Youn Yuh-jung (“Beef”).