9 Biggest 2026 Emmy Snubs: Stranger Things, Jeremy Allen White, and Jon Hamm Left Out in the Cold

9 Biggest 2026 Emmy Snubs: Stranger Things, Jeremy Allen White, and Jon Hamm Left Out in the Cold

The 78th Primetime Emmy Award nominations dropped on July 9, 2026, and while shows like HBO Max's "The Pitt" (25 nods) and "Hacks" (24 nods, a new comedy record) are popping champagne, a whole lot of beloved stars and shows are staring at an empty ballot. From Netflix's flagship sci-fi epic to an Oscar-worthy TV performance from Jon Hamm, here are the nine snubs that have the internet collectively yelling "seriously?!"

Stranger Things Shut Out of Outstanding Drama

The Duffer Brothers wrapped up "Stranger Things" with a fifth and final season that earned a solid 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. But for the first time in the show's history, the Television Academy said "nope." After four consecutive Outstanding Drama Series nominations between 2017 and 2023, the Hawkins gang got zero love this year. The snub stings extra hard when you remember that seasons 3 and 4 didn't get any other Emmy nods — they rode entirely on that drama category nod. Netflix poured a reported $30 million per episode into the final season, and the Emmys just ghosted it like a bad Hinge date.

Jeremy Allen White Edged Out of Lead Actor Comedy

"The Bear" snagged its usual Outstanding Comedy Series nomination, and Ayo Edebiri made the cut for Lead Actress. But Jeremy Allen White, who plays the perpetually stressed chef Carmy Berzatto? Left on the cutting room floor. The five slots went to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ("Wonder Man"), Steve Carell ("Rooster"), Matthew Rhys ("Widow's Bay"), Jason Segel ("Shrinking"), and Martin Short ("Only Murders in the Building"). White has won this category two years running, so the omission feels personal.

Jon Hamm Denied Lead Actor Drama Nod

Jon Hamm's Apple TV+ series "Your Friends & Neighbors" earned an Outstanding Drama Series nomination, but Hamm himself was snubbed for Lead Actor. The former Don Draper plays a disgraced hedge fund manager who starts robbing his wealthy neighbors — easily one of the most compelling performances of 2026. The category went to Sterling K. Brown ("Paradise"), Gary Oldman ("Slow Horses"), Mark Ruffalo ("Task"), Rufus Sewell ("The Diplomat"), and Noah Wyle ("The Pitt"). The show is nominated, the lead isn't. Make it make sense.

More Snubs That Hurt

Kathy Bates — At 77, she made history last year as the oldest Outstanding Lead Actress nominee for "Matlock." This year? Crickets. The CBS reboot got zero love.
Richard Gadd's "Half Man" — The "Baby Reindeer" creator's HBO follow-up was snubbed for Outstanding Limited Series, though Gadd himself earned a supporting actor nod. Half a win, half a snub.
Riz Ahmed's "Bait" — Ahmed got a Lead Actor nomination, but his show about a British Pakistani actor auditioning for James Bond didn't make the Limited Series cut.
Kerry Washington — Apple TV+'s "Imperfect Women" co-starring Elizabeth Moss and Kate Mara got completely shut out despite being one of the year's most talked-about psychological thrillers.
Keke Palmer's "The 'Burbs" — Peacock's remake of the 1989 cult classic got exactly one nomination: Best Main Title Theme Music. Ouch.
Bowen Yang — Left SNL mid-season 51 and was still eligible for Supporting Actor in a Comedy, but the four-time nominee got nothing.

What the Snubs Tell Us

The 2026 Emmy nominations reveal a clear shift: voters are moving away from legacy powerhouse shows and embracing fresh blood. First-season shows like "Pluribus" (Apple TV+), "Widow's Bay" (Apple TV+), and "Margo's Got Money Troubles" (Apple TV+) muscled out returning favorites. Apple TV+ had a monster year across drama, comedy, and limited series categories, while Netflix took hits with the "Stranger Things" omission and "Euphoria" only landing Zendaya in Lead Actress.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, air live on NBC and Peacock on September 14, 2026. Whether your favorites made the cut or got snubbed, one thing's for sure — the competition this year is absolutely stacked.