The Pitt Dominates 2026 Emmy Nominations With 25 Nods — Hacks Sets Comedy Record, Stranger Things Gets Shut Out

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations are in, and the television landscape looks very different from what fans expected. The Pitt led all shows with a massive 25 nominations, while Hacks shattered records on the comedy side with 24 nods. The biggest shock? Stranger Things was almost entirely shut out of the major categories.

The Pitt: A Medical Drama That Conquered the Emmys

HBO Max's The Pitt dominated the drama categories, earning nominations across nearly every field. Noah Wyle earned a Lead Actor in a Drama Series nod, while Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa, Sepideh Moafi, Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell all picked up supporting actor and actress nominations. The show also earned nods for writing and directing, including recognition for Wyle himself behind the camera.

The medical drama also landed Ernest Harden Jr. and Jeff Kober in the guest actor category, and Tal Anderson and Tina Ivlev in the guest actress field. In total, The Pitt placed talent in virtually every acting category available — a rare sweep that positions it as the frontrunner going into the ceremony on September 14.

Hacks Breaks the Comedy Record

Hacks, which recently aired its final season, scored 24 nominations — setting a new record for most nominations by a comedy series in a single season. Jean Smart is back in the Lead Actress race, while the show earned multiple supporting and guest actress nods including Leslie Bibb, Cherry Jones, Laurie Metcalf, and Kaitlyn Olson.

The comedy category also saw strong showings from Abbott Elementary (with Quinta Brunson earning a writing nod), The Bear, Widow's Bay (19 nominations including writing and directing), and The Chair Company.

Stranger Things Shut Out — The Biggest Surprise

Perhaps the most shocking omission from the 2026 nominations was Stranger Things, which was almost completely shut out of the major races despite its highly anticipated final season. The Netflix phenomenon failed to land nominations in the Outstanding Drama Series category and saw its cast largely overlooked — a stunning snub for one of the most-watched shows on television.

Michael J. Fox Returns to the Spotlight

In one of the most heartwarming moments of the nomination announcements, Michael J. Fox earned a Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for his role in Shrinking, marking a return to the awards circuit after retiring from acting five years ago. Fellow Shrinking castmate Brett Goldstein also earned a guest actor nod.

Stephen Colbert's Late Show Goes Out With a Bang

Stephen Colbert's Late Show earned 9 nominations in its final season — the show's biggest Emmy haul ever. The host's farewell campaign added emotional weight to an already stacked late-night category.

Drama Series: A Stacked Field

The Outstanding Drama Series race features The Pitt, Pluribus (18 nominations, including Rhea Seehorn for Lead Actress), Slow Horses (with Gary Oldman in the Lead Actor race), The Diplomat, Paradise (with Sterling K. Brown for Lead Actor), The Gilded Age, and Your Friends and Neighbors.

The Lead Actress in a Drama field is equally fierce: Zendaya for Euphoria, Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus, and Chase Infiniti for The Testaments.

When Are the 2026 Emmy Awards?

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay on September 14, 2026, airing live on NBC. With The Pitt, Hacks, and several breakout new series all competing, this year's ceremony promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

What do you think — did the Emmys get it right, or did your favorite show get snubbed?