The Pitt Scores 25 Emmy Nominations as Hacks Leads Comedies With 24

Q: With the new 90% vote rule, could the Emmys' most unpredictable category actually end up with no winner?

No. Even under the new “area award” format for Outstanding Variety Series, the category is not expected to end with no winner. The Academy’s announced change means nominees are no longer judged strictly head-to-head. Instead, each program is evaluated on whether it merits an Emmy, with a 90% “yes” threshold creating the possibility of multiple winners. But the reporting tied to this year’s rule change indicates that if no nominee reaches that bar, the program with the highest level of support would still win. In practical terms, that preserves at least one winner. That also aligns with the broader Emmy rules framework, which traditionally says the winner is the nominee receiving the highest number of votes, with ties producing multiple winners. The confusion comes from the new “area” designation, which changes how the category is judged, not whether the Academy can leave it empty. So the unpredictability is real, but it cuts in a different direction: the category could produce more than one winner, not none. With nominees including “The Daily Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “Saturday Night Live,” the bigger question is whether any of them can clear the unusually high threshold — and if not, which one still emerges on top.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 8

Twenty-five nominations put HBO Max’s “The Pitt” atop this year’s Emmy field, while “Hacks” followed with 24 and led all comedy series for its fifth and final season.
“The Pitt” dominated acting races again: Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa returned, with Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif and Sepideh Moafi joining a haul that included four of seven supporting actress slots.
Three “The Pitt” castmates — Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy and Gerran Howell — also landed supporting actor nominations, extending the show’s breakout from last year’s best drama and acting wins.
“Hacks” built on Emmy voters’ long support for the series, with Jean Smart seeking a fifth straight comedy actress win and Hannah Einbinder and co-creator Paul W. Downs also nominated again.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 14 on NBC from Los Angeles, with Mariska Hargitay set to host.