Emmy Awards race heats up between “Widow’s Bay”, “The Pitt”

Apple TV’s new series “Widow’s Bay,” which blends horror and comedy elements, and the medical drama “The Pitt” will go head-to-head on Monday in Los Angeles for the prestigious Emmy Awards, the equivalent of the Oscars for American television, AFP reports.

Christopher Rosen, deputy editor-in-chief of the industry publication The Ankler, expects “Widow’s Bay” to have a strong showing, with 19 nominations in the comedy categories, compared with 24 for its main rival, “Hacks,” CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

Playing the eccentric role of a New England mayor trying to revive tourism on his island, which is known to be haunted, Matthew Rhys could win his first award in the comedy category, after winning an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for “The Americans” in 2018.

The series created by Katie Dippold has already won eight awards at the preliminary Emmy ceremonies, during which the vast majority of the more than 100 awards were presented. It was recognized, among other things, for its cast, for Betty Gilpin’s performance as Outstanding Guest Actress, as well as in six technical categories.

These successes put the series within reach of becoming the most-awarded comedy in a single Emmy edition, surpassing the 13 awards won by “The Studio,” a Hollywood satire that was named Outstanding Comedy Series in 2025.

Already named Outstanding Drama Series last year, “The Pitt” is now aiming for a double victory, AFP notes. The series, which follows hour by hour a day in the lives of emergency-room doctors at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, tackles sensitive issues such as abortion rights, immigration policy and gun violence. “If ‘The Pitt’ doesn’t win, it would be a huge shock,” Christopher Rosen said.

With 25 nominations, a record this year, the series has already won four awards at the preliminary ceremonies, including one for Outstanding Casting. Lead actor Noah Wyle is considered the favorite in his category. Seven of his co-stars have been nominated for supporting roles.

The race for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is less certain and could come down to Rhea Seehorn, star of “Pluribus,” and Keri Russell for “The Diplomat.”

The Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series appears likely to go to Jean Smart for the final season of “Hacks.” At 75, the actress has already won four Emmys for the role and seven overall, putting her just one statuette away from the record held by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman. “She has never lost (...) I don’t see why she would fail in this final season,” Christopher Rosen emphasized.

In the limited-series categories, “DTF St. Louis” (HBO Max), a story about a love triangle that takes an unexpected turn, is among the leading contenders. The series has already won six awards, including two for actors David Harbour and Linda Cardellini.

According to Christopher Rosen, the series “took everyone by surprise” and could end Netflix’s three-year dominance in this category.

Hosted by “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay, the 78th Emmy Awards ceremony begins at 5:00 p.m. local time (midnight GMT on Tuesday) and will pay tribute, among others, to country music singer Dolly Parton, who died at the end of August.

Zendaya, nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for “Euphoria,” along with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz, as well as “Dynasty” actresses Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith, will present awards.

Here is the list of nominees in the main categories:

Outstanding Drama Series: “The Diplomat,” “The Gilded Age,” “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” “Paradise,” “The Pitt,” “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses,” “Your Friends & Neighbors.”

Outstanding Comedy Series: “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Shrinking,” “Widow’s Bay.”

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: “All Her Fault,” “The Beast in Me,” “Beef,” “DTF St. Louis,” “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.”

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Sterling K. Brown (“Paradise”), Gary Oldman (“Slow Horses”), Mark Ruffalo (“Task”), Rufus Sewell (“The Diplomat”), Noah Wyle (“The Pitt”).

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Carrie Coon (“The Gilded Age”), Chase Infiniti (“The Testaments”), Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”), Rhea Seehorn (“Pluribus”), Zendaya (“Euphoria”).

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Wonder Man”), Steve Carell (“Rooster”), Matthew Rhys (“Widow’s Bay”), Jason Segel (“Shrinking”), Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”).

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), Elle Fanning (“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”), Lisa Kudrow (“The Comeback”), Jean Smart (“Hacks”).

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Riz Ahmed (“Bait”), Jason Bateman (“Black Rabbit”), Charlie Hunnam (“Monster: The Ed Gein Story”), Oscar Isaac (“Beef”), Matthew Rhys (“The Beast in Me”).

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Claire Danes (“The Beast in Me”), Sally Field (“Remarkably Bright Creatures”), Carey Mulligan (“Beef”), Sarah Pidgeon (“Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette”), Sarah Snook (“All Her Fault”).

The shows and series with the most nominations are: “The Pitt” (25), “Hacks” (24), “Widow’s Bay” (19), “Pluribus” (18), and “Beef” (16).

Photo: Instagram/widowsbay