🎭 The 77th Primetime Emmys have officially kicked off the 2025-2026 awards season. The boundaries between traditional broadcast, cable, and streaming have all but dissolved, and last night’s awards serve as an interesting reflection of where television has been and where it’s headed.

Last night’s trophy collectors: Three TV shows took the spotlight, with Netflix’s critically acclaimed drama Adolescence taking home six statuettes, AppleTV+’s comedy The Studio nabbing five, and HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt earning three.

Adolescence is a four-episode crime drama that examines the investigation and arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller for the chilling murder of his classmate. Audiences saw the show — whose hour-long episodes are shot entirely in single takes — beat out heavy-hitters like Black Mirror, The Penguin, Presumed Innocent, and Dope Thief for:

  • Outstanding limited or anthology series
  • Outstanding directing for a limited or anthology series or movie
  • Outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie
  • Outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie
  • Outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie
  • Outstanding writing for a limited or anthology series or movie.

The Studio is both a love letter and a middle finger to Hollywood. Seth Rogen and Apple TV+ have crafted a satirical take on the filmmaking industry. The show bested Shrinking, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and What We Do in the Shadows for:

  • Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
  • Outstanding comedy series
  • Outstanding directing for a comedy series
  • Outstanding writing for a comedy series

Bryan Cranston also took home best comedy guest actor, though all but one of his rival nominees were fellow guests on the show, including Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, and Anthony Mackie. Alongside the titles gained from Creative Awards Emmys last week, The Studio became the most awarded comedy in a single season.

The Pitt is a medical drama in the true sense of the term. It follows emergency department staff throughout a single shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, with each episode covering one hour of the 15-hour workshift. The hit knocked out contenders — and frontrunners — like Slow Horses, Severance, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us to take home statuettes for:

  • Outstanding drama series
  • Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
  • Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

Other Emmy favorites include Severance’s Britt Lower for outstanding lead actress in a drama series — beating out the likes of powerhouse Kathy Bates for Matlock and The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey — and The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or TV movie, wresting the statuette from Cate Blanchett in Disclaimer and Rashida Jones for her Black Mirror episode.

History-makers: The Pitt’s Noah Wyle accepted his first Emmy, having previously only been nominated once for his supporting role in medical drama ER 26 years ago. Wyle is also an executive producer on the show. Tramell Tillman took home the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his role as the disquietly composed Seth Milchick on Severance, making him the first ever Black actor to hoist a statuette in that category’s 77-year run. At just 15 years of age, Adolescence’s Owen Cooper became the youngest actor to receive the award for a supporting role in a limited or anthology series or movie, breaking a longstanding 52-year record held by Scott Jacoby.

Palestine got some airtime at the Emmys. Hannah Einbinder called for a free Palestine in her acceptance speech for outstanding supporting actress for her role in comedy Hacks, adding in the press room that “I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel,” and that she is participating in boycotting “institutions that are directly complicit in the genocide.” Javier Bardem, a nominee for his role in Netflix’s Monsters, wore a keffiyeh on the red carpet, telling interviewers that he refuses to work with anyone “who justifies or supports the genocide.” He dismissed fears of unemployment saying that “not getting jobs is absolutely irrelevant compared to what is going on there.”

This follows an open letter signed by 4.5k actors and directors pledging not to work with Israeli companies, or any institution “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.” Notable signees include filmmakers Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, and Boots Riley, and actors Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Ayo Edebiri, Josh O’Connor, Aimee Lou Wood, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Emma Stone, Peter Sarsgaard, Nicola Coughlan, Jonathan Glazer, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Elliot Page.

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