With Emmy voting now underway, awards season speculation is officially here. Before talking about favorites, though, it is worth remembering one important detail: for the Television Academy, the year is already over. Eligible are all series that aired between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. In other words, productions that premiered this June, no matter how much buzz they are generating, are competing for the 2027 Emmys.

The confusion is understandable. After all, the Emmys are the final major television awards of the season and do not take place until September. By the time nominations are announced in July, many fans are already discussing fall premieres and even looking ahead to the following year’s contenders. Every year, viewers are surprised to discover that a show premiered “too late” or that a phenomenon from many months earlier is still eligible.

There is another factor that receives less attention, but may be just as important. In such a long race, it is not enough to have been excellent. A series must remain alive in voters’ memories. The question is not simply which shows were the best over the past twelve months, but which ones people will still remember when it is time to fill out the ballot.

So who are the strongest contenders this year? And, perhaps more importantly, who seems most likely to hear their name called on September 14?

Drama Series

Possible nominees

• The Pitt
• Slow Horses
• Pluribus
• The Diplomat
• The Gilded Age
• Task
• Paradise
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Who should win

The Pitt

Not because it is necessarily the most original series in the group. Quite the opposite. There is something almost “built for the Emmys” about The Pitt: a classic medical drama, impeccably executed, supported by an exceptional ensemble and episodes seemingly designed to showcase great performances. It does not reinvent the genre, but the Academy has never required that.

Pluribus initially appeared to be the biggest threat, but its early momentum has cooled. Today, Vince Gilligan’s series looks stronger in writing and directing than in Drama Series itself. At this point, The Pitt feels destined for the kind of dominance the Academy has always loved.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Possible nominees

• Noah Wyle, The Pitt
• Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
• Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
• Mark Ruffalo, Task
• Morgan Spector, The Gilded Age

Who should win

Noah Wyle

The combination of career narrative, ER nostalgia and the strength of The Pitt may simply be too much to overcome. Gary Oldman remains a serious threat, but everything points to this being Wyle’s year.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Possible nominees

• Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
• Zendaya, Euphoria
• Keri Russell, The Diplomat
• Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
• Michelle Pfeiffer, The Madison

Who should win

Rhea Seehorn

But this may well be the most unpredictable category of the year.

Pluribus may have lost some of its early momentum in the Drama Series race, but the partnership between Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn remains formidable. Still, it would be a mistake to underestimate Zendaya. Euphoria dominated social media and entertainment coverage during its farewell season, and she has already shown that the Academy likes rewarding her.

Keri Russell should not be dismissed either. A veteran of Emmy campaigns, she could easily emerge as the category’s surprise.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Possible nominees

• Patrick Ball, The Pitt
• Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt
• Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
• Tom Pelphrey, Task

Who should win

Jack Lowden

If Gary Oldman is the face of Slow Horses, Jack Lowden has become its soul. After years of remarkable work, his moment may finally have arrived.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Possible nominees

• Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
• Taylor Dearden, The Pitt
• Allison Janney, The Diplomat
• Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
• Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt

Who should win

Katherine LaNasa

A veteran performer with some of The Pitt’s best moments, LaNasa appears to be the favorite in a category that could easily be dominated by the show’s actresses.

Comedy Series

Possible nominees

• Hacks
• Shrinking
• Nobody Wants This
• Abbott Elementary
• Margo’s Got Money Troubles
• The Comeback
• Widow’s Bay
• The Bear

Who should win

Hacks

Just as The Pitt does in drama, Hacks arrives with the perfect Emmy narrative. Its final season, previous wins and the Academy’s affection for the show make another outcome difficult to imagine.

But if the question were simply, “What was the best comedy of the year?”, my answer would be different. Widow’s Bay was more original, more daring and ultimately more entertaining. In an ideal world, it would be the winner.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Possible nominees

• Jason Segel, Shrinking
• Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
• Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
• Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
• Steve Carell, Rooster

Who should win

Matthew Rhys

One of television’s finest performances of 2026. Balancing horror, comedy and melancholy, Rhys delivered a fascinating and deeply layered protagonist. It would also be a way to recognize one of the year’s most creative series.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Possible nominees

• Jean Smart, Hacks
• Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
• Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
• Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
• Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Who should win

Jean Smart

The final season of Hacks feels too powerful to ignore, and everything points to the actress extending her remarkable streak of wins. Lisa Kudrow is the biggest threat, thanks to a comeback Hollywood would undoubtedly love to celebrate.

Limited Series

Possible nominees

• Half Man
• The Beast in Me
• Beef
• DTF St. Louis
• Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

Who should win

Half Man

But The Beast in Me has emerged as a much stronger contender than it seemed a few months ago. This could end up being one of the closest races of the night.

Lead Actor in a Limited Series

Possible nominees

• Jamie Bell, Half Man
• Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
• Oscar Isaac, Beef
• Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
• Paul Anthony Kelly, Love Story

Who should win

Jamie Bell

But Matthew Rhys is a genuine threat. The category could end up mirroring the battle between the two leading limited series.

Lead Actress in a Limited Series

Possible nominees

• Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
• Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
• Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story
• Carey Mulligan, Beef
• Patricia Arquette, Murdaugh: Death in the Family

Who should win

Here, I must confess I am torn.

Sarah Snook arrives with the prestige of Succession behind her and another widely praised performance. Claire Danes, meanwhile, seems to have found in The Beast in Me exactly the kind of role the Television Academy traditionally loves to reward.

At this point, either of them would feel like an entirely deserving winner.

And, as every Emmy fan knows, the winners do not always align with our personal favorites. Sometimes the Academy rewards innovation. Other times, it prefers comfort. In a season as open as 2026, perhaps the most interesting question is not who deserves to win, but who will still be remembered when the envelopes are opened.