SURPRISE: Widow’s Bay Gets Its DueThis show was bound to peak either too slow or right on time—and today’s Emmy nominations proved it was right on ti
SURPRISE: Widow’s Bay Gets Its Due
This show was bound to peak either too slow or right on time—and today’s Emmy nominations proved it was right on time. Matthew Rhys is now a double nominee for his work on both The Beast in Me and Widow’s Bay, the latter earning him a nod for lead actor in a comedy series. The horror comedy also received a coveted outstanding-comedy-series nomination, pushing out other hopefuls like HBO’s The Comeback and Rooster. Widow’s Bay earned 19 nominations overall, proving that being a slow arrival on the scene with tremendous word of mouth can be key to getting recognition in a crowded field. —J.R.
SNUB: Paul Anthony Kelly’s JFK Jr. Doesn’t Land a Nomination in Limited Series
This category held a few surprises, actually. Riz Ahmed received a nomination for his work in Amazon’s Bait, a series that was critically lauded but not widely seen. Likewise, Jason Bateman got a nomination for Black Rabbit, which premiered last September. Many people thought Bateman’s work in DTF St. Louis would overshadow his performance in this narrow series, but it appears voters were content to recognize him for both shows. Unfortunately, including both actors in this category left newcomer Paul Anthony Kelly empty-handed for his portrayal of John F. Kennedy Jr. in FX’s Love Story. Sarah Pidgeon received a nomination for her work as Carolyn Bessette, while Constance Zimmer earned a nod for portraying her mother. But sadly, the wildly popular series’ leading man was snubbed by the TV Academy. —J.R.
SNUB: Saturday Night Live’s Players Don’t Play
Saturday Night Live actors have a spotty record when it comes to getting nominated (they’re all submitted in the categories of supporting actor and actress in a comedy). Still, there’s often at least one nomination that makes it through. Bowen Yang earned an individual nomination for acting four times over the past five years; the last actress to be nominated was Kate McKinnon in 2022. It seemed likely this year that the show’s newest breakout, Ashley Padilla, would earn her first nomination, but she unfortunately didn’t make the cut. Yang, who wrapped up his stint on the show in December, was also surprisingly snubbed. —R.F.
SURPRISE: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Lands in Comedy Lead Actor
Wonder Man was a well-reviewed Marvel TV series, but it wasn’t exactly expected to be an Emmy contender. Even so, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s performance as a struggling actor who secretly has powers was noticed by the TV Academy. The show itself is about show business, which probably gave it an added boost with this voting body. But all the credit goes to Abdul-Mateen for his superhuman performance. With the actor being the show’s only nominee, it’s clear that what voters really loved was his charming, comedic work. —R.F.
SNUB: Voters Pass on Nobody Wants This
Kristen Bell, who was nominated for the debut season of Nobody Wants This, felt like an effortless repeat nominee. But she surprisingly didn’t make the cut in the lead-actress category this year. Instead, the noms went to Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, Lisa Kudrow, and Jean Smart. The Netflix show received much less Emmy love this time around compared to its nomination haul for its first season, with previous nominee Adam Brody also missing out on a nod. The show landed just two nominations in total: for comedy series and music supervision. —R.F.
