The 2026 Emmy Awards belonged to two very different shows. Apple TV’s quirky comedy-horror series Widow’s Bay took the comedy crown, while HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt repeated its success by winning Outstanding Drama Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.
Hosted by Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, the ceremony brought together television’s biggest names on September 14. The evening mixed major wins with emotional tributes, career milestones and a few surprises, giving viewers plenty to talk about beyond the trophies.
Widow’s Bay emerged as the biggest winner of the main ceremony, taking home six awards. The Apple TV series won Outstanding Comedy Series, while Matthew Rhys was named Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Stephen Root and Kate O’Flynn also won supporting acting awards for the show.
The show also picked up awards for comedy directing and writing, giving it a clean sweep across several of the night’s key comedy categories. Its six wins were the most by any programme during the televised ceremony.
The success was particularly striking because Widow’s Bay is a new series built around a rather unusual mix of comedy and horror. Its Emmy haul turned the show into one of the biggest new television successes of the year.
The Pitt, meanwhile, continued its impressive run. The medical drama won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year, while Noah Wyle took home the Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Tom Pelphrey also won Supporting Actor for Task, while Allison Janney was recognised as Supporting Actress for The Diplomat.
The drama acting race produced another major moment when Rhea Seehorn won Lead Actress for Pluribus. Her victory added to the strong showing for the Apple TV series, which also won the drama writing award through creator Vince Gilligan.
One of the night’s most unusual achievements came from Matthew Rhys. The actor won two lead acting Emmys in the same year — one for Widow’s Bay and another for the limited series The Beast in Me. The Television Academy said he became the first performer to achieve that feat.
The limited series category went to DTF St. Louis, which won Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Sally Field won Lead Actress for Remarkably Bright Creatures, while Rhys added his second acting trophy for The Beast in Me. David Harbour also won Supporting Actor in the category for DTF St. Louis.
Jean Smart had another memorable evening. The Hacks star won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, extending her remarkable record in the category. It was her fifth consecutive Emmy for the role and her eighth overall acting Emmy. She now shares the record for most Emmy wins by a performer with Allison Janney, Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Janney also reached eight career Emmy wins with her victory for The Diplomat, putting her alongside Smart, Leachman and Louis-Dreyfus among the most decorated performers in Emmy history.
The night also brought recognition to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which won Outstanding Variety Series. The award came just months after the programme aired its final episode, making the victory an emotional one for Colbert and his team.
Colbert received a standing ovation as he accepted the award with members of his team. He used the moment to recognise the more than 200 people who worked on the show during its 11-year run.
In reality television, The Traitors won Outstanding Reality Competition Programme for the third consecutive year. The win further strengthened the show’s position as one of the leading reality formats on television.
The ceremony also included several emotional moments. Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic work, while the broadcast paid tribute to performers and industry figures who died during the past year.
A tribute to the late Dolly Parton was another highlight, with Reba McEntire honouring the country music legend. The show also marked the 30th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a reunion of Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.
The 2026 Emmy Awards reflected a television landscape that continues to move beyond traditional broadcast networks. Streaming platforms once again played a major role, with Apple TV and HBO Max taking several of the night’s biggest prizes.
The Television Academy said the 78th Emmy Awards recognised programming from the 2025-26 television season. The awards were spread across three nights, with the Creative Arts Emmys taking place on September 5 and 6 before the main ceremony on September 14.
By the end of the night, Widow’s Bay had established itself as the ceremony’s biggest winner, while The Pitt confirmed its position as the dominant drama of the moment.
