Emmy Awards Snubs and Surprises: ‘Hacks’ Comes Up Short; John Oliver Shut Out; Allison Janney Scores Unexpected ‘Diplomat’ Win

Hacks went into the 2026 Emmys with a record 24 nominations for its fifth and final season, the most for any comedy series in a single year for its final season. But the HBO Max hit came up short with this year’s awards and took home only two Emmy trophies : for best actress Jean Smart, who became the first woman to win the best actress Emmy for every season of a TV series , and a picture-editing prize during the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

Instead, Widow’s Bay dominated the comedy categories. While awards experts predicted star Matthew Rhys to win best actor in a comedy series and perhaps for the Apple TV newcomer to win best comedy series (with Hacks as a possible spoiler) and a supporting prize or two, Widow’s Bay took home 14 of the 19 Emmys for which it was nominated, including in all of the comedy categories (save best actress) presented Monday night. Related Stories TV Emmys Analysis: On the 'Widow's Bay' Sweep, Sally Field Surprise and Weird Variety Series Situation TV Most Memorable Moments at 2026 Emmys, From Taylor Swift's Cameo to Mariska Hargitay Recreating Nicole Kidman's AMC Ad