Awards Magnet’s latest deep-dive into the 2025 Emmys focuses on the comedy categories, with a clear frontrunner emerging in Best Comedy Series: The Studio on Apple TV+. The team of senior editors—Marcus James Dixon, Denton Davidson, and Mia McNiece—argue that the show’s Hollywood-centric premise, combined with a record-breaking first-year total of 23 nominations, positions it strongly for the top prize. Notably, four nominations for Seth Rogen span series, lead actor, director, and writer, creating the potential for a rare sweep.
The Studio’s cast also impressed during the nominations phase, drawing 10 acting mentions, including five guest stars who appear as themselves and Bryan Cranston in a standout fictional turn. With the Acting Branch being the largest in the Television Academy, the breadth of acting support bodes well for The Studio’s overall tally.
Hacks, last year’s Best Comedy Series winner, is still in the mix with 14 nominations, but acting nominations are fewer—only five for performers. Notably, Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter received snubs in the acting categories, though Downs remains in the running as a writer and producer alongside showrunners Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.
The editors see strong hopes for Hacks’ trio of contenders: lead actress Jean Smart, supporting player Hannah Einbinder, and guest star Julianne Nicholson. Einbinder faces stiff competition from Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear), Catherine O’Hara (The Studio), and Janelle James (Abbott Elementary).
Other contenders in the Best Comedy Series race include The Bear (13 nominations), Shrinking (seven), Only Murders in the Building (seven), Abbott Elementary (six), What We Do in the Shadows (six), and Nobody Wants This (three).
Beyond just the categories, Awards Magnet examines a long-running trend: in eight of the past ten years, Best Comedy Casting has tracked closely with Best Comedy Series outcomes. That potential bellwether could play a meaningful role at the Creative Arts ceremonies, which run about a week before the Primetime Emmys on September 14.
What to watch next: the Awards Magnet team promises deeper dives into episode submissions in their TV forum and invites readers to send questions, comments, and video memos to awardsmagnet@goldderby.com for future mailbag episodes.
Summary: The 2025 Emmys landscape for comedy centers on The Studio’s strong debut surge and casting breadth, Hacks’ continued relevance, and a broad field of contenders with several close races in acting categories. The season’s outcome could hinge on casting trends and the Creative Arts bellwether, adding layers of strategy for voters as nomination ballots advance.
Additional value and context:
– For readers following the race, pay attention to how guest stars who play themselves factor into acting nominations, a nuance that can influence category clustering.
– The potential cross-vote dynamics between series and individual acting awards may shape final tallies, especially for shows with multiple nods across categories.
– If you’re covering reactions, consider reaching out to casting directors and showrunners for insight into how casting choices are aligning with Emmy voters’ evolving tastes.
Overall, the mood around the comedy races remains optimistic for The Studio while maintaining healthy suspense across the rest of the field.