The 2025 Emmy Nomination Awards: Winners, Snubs, and Thirstiest Campaigns

Summary

Podcast Title: The Town with Matthew Belloni
Host: Matthew Belloni
Episode: The 2025 Emmy Nomination Awards: Winners, Snubs, and Thirstiest Campaigns
Release Date: July 16, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Town with Matthew Belloni, host Matt Belloni delves into the 2025 Emmy nominations, analyzing the major winners, surprising snubs, and the most ambitious campaigns vying for recognition. Joined by Rebecca Ford, senior correspondent at Vanity Fair and co-host of the Little Gold Men podcast, Belloni offers an insider's perspective on this year's Emmy landscape.

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Biggest Winner

Matt Belloni opens the discussion by highlighting HBO as the standout platform of the year.

"[00:32] Matt Belloni: HBO had a great year, especially considering they are putting out a fraction of the content that Netflix is putting out and they're still whomping them in the awards."

Rebecca Ford concurs, noting HBO's diverse nominations:

"[04:30] Rebecca Ford: I had also picked HBO. I think they really had a great year. I mean, The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Hacks, The Penguin, The Pit. It's just they had something for every category and they really, really delivered."

The conversation underscores HBO's strategic content quality over quantity, leading to a commanding 142 nominations.

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Biggest Loser

Rebecca Ford identifies Squid Game as the biggest loser, surprising many given its massive popularity.

"[05:41] Rebecca Ford: I definitely think for me, it's Squid Game. That show, the first season got 14 nominations, six wins. The actor Lee Jung Jae won in, like, a historic win for lead actor. And they got zero for their second season."

Matt Belloni expresses his bewilderment:

"[07:03] Unnamed Speaker: What is going on there? Prime Video. They only had 12 nominations total and none in the major categories. Like, it is embarrassing considering the amount of content they put out and considering what a player Amazon has been in the past at the Emmys. I mean, this is embarrassing."

This reflects the unexpected drop in Squid Game's Emmy trajectory from a strong first season to none in the second.

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Sneaky Winner

Rebecca Ford selects Nathan Fielder as the sneaky winner, recognizing his breakthrough despite limited nominations.

"[08:03] Rebecca Ford: I went with Nathan Fielder. He got two nominations."

Matt Belloni agrees, highlighting Fielder's growing recognition among writers:

"[08:37] Unnamed Speaker: It shows that he has the cred amongst writers because writers vote for writers and they love him."

This acknowledges Fielder's strategic positioning within the industry, earning him well-deserved nods.

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Sneaky Loser

Rebecca Ford points to Renee Zellweger as the sneaky loser, a surprising omission despite her campaigning efforts.

"[09:31] Rebecca Ford: Mine is Jon Hamm on the show that nobody watched."

Matt Belloni adds his perspective:

"[22:15] Rebecca Ford: Yeah. She was nominated for the first season, but she did not get the nomination. It's kind of an embarrassing loss for a movie that should not have been in this race in the first place."

This highlights the disconnect between Zellweger's efforts and the recognition she received.

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Thirstiest Campaign

Matt Belloni criticizes Amazon for its lackluster Emmy presence despite a significant content output.

"[06:39] Unnamed Speaker: My Biggest Loser is Amazon. They only had 12 nominations total and none in the major categories."

Rebecca Ford echoes the sentiment, discussing Amazon's strategic missteps:

"[07:23] Unnamed Speaker: They need to make better shows. … They got some nominations for The Boys, which is a good show. But if they're going to play in this, like, or just say, screw it, we don't care."

This points to Amazon's struggle in translating its content volume into Emmy success.

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Most Embarrassing Nomination

Rebecca Ford takes aim at the documentary Will and Harper, criticizing its dual Oscar and Emmy campaigns.

"[13:31] Rebecca Ford: Mine is Will and Harper. It's a documentary that got five nominations for Emmys, including for Kristen Wiig for her original song. This is after they ran an intense Oscar campaign and didn't make the short list. So the new rule is if you run an Oscar campaign but you don't get nominated, you can now run an Emmy campaign. To me, the double dip is extremely embarrassing."

Matt Belloni adds context about Netflix's campaign strategies:

"[14:48] Unnamed Speaker: …it's an embarrassing situation now because obviously Netflix has to support her for phase two, and it's a show that they already said what they think of it."

This critique underscores the perceived overreach and strategic confusion in campaigning across award platforms.

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Enough Already Award

Rebecca Ford nominates Jeremy Allen White for his consistent nominations in the comedy category, despite demonstrating strong dramatic acting.

"[16:21] Rebecca Ford: I picked Jeremy Allen White, who I think is a very talented actor. … But I just think the continued nominations in the comedy category are most stale to me in that group."

Matt Belloni counters by highlighting the comedic aspects of White's roles:

"[16:53] Unnamed Speaker: It is. And he has, like, funny, awkward moments like Jarrett May. Allan White does not deliver a single comedic line."

This debate emphasizes the tension between an actor's versatility and their typecast nominations.

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Most Surprising Nomination

Rebecca Ford highlights Sharon Horgan's nomination for Bad Sisters, an unexpected recognition in the drama category.

"[19:14] Unnamed Speaker: I didn't realize that that was even a contender."

Rebecca Ford explains:

"[20:02] Rebecca Ford: She got nominated for the first season, but it's always sort of an underdog. … There is a lot of love for it."

This points to the show's under-the-radar appeal and Horgan's standout performance.

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Star Breakout Nomination

Rebecca Ford selects Ayo Edebiri for her multifaceted contributions to The Bear, including directing and writing.

"[23:06] Rebecca Ford: I'm picking Ayo Edebiri. … She co-wrote an episode in the fourth season that I just watched, which is called Worms, and it's the best episode of a very mediocre season."

Matt Belloni acknowledges her behind-the-scenes influence:

"[23:54] Unnamed Speaker: I saw her having lunch with Michael B. Jordan …"

Edebiri's expanding role from acting to writing and directing marks her as a significant breakout talent.

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Most Awkward Nomination

Matt Belloni identifies Uzo Aduba's nomination for the canceled Netflix show The Residents as the most awkward.

"[24:24] Rebecca Ford: Otis. Love her."

"[24:28] Unnamed Speaker: …she gets nominated and then she is. Why didn't they hold off on that announcement until after the Emmys?"

This situation highlights the tension between show cancellations and award recognition.

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Predictions for Winners

Drama Series:

• Rebecca Ford predicts Severance will take the top prize.

  "[25:52] Rebecca Ford: I believe it's going to be Severance since the season aired. I just think the show did so well."

• Matt Belloni agrees, citing its critical acclaim and nomination lead.

  "[26:06] Unnamed Speaker: It has all the elements. It is zeitgeisty. It was popular and critics loved it, and it has the most nominations."

Comedy Series:

• Both forecast The Marvelous The Studio to win over Hacks and The Bear.

  "[26:25] Unnamed Speaker: …I think The Studio is going to win."

  "[26:37] Rebecca Ford: The Bear has really struggled since last year."

Limited Series:

• Rebecca Ford chooses Adolescence as the winner.

  "[29:24] Unnamed Speaker: … Penguin got more nominations than I thought it would, but I just don't see that overcoming the Adolescence momentum."

• Matt Belloni concurs, emphasizing Netflix's marketing prowess.

  "[29:54] Rebecca Ford: Yeah. I think Colin Farrell still has a chance in the acting category. …"

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Final Remarks

The episode concludes with Belloni and Ford reflecting on their predictions and the dynamics of Emmy voting. They share insights on industry strategies, campaign efforts, and the potential impact of the nominations on future projects. Belloni humorously mentions attending the Emmys, while Ford expresses support for her peers in the industry.

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Notable Quotes

• Matt Belloni:

  "[04:30] ... HBO had a great year … they really, really delivered."

• Rebecca Ford:

  "[05:41] ... Squid Game… the second season did not receive as favorably as the first. … to get zero is really pretty bad."

• Unnamed Speaker (Matt Belloni):

  "[07:03] … Amazon is embarrassing …"

• Rebecca Ford:

  "[13:31] ... Will and Harper … the double dip just remains extremely embarrassing."

• Matt Belloni:

  "[24:47] ... The Residents … why didn't they hold off on that announcement until after the Emmys?"

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and humorous exchanges between Matt Belloni and Rebecca Ford as they navigate the intricate world of Emmy nominations. Whether you're an Emmy enthusiast or a casual observer, this episode offers valuable perspectives on the triumphs and tribulations of the 2025 Emmy landscape.

Transcript

[Bill Simmons]

This is Bill Simmons and I want to tell you about my movie podcast, the Rewatchables, where each week I'm joined by ringer movie lovers Chris Ryan, Sean Van Van Lathan, Kyle Brandt, Mallory Rubin. We have a whole bunch of people on we talk about movies we can't stop rewatching. And now you can watch us cover these movies on video in the Spotify app. We have covered over 350 movies including Heat, Goodfellas, Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction. We have some real heavy hitters coming up here in 2025. Make sure to follow us on Spotify where you can watch every new episode. Right now, just head to the rewatchables on Spotify now on video.

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[Rebecca Ford]

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[Matt Bellenie]

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[Unnamed Speaker]

New York show's about to start.

[Rebecca Ford]

You don't know what they're doing to.

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Nikan, Amy, Meanie, Mighty Mo, the Walking.

[Matt Bellenie]

Dead Dead City Stream now exclusively on AMC.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It is Wednesday, July 16th. The Emmy nominations are here, pretty much in line with expectations. The top shows in order of nomination totals were Severance, the Penguin, the Studio, the White Lotus, the Last of Us andor Hacks, Adolescence, the Bear and the pit. HBO, Max and Apple TV way up in nominations, Amazon and FX way down this year. Netflix doing pretty well with 121 total nominations, second only to HBO Max. The prognosticators pretty much predicted the major categories correctly, but there were some surprises and some big snubs. Some industry narratives at work here as there always are with these award shows. So today we're going to give out some very specific and very special awards for the Emmy nominations. Rebecca Ford is here. She covers the awards races for Vanity Fair. I used to work with her at Holly Deporter. She's got her picks, I've got mine. So today it's the Emmy nomination awards from the ringer and Puck. I'm Matt Bellenie and this is the town. All right. We are here with Rebecca Ford who is the senior correspondent at Vanity Fair and co host of the Little Gold Men podcast. Welcome, Rebecca, to.

[Rebecca Ford]

Thanks, Matt. Good to be with you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Another part of your CV is you had the misfortune of having the desk outside of my office at the Hollywood Reporter for many, many years. I can only imagine the screaming and crying and other obscenities you had to endure. So I'm sorry about that.

[Rebecca Ford]

No, I learned a lot.

[Unnamed Speaker]

All right. So you agreed to come on and talk about the Emmy nominations and participate in the first annual Emmy Nominations Awards. We will be giving awards based on the Emmy nominations that were handed out yesterday morning. Do you understand the gimmick here?

[Rebecca Ford]

I do. I do. I know a lot about awards.

[Unnamed Speaker]

So I get you've been covering awards a long time and you deal with all the BS and contender ego, publicist nonsense that I thankfully do not have to deal with anymore. So you're doing the Lord's work. We're going to start with the easiest one. Biggest winner. This can be an individual or entity. Should I go first or do you want to go first?

[Rebecca Ford]

You go first. I want to see what you pick.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'm going to select our guy, Casey Bloys at HBO. Most nominations ever. He's the head of HBO content. 142 nominations, leading all the platforms, topping Netflix, which got 121. And, you know, everyone freaked out last year when HBO had a down year and he took the lumps. So we gotta give him the props. HBO had a great year, especially when you consider they are putting out a fraction of the content that Netflix is putting out and they're still whomping them in the awards.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, I had also picked hbo. I think they really had a great year. I mean, the last of us, the White Lotus hacks, the Penguin, the Pit. It's just they had something for every category and they really, really delivered.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It's kind of nuts that the Pit, which was supposed to be the populist show, the broadcast style show, it's basically an ER spinoff. It was actually supposed to be an ER reboot and that ends up getting 13 nominations. Not the same as White Lotus, but still amazing.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. And I feel like when I was searching around, I feel like people are most mad that every actor in the Pit didn't get nominated. So people love, love that show. Yeah, it did really well.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'd also say a close runner up would be Zach Van Amber and Jamie Erlich at Apple. Apple TV plus record 81 noms. They got top nominations in all three major categories. Actually, the most series, I believe, in the top three categories. It's pretty impressive, especially considering the service didn't exist six years ago. Okay, so let's go to Biggest Loser. This can be individual or entity.

[Rebecca Ford]

Okay, I'll go first.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You go first on this one.

[Rebecca Ford]

I definitely think for me, it's Squid Game.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, really?

[Rebecca Ford]

That show, the first season got 14 nominations, six wins. The actor Lee Jung Jae won in, like, a historic win for lead actor. And they got zero for their second season. Not even.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That is bizarre.

[Rebecca Ford]

I mean, below the line. That doesn't make any sense.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I know. That is bizarre. It was really second season not received as favorably as the first. Still huge on Netflix. And a lot of times these nominations go to the shows that people actually watch and. Yeah, so that is surprising.

[Rebecca Ford]

I mean, they went all out with that first season to get, you know, they knew what they had at that time.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They brought everybody here. Did they bring the whole cast here again?

[Rebecca Ford]

They did. I just felt like nothing hit in the way it did. Even with, like, memes or the social commentary. It just didn't hit like it did with the first season. So they didn't have the heat behind it. They have another season. There's a chance it could be back. But to get zero is really pretty bad.

[Unnamed Speaker]

My Biggest Loser is Amazon. I mean, what is going on there? Prime Video. They only had 12 nominations total and none in the major categories. Like, it is embarrassing considering the amount of content they put out and considering what a player Amazon has been in the past at the Emmys. I mean, this is embarrassing.

[Rebecca Ford]

You didn't think that one nomination for Etoile was enough to open Etoile.

[Unnamed Speaker]

At least you can pronounce it. The French ballerina show that was canceled during their campaign. Like, says a lot about what you think about your show and you cancel it during the Emmy campaign.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, I agree. They've really had a rough go of it, and I don't know what they need to do to change it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They need to make better shows. I mean, I know that their demo likes the White Guy with a Gun shows, and, like, that is where they're going and kind of stuff they're doing. And they got some nominations for the Boys, which is a good show. But if they're going to play in this, like, or just say, screw it, we don't care. We're CBS and we're not even going to pretend to play. But even CBS has, like, the Kathy Bates nom. They have, you know, their reality shows get nominated. Um, they've got Colbert, like, Amazon just kind of floundering, so. All right, we're going to leave it there. Let's go to our Sneaky winner. The one that maybe is not obvious to the average person.

[Rebecca Ford]

I went with Nathan Fielder. He got two nominations.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, really? Even though he didn't get comedy series for the rehearsal.

[Rebecca Ford]

That's okay. He has been totally snubbed by the TV Academy up until this point. And so, you know, the rehearsal didn't get anything. The curse. So for the rehearsal, season two, which is, in my opinion, much better to get two nominations, including writing.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Writing and directing, which writing and directing.

[Rebecca Ford]

I do think is often the place where, like, legit shows get those nominations. And I think for him to get those two really speaks to a new kind of support he didn't have before.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It shows that he has the cred amongst writers because writers vote for writers and they love him. Yeah, I'll accept that one. My sneaky winner is James Babydoll Dixon.

[Rebecca Ford]

Okay.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The agent for Colbert, Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel. All three of the nominated variety talk shows all have the same agent. So shout out for James Babydoll Dixon.

[Rebecca Ford]

Very specific. But he's kind of a winner every year. And these guys do well. Every year.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They do. But because the category was only three nominees this year, he got them all. You know, there's no Seth Meyers. There's no Hot Ones. There's, you know, none of these others that have been in there before. Well, Hot Ones hasn't. But none of these others got in there, and his three guys did. So shout out for Baby Doll. Let's go for the sneaky loser. Who's your sneaky loser?

[Rebecca Ford]

My sneaky loser is an Oscar nominee named Renee Zellweger.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, sad. She did campaign.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, she campaigned a lot.

[Unnamed Speaker]

She had the Bridget Jones movie, which is so bizarre because that movie was released theatrically everywhere other than America, and yet they put it up for Emmys, which, you know, what you're allowed to do. And she did not get the nom.

[Rebecca Ford]

The movie that is on television got a TV movie nomination, but she did not. Which she did. She did a lot for it. She really was going for that nomin. I really thought she had it. So that's kind of an embarrassing loss for a movie that should not have been in this race in the first place.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, my sneaky loser is Taylor Sheridan. I know. This is like my hobby horse. I've been saying for years that his shows should get more Emmy attention, but zero in the major categories, like with the level of star power that he's working with. Harrison Ford gets a nomination for shrinking, but not for 1923, where he's like, Kicking ass. I don't get it. Landman was in the top 10 of Nielsen shows for the year and got good reviews. Billy Bob is amazing and he didn't get a nom.

[Rebecca Ford]

The voters are not going to let that be an Emmy show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Why? Because Ali Larder, like, embarrasses herself on the show? I get that it's got a different tone than you would normally see, but Billy Bob got nominations for that Amazon detective show he did.

[Rebecca Ford]

With those shows, it's just not about who's on them. They just. They're not gonna be let in. The door is closed.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Helen Mirren, like, she's got an Oscar.

[Rebecca Ford]

Well, I'm sure she gets a very great payday for the show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They do.

[Rebecca Ford]

They're not getting an Emmy nomination.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I just. I don't understand it. If Cate Blanchett can slum it in TV and get a nomination, then so should Helen Mirren.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, but in an Alfonso Cuaron show, it's just. It's different.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay. All right, well, that's my sneaky loser. Let's move on to the thirstiest award. The show or person that tried the hardest to get a nomination and it just didn't work out. I'm gonna pick Seth Meyers. That dude was everywhere. He showed up at the motion picture television home. He literally went to the old folks home where the old voters lived and entertained them as part of his campaign and did not get in for the late night category. It's a bummer for him.

[Rebecca Ford]

It's also such a small category.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I know, but he thought he had a chance. And you know, for him, like, I really hope that this doesn't impact his show because those 12:30 shows are hanging by a thread to begin with and Emmy nominations can be a lifeline. I really hope that Seth Meyers is safe, but it's tough when you're not an award show and you're not getting the audience. It's. It's tough. So maybe he needs to stick around as long enough so he can take over snl, in my opinion. But bummer for Seth Meyers. He really tried and didn't happen. Fallon didn't even try this year. Bill Maher doesn't even try anymore.

[Rebecca Ford]

Right.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But Seth Meyers did.

[Rebecca Ford]

All right. Seth Meyers did not work. I picked Running Point, the Netflix comedy show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You thought that was a contender?

[Rebecca Ford]

I did not, but Netflix sure did. Kate Hudson, like, hosted an LA Lakers game, invited tons of, like, awards press, and really pushed for it. It's a good show. I think it could have Been with the right campaign, but they really tried to run a campaign for it, but it was always like 50th on Gold Derby. It was never actually like, close.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, sometimes Netflix will do that where they just like decide they're doing a campaign for talent reasons. And like, nobody else has decided their show is a contender.

[Rebecca Ford]

Right.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But good for them. They're going to spend the money.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, she did a lot of press for it and just didn't go anywhere.

[Unnamed Speaker]

All right, this next one, I did not have a selection for this next one, but I think you probably do. Most embarrassing nomination for the Academy. The, like, what this person got nominated.

[Rebecca Ford]

Mine is based on a principle that I've long held, but I'm picking Will and Harper. It's a documentary.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, but that's. I know what you're going to do. Go ahead.

[Rebecca Ford]

I'm going to do it. It got five nominations for Emmys, including for Kristen Wiig for her original song. And this is after they ran a very intense Oscar campaign and didn't make the short list. So the new rule is if you run a Oscar campaign but you don't get nominated, you are allowed to now run an Emmy campaign. So to me, the double dip just remains extremely embarrassing.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, that's the Made in America OJ Rule where it won't the documentary Oscar and Emmy. And after that, they said no more of that. But if you campaign and you don't get it, you can then do it. I mean, I guess it's embarrassing for Netflix that they are essentially choosing some of their movies to run in the Emmy race and some of them to run in the Oscar race. Like Rebel Ridge got a nomination for Emmys. If that movie was good, why didn't they save it and run it in the Oscars?

[Rebecca Ford]

It wasn't good enough.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Not good enough. I guess the Gorge, the Apple movie, got a nomination for TV movie. If that was actually good, maybe run it in the Oscars. I think it's just because they know it has no shot at the Oscars, so they go for it for the Emmys.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, that movie, Nonna's.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, Nonna's, which is like weirdly popular with Vince Vaughn. That's got. That got a nomination as well. This episode is brought to you by contentful marketers. You know that feeling when your content just works? When you crush a viral trend before 10am when one tiny tweak to a landing page sends click through rates through the roof. That's contentful, dynamic content made blissfully simple. Contentful helps you create and Launch personalized experiences instantly across any digital channel. No stress, no limits, only possibilities. Come get the [e-mail] this episode is.

[Bill Simmons]

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[Unnamed Speaker]

All right, let's move to the Enough Already award. The show or person that keeps getting nominated but is well past nomination worthy. You go first.

[Rebecca Ford]

I picked Jeremy Ellen White, who I think is.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, how dare you.

[Rebecca Ford]

He's a very talented actor. I watched the recent season. He's doing some great dramatic work out there. But I just think the continued nominations in the comedy category.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, just because he's not funny. I mean, that's. But that's not his fault.

[Rebecca Ford]

It's not his fault. He's a very good actor. But I think when you look at the rest of the category, it is the nomination that feels most stale to me in that group.

[Unnamed Speaker]

So you're saying that Jason Segel is a laugh riot on shrinking. I guess that is technically a comedy.

[Rebecca Ford]

It is. And he has, like, funny, awkward moments like Jarrett May. Allan White does not deliver a single comedic line.

[Unnamed Speaker]

No, the bear is anti funny. It, like, sucks the humor out of the room.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, it's a little bit of a cheat.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'll give you that one. My enough already award is the Amazing Race. Like, please, God. Like, we get it. It's an impressive production. It's hard to shoot around the world, but the show is the same as it's ever been for 20 years. Like, there are so many other shows on. Give someone else a chance. It's just stale.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, it is. I mean, that's the stalest category. At least they have the traders shaking it up now. But that category has problems. And I agree. Amazing Racist is an old, old show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I know. It's just. And I used to watch it, like, it's very well done, but it really feels like nobody watches any of these shows and they just keep voting for it just to vote for it.

[Rebecca Ford]

Well, Survivor got booted off, but now is back this year, so sometimes they get a little hand slap and then have to return. So we'll see.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Good for Probst, Friend of the town, Jeff Probst, the showrunner that can brag the most.

[Rebecca Ford]

I picked Charlie Brooker for Black Mirror.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, okay, explain.

[Rebecca Ford]

Maybe I underestimated that show this year. I didn't think it was going to perform as well as it has with previous seasons. You know, the first season was, like, so huge, but it got 10 nominations. It's actually the most it's ever gotten in a single year. And including, like, for Rashida Jones, who I think no one really saw coming in that lead actress race. So I wonder if it's just because we're all living in a world that's terrified of AI and this all feels a little closer to home. But it did really, really well, and I really didn't think it was going to this year.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay, that's not a bad one. I'm going to go with Lorne Michaels. 31 nominations for the SNL franchise now obviously got a big boost this year because the SNL50 show and all the peacock documentaries also got nominated. And there was some weakness. Some of the hosts that typically will get nominated in the guest category did not get nominated this year, but he got the supporting actor nomination for Bowen Yang. For some reason, he gets the nomination on that cast. Not sure why about that, but 31 noms for SNL. Big flex for Lauren. 50th anniversary.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, it's a good one.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You think he'll win? You think he'll beat John Oliver?

[Rebecca Ford]

I do think he'll win.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You think SNL is going to beat John Oliver? That's. That's bold because this would be 10 in a row for John Oliver.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, I don't know. I just feel like this whole SNL50 thing just felt really big this year. But I could be wrong.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It depends. It depends. If Lauren comes on the town during phase two, that would put him over the top. That would put him over. I'm just saying, Lauren, you know my number. All right, most surprising nomination.

[Rebecca Ford]

You want to go first?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'm going to say Sharon Horgan in Bad Sisters for drama actress. I'll be honest with you, didn't realize that that was even a contender, that that was considered a good show. I know people like it on Apple tv, but Sharon Horgan, do you watch that show?

[Rebecca Ford]

I do. And she got nominated for the first season, but it's always sort of an underdog. Like, it was surprising. She basically kicked out Elisabeth Moss, who would have been nominated for her last season of the Handmaid's Tale. So it was a surprise. But I think if you notice that she'd been nominated before the show, got nominated for writing in the first season, there is a lot of love for it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay, all right, then that's maybe not as big a surprise, but I wasn't that surprised that Handmaid's Tale didn't get much. I mean, I feel like it's not the whole Zeitgeist y thing that propelled it at the beginning. Yes, I know we're still in that dystopia, but I don't know, man. It's less fresh. There's lots of other shows that are capitalizing on that now, so it doesn't surprise me. Although the ratings for Handmaid's Tale have still remained huge. Like it is the biggest show on Hulu, basically.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. I don't know. I thought for the final season, it'd give a bigger send off than it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Did with the Emmys, you mean?

[Rebecca Ford]

Yes, yes. So I picked Meghan Fahey, who got nominated for Sirens, a show that I did not think was an Emmy contender at all. It's a Netflix series. It's like a fun watch, but to me, it was not a Netflix show and it actually got three other nominations. So I think with her, she's the it girl. She was on White Lotus. People love her. So I think it was more of a spirit support for her. But again, it got a couple below the line. Below the line nominations as well.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Speaking of fights behind the scenes, they had a whole fight with the creator and Netflix behind the scenes on that one.

[Rebecca Ford]

Oh, interesting.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They wanted changes and the tone was wrong. And it does have a very particular tone to it and, you know, big stars. So I'm not surprised that maybe I'm more surprised that Julianne Moore didn't get nominated.

[Rebecca Ford]

Right. I just think it's because Fahey's so loved.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Who's the biggest snub? The biggest snub of everyone for acting. Yeah.

[Rebecca Ford]

Mine is Jon Hamm on the show that nobody watched.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I watched it.

[Rebecca Ford]

Okay.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The show is fine. It's like, got its fans, it's got its detractors, but the show got a couple nominations not for series, and he should have been nominated. He's also great on Landman.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. I don't think that show had much of a of a chance, though. It just never got the momentum that it Needed.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Who's your biggest snub? Diego Luna. I loved an Andor.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, he was great. Oh, my biggest nub is Keira Knightley. I loved Black Doves. I thought she was incredible.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, I don't even know what that is.

[Rebecca Ford]

Oh, my goodness. Well, there was like five spy shows that came out at the same time.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, like three of them had Amanda Seyfried in them. Right. There were like three Amanda Seyfried shows where there was a murder and there's a mystery.

[Rebecca Ford]

There were too many at once, I think, because Eddie Redmayne also got quite lost in that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I loved that show Day of the Jackal. What happened there? Peacock, Man. It's just hard.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, Peacock. I mean, none of those shows did well, but Keira Knightley's really good in Black Doves. If you haven't seen it, it's worth a watch the Netflix show. It's a quick watch.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay, let's go to your category. I will not be selecting someone the Rebecca's this person will be a star Breakout nomination award.

[Rebecca Ford]

Oh, yes. Thank you for putting my name in one of these awards. It's very exciting for me.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You can't pick the kid from adolescence.

[Rebecca Ford]

No, I'm going less obvious once I explain myself. So I'm picking Ayo Edebiri.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Everybody knows her.

[Rebecca Ford]

No, no, let me finish.

[Unnamed Speaker]

She hosted snl.

[Rebecca Ford]

Not for acting, though. She got a nomination for directing the show the Bear.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Which episode did she direct?

[Rebecca Ford]

Napkins. But the more interesting thing is she co wrote an episode in the fourth season that I just watched, which is called Worms, and it's the best episode of a very mediocre season.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That's the one where she goes around.

[Rebecca Ford]

With the 12 year old hair. Yeah. And it's really good. And so I think she is the breakout to become like a writer director, and that's what she's gonna end up doing next. Like, I know everyone's really excited about her as an actor, but I think she's really interesting in that respect.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, interesting. I saw her having lunch with Michael B. Jordan at the Polo Lounge a little while ago, and I assumed it was for an acting role. Maybe it wasn't.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, I know she's writing a Barney and friends movie for a 24 or something. I don't know.

[Unnamed Speaker]

She's doing a Barney movie. Oh, my God. Hollywood is over. If we're taking talented young people and putting them into the Barney movie.

[Rebecca Ford]

Hey, Barbie and Greta would disagree with you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Sure. Okay. Because lightning strikes twice.

[Rebecca Ford]

But yeah, I think behind the scenes I think she's really exciting person to watch.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay. All right, I'll take that. I'm going to add a bonus category here, and then you and I will do our picks for what is going to win. And that'll be our call sheet today. Most awkward nomination. Uzo Aduba for the residents, a canceled Netflix show.

[Rebecca Ford]

Otis. Love her.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, she gets nominated. This is why I don't understand why Netflix canceled this show before the nomination. Because she always gets nominated. All those years on Orange Was the New Black, she got nominated. She's been nominated for guest stars. Like, she's one of those people that, like, exists only on the Emmys. She pops up and then, like, she'll be nominated and there she is. And the Residence was a big shonda show. I know it was expensive, and I know that was kind of the reason why they canceled it, but why didn't they hold off on that announcement until after the Emmys?

[Rebecca Ford]

I never understand why they would announce any cancellation during maybe the options on.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The cast expired and they had to or something like that. But seems like it's an awkward situation now because obviously Netflix has to support her for phase two, and it's a show that they already said what they think of it.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, it's a good one.

[Unnamed Speaker]

All right, so let's go to our picks for the winners. What is going to win in drama series, comedy series, and limited series? I'll let you go first. Let's start with drama.

[Rebecca Ford]

I believed it's going to be severance since the season aired. I just think the show did so well. It got the most nominations. It's only real competition. I think it's probably the Pit, but I feel like severance is way out ahead here.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It has all the elements. It is zeitgeisty. It was popular and critics loved it, and it has the most nominations. So there you go. It's going to win. So let's move quickly to limited series.

[Rebecca Ford]

You're skipping comedy.

[Unnamed Speaker]

We can go comedy. Let's go comedy. I have my pick. I'm obviously biased here.

[Rebecca Ford]

There's a real conflict of interest.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, I am biased here, but I pride myself. If I didn't think that the studio was going to win, I would say it, and I think the studio is going to win.

[Rebecca Ford]

I agree that the studio is going to win. I think Hacks is its only real competition.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And it was, you know, Hacks is great. A lot of the people said it was a down season. It also has already won. It won last year, so the studio feels probably more Like a discovery. It's also in the backyard of Hollywood and has a good story around it and has a ton of nominations. So the only real competition, I think, would be the Bear. Right.

[Rebecca Ford]

The Bear has really struggled since last year, I think. I think it's lost that ability to really compete here. I mean, it should have switched to drama.

[Unnamed Speaker]

If the fourth season had come back firing and everyone was like, all right, the bear is back. I think maybe there could have been some, like, confusion voting where people voted for it for this season, not for the last season that they're supposed to be, but this season was sort of like also moderately well received but not great. So I just don't think it's enough to get over the line.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, it had a very muted release, I think, for this fourth season, so I don't think that helps it any. Are you going to get up on stage when studio wins, Matt? Just storm the stage. Part of the.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I have not thought about. I'll tell you what, I will go on stage if Ted Sarandos does. Do you think there's going to be a Sal Saperstein reference if they win? Of course. If Ike Barinholtz wins, supporting, there will be, but I think maybe other winners. If Ike doesn't win, I think whoever gets up on stage and as the winner will. 100%. Thank you, Sal Saperson. So I think it's kind of the studios to lose right now. What else? And it's not gonna be shrinking. Shrinking really gets hurt by the fact that it doesn't come out right before voting. It's, you know, it's early in the. In the voting year. And all the other shows are at least on in 2025.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, a few of them just feel a little. I mean, only Murders, eh, past its prime. I know, but it won a tag, which was a big surprise. So I thought maybe that would give it a little more momentum. But yeah, I agree. Nothing feels as strong as the studio or hacks. I think those are the top two.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Has a tech company has never had wins in drama and comedy. Right. Apple winning both. That's never happened before, right? That's a good question, Craig. I don't believe that has happened. Netflix has won the top Emmy. They won for the crown one year, but I don't believe they won for comedy that year. I mean, FX won for Shogun last year and the Bear got a bunch. But the Bear didn't win. Hax did.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah, I don't think. I think that would be historic.

[Unnamed Speaker]

All right. Craig said it first Obviously, a big year for Apple. I mean, I still picked HBO as the number one, but this is a huge year for Apple. They finally got those top noms, and they could win in two categories. That would be pretty big.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Third one, Limited series. Easy.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yep. It's Adolescence.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I feel like I still haven't watched it yet.

[Rebecca Ford]

It's a tough watch, especially as a parent.

[Unnamed Speaker]

So I know I will watch it before. I promise I will watch it before the Emmys, but. Yeah, I just don't see Black Mirror Dying for Sex Monsters, Penguin. Penguin got more nominations than I thought it would, but I just don't see that overcoming the Adolescence momentum and Netflix will spend to market. So good luck.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. I think Colin Farrell still has a chance in the acting category. I mean, but I think for series, it's Adolescence has got it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Most important, where is your Emmys seat? Do you get a better seat than I do these days?

[Rebecca Ford]

No, I usually get a terrible seat.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You do?

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. Worse than when I get at the Oscars. I don't know what it is about the Emmys that it's.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It's. It's. It's specific to you.

[Rebecca Ford]

No, no. I think it's other reporters, too.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I would think they would care about Vanity Fair. That's a big brand.

[Rebecca Ford]

Yeah. It's still. I think it's actually better than the Globes because now the Globes are Penske owned. I have a really terrible seat.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Well, you at least get invited. I'm Persona non grata, Penske people. I do not get invited to the Globes anymore. But that's because I write about them. All right, well, we can compare our seats at the Emmys, and I will be there this year.

[Rebecca Ford]

I want to apologize that you were snubbed for your own Emmy nomination. That must be a rough morning for you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay, so, first of all, thank you. I appreciate your concern. Secondly, I did not ever think I was going to be nominated for the studio, but thanks to everyone who texted me this morning saying you were snubbed. And third, I officially suspended my campaign and threw my support behind Bryan Cranston. So I feel like I got a big win today with that nomination for him.

[Rebecca Ford]

I mean, that category is. Five out of the six slots are for the studio, and none of them are me. None of them are you. You could have been that sixth slot. You could have kicked Jon Bernthal out of that slot.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I could have. Or Franco. I mean, let's be honest. I had about as much screen time as Franco. No, that's not true. No. Congratulations to all the real actors and performers and Martin Scorsese who got nominations from that show. I'm very happy for them. All right, thank you, Rebecca. I appreciate the time.

[Rebecca Ford]

Thanks for having me.

[Unnamed Speaker]

All right, that's the show for today. I want to thank my guest, Rebecca Ford, producer Craig Horlebach, artist Jesse Lopez, and I want to thank you. We'll see you next time.