4 Snubs and 4 Surprises from the 2025 Emmy Nominations

After getting nominated at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice, and SAG, I felt fairly confident in Kline’s nomination chances for Disclaimer. His character is profoundly unlikable, yes, but Kline gives him this vengeful glee and desperate bitterness that keeps him endlessly watchable. Alas, today was not a good day for Disclaimer, which only managed nominations for Cate Blanchett in Miniseries Actress and for Miniseries Cinematography. It did always seem like a show that was more respected for its parts than enjoyed as a whole, especially when considering its PGA and WGA misses and its lukewarm critical and audience reception, but I thought Kevin Kline’s invigorating performance would at least be one of those respected parts that would be recognized. 

To be clear, I always thought Sharon Horgan could happen here given her industry goodwill, previous Emmy nomination for the show, and the inexplicable PGA nomination for Bad Sisters season 2. However, the fact that she made it in as the lone nominee for Bad Sisters this time around is nonetheless impressive. Despite not getting nominated anywhere at the winter awards, the amount of love she has among voters is not to be underestimated. She is brilliant in Bad Sisters season 2 and a more than worthy nominee, and I think that she may become one of the next “Emmy darlings” to always keep your eyes out for.

Before the Emmy nominations this morning, Hacks was going into the race as a clear frontrunner. It shockingly won Comedy Series last year over The Bear and took the top prize at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice, PGA, DGA, and WGA. Surely its co-creator and supporting male standout Paul W. Downs would be nominated again, right? I honestly thought he was even in win contention after the fantastic tape that was “A Slippery Slope”, what with the “boofing it” and the heart-to-heart Jimmy has with Kayla. I couldn’t be further off, however, as he was surprisingly snubbed at the Emmys today. His nomination last year was in a less competitive field, but I am truly shocked that the acting branch wasn’t willing to show more support to Hacks with a nod here. To me, his miss—along with Hacks’s SAG ensemble loss this year—is an indication that actors will not go above and beyond for this show, which could prove fatal in a tight race against The Studio.

While we’re on the subject of Comedy Supporting Actor, I am truly baffled at Jeff Hiller’s nomination for Somebody Somewhere! Not in a bad way, of course; it’s actually quite heartening that such a small show like Somebody Somewhere was able to land two above-the-line Emmy nominations! It has consistently shown up at the TCAs and the Critics Choice, but the fact that it was able to get nominated in Comedy Supporting Actor and Comedy Writing this year—and in such tight categories too—is undeniably impressive. Major nominations for shows like Somebody Somewhere prove that critics support counts for something; its small but mighty audience’s passion and constant declarations that this show is one of the best of the year evidently persuaded enough voters to finally seek it out and vote for it where it counted.

After landing nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and SAG for a 2-episode performance, Allison Janney seemed like a sure bet for a nomination. Appearances were deceiving, however, as she missed out to women from The White Lotus, Severance, Paradise, and The Pitt (but mostly The White Lotus). But as an industry veteran, she had an advantage at places like the Golden Globes and SAG, which often vote partially based on star power. At the Emmys, however, being in a strong show means everything for the nomination. Take the 4 Drama Supporting Actress nominations for The White Lotus, for instance! It is clear that The Diplomat was far weaker at the Emmys than it was at the winter awards, and Allison Janney is sadly a casualty. It’s a shame, since she was the MVP of The Diplomat season 2 and dominated its back half, but she’s Allison Janney. She’ll be fine. 

Black Mirror has landed acting nominations previously for Andrew Scott, Letitia Wright, and Jesse Plemons, but I underestimated the buzz for its newest season’s premiere episode “Common People” and failed to predict Rashida Jones’s nomination. She is excellent and heartbreaking in the role of a woman who begins saying advertisements against her will—a premise that makes sense once you’ve seen the episode—but I didn’t expect her to be the only acting nomination for Black Mirror after Paul Giamatti and Cristin Milioti seemingly had more hype behind their performances and episodes. Black Mirror was strong enough to get into Best Miniseries, the rest of the Best Miniseries nominees landed acting nominations, and the competition for Best Miniseries Actress was less crowded than Best Miniseries Actor or Best Miniseries Supporting Actress. Additionally, “Common People” was perhaps the most relevant episode of the six, as it was frequently brought up when companies announced rate hikes for their subscription models. With the success of  “Joan Is Awful” for Black Mirror’s previous season, which was frequently brought up during the WGA and SAG strikes due to its depiction of AI in entertainment, I think it is safe to say the Black Mirror episodes most discussed in the zeitgeist are the ones that should be the most predicted. Considering all of these factors, Jones’s richly deserved nomination makes perfect sense in hindsight. 

Isabela Merced was by no means a sure nominee for The Last of Us after the show’s far more divisive second season. That being said, despite the negativity directed at the season, Isabela Merced’s strong performance was consistently highlighted as one of its best assets. The acting branch also adored The Last of Us’s first season, awarding it with nine Emmy nominations in Lead and Guest, two Emmy wins (for Storm Reid and Nick Offerman), and even a SAG win (for Pedro Pascal). Yet the drop in reception was showcased by the Emmy nominations, as The Last of Us also missed Writing and Directing nominations. At the end of the day, Isabela Merced was sadly edged out by performers similarly cited as standouts but in shows with warmer reception. It doesn’t bode well for Bella Ramsey’s Emmy chances that their main scene partner missed a nomination, but at this point, I’m now fairly skeptical of the show’s chances at winning anything that isn’t a technical category.

Severance was expected to land nominations for scene stealer Tramell Tillman and previous nominee John Turturro, but it was doubtful that Zach Cherry would be able to sneak into a category of 7 in Drama Supporting Actor over previous nominees like Jack Lowden, standout performances in acting darlings like Patrick Schwarzenegger, or breakout roles for buzzy hit shows like Patrick Ball. Yet he triumphed over the Patricks and Jacks nonetheless as Severance’s 3rd nominee in the category. Part of this feat can be attributed to the strength of his arc with Drama Guest Actress Merritt Wever—whose chances at the Emmy seem much greater given her costar’s nomination—but Cherry is an undeniable standout of the show whose hilarious line deliveries and gut-wrenching pathos hit equally hard. His nomination is incredibly deserving, make no mistake. It does, however, feel like a sign that Severance is not a show to be trifled with. Though its first season boasts an impressive 14 nominations, this season nearly doubled that count with a whopping 27. For context, noted Emmy sweeper Succession season 4 also landed 27 Emmy nominations. This isn’t the first time Severance season 2 has repeated an impressive feat of the HBO family drama; it also landed the same five nominations at TCA as the juggernaut’s final season. To add further hilarity, Severance season 2 stands a strong shot at winning the exact same above-the-line categories Succession season 4 did: Series, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Writing, and Directing are all in play and it is at worst #2 in each category. I wouldn’t go as far as to predict them all at the moment, of course, but if Severance continues to follow in the footsteps of Succession, those involved with the show should begin setting aside space on their mantelpiece to place their trophies.