The 2026 Emmy Award nominations, announced on July 8, highlighted both expected contenders and notable omissions as the industry prepares for the ceremony set for September 14 on NBC. While acclaimed series like “The Pitt” and “Hacks” led the pack with 25 and 24 nominations respectively, several popular and critically praised programs were conspicuously absent from major categories.

The eligibility period for this year’s Emmys covered shows that aired or streamed between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. This meant that some recent popular series, such as the third season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” Prime Video’s “Every Year After,” and Paramount+’s “Dutton Ranch,” were not considered due to their release dates falling outside the cut-off or insufficient episodes within the window. Additionally, the category rules, which require at least partial U.S. production involvement, disqualified the Canadian-produced “Heated Rivalry,” despite its cultural popularity and distribution via HBO Max.

Among actors, Jeremy Allen White of FX and Hulu’s “The Bear” was a prominent absence. White, who previously earned two Emmy wins for his role as chef Carmy Berzzato, was not nominated this year, even though his co-star Ayo Edebiri secured a nod. In the comedy acting categories, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez, co-stars on “Only Murders in the Building,” were both omitted from leading actor and actress categories, despite Martin Short’s continued recognition in lead actor nominations for the series.

The FX/Hulu anthology drama “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” received mixed recognition. Sarah Pidgeon earned a lead actress nomination for her portrayal of Bessette, yet Paul Anthony Kelly, playing JFK Jr., was not nominated. Similarly, Lisa Kudrow secured a lead actress nomination for the intermittent HBO comedy “The Comeback,” but the show itself did not break into the heavily contested category for outstanding comedy series. The category featured selections such as “Abbott Elementary,” “Hacks,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Shrinking,” and “Widow’s Bay.”

In the drama series category, fan favorites “Stranger Things” and HBO’s “Euphoria” each earned seven nominations but were excluded from the top award for outstanding drama series. Zendaya’s lead actress nomination for “Euphoria” stood out amidst the series’ absence from the main drama category. Another notable snub was Kathy Bates, who, after her nomination for the “Matlock” reboot’s first season, was left out entirely for the show’s second season.

Netflix’s historical dramedy “Death by Lightning,” focusing on President James Garfield’s assassination, secured four nominations including one for Nick Offerman as Vice President Chester A. Arthur. However, it missed recognition in the best limited series category and did not garner nods for lead actors Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen.

Taylor Sheridan, known for his portfolio of series including “Yellowstone” and its spin-offs, experienced limited Emmy recognition despite the popularity of his productions. Of his numerous eligible shows—“Landman,” “Tulsa King,” “The Madison,” and CBS’ “Marshals”—only “Tulsa King” received a nomination, solely for stunt coordination in comedy programming, leaving other titles notably absent from major categories.

As the industry prepares for the televised Emmy ceremony this fall, the mix of expected nominees and unexpected snubs reflects ongoing debates around voter preferences and the evolving television landscape.