Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Outstanding Comedy Series Commentary (Updated May 2, 2025): The race for outstanding comedy series at this year’s Emmys is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable.
Apple TV+ has entered the mix with “The Studio,” a Hollywood satire created by and starring Seth Rogen, which could become the kind of first-season breakout the Emmys are known to embrace. Especially with a strong possibility at writing and directing statuettes.
HBO/Max’s “Hacks” is roaring back with a sharp fourth season, once again anchored by Jean Smart’s Emmy-winning turn as Deborah Vance. ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” meanwhile, continues to earn acclaim for its mix of humor and social commentary. A previous winner in writing and acting categories, the network sitcom has never taken home the top prize — but this season, led by two-time Emmy winner Quinta Brunson, may be its best shot yet.
But this year’s comedy field is far from a three-horse race.
FX’s “The Bear,” despite continued genre classification debates, remains an awards powerhouse following its record-breaking run last year. We’ll see how the upcoming fourth season, during Emmy nomination voting, improves its chances after a mixed reception for its third.
And Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” delivered an impressive fourth season that kept its guild support strong, punctuated by a surprise SAG Award win for best ensemble.
The comedy race also gets a fresh contender from Netflix with “The Four Seasons,” marking a semi-return to form for Tina Fey and her signature brand of absurdist, tightly structured, joke-dense humor. Co-created with “30 Rock” alumnae Tracey Wigfield and Lang Fisher, the show is complete with clarinet-heavy score and rapid-fire punchlines. With its veteran pedigree, “The Four Seasons” could be a surprise standout come Emmy nomination morning, despite tepid reviews.
(The list of predicted nominees and contenders is incomplete and will be updated every Thursday throughout the TV Awards season.)
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And the Predicted Contenders Are:
Image Credit: Courtesy of Jon Pack/Netflix !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();
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More Information (Comedy Series)
2024 category winner: “Hacks” (HBO/Max) — Season 3 — Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Michael Schur, David Miner and Morgan Sackett, executive producers; Guy Branum, Andrew Law, Carol Leifer, Joe Mande and Aisha Muharrar, co-executive producers; Samantha Riley, supervising producer; Ashley Glazier, producer; Nate Young, produced by
Christopher Polk!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();
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About the Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, commonly known as the Emmys, are awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Established in 1949, these celebrate outstanding achievements in American primetime television. The Emmys are categorized into three divisions: the Primetime Emmy Awards for performance and production excellence; the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, recognizing achievements in artistry and craftsmanship; and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards, which honor significant engineering and technological advancements. The eligibility period typically extends from June 1 to May 31 each year. The Television Academy hosts the Emmys and has over 20,000 members across 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans and executives.
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