2026 Emmy Winners: Widow's Bay & The Pitt Sweep the Night

Comedy: "Widow's Bay" Sets a New Record

"Widow's Bay" had the kind of debut season few freshman series ever pull off. Between Monday's ceremony and last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys, the show racked up 14 total wins, a single-year record for a comedy series. That's a notable feat considering "Hacks" entered the night with 24 nominations, the most ever for a comedy in a single year, yet still lost the top prize.

"Widow's Bay" picked up six trophies on the main broadcast alone, including Outstanding Writing for creator Katie Dippold. One of the night's happiest moments came when Kate O'Flynn won supporting actress in a comedy for the show, her first Emmy nomination and win. "This is for all the Patricias out there," she said in her acceptance speech, referencing her character.

Drama: "The Pitt" & "Pluribus" Lead the Field

"The Pitt" led all programs with 25 nominations this year and backed up its Drama Series win with a second consecutive Lead Actor trophy for Noah Wyle. Meanwhile, "Pluribus" gave Rhea Seehorn her first career Emmy, winning Lead Actress after years as one of TV's most-cited "should have won by now" performers during her "Better Call Saul" run. The Apple TV show also picked up Outstanding Writing for creator Vince Gilligan.

The drama supporting races went to Allison Janney ("The Diplomat") and Tom Pelphrey ("Task").

Matthew Rhys Makes Emmy History

The night's biggest individual storyline belonged to Matthew Rhys, who became the first actor in Emmy history to win two lead acting awards in the same year. Rhys took Lead Actor in a Comedy for "Widow's Bay" and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for Netflix's "The Beast in Me," opposite Claire Danes.

Combined with his 2018 Lead Actor in a Drama Series win for "The Americans," it's now his third career Emmy spread across three different lead-acting categories, a feat no other actor has ever matched.

Jean Smart Ties the All-Time Record

Jean Smart also made history, though this one came with a bittersweet edge. Her win for Lead Actress in a Comedy, for playing Deborah Vance on HBO Max's now-concluded "Hacks," was her fifth Emmy for that role and eighth overall, tying her with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most Emmys ever won by a performer. It's also the only time an actor has won the lead category for every single season of a show's run.

Limited Series: "DTF St. Louis" Sweeps

HBO's "DTF St. Louis," a seven-episode drama about a suburban love triangle that turns fatal, took Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, beating out "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette," "All Her Fault," "The Beast in Me" and "Beef." The show earned 13 total nominations and won seven, including supporting acting trophies for David Harbour and Linda Cardellini at last weekend's Creative Arts ceremony.

Elsewhere in the category, Sally Field won Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for "Remarkably Bright Creatures," which also took Outstanding Movie.

Reality, Variety & Other Notable Wins

"The Traitors" won Outstanding Competition Program, beating out "The Amazing Race," "RuPaul's Drag Race," "Love on the Spectrum" and "Top Chef." In the variety categories, the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show starring Bad Bunny won Outstanding Variety Special (Live), while ABC's revival of "The Muppet Show" took the Pre-Recorded prize.

Hargitay's Historic Hosting Turn

Mariska Hargitay hosted the ceremony, becoming the first woman to lead the Emmys telecast in 15 years. The "Law & Order: SVU" star opened the night with a pre-taped musical number and later brought out a surprise Taylor Swift cameo during a sketch. Reviews of her hosting stint were mixed: Variety called her turn an "effusive, yet efficient tribute to television," while other outlets flagged pacing issues and an overlong runtime that had presenters filling dead air near the finish.

In Memoriam

The broadcast's In Memoriam segment ran about 10 minutes and was bookended by tributes to two of the year's most high-profile losses in entertainment: Catherine O'Hara, who died in January at 71, and Rob Reiner, who died in December. Macaulay Culkin joined O'Hara's "Schitt's Creek" co-stars Annie Murphy and Dan Levy to honor her, while Jamie Lee Curtis delivered an emotional tribute to Reiner. Singer Noah Kahan performed Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to accompany the segment, which also remembered Hayden Panettiere, Eric Dane, Tim Curry, James Van Der Beek, Robert Carradine and Isiah Whitlock Jr., among others.

Dolly Parton, who died August 25 at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer, received a separate, dedicated tribute earlier in the broadcast. Sally Field, who co-starred with Parton in "Steel Magnolias," remembered her as "genuine and humble" before Reba McEntire performed a moving rendition of Parton's 1983 ballad "Appalachian Memories."

What's Next For Award Season

With "Hacks" now wrapped and "Widow's Bay" and "The Pitt" both riding fresh wins into new seasons, the two shows look set to be the ones to beat heading into next year's Emmy race. For the full rundown of winners across every category, Deadline's complete list is the most exhaustive resource available as award season heads into its next chapter, the Golden Globes in January.

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