Emmys 2026: “Widow’s Bay” Makes History as “The Pitt,” “DTF St. Louis” and Matthew Rhys Score Major Wins
Television’s biggest night delivered historic wins, emotional tributes and several memorable surprises as the 78th Emmy Awards took over the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 14.
Hosted by Mariska Hargitay and broadcast on NBC and Peacock, the ceremony celebrated the 2025–2026 television season, with Widow’s Bay emerging as the undisputed champion of the year. The Apple TV horror-comedy finished its Emmy run with a record-breaking 14 awards, while The Pitt claimed television’s biggest drama prize and DTF St. Louis led the limited-series field.
“Widow’s Bay” Breaks the Comedy Record
The biggest story of the evening belonged to Widow’s Bay.
Created by Katie Dippold, the first-season horror-comedy entered Monday’s ceremony with eight victories from the Creative Arts Emmys and added six more during the main telecast, bringing its total to 14 — the most Emmys ever won by a comedy series in a single year. It surpassed the previous record of 13 set by The Studio in 2025.
Widow’s Bay won Outstanding Comedy Series while Matthew Rhys took Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root completed an acting sweep with Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor, respectively, while Dippold won for writing and Hiro Murai took home the directing prize.
The result turned a first-season series into one of the most decorated comedy debuts in Emmy history and helped Apple TV finish the year with 28 total awards — more than any other platform.
“The Pitt” Remains Television’s Drama Champion
In drama, The Pitt continued its remarkable run by winning Outstanding Drama Series.
The HBO Max medical drama entered the Emmys with 25 nominations and ultimately collected seven awards across the Primetime and Creative Arts ceremonies. Noah Wyle won Lead Actor in a Drama Series, adding another major victory to a show that has become one of television’s defining dramas.
Rhea Seehorn, meanwhile, won Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Pluribus, while Allison Janney took Supporting Actress for The Diplomat and Tom Pelphrey won Supporting Actor for Task.
Matthew Rhys Makes Emmy History
One of the night's biggest individual stories belonged to Matthew Rhys.
Only hours before winning Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay, Rhys took home Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance in Netflix’s The Beast in Me.
The double victory made Rhys the first performer in the 78-year history of the Emmys to win two lead acting categories during the same ceremony. Combined with his previous drama win for The Americans, he also became the first male performer to win across all three lead acting fields: drama, comedy and limited series.
Jean Smart Gives “Hacks” One Final Victory
Widow’s Bay may have dominated the comedy categories, but Hacks still had one major final chapter to write.
Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the fifth and final season of Hacks, completing an extraordinary run in which she won the category for each of the show’s five seasons. The victory marked Smart’s eighth career Emmy.
It was a fitting farewell for one of the defining television performances of the past several years, even as Widow’s Bay prevented Hacks from completing its final season with another Outstanding Comedy Series victory.
“DTF St. Louis” Leads the Limited-Series Field
HBO’s DTF St. Louis emerged as another major winner, ultimately collecting seven Emmys and taking Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
The show tied The Pitt, The Traitors and Bad Bunny’s Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show with seven total wins, leaving them behind only Widow’s Bay among the year's most-awarded programs.
Elsewhere in the limited-series acting categories, Sally Field won Lead Actress for Remarkably Bright Creatures, while Rhys claimed Lead Actor for The Beast in Me.
Stephen Colbert Gets a Final Emmy Farewell
Another emotional victory arrived when The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won Outstanding Variety Series following the conclusion of the CBS program earlier this year.
During his acceptance speech, Colbert thanked viewers and used part of his moment to encourage the television industry to hire members of his former staff, highlighting late-night television as an important training ground for younger professionals working throughout the industry.
The victory offered one final awards-season chapter for a show that had been part of American late-night television for more than a decade.
Michael J. Fox Receives the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award
The ceremony also moved beyond competition when Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in recognition of his advocacy and contributions to Parkinson’s research.
Fox's appearance resulted in two standing ovations and became one of the evening's most emotional moments.
The ceremony also remembered major entertainment figures who died over the past year, including Dolly Parton, Catherine O’Hara and Rob Reiner. Reunions featuring cast members from Charlie’s Angels and Buffy the Vampire Slayer added another nostalgic dimension to the telecast.
A Night That Reshaped the Emmy Record Books
By the end of the ceremony, the 2026 Emmys had produced far more than another list of winners.
Widow’s Bay established a new comedy record with 14 victories. The Pitt remained at the top of television drama. Matthew Rhys accomplished something no lead actor had done before. Jean Smart completed a five-season Emmy sweep for Hacks, while DTF St. Louis emerged as the year's limited-series champion.
Apple TV ultimately led all platforms with 28 Emmys, followed by HBO Max with 21 and Netflix with 16 — another sign of just how competitive the current television landscape has become.
From record-breaking sweeps to emotional farewells, the 78th Emmy Awards offered a snapshot of a television industry simultaneously celebrating established favorites and welcoming its next generation of defining shows.