2024 Emmy Predictions: The Comedy Series Beach Ball Jamboree

It’s time to look at Outstanding Comedy Series, most recently won by The Bear in January after the SAG-AFTRA strike delayed the usual September Emmys show and a fun category to look into this year.

The category will mostly consist of series that have not only been on and qualified for nominations before, but have also competed in this particular category. What We Do in the Shadows, always a bridesmaid and never a bride, will surely show up this year for the work put forward for its hilarious fifth season. The show sometimes doesn’t make the cut in a crowded field, but will likely gain entry this year with fewer contenders. Abbott Elementary is a series that will make its way back into the category, cemented by lead actress Quinta Brunson taking home the Leading Actress in a Comedy Emmy a few months ago. Only Murders in the Building has been nominated here for both of its previous seasons, so it would be a shock for it not to show up. Curb Your Enthusiasm will also surely show up here for its final outing. 

The two biggest contenders in the category have been here before. Hacks will make its grand return next month on MAX, having skipped a year between second and third seasons. It will go up against The Bear, the current title holder for Outstanding Comedy Series for its premier season. These are two juggernaut shows going against one another and will both likely see double digit nominations, probably both in the twenties, in June. The Bear’s second season was even better than its first, while Hacks is also a previous Emmy winner in multiple categories that will see the FX comedy having to put up a fight. 

FX’s Reservation Dogs could see its first nomination in Outstanding Comedy Series with more attention being given to it for its final season and more openings in the field this year. A series that has a passionate fan base but has never seen much attention from awards bodies like the TV Academy is HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, but could this year see the HBO underdog comedy break into the big category? Frasier’s reboot from Paramount+ is in consideration this year, but with a fumbled return, it doesn’t seem too likely the series will return to its former Emmys glory by breaking into the category this year. A nomination here would be a first for the streamer in this category. Loot recently brought another season of Maya Rudolph goodness to AppleTV+ and could easily sway things towards its direction with the proper attention brought its way.

AppleTV+ also has Kristen Wiig on Palm Royale, amongst other comedy titans like Allison Janney that will surely propel this series right into one of the slots in this category. Prime Video’s Gen V, comedy spinoff to previous Drama Series nominee The Boys, has momentum because of its sister series, but will likely be left in the dust this year with the other comedies in the mix. Also from Prime Video is I’m a Virgo, which will be competing in comedy as opposed to limited series, is an underseen series that could find a nomination here if more attention is pushed towards it. It’s a series that deserves to be seen, but will likely miss out on the nomination because voters haven’t dedicated themselves to its seven episodes. It’s a year that will see less competition in volume, but the quality of these series hasn’t faltered at all.

Here are my predictions for the nominees in Outstanding Comedy Series for the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards:

• Abbott Elementary (ABC)
• The Bear (FX)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
• Hacks (MAX)
• Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
• Palm Royale (AppleTV+)
• Reservation Dogs (FX)
• What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Other contenders: The Gentleman (Netflix); Gen V (Prime Video); I’m a Virgo (Prime Video); The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)