2025 Emmy Predictions: The Comedy Categories are a Battle of Seniors vs Freshmen

Tyler Doster April 9, 2025

The time for laughter is over and the time to focus on the Emmys is now – well, the Emmy comedy categories. The hilarity rolls on with the past year supplying audiences with great comedies old and new that will surely both be honored heading into the 2025 Emmys.

Returning series will play a huge role in the comedy categories this year, behemoths like Max’s Hacks and FX’s The Bear both having eligible seasons that put both series and their leads back on the map for awards. Jean Smart has won three Emmys for Hacks so far, so shoo-in is a bit of an understatement. The shows will both see most of their casts getting recognition in the process of getting the coveted series nomination. Abbott Elementary’s fourth season, currently still airing on ABC, is also eligible for the Emmys this year, so it will surely gain its usual nominations in all acting categories but lead actor. Chris Perfetti and Lisa Ann Walter still haven’t received nominations for the series but with a stacked field, it could be a hard year to finally break in. Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building is fresh off its SAG ensemble victory a couple months back and will surely see Martin Short get his usual nom, but is Steve Martin in danger this year after being snubbed at SAG?

Freshman shows will also hit the ground running this year. Seth Rogen’s Apple series The Studio is looking to grab nominations in several categories, deservedly, for its first season going behind the scenes of a major Hollywood studio. Rogen will likely see himself amongst nominees in the lead actor category, while Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara will likely represent the series in supporting actress and Ike Barinholtz in supporting actor. Nobody Wants This, Netflix’s rom-com series with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, will see a second season later this year and will likely see both its leads receiving nominations for their work on the first season. It’s one of the streamer’s more-discussed show of the last year with staying power, so they’ll likely push it pretty hard. FX’s English Teacher might have come out last fall, but could still see a push from its network to grab some noms for the series and its lead, Brian Jordan Alvarez. Multi-Emmy winner Tina Fey returns to television with The Four Seasons, a series version of the 1981 feature film that starred Alan Alda and Carol Burnett, premiering on Netflix next month, so the TV Academy could welcome her back with open arms, which could also result in a nom or two for her cast mates that includes previous Emmy winner Colman Domingo and Emmy nominees Steve Carrel and Will Forte.

Here my 2025 Emmy nomination predictions for in the main comedy categories:

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

The Bear (FX)

English Teacher (FX)

The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Hacks (HBO/Max)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Studio (AppleTV+)

Other contenders: Agatha All Along (Disney+); Étoile (Prime Video); St. Denis Medical (NBC)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear (FX)

Tina Fey, The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO/Max)

Other contenders: Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu); Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along (Disney+); Wendi McLendon-Covey, St. Denis Medical (NBC); Alison Tolman, St. Denis Medical (NBC)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White, The Bear (FX)

Brian Jordan Alvarez, English Teacher (FX)

Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Seth Rogen, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Other contenders: Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows (FX); Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside (Netflix); Jason Segel, Shrinking (AppleTV+)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear (FX)

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks (HBO/Max)

Kathryn Hahn, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Catherine O’Hara, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Other contenders: Lisa Ann Walter, Abbott Elementary (ABC); Meg Stalter, Hacks (HBO/Max); Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along (Disney+)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Ike Barinholtz, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Paul W. Downs, Hacks (HBO/Max)

Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Will Forte, The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear (FX)

Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Other contenders: Paul Rudd, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu); Brett Goldstein, Shrinking (AppleTV+); Chris Perfetti, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

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Tyler Doster

Tyler is the TV Awards Editor for AwardsWatch and from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He’s been obsessed with movies and the oscars since he was about 14. He enjoys reading, but even more, talking about Amy Adams more and will, at any given moment, bring up her Oscar snub for Arrival. The only thing he spends more time on than watching TV is sitting on Twitter. If you ever want to discuss the movie Carol at length, he’s your guy. You can find Tyler at @wordswithtyler