TV’s biggest night is officially in the books. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards took over the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, September 14, airing live on NBC and streaming on Peacock, with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay hosting for the first time. She was the first woman to host the show since Jane Lynch in 2011, and she had quite a night herself, having already picked up two Emmys this year for her documentary My Mom Jayne.
The story of the night was Widow’s Bay. Apple TV’s freshman horror comedy arrived with eight Creative Arts Emmys already in hand and added six more on Monday, finishing with 14 total wins, the most ever for a comedy series in a single year. It broke the record set just last year by fellow Apple TV comedy The Studio, which won 13. The show took home Outstanding Comedy Series over Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, and Shrinking.
The night’s biggest individual winner was Matthew Rhys, and it was not even close. Rhys became the first person in Emmy history to win two lead acting awards in the same year, taking Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Netflix’s The Beast in Me and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay. Combined with his 2018 drama win for The Americans, he is now also the first performer ever to win lead acting Emmys in all three genres. Not a bad Monday.
On the drama side, The Pitt did exactly what it came to do. HBO Max’s medical drama won Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row, and Noah Wyle defended his Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series crown. The lead actress race delivered the night’s biggest surprise, as Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy, beating Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, and Zendaya, who was nominated for Euphoria.
HBO’s DTF St. Louis was named Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and Sally Field won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Remarkably Bright Creatures. The limited series also cleaned up at the Creative Arts Emmys on September 5 and 6, where David Harbour won his first career Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and Linda Cardellini won the matching supporting actress prize.
Two legends tied one of the most impressive records in Emmy history. Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the fifth and final season of Hacks, her fifth consecutive win for the role and her eighth acting Emmy overall, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most acting wins by any performer. Later in the night, Allison Janney joined that same exclusive club with her eighth win, taking Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat.
Monday’s other acting winners included Stephen Root (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Widow’s Bay), Kate O’Flynn (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Widow’s Bay), and Tom Pelphrey (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Task). Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan won Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, and Slow Horses won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
In the non-scripted races, The Traitors won Outstanding Reality Competition Program, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert took Outstanding Variety Series, a farewell trophy for the show’s final season.
The night had its share of emotional moments. Charlie’s Angels stars Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson, and Cheryl Ladd reunited on stage for the show’s 50th anniversary, honoring their late co-star Farrah Fawcett before presenting Outstanding Drama Series. The In Memoriam segment, performed by Noah Kahan, paid tribute to the stars television lost this year, including Dolly Parton, Catherine O’Hara, Tim Curry, and the late Rob Reiner, who also received a posthumous Emmy for his guest appearance on The Bear.
Here is the full list of winners from Monday night’s telecast:
Outstanding Drama Series
The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Tom Pelphrey, Task
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Vince Gilligan, Pluribus (“We Is Us”)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Saul Metzstein, Slow Horses (“Scars”)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay (“Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay (“Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”)
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
DTF St. Louis
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
The Traitors
Outstanding Variety Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Also honored at the Creative Arts Emmys on September 5 and 6: David Harbour (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, DTF St. Louis), Linda Cardellini (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, DTF St. Louis), Shailene Woodley (Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Paradise), Betty Gilpin (Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, Widow’s Bay), and the late Rob Reiner (Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, The Bear).