Apple TV+’s dark sci-fi office drama Severance has taken the lead in the race for the 77th Emmy Awards with an impressive 27 nominations. The Television Academy announced the nominees on Tuesday, officially kicking off the countdown to the awards gala, set for September 14 in Los Angeles.
Close behind Severance is HBO Max’s The Penguin, a Batman villain spinoff, with 24 nods. Two other series – The White Lotus and The Studio – each received 23 nominations, tying for third place.
In the drama category, Severance, which portrays a world where employees have their memories surgically split between their work and personal lives, emerged as a strong favorite. Lead actor Adam Scott is nominated for best actor. He faces stiff competition from The Pitt star Noah Wyle, Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), and Sterling K Brown (Paradise).
Britt Lower from Severance earned a nod for best actress, joining Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) and Keri Russell (The Diplomat) in the category. Other best drama nominees include Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus.
The Penguin is in the running for best limited series, competing with Netflix’s Adolescence, Black Mirror, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and FX’s Dying for Sex.
In the comedy section, The Studio, starring and co-produced by Seth Rogen, is a new frontrunner. It earned several acting nominations and topped other past winners like Hacks and The Bear.
Comedian Nate Bargatze will host the Emmy Awards ceremony. Final-round voting will begin in mid-August, giving Television Academy members time to watch all the nominated content.
