# 78th Emmy Nominations: HBO Max Tops Network Field as NBC NFL Broadcast Moves Ceremony to Monday **By Arjun Mehta** \nPublished September 15, 2026 \nUpdated September 15, 2026 > HBO Max captured 122 nominations behind record runs from The Pitt and Hacks, while NBC's NFL coverage shifts the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards to Monday, September 14. When the Television Academy released the candidate slate for the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, the broader streaming ecosystem presented a stark snapshot of platform leverage and broadcast realignments. HBO Max led all networks and distributors with 122 total nominations, propelled by emergency department drama *The Pitt*—which topped all programs with 25 nods—and veteran comedy flagship *Hacks*, which achieved a comedy record with 24 nominations in a single season. Beyond the prestige competition, linear broadcasting logistics dictated a calendar shift: the live ceremony from Los Angeles' Peacock Theater will air on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and stream on Peacock, vacating its traditional Sunday evening spot to accommodate NBC's regular-season NFL game coverage. ## Streaming Tally: HBO Max and Apple TV Stake Their Claims The total scorecard across platforms highlights how intense competition among major streamers has become. HBO Max's 122 nominations kept it ahead of Netflix, which logged 111 total nods built largely around the second season of *Beef* (16 nominations) and *Stranger Things* (7 nominations). Apple TV delivered its highest nomination tally ever at 87, led by horror-comedy *Widow's Bay* (19 nominations) and sci-fi series *Pluribus* (18 nominations). caption>78th Primetime Emmy Awards Platform Nomination Totalsthead>Distributor / NetworkTotal Nominationstbody>HBO Max122Netflix111Apple TV87ABC38CBS32NBC30Prime Video28FX/Hulu23Hulu22Peacock18*The Pitt* anchored HBO Max's drama footprint by picking up an Outstanding Drama Series nomination alongside individual acting nominations for lead actor Noah Wyle and supporting ensemble members Brittany Allen, Tal Anderson, Tina Ivlev, Ernest Harden Jr., and Jeff Kober. The streamer also logged 13 nominations for dark comedy limited series *DTF St. Louis*, featuring supporting acting nods for Joy Sunday, Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Richard Jenkins. ## Lead Races, Acting Battles, and Strategic Exclusions In comedy, the spotlight centers on an Outstanding Lead Actress duel between Jean Smart of *Hacks* and Lisa Kudrow of *The Comeback*. Smart enters the contest with four previous Emmy wins for playing comedian Deborah Vance, while Kudrow aims for her second career Emmy after winning in 1998 for her supporting performance as Phoebe Buffay on *Friends*. *Hacks* also dominated the supporting comedy acting categories with nominations for Laurie Metcalf, Cherry Jones, Kaitlin Olson, and Lauren Weedman. Apple TV's word-of-mouth entry *Widow's Bay*—starring Matthew Rhys as an island mayor facing supernatural occurrences—secured 19 nominations, including a supporting comedy acting nod for Betty Gilpin. Rhys earned two individual nominations on the day, also picking up a limited series acting nod for playing a menacing billionaire in *The Beast in Me* alongside Claire Danes. Several notable absences and procedural rules also shaped the morning's slate: - **Jeremy Allen White Omission:** Despite winning back-to-back Emmys in previous years, *The Bear* lead Jeremy Allen White was left out of the lead comedy actor race, even as co-star Ayo Edebiri and the late Rob Reiner picked up nominations toward the show's 8 total nods. - **Euphoria Series Snub:** Following a divisive final season, HBO Max's *Euphoria* missed out on an Outstanding Drama Series nomination, though Zendaya and Colman Domingo both landed acting nominations. - **Canadian Eligibility Rules:** Popular gay hockey drama *Heated Rivalry* received no program nominations because it is an entirely Canadian production. However, co-lead Connor Storrie earned an Emmy nomination for his guest appearance on *Saturday Night Live*. - **Category Clarification:** Riz Ahmed received his individual nomination for his work in *Bait*. ## Prime-Time Scheduling Shift and Hargitay's Hosting Turn NBC's move to air the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14, clears a major network conflict with live Sunday NFL broadcasts, retaining valuable weekend sports inventory while granting the awards show a clean window in prime time. Hosting duties belong to *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* star Mariska Hargitay, who begins her 28th season on the procedural drama this fall. Hargitay becomes the first woman to host the Emmy broadcast in 15 years. Live event broadcasts also showed significant strength across the overall scorecard. *The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny* picked up 9 nominations, matching major traditional broadcasts including *The Oscars* (9) and late-night flagship *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert* (9). ## Forecast: Strategic Monday Placement and Platform Rivalry **Event:** 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Broadcast**Date & Time:** Monday, September 14, 2026 | 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT**Venue:** Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, CA**Network/Streamer:** NBC / Peacock **Tactical Broadcast Pattern:** Shifting the awards presentation to Monday evening isolates NBC from head-to-head Sunday NFL competition, allowing the network and Peacock to build a strong prime-time footprint. Host Mariska Hargitay offers a trusted broadcast identity that can anchor the early segments before the telecast pivots to competitive streaming categories. **Decisive Matchup:** The night's major platform clash centers on HBO Max versus Apple TV across top drama and comedy series categories. Supported by high entry volume in *The Pitt* (25 nods) and *Hacks* (24 nods), HBO Max holds the dominant position. However, Apple TV's surge with *Widow's Bay* (19) and *Pluribus* (18) creates realistic pressure points in multi-nominated writing and acting races where split votes could occur. **Uncertainty Factor:** The main variable confronting HBO Max is potential voter fatigue toward returning staples versus momentum for first-year programs. Should Academy voters favor fresh titles over established favorites, Apple TV's breakout entries could capture crucial lead acting and series honors, tempering HBO Max's win conversion rate regardless of its overall nomination lead. ## Sources - [cnn.com](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/08/entertainment/emmy-award-nominations-2026) — original - [ennie-awards.com](https://ennie-awards.com/2026-nominees/) — original - [deadline.com](https://deadline.com/lists/emmy-nominations-full-list-nominees-scorecard/) — original - [editorial.rottentomatoes.com](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/2026-emmy-nominations/) — original