It’s ‘Pitt’ vs ‘Pluribus’ in drama and ‘Hacks’ vs ‘Widow’s Bay’ in comedy at the upcoming Emmys

Noah Wyle poses in the press room during night two of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) 2026-09-09T12:01:46Z Los Angeles (AP) — It’s “The Pitt” versus “Pluribus” and “Hacks” against “Widow’s Bay” at the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday night. The stars of all four shows — Noah Wyle in “The Pitt,” Rhea Seehorn in “Pluribus,” Jean Smart in “Hacks” and Matthew Rhys in “Widow’s Bay” — look to be runaway favorites for the top acting awards. And prognosticators are nearly all picking “The Pitt” to win its second straight best drama prize. But the television competition should otherwise be tight at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on NBC starting at 8 p.m. Eastern with one of the network’s signature stars, three-time Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay, hosting. Peacock will stream the show live. HBO Max’s day-in-the-life-of-an-emergency-room drama “The Pitt” has already become a cultural institution in two seasons, and after big wins as an upstart rookie, it was this year’s top overall nominee with 25. “Hacks” led all comedies with a record-breaking 24 nominations for its fifth and final season. Here’s a closer look at where things stand and how they might play out. The Emmys story so far While the biggest stars are still awaiting the opening of the envelopes, the majority of this year’s Emmys were already handed out at early ceremonies Saturday and Sunday. “Widow’s Bay,” the first-year Apple TV horror comedy with Rhys as the mayor of a small New England town dealing with a centuries-old curse, won a whopping eight Emmys including best guest actress for Betty Gilpin . The show had been widely acclaimed for its sly shifting between humor and dread, and it got 19 nominations, but few expected such a trophy haul. It can win up to six more on Monday. “Hacks” managed just one win. (