Apple TV’s horror comedy Widow’s Bay emerged as the biggest winner at this year’s Emmy Awards, collecting a record 14 trophies and taking home the coveted prize for best comedy series.
The show, which follows a cursed New England town, defeated the final season of HBO Max’s Hacks to claim the top comedy honor. Its success made the series one of the standout productions of the awards season.
Meanwhile, medical drama The Pitt repeated its success by winning best drama series. The HBO Max show, set inside a busy Pittsburgh trauma center, once again received major recognition from the Television Academy.
Noah Wyle also secured his second consecutive Emmy for playing Dr. “Robby” Robinavitch in The Pitt. Accepting the award, Wyle described the achievement as overwhelming and thanked the television industry for welcoming him into what he called the only Hollywood club he had ever wanted to join.
Jean Smart added another major milestone to her already decorated Emmy career. The Hacks star won her fifth Emmy for portraying determined stand-up comedian Deborah Vance.
Smart’s latest victory made television history, as she became the first performer to win the Emmy for best comedy actress for every season of a show’s run.
“What a ride this has been!” Smart said while accepting the award and thanking the creators and team behind Hacks.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus previously came closest to achieving a similar feat, winning best comedy actress six times during the seven-season run of Veep.
Matthew Rhys also enjoyed an extraordinary evening, becoming the first performer to win two lead acting awards at the same Emmy ceremony.
The Welsh actor won best comedy actor for Widow’s Bay and also received the award for best actor in a limited series for Netflix’s psychological thriller The Beast in Me.
Rhys said backstage that he was genuinely struggling to process the achievement. He also highlighted his Welsh roots, saying he was proud to represent a small country that could occasionally “punch higher than our weight.”
Widow’s Bay continued its successful night with additional awards for supporting acting, directing and writing. When awards presented earlier in the month were included, the series reached a total of 14 Emmys, setting a record for a comedy in a single season.
Stephen Root delivered another surprise for the show by defeating expected favorite Harrison Ford of Shrinking to win best supporting actor in a comedy.
The evening also brought recognition to programs outside the major comedy and drama categories. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which CBS canceled after its final episode this year, won best variety series.
HBO Max’s murder mystery DTF St. Louis was named best limited series, adding another major award to the night’s television lineup.
Apple TV also celebrated a major acting victory through Rhea Seehorn, who won best drama actress for her role in Pluribus. The actress portrayed a woman confronting an unusually kind alien hive mind in the series.
During her acceptance speech, Seehorn referenced feminist activist Gloria Steinem while addressing her fellow nominees, including Keri Russell of The Diplomat and Zendaya of Euphoria. She emphasized solidarity among women in the television industry.
The Television Academy’s Emmy winners are selected by more than 27,000 members working across television, including writers, directors, performers, producers and craftspeople.
The ceremony also included a special honor for Michael J. Fox, who was recognized for his humanitarian efforts and advocacy for Parkinson’s disease research and treatment.
Fox appeared in a wheelchair and spoke about how support from Hollywood had helped him continue working after his Parkinson’s diagnosis. He thanked the industry for standing behind him throughout his career.
Mariska Hargitay hosted the ceremony, breaking from the more traditional choice of a comedian as host. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star brought her long-running television character into the evening through a pre-recorded sketch.
In the segment, Olivia Benson attempted to determine whether singer Taylor Swift would attend the ceremony. Swift made a surprise appearance as a rookie detective before pointing out that the categories involving her concert film had already been presented during an earlier ceremony.
Benson ultimately concluded that Swift was watching Monday Night Football in Kansas City, where her husband Travis Kelce was playing.
With record-setting wins for Widow’s Bay, another best drama victory for The Pitt and historic acting achievements for Smart and Rhys, this year’s Emmys delivered a night filled with major milestones across television.
