How Many Emmys Should ‘Severance’ Actually Win This Year?

This article could’ve just as easily been focused on “The Pitt.”

Despite the Max original series earning less than half the total nominations of “Severance” (and only the fifth most of any drama series), many prognosticators believe “The Pitt” has a legitimate shot at winning Best Drama Series, along with a handful of other trophies on Emmy night. Over at IndieWire’s sister site, Gold Derby, there’s a nearly even split among experts, with “Severance” clinging to a narrow 11-8 lead.

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Working in “The Pitt’s” favor: the critics, who are absolutely rabid for a throwback medical drama consisting of a hefty 15 hourlong episodes; nostalgia, which should hook a few older voters who remember when the Emmys still regularly honored broadcast-style dramas; the “made in L.A.” narrative, which has been getting a lot of press coverage this season, as anxious Hollywood residents rally around productions that help keep Los Angeles the center of the industry’s universe; and Noah Wyle, because who doesn’t love Noah Wyle?

Personally, I’m not buying it. “The Pitt” may have the most passionate voter base, but they’re not as widespread as the “Severance” crew, which appeals to every branch of a very large TV Academy. (Hence, its massive lead in nominations.) And the “Severance” team should know first-hand what that advantage means, since they were in a very similar position for Season 1. Back in 2022, “Severance” was the hot new show, going up against an established giant in “Succession.” Apple’s drama landed 14 nominations for its freshman run, but it was dwarfed by the HBO drama’s 25 nods, and “Severance” walked away with just two wins to “Succession’s” four.

Will history repeat itself this September, or is “Severance” a weaker frontrunner than “Succession” and “The Pitt” a hotter commodity now than “Severance” was then? All three are likely true, but I leave such predictions to IndieWire’s ace Awards Editor Marcus Jones. As a TV critic, I’m here to articulate what should happen, not what will, and quality is all over this year’s drama race.

“Severance”? Great show. “Andor”? Great show. “The White Lotus”? Great show (despite what some have claimed), and that still leaves “Slow Horses,” “The Last of Us,” and, yes, “The Pitt.”

Such an abundance of riches demands a closer assessment. Each category is unique. Each group of nominees has their own plusses and minuses. Voting for the same show every time is never a good idea, but it’s a particularly bad one this year. Hopefully, TV Academy members use the breakdown below as a handy resource, while fans reference it before gauging their pride and/or disappointment when the winners are announced on September 14.

Maybe you’ll disagree with a few picks. Maybe you’ll be surprised by a few others. (I know I was.) But we’ll all be better informed come Emmys night — and hopefully voters long before that. So let’s get to it.

Style note: For categories where each nominated program consists of multiple individual artists, not all names are listed. It’s just a space issue. Full credits can be found on the Emmys’ website.

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