The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards handed Apple TV+'s surreal horror-comedy "Widow's Bay" a near-total sweep of the comedy categories on Monday night, while Welsh actor Matthew Rhys made history by winning two lead-acting trophies in a single ceremony. The 78th Emmy Awards were held at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles and broadcast live on NBC, hosted by "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay — the first woman to front the ceremony since Jane Lynch in 2011 and the first host without a comedy background since 1993.
"Widow's Bay," which premiered on Apple TV+ in April, collected six major awards, including outstanding comedy series, lead actor for Rhys, supporting actor for Stephen Root and supporting actress for Kate O'Flynn, on its way to 14 total Emmys across the Television Academy's ceremonies this cycle. The freshman series entered the night with 19 nominations and was already renewed for a second season back in June.
Rhys's night went further than the comedy sweep: he also won the limited-series lead-actor award for "The Beast in Me," making him, by the Television Academy's count, the first performer to win lead-acting Emmys across all three genres — comedy, drama and limited series — a span that includes his 2018 drama win for "The Americans." Backstage, he said the second win had caught him off guard.
"Which is why I vomited that speech. These events are kind of incredible and incredulous — and kind of bizarre — and everything in between."
Matthew Rhys, backstage at the 78th Emmy Awards
The loss stung good-naturedly for Martin Short, nominated in Rhys's comedy-actor category. Cameras caught the 76-year-old comedian theatrically ripping up his prepared remarks as Rhys's name was called; his "Only Murders in the Building" co-star Steve Martin later posted a photo of the shredded note, which had included a planned shout-out to Martin and to "someone kind enough to hire me."
The Pitt and the rest of the field
Outside comedy, HBO Max's hospital drama "The Pitt" won outstanding drama series after leading the field with 25 total nominations. Noah Wyle took his second consecutive lead-actor Emmy for playing Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch.
"I grew up in L.A., I'm a Hollywood kid. I was raised on a television, and movie theaters were my place of worship. This is all I've ever wanted to do, and this is the only club I've ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me."
Noah Wyle, accepting the drama lead-actor Emmy
Rhea Seehorn won lead actress in a drama for Apple TV+'s "Pluribus," and Allison Janney took supporting actress for "The Diplomat." Jean Smart added a lead-actress comedy win for "Hacks." HBO's "DTF St. Louis" won outstanding limited or anthology series along with directing and writing honors in that category, and "The Traitors," hosted by Alan Cumming, won outstanding competition program. "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" took outstanding talk/variety series, and the Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show starring Bad Bunny won outstanding variety special for a live production, according to the full winners list.
The broadcast also carried several tribute segments. Macaulay Culkin and Dan Levy opened the In Memoriam segment by remembering Catherine O'Hara, who died in January, before Noah Kahan performed Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Sally Field and Reba McEntire honored Dolly Parton, who died in August, with McEntire performing Parton's "Appalachian Memories." Michael J. Fox, who has spoken publicly about living with Parkinson's disease since 1998, received an extended standing ovation while accepting the Television Academy's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
Reaction to the telecast itself was mixed even as the acting and series races drew praise. Several reviewers, including a same-night critique from IndieWire, faulted the show's pacing and Hargitay's grip on the format, even as they credited her with restoring a sense of occasion to a ceremony that has struggled with viewership in recent years. The Television Academy has not yet released overnight ratings.
With "Widow's Bay" already renewed and "The Pitt" midway through production on its third season, both shows now carry the pressure of defending their Emmy status in 2027 — a rare position for a freshman comedy and a sophomore-turned-champion drama to share in the same year.
