2026 Emmy nominations predictions: Our awards expert makes his final picks

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Set us as preferred Death, taxes and Jean Smart winning another Emmy are among life’s certainties.But outside of the realm of the expected, what are we looking for when Emmy nominations arrive Wednesday?I do have questions, namely:Can two-time Emmy winner Zendaya earn a nod for “Euphoria,” a show that remained a ratings hit even if it seemed like people mostly watched to complain about it?Might “Widow’s Bay,” television’s best new comedy, grab the momentum from “Hacks,” Smart’s Emmy-winning series that looked like it’d be taking a victory lap for its final season?And, will voters stop encouraging Ryan Murphy or do we need to write another hundred think pieces about why “Love Story” felt so wrong?For an Emmy season that looked more than a little underwhelming just a few weeks ago, those intrigues offer a wrinkle or two, something for us to chew on as we search for a candle that doubles as a receptacle for hot caramel sauce, as seen in the just-released final season of “The Bear” — a season that, because of its June release, won’t be eligible until 2027.Meanwhile, here’s what we can look for this year.

“Abbott Elementary”“The Bear”“The Comeback”“Hacks”“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”“Only Murders in the Building”“Shrinking”“Widow’s Bay”Possible surprise: “Rooster”Possible snub: “The Bear”Google “Widow’s Bay” and your first result will be: “Did you mean: the next Martha’s Vineyard and definitely not cursed.” It’s an inspired bit of marketing for a series that found the sweet spot between comedy and horror, making us shriek with laughter and revulsion, sometimes simultaneously.The Apple TV series premiered on April 29, arriving so late that only seven of its 10 episodes are eligible for Emmy consideration.

Apple had considered bumping it to ...