Emmys 2022: Predictions for Outstanding Comedy, Drama and Limited Series

Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook in Succession; Sarah Niles in Ted Lasso; Jolene Purdy and Murray Bartlett in The White Lotus. Photos Courtesy: HBO; Apple TV+

We’re still very much in the midst of an incredibly productive peak TV time — with more and more dramas, comedies and miniseries to watch every passing month. So it’s only fitting that we get to see some of those titles recognized by the Television Academy. The nominations for the 94th Primetime Emmy Awards have been out for a month, and some categories — like the guest performers — have already been announced ahead of the Emmy Awards ceremony on NBC this Monday, September 12. 

The nominations are showing us some trends when it comes to Emmy voters’ tastes — and their habit of nominating the same shows year after year. A few titles have emerged as frontrunners. 

HBO’s Succession leads the pack with 25 nominations, including a lot of them for its ensemble cast as well as the coveted Outstanding Drama Series nomination. Another fan-favorite, Ted Lasso, is the frontrunner in the comedy category with 20 nominations. The White Lotus also has 20 nominations. The HBO show is nominated in the limited or anthology series categories, even though it has been renewed for a second season.

Let’s see what else has gotten some Emmy voters’ love. Here are the titles and performers leading the 2022 Emmys and the list of nominations for the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards — and our predictions for them.

Emmys 2022: Best Comedy Series Predictions

Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt and Nick Mohammed in Ted Lasso. Photo Courtesy: Apple TV+

The seven-time Primetime Emmy winner Ted Lasso could see its luck return come Emmy night. Its 20 nominations — the most for any of this year’s comedies — make this Apple TV+ the favorite to once again take home the Outstanding Comedy Series statuette as well as several others for its cast and crew.

It could see some competition from Only Murders in the Building though. The Hulu series has 17 nominations and has debuted a second season that didn’t show any signs of quality decline. Nathan Lane has already nabbed an Emmy for his Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series turn in Only Murders in the Building. But I don’t understand how the Emmy voters decided to nominate Martin Short and Steve Martin in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category when their co-star Selena Gomez got completely overlooked in the Outstanding Lead Actress one.

Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Williams, Quinta Brunson, Chris Perfetti and Sheryl Lee Ralph in Abbott Elementary. Photo Courtesy: ABC

Other titles among the funny watches include ABC newcomer Abbott Elementaryone of my favorite shows of 2022. The Quinta Brunson-created workplace comedy has seven nominations.

The list of outstanding comedies is rounded out by Hacks and the already-veteran shows Barry (HBO), What We Do in the Shadows (FX) and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video). The one title I miss the most from this lineup, and which got completely snubbed by Emmy voters, is the FX Indigenous-made comedy Reservation Dogs.

Emmys 2022: Best Drama Series Predictions

Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook in Succession. Photo Courtesy: HBO

When it comes to dramas, the chances could also be in favor of another veteran show with multiple Emmy wins to its name already. The nine-time Primetime Emmy winner Succession is the title to beat in this category.

Three debuting shows made their way into the list of nominees for the Outstanding Drama Series award. One of them is the critical darling Severance from Apple TV+. Another one is Squid Game, which is not only Netflix’s most popular TV property but, as a Korean show, has also made history by becoming the first non-English show to score a best drama nomination. Squid Game has 14 nominations in total, with nominations for Lee Jung-jae as a Lead Actor in a Drama Series, as well as nominations for Park Hae-soo and Oh Yeong-su as supporting actors and Jung Ho-yeo as supporting actress. The show has already nabbed the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series award for Lee Yoo-mi.

Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci in Yellowjackets. Photo Courtesy: Showtime

And the third newbie to be nominated is Showtime’s Yellowjackets, which also received nominations for Melanie Lynskey and Christina Ricci. And even though I’m missing a nomination for Juliette Lewis, I’m happy the show was at least included since the Television Academy can sometimes overlook debut titles.

Better Call Saul — which ended its run on AMC this year — as well as Euphoria, Ozark and Stranger Things are among the other veteran dramas to have received nods.

Emmys 2022: Best Limited or Anthology Series Predictions

Connie Britton, Steve Zahn and Murray Bartlett in The White Lotus. Photo Courtesy: HBO

When it comes to limited or anthology series, you’ll see a great array of titles based on true events with a crime or scam element to them this year, as we’ve already mentioned that is one of the most dominating 2022 TV trends

But the miniseries with the most nominations is actually the completely fictional The White Lotus. And yes, it’s kind of paradoxical that the Mike White-created series has already been renewed for a second season. But you know successful limited series tend to get converted into ongoing shows more and more often these days. The White Lotus has already won five Emmys in technical categories such as music composition, casting and sound mixing — in case you want to see that as an indication of how the rest of Emmy voters’ tastes may align for the main categories. 

The other titles in the Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series category are Dopesick, The Dropout, Inventing Anna and Pam & Tommy. As much as I liked several of those, I’m definitely missing Netflix’s Maid among them but I’m glad Margaret Qualley got a nomination as the lead actress on that show.

Emmys 2022: List of Key Primetime Emmy Award Nominations

Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short in Only Murders in the Building. Photo Courtesy: Hulu

And here are some of the Emmys 2022 nominations for key categories. You can check out a full list of all the nominees here.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

Barry

Hacks

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 

Ted Lasso 

What We Do In The Shadows

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Rachel Brosnahan • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 

Quinta Brunson • Abbott Elementary 

Kaley Cuoco • The Flight Attendant 

Elle Fanning • The Great

Issa Rae • Insecure

Jean Smart • Hacks

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Donald Glover • Atlanta

Bill Hader • Barry 

Nicholas Hoult • The Great

Steve Martin • Only Murders In The Building 

Martin Short • Only Murders In The Building

Jason Sudeikis • Ted Lasso 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Alex Borstein • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 

Hannah Einbinder • Hacks

Jannelle James • Abbott Elementary

Kate McKinnon • Saturday Night Live 

Sarah Niles • Ted Lasso

Sheryl Lee Ralph • Abbott Elementary

Juno Temple • Ted Lasso 

Hannah Waddingham • Ted Lasso 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Carrigan • Barry

Brett Goldstein • Ted Lasso

Toheeb Jimoh • Ted Lasso

Nick Mohammed • Ted Lasso

Tony Shalhoub • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Tyler James Williams • Abbott Elementary 

Henry Winkler • Barry

Bowen Yang • Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul

Euphoria 

Ozark

Severance 

Squid Game 

Stranger Things 

Succession 

Yellowjackets

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jodie Comer • Killing Eve

Laura Linney • Ozark

Melanie Lynskey • Yellowjackets

Sandra Oh • Killing Eve

Reese Witherspoon • The Morning Show

Zendaya • Euphoria

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman • Ozark

Brian Cox • Succession

Lee Jung-jae • Squid Game

Bob Odenkirk • Better Call Saul

Adam Scott • Severance

Jeremy Strong • Succession

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Patricia Arquette • Severance

Julia Garner • Ozark

Jung Ho-yeon • Squid Game

Christina Ricci • Yellowjackets

Rhea Seehorn • Better Call Saul

J. Smith-Cameron • Succession

Sarah Snook • Succession

Sydney Sweeney • Euphoria

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Nicholas Brayn • Succession 

Billy Crudup • The Morning Show

Kieran Culkin • Succession

Park Hae-soo • Squid Game

Matthew Macfadyen • Succession

John Turturro • Severance

Christopher Walken • Severance

Oh Yeong-su • Squid Game

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

Dopesick 

The Dropout

Inventing Anna

Pam & Tommy 

The White Lotus 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Toni Collette • The Staircase

Julia Garner • Inventing Anna 

Lily James • Pam & Tommy 

Sarah Paulson • Impeachment: American Crime Story 

Margaret Qualley • Maid

Amanda Seyfried • The Dropout

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Colin Firth • The Staircase

Andrew Garfield • Under The Banner Of Heaven

Oscar Isaac • Scenes From A Marriage

Michael Keaton • Dopesick 

Himesh Patel • Station Eleven

Sebastian Stan • Pam & Tommy

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Connie Britton • The White Lotus 

Jennifer Coolidge • The White Lotus

Alexandra Daddario • The White Lotus

Kaitlyn Dever • Dopesick

Natasha Rothwell • The White Lotus

Sydney Sweeney • The White Lotus

Mare Winningham • Dopesick

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Murray Bartlett • The White Lotus

Jake Lacy • The White Lotus 

Will Poulter • Dopesick

Seth Rogen • Pam & Tommy

Peter Sarsgaard • Dopesick

Michael Stuhlbarg • Dopesick

Steve Sahn • The White Lotus