Monday evening at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, Apple TV shattered records to become the most awarded network of the year, landing 29 wins overall, including Outstanding Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay” as the breakout sensation sweeps all major categories with 14 wins in total and cements itself as the most Emmy-awarded freshman comedy series in history. Additionally, “Widow’s Bay” lands the most wins for a comedy series in a single season, as well as the most performance wins of any series in 2026.
In addition to Outstanding Comedy Series, “Widow’s Bay” scores with wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Matthew Rhys, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Kate O’Flynn, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Stephen Root, alongside Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Katie Dippold and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Hiro Murai. Global phenomenon “Pluribus” lands Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Vince Gilligan, while acclaimed drama “Slow Horses” wins Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Saul Metzstein.
With these wins, Apple TV reaches the status of the most Emmy-awarded network faster than any other streamer in just seven Emmy seasons, and stands as home of the most Emmy Award-winning series for the second year in a row following last year’s wins for Outstanding Comedy Series “The Studio.” Apple TV also makes history as the first and only streaming service to land back-to-back Outstanding Comedy Series awards, landing wins for four of the last six years with “Ted Lasso,” “The Studio,” and “Widow’s Bay.”
Additionally, “Widow’s Bay” breaks records with the most Emmy wins for performances out of any other series this year, as director and executive producer Hiro Murai becomes the first Asian ever to win in the comedy directing category.
“Reaching milestones like these feels incredibly special for all of us at Apple, but what makes it especially meaningful is what it represents: the extraordinary storytellers we have the privilege of working alongside,” said Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming, in a statement. “There is nothing like the power of a great story to capture our imaginations, surprise us in unexpected ways, and remind us of what connects us. Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, and Slow Horses have done exactly that. Congratulations to all of the artists honored and thank you to the Television Academy.”
Outstanding Comedy Series winner “Widow’s Bay” lands 14 wins, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for star and executive producer Matthew Rhys, alongside an Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series win for Kate O’Flynn and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Stephen Root, as well as Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Katie Dippold and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Hiro Murai, who becomes the first Asian director to win in this category. Widow’s Bay also leads with the most performer wins of any series this year. These wins are in addition to the previously announced honors for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Betty Gilpin; Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour); Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour); Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score); Outstanding Music Supervision; Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation.
Global hit “Pluribus” earns six wins including for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for creator Vince Gilligan and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for star Rhea Seehorn. These are in addition to the previously announced wins for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More); Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series; Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour). Acclaimed spy thriller “Slow Horses” lands one win for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Saul Metzstein.
Apple’s acclaimed comedy “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” makes its Emmy debut with three previously announced wins, including Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series, Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling, and Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic). Comedy series “Palm Royale” earns three Emmy Award wins, including Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming, Outstanding Period Costumes, and Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic). Apple TV also scored two wins on the first night of the 78th Emmy Awards: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series for “Mr. Scorsese,” and Outstanding Commercial for “I’m Not Remarkable.”
Earlier this year, Apple scored 89 Primetime Emmy Award nominations across 15 programs, leading as the network with the most nominations in the Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Comedy series categories, respectively, nabbing top program nominations for comedies “Widow’s Bay,” “Shrinking,” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” alongside dramas “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses,” and “Your Friends & Neighbors.” “Widow’s Bay” led as one of this year’s most-nominated programs with 19 nominations in total, and “Pluribus” landed 18 nominations following its global hit freshman season, as celebrated Apple Original “Shrinking” earned 10 nominations, “Slow Horses” was recognized with nine nominations, and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” scored eight nominations in total. The record-breaking nominations followed Apple TV sweeping last year’s Emmy Awards with “The Studio” becoming the most winning freshman comedy in Emmy history and Severance leading as most winning drama.
To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 917 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies The Studio and Ted Lasso; global cultural phenomenon Severance; Apple’s most-viewed drama, Pluribus; Academy Award Best Picture winner CODA; and Academy Award winner F1, the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
In total, Apple earned 29 wins for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, including:
Widow’s Bay (14)
• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O’Flynn
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root
• Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Katie Dippold
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Hiro Murai
• Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty Gilpin
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
• Outstanding Music Supervision
• Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
Pluribus (6)
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn
• Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Vince Gilligan
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
• Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series
• Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
Margo’s Got Money Troubles (3)
• Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series
• Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling
• Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
Slow Horses (1)
• Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Saul Metzstein
Palm Royale (3)
• Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming
• Outstanding Period Costumes
• Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
Mr. Scorsese (1)
• Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Outstanding Commercial (1)
• “I’m Not Remarkable”: Apple
MacDailyNews Take: This will lead to an influx of Apple TV subscribers. Congrats to all of the Apple TV casts and crews of the nominated and winning fare!
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