2024 Emmy nomination predictions: Outstanding Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series

Entertainment Weekly predicts the top contenders in the big three Emmy categories — from "The Crown" and "The Bear" to "Fargo" and "True Detective: Night Country."

Sure, we just did this in January — but television never sleeps, people! Welcome to the 2024 Emmy season, where everything that aired between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024 has a shot at taking home a shiny gold statue this fall.

Okay, maybe not everything. Allow us to kick off the prognostication parade with the big three categories: Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series. With nominations-round voting starting on June 13, voters don't have much time to consume a lot of contenders. Their to-do list begins below.

Drama Series

The Crown (Netflix)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
The Curse (Showtime)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)
Fallout (Prime Video)
3 Body Problem (Netflix)

It’s an exciting time to be an Emmy voter… at least, for those who are willing to watch a whole bunch of new dramas. With Succession and Better Call Saul over, and so many other frequent nominees — House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and Yellowjackets — not airing in the eligibility window this go-around, the field is wide open. The Crown is the only real lock, but The Morning Show — which has racked up multiple Emmy acting nominations in past seasons — is likely to graduate to the drama ballot. The recent SAG nomination for The Gilded Age and the Globe nod for Slow Horses star Gary Oldman indicate that they’ll be on voters’ radar. The rest of the category will be a mix of starry, critically acclaimed series (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Curse) and high-profile adaptations (3 Body Problem, Fallout).

Also in the mix: Loki (Disney+), Ahsoka (Disney+), The New Look (Apple TV+), Sugar (Apple TV+)

Deserving dark horse: Criminal Record (Apple TV+), a refreshingly unfussy police thriller starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo. The streamer has pumped out a lot of big-budget mediocrity this season, yet their best drama probably cost less than Palm Royale’s wig budget.

Comedy Series

The Bear (FX on Hulu)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Hacks (Max)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
I’m A Virgo (Prime Video)

Now that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ted Lasso, and Barry have left the building for good, the comedy ballot has room for some new tenants. What We Do in the Shadows, overlooked for season 4, should be back along with returning nominees The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Only Murders, Hacks, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. (Curb, it should be noted, is having a woefully unfunny final season, but it’ll somehow earn an 11th nomination in this category anyway.) As for the fresh blood, our bet is on Boots Riley’s bold social satire I’m a Virgo, and the sublime sendoff season of Reservation Dogs. The voting body should know that there will be a mass TV critic uprising if the latter does not receive its long-overdue recognition.

Also in the mix: Palm Royale (Apple TV+), Frasier (Paramount+), The Gentlemen (Netflix), The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

Deserving dark horse: The Vince Staples Show (Netflix). This fascinating, five-episode experiment starring the rapper/Abbott Elementary actor is kinda like Curb Your Enthusiasm remade by David Lynch.

Limited or Anthology Series

Shōgun (FX)
Fargo (FX)
True Detective: Night Country (HBO)
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Yes, it’s early in the season, but once again the slots are already filling up in this always-competitive category. FX will gobble up two with Shōgun and Fargo, and the fourth season of HBO’s True Detective is a heavy favorite as well. (Apologies to Nic Pizzolatto.) One important thing to note: Change could still be afoot. Netflix's Baby Reindeer went from zero to contender in about a week. At least one high-profile limited series has yet to premiere (Eric), while others are running now (The Sympathizer, Under the Bridge, Franklin, The Veil).

Also in the mix: Ripley, Eric, Griselda, Fellow Travelers (Showtime), Masters of the Air (Apple TV+), The Regime (HBO)

Deserving dark horse: We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu). This sprawling, uplifting adaptation of Georgia Hunter’s historical novel, which just premiered last week, isn’t a big part of the Emmy conversation yet. By the time the finale airs in May, it should be.

Nominations for the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced on Wednesday, July 17. The ceremony will air live on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ABC.

Listen to the full episode of The Awardist podcast, below, for more on our predictions.

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Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.