Emmy Nominations: FX Eclipses HBO, Trails Only Netflix With Record Turnout

The people over at FX have a lot to be psyched about today.

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In a TV awards cycle increasingly dominated by the HBO-Netflix horse race — which, for HBO, technically includes steamer Max — it was the other premium cable network and its Hulu offerings that came out tops among individual programs during Wednesday’s Primetime Emmy Awards nominations.

Driven by the year’s two most nominated projects, the drama Shogun and reigning comedy The Bear , FX narrowly beat HBO for No. 2 status among all nominated platforms. It marks the first time FX has ever come so close to topping total Emmy nominations, with Netflix walking away with an easy win this year on the backs of its sprawling slate. FX’s No. 2 status among prestige outlets is all the more compelling when you look at the breakdown of actual programs. Its 93 nominations, which topped HBO and Max’s collective haul by just two, are spread out among a mere nine programs (and one of them a digital companion series).

In addition to major players Shogun (25 nominations) and The Bear (23), the latter a recipient of 10 Emmy Awards just this January at the delayed 2023 affair, FX also scored well for anthologies Fargo (15) and Feud (10), reality program Welcome to Wrexham (6), comedy What We Do In the Shadows (8), and, in a surprising turn, the final season of comedy Reservation Dogs (4). The latter went previously ignored by the TV Academy for its first two seasons. All told, FX (and FX on Hulu) bested its previous nominations record (56 in 2016, the year of The People v. O.J. Simpson ) by 37.

For its part, the dominant Netflix easily topped all of the platforms in contention, with 107 nominations. In addition to having the most nominated projects, the global leader in streaming subscriptions also has major individual forces in the final season of The Crown (18), limited series Ripley (13) and Baby Reindeer (11) and somewhat surprising multiple nominees 3 Body Problem (6) and documentary series Beckham (5).

Though it trailed HBO, Apple also had a best-ever year, scoring 72 nominations, thanks in no small part to a cache of programming filmed before the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023. It led with comedy Palm Royale (11), dramas The Morning Show (16) and Slow Horses (9), and limited series Lessons in Chemistry (10).

HBO was in sort of the opposite scenario as Apple. Though it still placed a strong No. 3, it trailed its recent showings thanks in large part to a 2024 slate diminished by the strikes. Dependable Emmy players such as The White Lotus and The Last of Us were taken off the field by delays — and even without the strikes, recent breakout House of the Dragon was never going to premiere its second season in the nominations window that closed in May. The good news for HBO: True Detective: Night Country (19) ranked as the most nominated anthology or miniseries, Max original Hacks (17) returned strong after a year’s break from the Emmys and drama The Gilded Age (6) scored as many nominations as perennial winner Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (6).

Amazon Prime Video’s total nominations, while narrowly trailing broadcast networks ABC and CBS (both 38) with 37 nominations, are particularly notable for the platform’s contribution to the drama race. Both Fallout and Mr. & Mrs. Smith performed especially well, with 16 nominations apiece.

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So what does it all mean, if anything at all? Well, the impact of the strikes was perhaps unquantifiable. But, more than that, this year’s nominations show that quality (subjective) and quantity (objective) are of equal importance to the corporate side of the Emmy race. The question of which is more impressive — in this case, Netflix’s 107 nominations for 35 programs or FX’s 93 for nine offerings — has no easy answer.

There may be further updates as numbers — all courtesy of the Television Academy, which cites submitting platforms, are crunched and, if previous years are any indication, contested — but right now the platform race stands as follows.

Top 10 most nominated platforms — and how many projects were nominated

1. Netflix — 107 nominations (35 programs)
2. FX — 93 nominations (9 programs)
3. HBO — 91 nominations (29 programs)
4. Apple — 72 nominations (16 programs and 2 commercials)
5. ABC — 38 nominations (11 programs)
6. CBS — 38 nominations (13 programs)
7. Amazon Prime Video — 37 nominations (6 programs)
8. NBC — 33 nominations (9 programs)
9. Hulu — 26 nominations (5 programs)
10. Disney+ — 19 nominations (6 programs)

(The conglomerate race is an entirely different matter. With series and projects across FX, ABC, Hulu and Disney+ and others, The Walt Disney Co. reached a personal best 183 total Emmy nominations.)

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