'Shogun' tops television's Emmy nominations with 25

Hit drama series "Shogun," which transported viewers to early 17th-century Japan, topped television's Emmy nominations on Wednesday, earning 25 nods.

"The Bear" broke the comedy record for most nominations in a single year, with 23, ahead of "Only Murders in the Building" which landed on 21.

"True Detective: Night Country," starring Jodie Foster, topped the limited or anthology series section, scoring 19 nominations.

Nominees were announced in a live-streamed ceremony from Los Angeles, with final-round voting for the 76th Emmy Awards scheduled for next month, ahead of the September 15 ceremony.

"Shogun" -- adapted from James Clavell's historical fiction novel -- portrays the intricate and deadly court politics of feudal Japan.

Television Academy voters were not put off by the show's heavy use of subtitles, showering nominations on its remarkable cast of Japanese heroes and villains.

Among those were lead actress Anna Sawai and lead actor Hiroyuki Sanada, who told AFP the nomination was "truly humbling."

"It was a great opportunity to share our culture with the world. I hope this will be a stepping stone for the next generation," Sanada said in an e-mailed statement.

With another two seasons already in the works, "Shogun" is a hot favorite across this year's drama categories.

But surprisingly, there was no nomination for Cosmo Jarvis for his portrayal of the marooned English sailor who frames the show's narrative for audiences.

"Shogun" faces competition in drama categories from the final season of Netflix's British royal saga "The Crown," and Apple's "The Morning Show," starring Jennifer Aniston.

- 'The Bear' -

Meanwhile, "The Bear" topped the comedy categories, making history with its 23 nominations.

The previous record set in 2009 was held by Alec Baldwin's "30 Rock."

Set in a chaotic Chicago restaurant run by a group of close-knit but abrasive and occasionally abusive chefs, "The Bear," was a big winner for its debut season at the last Emmys.

It returned with an even more ambitious and experimental second run.

Sumptuous montages of Michelin star-level dishes were paired with extraordinary episodes like "Fishes" -- an hour-long portrait of a dysfunctional family tearing itself apart over one excruciating dinner.

Bizarrely entered in the comedy categories, despite dealing with hard-hitting issues like grief and addiction, "The Bear" is up against shows including "Hacks," "Abbott Elementary," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Both "Shogun" and "The Bear" come from FX, a Disney-owned channel that enjoyed a stellar day Wednesday with further multiple nominations for "Fargo," "Feud: Capote vs The Swans," "Welcome to Wrexham" and "What We Do in the Shadows."

- 'True Detective' -

The categories for limited or anthology series are always packed with water-cooler hits.

"True Detective: Night Country" -- the fourth installment of the dark crime anthology series, which this time shifted the action to Alaska -- scored the most nominations this year.

Double Oscar-winner Foster was among the Emmy nominees as lead actress.

Among the category's other contenders was Netflix's "Baby Reindeer," adapted from Scottish comedian Richard Gadd's pitch-black one-man show about his encounters with a female stalker.

The global phenomenon, which has suffered controversy after a woman claiming to be its real-life inspiration sued the streamer, earned 11 nods, including one for Gadd.

Other widely nominated shows in the limited series section included "Fargo," "Ripley" and "Lessons in Chemistry."

There were surprising snubs for Kate Winslet ("The Regime") and Emma Stone ("The Curse").

The 76th Emmy Awards will be the second to take place in 2024, after last year's ceremony was postponed to January due to Hollywood strikes.

It will honor television series that were broadcast between June 2023 and May 2024.

Tony Hale ("Veep") and Sheryl Lee Ralph ("Abbott Elementary") unveiled the nominations.

Voting members of the US-based Television Academy have a month to catch up on their viewing, before final-round voting takes place in mid-August.