The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards air on Monday, September 12, and the award for Outstanding Comedy Series will be one of the hottest races of the night. Last year's winner Ted Lasso could pull out back-to-back wins, but it faces stiff competition from newcomer critical darlings Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building. The category also has reliable favorites like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
There are eight shows nominated in the Outstanding Comedy Series category for this year’s Emmy Awards, and almost all of them sport a higher than 90% rating, with one even achieving a perfect 100% “average Tomatometer” rating. But a perfect score doesn't guarantee the big win at the Emmys.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video) – 89%
With four seasons under its belt and a fifth and final season coming, the Amazon Prime Video original period-comedy drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the only nominee not to score higher than 90%. However, it’s also one of the longest-running shows in the category, giving critics more material to critique.
It's season 3's low score that dropped the show’s overall average below 90%, with seasons 1, 2, and 4 all ranking higher. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel tells the story of a wealthy housewife and mother in the 1950s who, after an unfortunate life situation, is inadvertently discovered to have a knack for stand-up comedy. Through each season, fans follow Midge Maisel’s journey alongside her manager Susie as she tries to make a name for herself in the male-dominated world of comedy. The show has been praised for its cast as well as its wit and charm.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – 92%
Like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Curb Your Enthusiasm has been on the air longer than the others: in fact, it’s the longest-running nominated show with 11 seasons, and a renewal for a 12th. Creator Larry David plays a fictionalized version of himself, complete with his friends and signature dry humor as he deals with mundane, daily life situations.
The show has received 51 Primetime Emmy nominations to date, including being nominated in this category for nine of its 11 seasons. Interestingly, Curb Your Enthusiasm went on a lengthy hiatus, originally airing from 2000 through to 2009, then returning in 2011 and being revived in 2017, 2020, and 2021 for new seasons. Nonetheless, there are still things from Curb season 1 that keep getting better over time.
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) – 95%
A smash hit for Apple TV+, fans love that while Ted Lasso presents as a sports comedy, it’s actually a show with much deeper meaning, discussing topics of mental health and bucking the stereotypical macho male mindset without being overtly on-the-nose about it.
Jason Sudeikis delights as the title character, an American football coach from Kansas who, after going viral on TV, is hired by the jaded owner of an English football team. There’s one small problem, however: he knows nothing about soccer. While Ted faces pushback at every turn, nothing can bring down his sunny disposition and hopeful attitude. Ted Lasso became the most nominated freshman comedy in the history of the Emmys after its first season with a total of 20, and won in this category. For 2022, Ted Lasso has a total of 20 nominations again.
Abbott Elementary (ABC) – 98%
The only network show nominated in this category, Abbott Elementary is a newcomer with just one season. But the mockumentary sitcom about a group of teachers and administrators in a predominately Black school in Philadelphia has delighted fans and critics alike.
Not surprisingly, Abbott Elementary has been renewed for a second season, which debuts on September 21. Alongside being nominated in this category, four of the show’s actors, who represent some of the best characters on Abbot Elementary, were also nominated in major acting awards categories, including show creator Quinta Brunson.
What We Do in the Shadows (FX) – 98%
A vampire-themed show like no other, What We Do in the Shadows is filmed mockumentary style as a camera crew follows a group of vampires living everyday lives in a small apartment in Staten Island. Four seasons have aired with the show already receiving a renewal for seasons 5 and 6 as well.
What We Do in the Shadows is praised for its cast and writing and has received 17 Emmy nominations to date. This includes being named among the nominees in the Outstanding Comedy Series both this year and in 2020.
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – 99%
With an almost perfect rating, fans love the mismatched ensemble cast of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in Only Murders in the Building. The trio play residents in an upscale building in New York who all happen to share a fascination with true crime. When a murder happens in their building, they come together to try and solve the case, developing their own podcast in the process. But soon, they get caught up in the drama in ways they never expected.
The show just concluded its second season with plenty of burning questions fans have after the season 2 finale of Only Murders in the Building. This nomination is for the show’s first season, which introduced the unbeatable chemistry among the leads. OMITB received 17 nominations in total this year, including acting nods for Martin and Short. The Hulu original will be returning for a third season.
Barry (HBO) – 99%
He developed a fanbase as a cast member on Saturday Night Live for many years, then went on to appear in a number of comedy films, but it was this lead role in Barry that really showed what Bill Hader can do as an actor. The show about a hitman trying to turn his life around when he stumbles upon an acting class in Los Angeles takes a serious premise and flips it on its head to add some humor.
Three seasons have aired to date, with some big surprises in season 3 of Barry. A fourth season has also been confirmed. In total throughout its run, Barry has received 44 Emmy nominations, and Hader won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series twice while his co-star Henry Winkler took home the supporting actor trophy for season 1. This year, the show has a total of 14 nominations.
Hacks (HBO Max) – 100%
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder star in this comedy about an aging Las Vegas comedy legend who seeks the help of a young, struggling comedy writer with a marred reputation to help reinvent her career. Naturally, the two women have very different ideas about comedy and what audiences want. But together, they find they can help one another in more ways than one.
Renewed for a third season, Hacks has received numerous Emmy nominations to date, with Smart winning Outstanding Lead Actress last year. Hacks received 17 Emmy nominations this year.