As Emmy voting draws to a close, now is the perfect time to take a look at all 21 TV shows nominated for the various Best Series awards. Here is my ranking of all of them – comedy, drama, and everything in between.
21. “Nobody Wants This” Season 2
The first season of “Nobody Wants This” was relentlessly charming, if a bit simplistic. Watching Kristen Bell and Adam Brody fall in love and navigate the difficulties of a new relationship in the modern day was a delight primarily because of their chemistry. The show felt like a breath of fresh air in a sea of tropey, overly complicated romantic comedies. It’s a shame, then, that season 2 is as clichéd and exhausting as it is. Our protagonists’ relationship regresses this season, and character arcs are recycled from the previous installment. And for all of the contrived drama that arises this season, the characters somehow end up in the same place as they did in the first season’s finale. Indeed, season two of “Nobody Wants This” lives up to its title.
20. “Paradise” Season 2
“Paradise” is a show that succeeds largely because of its excellent premise and ensemble of talented actors. The writing leaves much to be desired, and the second season suffers severely from plotting issues. Nearly every other episode is a kind of a standalone episode, and as a result, the narrative is disjointed. This problem is worsened by the baffling twist the season builds up to, as it needed a far more structured season to feel satisfying. Yet the season is still fairly enjoyable because of the strong performers at its center. Sterling K. Brown leads the show with his magnetism, Julianne Nicholson is a compelling antagonist, James Marsden charmingly haunts the narrative, and Shailene Woodley steals the entire season with her tender, brief performance.
19. “The Bear” Season 4
The fourth season of “The Bear” does not take quite as many missteps as its predecessor and has its fair share of standout episodes. Nonetheless, the pacing remains a major issue this season; the sense of urgency that propelled the first two seasons forward is all but gone. The ensemble is stellar when properly utilized, but characters like Tina are still bafflingly sidelined for the season’s entirety.
18. “Only Murders in the Building” Season 5
The fifth season of “Only Murders in the Building” is by far at its best when it focuses on the mysterious billionaires played by Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, and Logan Lerman. Otherwise, the show’s formula remains tried and true, even if it culminates in a conclusion that leaves little impact. The story is certainly enjoyable in the moment, but the lasting impression is muted.
17. “The Pitt” Season 2
“The Pitt” came out of nowhere last year and captured audiences’ hearts with its lovable ensemble of characters and intense storytelling. Season 1 was a jolt of lightning in the television industry, harkening back to a more traditional type of TV. Season 2 was where the cracks in the formula began to show. The second season has several excellent episodes, especially when characters like Dr. Mohan, Dr. Santos, and Dr. Langdon get the time they need to develop their compelling arcs. But the final stretch of the season suffers from its constrained focus on Dr. Robby and Nurse Dana; Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa are talented actors, but their frequent argument scenes became a touch repetitive. The core appeal of “The Pitt” season 1 was how well it balanced the stories of its litany of complex characters, so season 2 suffers significantly for sidelining many of them and not granting them satisfying arcs. Many individual episodes are strong, but this batch of episodes overall does not entirely coalesce as a season of television.
16. “Your Friends & Neighbors” Season 2
The single most shocking series nominee of the decade was “Your Friends & Neighbors” season 2, which received only one Emmy nomination: Outstanding Drama Series. But circumstances of its nomination aside, season 2 is quite solid! As an exploration of what middle-aged malaise looks like for men and women, it is a pretty good one. Jon Hamm is as excellent as ever, but it’s the addition of James Marsden this season that elevates it above its predecessor. The pacing drags somewhat, especially since these episodes did not need to be 60 minutes long, but I could listen to Hamm monologue about expensive products all day.
15. “All Her Fault”
From its over-the-top score to its wild twists to its emotional performances, “All Her Fault” is melodramatic art. Sarah Snook anchors this tense miniseries with quivering lips and tears welling in her eyes, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable show from top to bottom. There are plenty of plot contrivances and suspensions of disbelief, but “All Her Fault” is under no illusion about what kind of show it is. For your weekly dose of rich families having the worst time of their lives, it is more than sufficient.
14. “Beef” Season 2
I do wonder if “Beef” season 1’s immense popularity set this season up for failure, as it set an impossibly high bar for season 2 to clear. “Beef” season 2 isn’t quite as tightly paced or emotionally resonant as its first season, nor is the central beef as gripping, but it still has a lot to offer. The quintet of performances from Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny, Charles Melton, and Youn Yuh-jung are all excellent, as they play off of one another wonderfully. The direction remains inspired, especially in the hospital-set “Oh the Comfort, the Inexpressible Comfort.” The plotting is just a bit too loose to come together meaningfully in its finale.
13. “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette”
If there is any reason to watch “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” it is for Sarah Pidgeon’s starmaking turn as Carolyn Bessette. She elevates a classy if simple miniseries into a must-watch show solely because of the strength of her performance. The entire cast turns in solid work here, with Grace Gummer and Constance Zimmer being the other two highlights. The writing may be a bit heavy-handed at times. Still, it is a breezy watch at its best, when it focuses on the push-and-pull of our main duo’s dynamic, and at its worst, when it leans too heavily on its melodramatic tendencies.
12. “The Diplomat” Season 3
After the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of “The Diplomat” season 2’s finale, season 3 picks up with the same snappy pace that viewers fell in love with. Kate and Hal Wyler’s chaotic marriage is impossible to look away from, and it’s even juicier because of the geopolitical implications of their fallout. It’s a strong season of television, even if it is a slight step down from season 2 and its constant curveballs.
11. “The Beast in Me”
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys take the fairly boilerplate premise of “writer interrogates potential murderer for a novel” and make it one of the year’s most exciting miniseries through the sheer magnitude of their performances. Their chemistry is uncomfortably engrossing, and Rhys in particular is at the top of his game. Is “The Beast in Me” predictable? Sure. Does that fact make it any less bingeworthy? No, it does not.
10. “Abbott Elementary” Season 5
Five seasons in, “Abbott Elementary” is still at the top of its game. Its humor has a remarkably high batting average considering how many jokes are packed into every episode. Some sitcoms would rest on their laurels after this many beloved seasons of television, but this one experiments with setting changes, mini-arcs, and a shocking character development this season. Most sitcoms wouldn’t take risks this far into their run, but Quinta Brunson and the rest of the show’s writers prove “Abbott Elementary” is not most sitcoms.
9. “Hacks” Season 5
The run of episodes between “Montecito” and “Hacks” is one of the strongest in the show’s history. If I were solely judging this season on its stellar back half, it would be even higher, as “Hacks” earnestly closes out the arcs for these characters without missing out on a single laugh along the way. However, the first half of the season is a bit too hit-or-miss to justify putting it above some of the other shows on this list. The writing for a couple of episodes can be surprisingly forced at times: the message is always clear, but the execution is occasionally muddied. Yet there is no such thing as a bad “Hacks” episode when Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs, and Meg Stalter are giving such tremendous performances. “Hacks” season five is a beautiful swan song of one of the decade’s best comedies, even if it has a few rough spots in its beginning.
8. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1
This half-hour comedy spinoff of “Game of Thrones” has no right to work as well as it does. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” immediately stands out from other entries in the Westeros universe by choosing to focus on a knight devoted to serving royals rather than the royals so embroiled in politics that they pay their servants no mind. Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are endlessly winning here, and as more layers of their characters are revealed, their central dynamic becomes more tender. What starts as one of the year’s most charming shows evolves into one of the most surprisingly poignant.
7. “Widow’s Bay” Season 1Â
The biggest surprise of the year has to be “Widow’s Bay,” a show whose success was so unprecedented by Apple TV that its last three episodes aired outside of Emmy eligibility. But once you start the show, the real mystery is how it didn’t catch on sooner: it blends horror, sitcom, and drama so intricately that it is hard to find someone you wouldn’t be able to recommend it to. Matthew Rhys and Kate O’Flynn deliver two of the year’s best comedic performances as they master this show’s magical tonal balance. “Widow’s Bay” is so singular that it scratches an itch you didn’t even know you had.
6. “The Gilded Age” Season 3
“The Gilded Age” season 3 is by far the best installment of this show to date. The gowns are bigger, the sets are more elaborate, and the drama is more electrifying than ever. The sheer technical craft of the show is almost as mesmerizing as the performances from so many of Broadway’s best thespians. “The Gilded Age” is so successful because audiences have fallen in love with its wide array of characters, and this season does an exquisite job of giving each character a memorable storyline. While the stakes themselves might be low, season 3 makes sure we never forget how high the emotional stakes are for these status-obsessed characters.
5. “Slow Horses” Season 5
The most consistent show on television has to be “Slow Horses,” and that’s not only because of its yearly releases. You can count on a season of this show to be filled with tension, riddled with twists and turns, and jam-packed with quips from the wonderfully pathetic team of rejects at Slough House. Season 5 thrives on its political edge; this is the show at its angriest, and the wry tone suits it well. Watching a finale of this show tie every plot point together is an unparalleled joy. The formula of this show works precisely because unpredictability and sharpness are central to it. The only thing you can expect from a season of this show is that it will be excellent, and season 5 is no exception.
4. “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” Season 1
Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, and especially Michelle Pfeiffer deliver three of the year’s best performances in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” a show that explores the world of OnlyFans through the lens of a struggling new mother. The family dynamic between the three aforementioned characters both propels this dramedy forward and guts you in the most unexpected of places. Few shows this year have as much heart and wit as this one, as “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” refuses to shy away from the darker aspects of these entertainers’ lives. It is easily one of the best new shows of 2026.
3. “Shrinking” Season 3
It’s hard to believe that there will be a fourth season of “Shrinking,” as “Shrinking” season 3 is a near-perfect final act for this story. Bill Lawrence’s shows have a way of mixing warm humor with narratives that make your soul ache, and the third season of this show goes to quite dark places. Watching these characters we’ve fallen in love with finally reach a place where they are ready to heal truly has been one of the year’s biggest delights. If you manage to go through “And That’s Our Time” without a single teary eye, I envy your emotional strength. “Shrinking” makes sincerity chic, and it is my favorite comedy of these Emmy-nominated series by a hair.
2. “Pluribus” Season 1
“Pluribus” season 1 is up there with “Severance” season 1 as one of the most confident debut seasons of television in recent memory. This phenomenal sci-fi chooses to be a deliberately paced character study, so it is a blessing that a protagonist as captivating as Carol Sturka is the woman being studied. It is also a blessing that Rhea Seehorn is the woman portraying Carol, as she gives the best TV performance of the past few years in “Pluribus.” Several episodes hinge entirely on her acting, and they’re all the better for it. This show has immense faith in its audience — perhaps too much, considering the inane criticisms it has received — and it is a miracle to watch this spellbinding narrative unfold. It is the best-directed show of the cycle, but with talents like Vince Gilligan and Gordon Smith at the helm, is this any surprise?
1. “DTF St. Louis”
I have not been able to stop thinking about “DTF St. Louis” since watching it. At once a murder mystery, a love triangle, and a rumination on identity, Steven Conrad’s miniseries wears seemingly endless hats. The tone strikes this miraculous balance between quirkiness and tenderness, which makes the devastating finale all the more tear-inducing. Jason Bateman’s Clark broke my heart with his cluelessness about his own desires, David Harbour’s Floyd broke my heart with his endless grace for others and endless criticism for himself, and Linda Cardellini’s Carol broke my heart with her façade of strength. It is far from a perfect show — the investigation aspects of the series are less engaging than the flashbacks that focus on the main trio’s inner lives — but it is the show from this cycle that has stuck with me the most.
What do you think of our list? What’s your favorite of this year’s Emmy-nominated series? Please let us know in the comments section below or on Next Best Picture’s X account.
