As the curtain rises on the 2025 Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, all eyes are on two standout productions expected to sweep the night — Netflix’s chilling limited series Adolescence and Apple TV+’s sharp Hollywood satire The Studio. Both shows have not only captured global audiences but also ignited cultural conversations that have set them apart in this year’s competitive Emmy race.
Adolescence, a four-part British limited series, has emerged as a clear frontrunner. With over 140 million views in its first three months of release, the series follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate. Each episode, shot in a single uninterrupted take, weaves together a gripping, tragic commentary on toxic masculinity and its devastating consequences. Critics have hailed it as one of the most important dramas of the decade, and its expected victory in the Best Limited Series category would mark a second consecutive win for dark British Netflix dramas, following Baby Reindeer in 2024.
Meanwhile, Apple TV+’s The Studio is being touted as the likely winner of the Best Comedy Series award. Co-created by and starring Seth Rogen, the show offers both a love letter and a biting critique of Hollywood, with Rogen playing Matt Remick, a struggling studio executive navigating the industry’s contradictions and insecurities. With 23 nominations — tying the record for most ever by a comedy — and nine wins already secured in the technical categories, The Studio enters Emmy night as a commanding favorite. A meta episode centered on an awards show has already generated buzz for potential playful references during the ceremony itself.
But the night’s most hotly contested race lies in the Best Drama Series category, where Apple’s Severance and HBO’s The Pitt are set for a dramatic showdown. Severance, praised for its innovative premise of employees whose work and personal lives are severed by a sinister corporation, dominated nominations with 27 overall. Its sophomore season was hailed as a masterpiece, making it a presumed frontrunner until the surprise rise of The Pitt.
The Pitt, originally conceived as an ER spinoff, has earned acclaim as one of television’s most daring experiments. Set entirely over the course of one grueling hospital shift in Pittsburgh, the 15-episode medical drama tackles abortion rights, mass shootings, and other urgent social issues with unflinching realism. Veteran actor Noah Wyle, returning to his ER roots, has been tipped by pundits to edge out Severance’s Adam Scott for Best Drama Actor, cementing the show’s late surge as a formidable contender.
With the Television Academy eager to steer clear of controversy in an increasingly polarized cultural climate, producers have promised a lighthearted evening focused on celebrating television. “We’re definitely just celebrating television,” producer Jesse Collins told Deadline. “Nobody’s trying to veer off that course. We want everybody to just have fun for three hours.”
Hosting duties this year fall to comedian Nate Bargatze, who has promised humor that avoids being “mean-spirited.” In a unique twist, Bargatze has pledged to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, deducting $1,000 for every second that an acceptance speech runs beyond the allotted 45 seconds — ensuring a brisk pace for the ceremony.
As Hollywood prepares for its biggest night of television, the stage is set for what could be historic victories for Adolescence and The Studio, while viewers will be watching closely to see whether Severance can finally claim Emmy glory or if The Pitt’s underdog momentum will prevail. The 2025 Emmys kick off at 5:00 p.m. local time (0000 GMT Monday) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
