From newcomers likeOnly Murders in the Buildingto longstanding shows likeCurb Your Enthusiasm,the 2022Primetime Emmy Awardslist of nominees is one that is packed full of comedy. With shows adapted from film, likeWhat We Do in the Shadows, to shows created from an original story like the six-time Emmy-winningBarry, this year’s list of nominees for Oustanding Comedy Series is one where there is not a clear winner.
Many think newshows likeAbbott ElementaryorOnly Murders in the Buildingcould win, while others think this year could see a repeat winner withTed Lasso, which was nominated for a second time in this category and is likely to receive another nomination for its third season once that airs.Hacksis another show that, perEsquire, was recently renewed for a third season that has also seen multiple nominations and wins during its short run. Ironically, these two shows are the only two that return to the Outstanding Comedy Series category for the second year in a row. While we wait for Emmys night, let’s take a deeper look into the nominations for this year’s award. Here’s how we would ranked them.
8What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadowshas received 17 nominations since its debut in 2019, two of which were for the Outstanding Comedy Series category. While the show has yet to receive an Emmy win, it’s possible this year may see the series' first. Based on the 2014 mockumentary of the same name,What We Do in the Shadowsfollows the daily lives of four vampires in Staten Island. The show comes from the minds of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waitti, who both starred in the original film. Though the TV series features a new cast, both writers did reprise their roles for a few episodes in the series.
Related:Emmys 2022: Ranking the Outstanding Comedy Series Nominees
7The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselis one of Amazon Prime’s best-winning shows. With a staggering 66 nominations and 20 Emmy wins over the series' four seasons, the show could certainly add on to its wins with its most recent season.The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselfollows Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a young mother of two who finds her calling is stand-up comedy. What starts as small-crowd shows turns into a spot on The Tonight Show, and Midge finds everything she wanted in the world to be turned upside down thanks to comedy. The series has won Emmys for acting, cinematography, writing, and has previously won Outstanding Comedy Series, though the show has not won an Emmy for that category since 2018.
6Curb Your Enthusiasm
Longtime winner of comedy,Curb Your Enthusiasmis one of the most decorated shows to have been nominated again this year. The series has been in circulation on and off since 2000, and has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for its tenth time, though the show has yet to win any of these nominations. The series follows Larry David and the many predicaments he finds himself in. Apart from David, co-star Jeff Garlin, who plays Jeff Greene, has been in all 110 episodes. The story has also been written by David himself. WIll 2022 be the year the great show finally wins the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series?
Another show that’s no stranger to the Outstanding Comedy Series category isBarry.To date, the series has received 44 nominations and six wins, including two wins for main actor Bill Hader. Similar toCurb Your Enthusiasm,Barrywas also created by its main actor, who has also had his hand in directing ten of its 24 episodes. As you can guess, the show centers around Barry who happens to be a hitman from the Midwest. In the show, he moves to Los Angeles and gets introduced to the theater scene after following one of his targets there. It’s at the theater that he finds his true passion for acting, something his handler is not a fan of. As both an action and comedy series, the show has scenes for all kinds of viewers. PerGold Derby, Hader won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2018 and 2019, for the first two seasons ofBarry. If he were to win this year, he would make Emmy history.
4Ted Lasso
During its first season,Ted Lassodominated the 73rd annual Primetime Emmys. As of its second season, the show has racked up 40 nominations and seven Emmy wins. The series was also last year’s winner for Outstanding Comedy Series, a win that many hope to see repeated this year. In the show from AppleTV+, Emmy winner Jason Sudeikis, who helped develop the story, plays the titular character: Ted Lasso is an American college football coach who was sent to London to manage a struggling Premier League football team. The show, which has more Emmy nominations than episodes at this point, has been a hit since it premiered in 2020. Though many expectTed Lassoto end after its third season, it will come at no surprise if the show continues on its dominating path in terms of Emmy wins.
Related:Emmys 2022: Best Nominated TV Performances, Ranked
3Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementaryis one of two new shows that aired in 2021 that finds its self on the coveted list of Outstanding Comedy Series nominees. During the series' first season, it amassed seven nominations, most of which come from nods to its cast. Its second season is set to debut not long after the 74th Annual Primetime Emmys take place. The touching but comedic series from Quinta Brunson follows a group of teachers who all work at one of the worst public schools in the country. The main thing they have in common: they all love teaching. From a stellar cast to its mockumentary-style of filming, those who have watched the show expect nothing but greatness as it progresses. They also would love to see an Emmy win (or seven), too!
Though the second season ofHackshas only been out since the middle of May, it was enough to add 17 nominations to its 15 from the first season. LikeTed Lasso, the success of this HBO Max show has been monumental and can only grow from here. A repeat win for Jean Smart is expected as well as a possible first win in Outstanding Comedy Series. In the show, Smart plays main character Deborah Vance, who is a legendary Las Vegas comedian that is formed to mentor an entitled outcast, played Hannah Einbinder. Their partnership is methodically planned by Deborah, who has seen her career start to dwindle. She hopes to use Hannah’s new-age writing skill to boost her back to her great status.
1Only Murders in the Building
Perhaps the front-runner, in our eyes at least, of the Outstanding Comedy Series category comes in Hulu’sOnly Murders in the Building, which teams up comedic geniuses Steve Martin and Martin Short with Selena Gomez. The three characters play strangers who all have a true crime obsession. It’s this obsession that spawns a podcast on a murder that happened inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment complex. As their podcast continues, they find themselves uncovering secrets about their apartment that stretch back years. The first season aired late August 2021, causing it to miss the cutoff for the 73rd annual Primetime Emmys. Though the second season aired in June 2022, the first season is the one up for this year’s Emmys. To date, the show has received 17 nominations and will likely win a good amount.
