2026 Emmy nominations snubs: Stranger Things, Euphoria and Selena Gomez

The Emmy nominations are finally here, and while expected powerhouses like The Pitt and Hacks dominated with 25 and 24 nominations respectively, not everyone had reason to celebrate.

Stranger Things and Euphoria miss the biggest prize

The Stranger Things Season 5 finale is still up for debate: Fans haven't quite forgiven the Duffer brothers for Eleven's character assassination and death as yet. If you've been clued into the Stranger Things fandom, you would be quite aware that the show that had earned much love for the past 10 years, left a trail of destruction behind.

As for Euphoria, the third season, unhinged as it was, got much love too, but clearly not enough to make the cut for television's top drama honour.

It's not as though they were ignored completely. Both series earned seven nominations each, while Zendaya once again landed a Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination for Euphoria.

The other snubs everyone is talking about

The surprises didn't end there. Several familiar faces and fan-favourite series also found themselves missing when the nominations were announced.

Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

After winning consecutive Emmys and becoming one of television's defining comedy leads, Jeremy Allen White failed to secure a Lead Actor in a Comedy nomination this year. It's an especially surprising omission given The Bear remains a major Emmy contender. Thankfully for the show's fans, Ayo Edebiri continued its awards momentum with another acting nomination.

Only Murders in the Building

Martin Short earned yet another Lead Actor nomination, but his longtime co-stars Steve Martin and Selena Gomez were shut out of the lead comedy acting categories. For one of television's most beloved ensembles, the split decision left plenty of fans scratching their heads.

Paul Anthony Kelly (Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette)

Sarah Pidgeon received recognition for portraying Carolyn Bessette, but Paul Anthony Kelly's performance as John F. Kennedy Jr. failed to earn a nomination despite generating strong praise from viewers and critics alike.

Lisa Kudrow and The Comeback

Lisa Kudrow secured a welcome Lead Actress nomination, marking another career milestone. The celebration stopped there, however, as The Comeback missed out on a Comedy Series nomination in an especially competitive field dominated by titles like Abbott Elementary, Hacks and Margo's Got Money Troubles.

Why some shows weren't even eligible

A few fan-favourite titles have also been mentioned in Emmy snub conversations, but they were never actually in the race.

House of the Dragon Season 3 and Every Year After fell outside this year's eligibility period, which covered programming released between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025. They'll instead compete at the 2027 Emmys.

Meanwhile, Heated Rivalry wasn't eligible because, as a Canadian-produced series, it does not qualify under Emmy rules.