Will ‘Severance’ Dominate the 2025 Emmys?

_{"Severance" returns to the Emmy race with 27 nominations and high hopes of surpassing its modest awards haul from season one. (Image: Pictorial Press Ltd)}

Emmy Awards excitement is in overdrive after the nominations were revealed. "Severance" topped the nods with a whopping haul of 27, including 17 Creative Arts Emmys, but how many of those nods will turn into prizes on the two nights? 

The Creative Arts Emmys will be presented on Sept. 6 and 7, and the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 14 at Los Angeles' Peacock Theater. The Primetime Emmy Awards winners are decided by the Television Academy, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), which has more than 26,000 members.

While "Severance" has put up some big nomination numbers, they didn't quite match the record of 32, which was set in 2019 by "Game of Thrones'" final season.

Last year, "Shogun" set a record for most Emmy Awards in a single year with 18, including 14 Creative Arts Emmys, after the FX show defeated previous record holder "John Adams," which won 13 in 2008.

But who will top the Emmys awards chart this year?

“The White Lotus” To Blossom

Prior to the 2024 Emmys, "Shogun" had the most nods with 25, ahead of "The Bear" (23) and "Only Murders in the Building" (21).
"The Bear" went on to land 11 awards, including four at the Primetime Emmys, but "Only Murders in the Building" triumphed in just three categories, and they were all at the Creative Arts Emmys.

In 2023, "Succession" topped the nominations with 27, the same as "Severance" this year, and that included 14 Primetime Emmy nods. However, it wasn't quite as successful overall. While the show won six Primetime Emmys, it was left empty-handed at the Creative Arts ceremony, tasting defeat for its 13 nominations.

That year, "The Bear" won the most awards, scooping 10 of its 13 nods, including all six of its Primetime nominations.
In recent years, a show tends to need around 10 to 12 victories to land the most awards for that year. But "Shogun" was an anomaly in 2024 with its huge 18-accolade haul.

And in four of the past six Emmy ceremonies, Primetime and Creative Arts, the program leading the nods has gone on to win the most accolades.

This is superb news for "Severance," but they aren't favorites to land the most statuettes this year. While "Severance" topped the nods table, history doesn't appear to be on the show's side. Season one received 14 Emmy nominations in 2022, but the program won just two of those, for main title design and musical score.

"The White Lotus" top-scored that year with 10 gongs from 20 nods, and history could repeat itself this year. One of the categories where "The White Lotus" looks likely to score victory is outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.

The category is almost an advertisement for the HBO show, with four "White Lotus" actresses out of seven nominees up for the prize. If "The White Lotus'" Carrie Coon doesn't win, then Parker Posey or Aimee Lou Wood are likely to, despite Patricia Arquette being well deserving of a nod for her "Severance" display. "The White Lotus" could also land the best guest actor in a drama series, courtesy of Scott Glenn's performance.

In a hugely competitive market, the HBO show is 11/10 favorite to land the most accolades at this year's Emmys, followed by 5/4 shot "Severance," and "The Penguin" (11/8) and "The Studio" (6/4) will be very much in contention, too. "Adolescence" (15/8) and "The Bear" (2/1) shouldn't be written off either.

While the Netflix and Disney+ shows only have 13 nods, compared to the likes of "Severance," "The Penguin," "The White Lotus" and "The Studio's" 20-plus nominations, they could have some big winners. And if you're feeling lucky yourself, you might want to check out the latest casino bonuses, because in both Hollywood and gaming, timing is everything.

"The Bear's" Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach look like good bets to land outstanding lead actor in a comedy series and outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, respectively, although Ebon has Harrison Ford in his category. 

What's more, "Adolescence's" 15-year-old star Owen Cooper could make history by winning the outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie gong. If he is successful, he’ll be the youngest male winner of an acting Emmy.

“Severance’s” Solid Statuettes Total

Other Primetime Emmy areas where "Severance" could struggle include the outstanding lead actor in a drama series category. Adam Scott faces stiff competition from the likes of "The Pitt's" Noah Wyle and "Slow Horses" star Gary Oldman. 

"Severance's" Britt Lower might find one too good in the equivalent actress category, too. Kathy Bates and Keri Russell, who appeared in "Matlock" and "The Diplomat," respectively, have both been tipped to do well. What’s more, it is almost a "Severance" vs. "The White Lotus" battle in the outstanding supporting actor in a drama series category.

_{"The White Lotus" Season 3 stars Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood, both tipped for Emmy glory as the HBO series leads the odds for most awards in 2025. (Image: FlixPix)}

The Apple TV+ show has three fancies, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, and John Turturro, up against the HBO program's Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell. Plus, James Marsden's nod for "Paradise" was a surprise for many. Tillman looks most likely to lead the way for "Severance," but if he is to lose out, then Goggins would surely take home the prize.

So, "Severance" may not have it all their own way in some of the major acting categories, but the show still has plenty of chances to land gongs and is likely to do well.

Some even believe the Television Academy has some making up to do after the show's eye-opening first season received nearly half the nods of series two and only picked up two prizes. It's 8/13 for "Severance" to land between one and 10 Emmys in September, and 5/2 for the show to taste huge success by going home with 10 to 18 gongs.

"Severance" looks unlikely to end the Emmys empty-handed (6/1), and it's a massive 12/1 for the program to smash "Shogun's" record by winning at least 19 or more Emmys this year.

A First for Ford?

One of the stories of this year's Emmys nominations day was Harrison Ford earning his first-ever Emmy nod, for the Apple TV+ show "Shrinking." 

The 83-year-old Hollywood icon faces huge competition for the outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series prize, especially from "The Bear's" Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

If Ford manages to pull the Academy's national treasure heartstrings, then he may well land his first-ever Emmy. Not that his performance as Dr. Paul Rhoades doesn't deserve one anyway. 

But if Ebon doesn't win, then "The Studio" star Ike Barinholtz and "Somebody Somewhere's" Jeff Hiller could be Ford's biggest competition. The "Indiana Jones" star is 11/8 to make Emmys history and land the prize.