The nominations for the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards have been unveiled amid a year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting in the drama fields, HBO’s Succession and Netflix’s Ozark have early advantage with a lucrative eighteen nominations apiece including the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series prize. The eight-strong category also includes the likes of AMC’s Better Call Saul, Netflix’s The Crown and Disney Plus’s The Mandalorian.

Succession, which follows the dysfunctional Roy family, garnered multiple acting nods for its exceptional cast with chief stars Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong going head-to-head in Lead Actor. Additionally, co-stars Nicholas Braun, Kieran Culkin and Matthew Macfadyen square off in Supporting Actor while Sarah Snook is up for the Supporting Actress gong.

In the case of Ozark, the crime drama scores repeat lead acting mentions for stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, while co-star Julia Garner is hoping to repeat last year’s Emmy-winning success in supporting for her reprised role as Ruth Longmore.

Despite missing out on an Outstanding Series nod, Apple TV+’s hit new programme The Morning Show also made a solid impact on nominations with Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell shortlisted in the lead categories while Billy Crudrup and Mark Duplass go head-to-head in Supporting Actor.

With Aniston and Linney already in contention for the Lead Actress prize, last season’s victor Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) faces a tough ask of defending her trophy from other big names including co-star Sandra Oh and Zendaya (Euphoria).

The final slot in the category goes to prolific British star Olivia Colman who is acknowledged for her portrayal of royal monarch Queen Elizabeth II in the third series of The Crown.

After making its debut on Disney Plus last year, the Star Wars spinoff series The Mandalorian surprisingly performed well with fifteen nods including Outstanding Drama Series where it sneaked in ahead of other major programmes like The Morning Show, This is Us and Westworld.

Meanwhile, previous Lead Actor winners Sterling K. Brown (This is Us) and Billy Porter (Pose) are back to contest their category while multiple high-profile names are acknowledged in the supporting fields including Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Laura Dern (Big Little Lies), Thandie Newton (Westworld), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Meryl Streep (Big Little Lies), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld).

The full list of major drama nominations are below (winner predictions in blue):

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
BETTER CALL SAUL
THE CROWN
THE HANDMAID’S TALE
KILLING EVE
THE MANDALORIAN
OZARK
STRANGER THINGS
SUCCESSION

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, THE MORNING SHOW
Olivia Colman, THE CROWN
Jodie Comer, KILLING EVE
Laura Linney, OZARK
Sandra Oh, KILLING EVE
Zendaya, EUPHORIA

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, OZARK
Sterling K. Brown, THIS IS US
Steve Carell, THE MORNING SHOW
Brian Cox, SUCCESSION
Billy Porter, POSE
Jeremy Strong, SUCCESSION

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Helena Bonham Carter, THE CROWN
Laura Dern, BIG LITTLE LIES
Julia Garner, OZARK
Thandie Newton, WESTWORLD
Fiona Shaw, KILLING EVE
Sarah Snook, SUCCESSION
Meryl Streep, BIG LITTLE LIES
Samira Wiley, THE HANDMAID’S TALE

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicholas Braun, SUCCESSION
Billy Crudrup, THE MORNING SHOW
Kieran Culkin, SUCCESSION
Mark Duplass, THE MORNING SHOW
Giancarlo Esposito, BETTER CALL SAUL
Matthew Macfadyen, SUCCESSION
Bradley Whitford, THE HANDMAID’S TALE
Jeffrey Wright, WESTWORLD

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Benjamin Caron, THE CROWN
Lesli Linka Glatter, HOMELAND
Jessica Hobbs, THE CROWN
Mimi Leder, THE MORNING SHOW
Mark Mylod, SUCCESSION
Andrij Parekh, SUCCESSION
Alik Sakharov, OZARK
Ben Semanoff, OZARK

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
BETTER CALL SAUL (Thomas Schnauz)
BETTER CALL SAUL (Gordon Smith)
THE CROWN (Peter Morgan)
OZARK (Miki Johnson)
OZARK (Chris Mundy)
OZARK (John Shiban)
SUCCESSION (Jesse Armstrong)

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Meanwhile, the comedy line-ups are dominated by the third series of Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with a lucrative twenty noms including Outstanding Comedy Series.

The period dramedy picked up five mentions for its cast with Rachel Brosnahan contesting Lead Actress for the third straight year while two-time Supporting Actress winner Alex Borstein bids to make it a hat-trick of successes in her category.

Co-star Tony Shalhoub will also be seeking to defend his Supporting Actor crown from co-star Sterling K. Brown who is also in contention for a Lead Actor (Drama) Emmy.

However, Mrs. Maisel faces immense competition from the last series of Pop TV’s Schitt’s Creek which bagged a host of major nods including four for cast members Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy. The latter star is also shortlisted for his writing and directing of the sitcom’s lauded finale ‘Happy Ending’.

The other notable programmes contesting the Outstanding Comedy Series prize include HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, and Netflix duo Dead to Me and The Kominsky Method.

Meanwhile, the final series of NBC’s The Good Place scored multiple acting nods for stars Ted Danson in Lead Actor, D’Arcy Carden in Supporting Actress, and William Jackson Harper in Supporting Actor.

On the acting front, Dead to Me co-stars Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini go head-to-head in the Lead Actress category while Saturday Night Live trio Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson are all in contention for supporting accolades.

The rest of the notable comedy acting nominees include Issa Rae (Insecure), Don Cheadle (Black Monday), Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method), Ramy Youssef (Ramy), Betty Gilpin (GLOW), Mahershala Ali (Ramy), Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method), and Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).

The full list of major comedy nominations are below (winner predictions in blue):

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
DEAD TO ME
THE GOOD PLACE
INSECURE
THE KOMINSKY METHOD
THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
SCHITT’S CREEK
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, DEAD TO ME
Rachel Brosnahan, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Linda Cardellini, DEAD TO ME
Catherine O’Hara, SCHITT’S CREEK
Issa Rae, INSECURE
Tracee Ellis Ross, BLACK-ISH

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, BLACK-ISH
Don Cheadle, BLACK MONDAY
Ted Danson, THE GOOD PLACE
Michael Douglas, THE KOMINSKY METHOD
Eugene Levy, SCHITT’S CREEK
Ramy Youssef, RAMY

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
D’Arcy Carden, THE GOOD PLACE
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Marin Hinkle, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Annie Murphy, SCHITT’S CREEK
Yvonne Orji, INSECURE
Cecily Strong, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Mahershala Ali, RAMY
Alan Arkin, THE KOMINSKY METHOD
Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
Sterling K. Brown, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
William Jackson Harper, THE GOOD PLACE
Dan Levy, SCHITT’S CREEK
Tony Shalhoub, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Kenan Thompson, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
James Burrows, WILL & GRACE
Andrew Cividino & Dan Levy, SCHITT’S CREEK
Gail Mancuso, MODERN FAMILY
Daniel Palladino, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Matt Shakman, THE GREAT
Amy Sherman-Palladino, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Ramy Youssef, RAMY

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
THE GOOD PLACE (Michael Schur)
THE GREAT (Tony McNamara)
SCHITT’S CREEK (Dan Levy)
SCHITT’S CREEK (David West Read)
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (Sam Johnson & Chris Marcil)
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (Stefani Robinson)
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (Paul Simms)

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Finally, HBO’s Watchmen is the most nominated programme of this year’s Emmys after bagging a supreme 26 nods including the coveted Outstanding Limited Series honour.

The television adaptation of the DC Comics-based graphic novel also picked up six acting mentions for cast members Regina King in Lead Actress, Jeremy Irons in Lead Actor, Jean Smart in Supporting Actress, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jovan Adepo, and Louis Gossett Jr. in Supporting Actor.

Watchmen contests the Outstanding Limited Series award alongside Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, FX’s Mrs. America, and Netflix duo Unbelievable and Unorthodox.

Mrs. America also had a fine showing in terms of acting nods as headliner Cate Blanchett landed her first Emmy nomination for her portrayal of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly. Additionally, co-stars Uzo Aduba, Margo Martindale and Tracey Ullman are all shortlisted in the Supporting Actress line-up.

Meanwhile, Irish star Paul Mescal receives a Lead Actor nomination for his role in the BBC mini-series Normal People and faces off against Hollywood big guns Hugh Jackman (Bad Education) and Mark Ruffalo (I Know This Much is True).

The rest of the notable acting contenders include Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere), Toni Collette (Unbelievable), Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend), and Jim Parsons (Hollywood).

The full list of major limited nominations are below (winner predictions in blue):

OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
MRS. AMERICA
UNBELIEVABLE
UNORTHODOX
WATCHMEN

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, MRS. AMERICA
Shira Haas, UNORTHODOX
Regina King, WATCHMEN
Octavia Spencer, SELF MADE
Kerry Washington, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, WATCHMEN
Hugh Jackman, BAD EDUCATION
Paul Mescal, NORMAL PEOPLE
Jeremy Pope, HOLLYWOOD
Mark Ruffalo, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Uzo Aduba, MRS. AMERICA
Toni Collette, UNBELIEVABLE
Margo Martindale, MRS. AMERICA
Jean Smart, WATCHMEN
Holland Taylor, HOLLYWOOD
Tracey Ullman, MRS. AMERICA

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, WATCHMEN
Jovan Adepo, WATCHMEN
Tituss Burgess, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHIMDT: KIMMY VS THE REVEREND
Louis Gossett Jr., WATCHMEN
Dylan McDermott, HOLLYWOOD
Jim Parsons, HOLLYWOOD

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, TV MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Lenny Abrahamson, NORMAL PEOPLE
Steph Green, WATCHMEN
Nicole Kassell, WATCHMEN
Maria Schrader, UNORTHODOX
Lynn Shelton, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
Stephen Williams, WATCHMEN

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, TV MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
MRS. AMERICA (Tanya Barfield)
NORMAL PEOPLE (Sally Rooney & Alice Birch)
UNBELIEVABLE (Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon & Ayelet Waldman)
UNORTHODOX (Anna Winger)
WATCHMEN (Damon Lindelof & Cord Jefferson)

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OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES
THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH
FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER
THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT

OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
THE MASKED SINGER
NAILED IT!
RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE
TOP CHEF
THE VOICE

As to be expected, a number of key performances were ignored by the Television Academy including Pamela Adlon (Better Things), Russell Crowe (The Loudest Voice), Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Aaron Paul (El Camino), Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), Merritt Wever (Unbelievable) and Reese Witherspoon (Little Fires Everywhere).

With the COVID-19 pandemic still at large, this year’s ‘virtual’ ceremony will be held at the Staples Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday 20 September with Jimmy Kimmel on hosting duties for a third time.

In the meantime, the full list of this year’s Emmy nominations can be found in the following link: https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2020