2025 Emmy Awards: 8 key highlights from the night

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards were held Sunday night in Los Angeles, and while a few shows dominated the trophies, the broadcast itself left a lot to be desired. Comedy darling The Studio, Netflix’s Adolescence, and HBO Max’s The Pitt were the night’s big winners, but the ceremony was uneven, with awkward hosting and several surprising results. Here are eight takeaways from TV’s biggest night.

1. The telecast struggled

Host Nate Bargatze leaned on a single gimmick all evening: a running “charity donation” bit that deducted money from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America every time a winner went over their allotted speech time. The money was never really in jeopardy, but watching a dollar counter tick down during heartfelt speeches was more uncomfortable than entertaining. Combined with some fumbled presenter moments — like Jason Bateman mispronouncing Tramell Tillman’s name — and Bargatze’s misfire of pretending to forget Gilmore Girls during a tribute, the show felt sluggish and uninspired.

2. Worthy winners shone through

Despite production missteps, many deserving performers walked away with trophies. Jeff Hiller’s emotional win for Somebody Somewhere was one of the evening’s high points, celebrating his touching performance as Joel. Tillman and Britt Lower both earned Emmys for their work on Severance, while the underdog win for Andor in the writing category was a pleasant surprise for sci-fi fans.

3. The Studio swept the comedy field

As expected, Apple TV+’s The Studio racked up awards, including best comedy series and best actor for Seth Rogen. The show also nabbed trophies for writing, directing, casting, and several technical categories, plus a guest actor win for Bryan Cranston. Hollywood has long loved rewarding stories about itself, and this satire of the film industry proved irresistible to voters.

4. The Pitt proves traditional dramas still have power

The Pitt, a hospital drama starring Noah Wyle, won outstanding drama series along with acting awards for Wyle and Katherine LaNasa. In an era dominated by shorter, experimental streaming dramas, The Pitt’s 15-episode season felt refreshingly old-school, echoing Wyle’s breakout days on ER. Its success may encourage a revival of more conventional formats.

5. The Bear faltered in comedy

For years, critics have argued that The Bear isn’t really a comedy. Despite competing — and winning — in comedy categories before, this year Emmy voters weren’t as forgiving. The 2024 season was less celebrated than its predecessors, and the show walked away empty-handed. Next year, submitting as a drama might give it a better shot.

6. Netflix dominates limited series

Netflix cemented its reputation in the limited series arena with Adolescence, which nearly swept the category, winning every award except lead actress (that honor went to Cristin Milioti for The Penguin). This marks Netflix’s fourth win in five years in the category, following Beef, Baby Reindeer, and The Queen’s Gambit. While its traditional dramas struggle, limited series continue to be the streamer’s strongest Emmy play.

7. Some big names left empty-handed

Notably absent from the winners’ circle were The Last of Us (16 nominations but only one minor creative award), and The White Lotus, which had 23 nods but only managed to secure a trophy for its theme music. The crowded drama field made for fierce competition, but the lack of wins signals waning enthusiasm for these once-hyped series.

8. Stephen Colbert gets a farewell gift

After years of nominations without wins, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert finally earned Emmys for directing and outstanding talk series. The bittersweet moment came just months after CBS announced the show’s cancellation. Colbert received a standing ovation from the crowd, and in his acceptance speech, he reflected on both grief and hope, saying, “I have never loved my country more desperately.” It was a poignant send-off for a host whose voice has defined late-night for a decade.

The 2025 Emmys will be remembered less for their clunky telecast and more for the dominance of The Studio, Adolescence, and The Pitt. Still, between emotional first-time wins and a final bow for Colbert, the night had just enough sparkle to remind viewers why the Emmys matter — even on an off year.