By Maya Calabrese
The 78th Annual Emmy Award Ceremony took place on Monday, September 14, and honored many of the best actors, directors, and writers of the television series of 2026. Widow’s Bay, the new comedy horror series starring Matthew Rhys, made history as the first comedy show to take home 14 Emmy Awards, with Rhys winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, as well as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his other show The Beast In Me.
Owen Baumkirchner, a sophomore at IHS and fan of Widow’s Bay, was excited by all of the show’s wins. “I thought the direction and writing were absolutely incredible,” said Baumkirchner. “It was hilarious, while also being really scary.”
The Pitt took home the award for Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row, with Widow’s Bay winning the same Emmy for the comedy category. The event was hosted by Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, who received some criticism for her hosting.
Hargitay’s monologue was viewed as awkward, and her jokes did not land with the entire audience. Although her performance was not appreciated by all, many were pleased that she was the first female host in 15 years.
Kavi Manchanda, Irvington junior, was asked about any Emmy-nominated shows that he watched this year, and the show that came to his mind was Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson’s series that won 4 Emmys in 2026. “I think it probably deserved to get nominated for the Emmys because it had a story that was replicable and that a lot of people could agree with,” said Manchanda. Although he recognized the appealing nature of the show, he said that it wasn’t his favorite. “I think people enjoyed the structure of each episode but personally I didn’t like it.”
