Thursday, June 18, 2026

Emmy Watch 2026 Phase 3 Continued: The 2026 Dorian TV Nominations

 

I've actually much of the last few weeks wondering when GALECA would give the relatively new Dorian TV nominations. I've been tracking them over the last three years much the same way I've been tracking the Image Awards and the BAFTA TV awards because while they understandably mostly pay tribute to the LGBTQ+ community that doesn't mean that they only honor shows that are centered around them and considering the increasing overlap particularly in cable and streaming of characters and storylines there have been more than a few shows where we've seen the benefits.

So halfway through Pride Month the nominations have come out and there's basically what you'd expect and a few things you wouldn't. Let's get started.

 

BEST TV DRAMA

No surprise that Heated Rivalry is here or that Pluribus and The Pitt are. I am impressed Industry and The Gilded Age are here instead of Euphoria, particularly considering that this show has more themes and characters in keeping with GALECA but I guess they have the same standards as most critics and admit Season 3 stank.

 

BEST TV COMEDY

No real surprises. Here are Abbott Elementary, Hacks and Shrinking along with The Comeback and the fast rising Widow's Bay. Is this is another hint to Emmy voters?

 

BEST LGBTQ+ TV SHOW

The Comeback and Hacks represent comedy, Heated Rivalry and Pluribus represent drama; Half Man is here for Limited Series.  No complaints.

 

BEST TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

The usual suspects: All Her Fault, Season 2 of Beef, DTF St. Louis, Half Man and Love Story. Slightly surprised DTF made it in over Beast in Me. Emmys will have to make some hard choices down the road.

 

I'll skip non-English TV shows because I don't know any of the contenders and I don't want to sound ignorant.

 

BEST WRITTEN TV SHOW

The Comeback and Hacks for Comedy; Heated Rivalry, Pluribus and The Pitt for drama. Can't really argue.

 

BEST TV PERFORMANCE DRAMA

Acknowledging Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams are ineligible for consideration let's look at the other eight nominees in degree of likelihood of nomination.

Mark Ruffalo is a lock for Task as is Noah Wyle for The Pitt in Best Actor in a Drama. Carrie Coon, Rhea Seehorn and Zendaya are certainties for Best Actress in a Drama. Jamie Bell is a lock for Half Man. The odds for Marisa Abela and Myha'la in Industry remain slim at best, regardless of their quality: both women are in overwhelmingly stacked categories. (I would be fine if  either was included over Zendaya, but that's just me.)

 

BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE DRAMA

Again since  Heated Rivalry is ineligible I'll go in degree of likelihood.

Katherine LaNassa and Karolina Wydra are locks for Supporting Actress. It's not clear how much of a chance Isa Briones or Sepideh Moafi will have for The Pitt though their chances are decent. (No sign of Taylor Dearden.) Patrick Ball is a lock for Supporting Actor in a Drama and Charles Melton and Richard Gadd are locks for Supporting Actor nominations in a Limited Series. Ken Leung's chances for Supporting Actor for Industry are very remote and Colman Domingo might get in for Euphoria but likely as a Guest Actor rather then Supporting. (I don't know which category he submitted for.)

 

BEST TV PERFORMANCE COMEDY

Well there's a good chance all five females in this category are going to the Emmys. Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, Lisa Kudrow and Jean Smart have been favored for nominations for months. The only real question is whether Selena Gomez or Kristen Bell or any other women can get past them.

The males are a different story. Ethan Hawke has a chance for The Lowdown and Matthew Rhys odds' for Widow's Bay are rising. After that it gets foggy. Tim Robinson's early buzz for The Chair Company has not let to major awards recognition, the focus on nominations for big mistakes comes for Laurie Metcalf but not Dan Levy and Wonder Man has the same odds as any MCU project does getting nominated in any category other than limited series: non-existent. I'll give GALECA points for being eclectic.

 

BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY

Supporting Actress first. Hannah Einbinder, Janelle James and Michelle Pfeiffer are sure things. I really want Meg Stalter to be there. Kate O'Flynn is rising for Widow's Bay but I don't think she has much of a chance. Ashley Padilla has an uphill clime for SNL and Leslie Bibb is compete for Guest Actress.

Paul W. Downs and Harrison Ford are sure things. I wouldn't think Colman Domingo has a chance for The Four Seasons but I said that last year and I was wrong. I'm slightly surprised not to see Michael Urie here for Shrinking.

 

BEST UNSUNG TV SHOW

Good for the Dorians for standing by English Teacher even after all the brickbats for its star. He deserved them, the show didn't.

From definitely deserves recognition and I can see that for The Four Seasons and Murderbot. I get why Boots is here.

 

BEST GENRE TV SHOW

Pluribus and Widow's Bay are here as you'd expect. I'm glad to see Welcome to Derry and Alien: Earth and I get why The Boys has to be here.

 

BEST ANIMATED TV SHOW

Good mix. Bob's Burgers, Invincible, Hazbin Hotel, Long Story Short and South Park.

 

MOST VISUALLY STRIKING TV SHOW

I'm glad to see The Gilded Age is here along with Pluribus. Alien: Earth makes sense and honestly it would be odd if Euphoria wasn't here. Heated Rivalry I guess prevails.

 

CAMPIEST TV SHOW

Yeah this is where The Hunting Wives was absolutely going to show up. We all knew it. Glad to see it here with The Comeback, Palm Royale and The Traitors. By the way All's Fair is in this category but not in the good way the other four shows are.

 

The majority of the other categories are irrelevant to much of my coverage – Reality TV, TV Musical, Foreign TV show but there are some things I can appreciate.

In Best Musical number The Muppet Show got nominated twice and Miss Piggy and Kermit are competing against Bad Bunny.  I was also thrilled that 'I Lied to You' at the Oscars is here. That was a masterpiece.

I was glad to see the Documentary Series nominations included Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television and The Yogurt Shop Murders and that LGBTQ+ Documentary covered Murder In Glitterball City and Enigma. I hope next year we will see similar recognition across the board for the just aired Bring Me The Beauties.  And any awards shows that gives as much recognition to Alan Cumming is this is perfect in my book.

I will resume my regularly scheduled Emmy coverage later today.

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