Sept. 14, 2026, 5:10 a.m. ET
On the Monday, September 14, 2026, episode of The Excerpt podcast: HBO’s The Pitt enters Emmy evening with a number one 25 nominations, however may tonight finish with this being Apple TV+’s greatest Emmy 12 months ever? USA TODAY Senior Leisure Correspondent Ralphie Aversa explains how contenders like “Widow’s Bay” and “Pluribus ” are serving to the streamer problem established powers akin to HBO and Netflix, whereas altering how audiences eat tv.
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Dana Taylor:
Tonight’s Emmy Awards may inform us lots about the place tv is headed subsequent. Now we have HBO’s The Pitt main all nominees, Apple TV+ chasing what could possibly be its greatest Emmy evening ever, in addition to loads of new stars seeking to break by means of. Tonight we’ll discover out which exhibits and streaming providers are shaping tv.
Hey and welcome to USA TODAY’s The Excerpt. I am Dana Taylor. Right here to dish on all issues Emmys with me is USA TODAY Senior Leisure Correspondent Ralphie Aversa.
It is all the time good to have you ever right here, Ralphie.
Ralphie Aversa:
Thanks, Dana.
Dana Taylor:
HBO’s The Pitt enters tonight because the nomination chief, with 25. Is that this already the defining TV story of the 12 months? And likewise, what would a Pitt sweep really imply for tv?
Ralphie Aversa:
Nicely, I believe it doubtlessly could possibly be after this night, for positive. Clearly, they’re already within the mixture of filming season three of this hit HBO collection additionally. And it actually, in so many various methods, highlighting the plight of first responders and healthcare employees. Clearly, you speak about Noah Wyle as properly and sort of his resurgence and his comeback. After which there’s so many different ancillary tales, whether or not it is Tal Anderson, who had stopped by USA TODAY, the autistic actress who earned an Emmy nomination, whether or not it is Taylor Dearden as properly, the neurodivergent actress who additionally earned an Emmy nomination.
Katherine Lanasa, who I’ve gotten to know a bit of bit now since her nomination final 12 months, she received final 12 months, her first ever Emmy, this lengthy profession that she’s had, the place she actually grinded, she actually struggled. She informed me about how her husband would keep up along with her at midnight, and so they’d be doing self-tape auditions in the lounge. Not that way back, thoughts you. And now she’s actually this celebrated actress that is persevering with to obtain roles. The self-tape audition days I am fairly positive are achieved for Ms. Lanasa.
And once more, we speak concerning the totally different storylines. Katherine I believe is sort of main this group of actresses who, let’s face it, these ladies who aren’t of their 20s or 30s, typically they’ve a troublesome time discovering work in Hollywood and after they do, they’re normally pigeonholed into sure roles. And Katherine’s sort of main this new motion the place that not is not the case. I imply, definitely once more, so far as ladies in Hollywood, I believe there’s nonetheless some work to be achieved, but it surely’s been nice to see actresses like herself have this type of success. So yeah, for therefore many causes, The Pitt has been an enormous story and definitely could possibly be much more of an enormous story after tonight with its 25 nominations.
Dana Taylor:
Apple TV has a shot at its greatest Emmy 12 months so far. Each Widow’s Bay and Pluribus are contenders. Say that thrice quick. Is Apple having a Netflix or HBO second? The place do they land in that dialog now?
Ralphie Aversa:
I imply, I believe they’re proper there with them. And you bought to recollect too, even return to previous Emmys with Severance and with The Studio and with Ted Lasso. I imply, Apple TV, Apple TV+, they have been actually within the combine. I have a look at it so far as simply from a reside TV perspective. We have seen HBO Max, and clearly they’re totally different as a result of they’re part of Warner Brother Discovery. For now. Okay, we get that. Netflix clearly has definitely gone into reside as properly. However I believe whenever you’re speaking concerning the total streamers, that is most likely the one piece of the puzzle that Apple TV continues to be making an attempt to nail down. We have seen them go into the sports activities rights universe, clearly with Main League Soccer, which they sort of redid that, and took that bundle off of a paywall now. Friday Evening Baseball, they’ve a baseball bundle as properly with MLB. We’ll see if they’ll get into perhaps the NFL entrance in addition to a few of these different contracts expire, and the NFL seems to proceed its TV score dominance.
However no, as soon as once more, proven right here with this Emmys, the aforementioned exhibits that you just speak about, they’ve a variety of star energy, and so they have exhibits which might be critically acclaimed, together with one that also has 100% rotten tomato score as properly, Pluribus.
Dana Taylor:
Okay. Widow’s Bay racked up a powerful 19 nominations. Does that sign altering viewers tastes? I imply, it is a unusual present. And have they got a shot at pulling off an upset tonight?
Ralphie Aversa:
Nicely … All proper, so far as the upset, I am not 100% positive. So far as viewers tastes, I do assume it alerts a change in viewers style, however not essentially from a style standpoint. I’ve talked about this with so many various content material creators, whether or not it is authors who’ve their works tailored for tv, or administrators, or actors, or so on and so forth. And the frequent thread that I hear from everyone is that they only take pleasure in a lot the pliability that streaming provides them. They are not pigeonholed right into a sure period of time, and a sure block, and you bought to hit these marks, and it’s important to run so many episodes to cowl a fall season or a spring season or each. And clearly then the discharge of the present is pigeonholed right into a sure time.
All of that’s just about out the window with these streamers. You are actually simply speaking a few finances, after which nevertheless they appear match. If it is a restricted collection, it is a restricted collection. If it is a number of seasons, and clearly there’s viewers assist for that, there’s a number of seasons. So I believe that is the largest change is that, and definitely we noticed this, particularly throughout COVID and perhaps a bit of previous to that when it got here to binge-watching. However I believe now, we’re additionally seeing these totally different creatives sort of actually assume, excuse the cliche, however outdoors of the field, and these streamers sort of afford them this chance the place they may try this and nonetheless be financially supported.
Dana Taylor:
Okay. Now we have to speak about Hacks and Jean Good. Does she win yet another out the door?
Ralphie Aversa:
Sure. Sure. That prediction I’ve no downside supplying you with. Completely. Yeah. I imply, once more, you speak about actors/actresses who now we have liked to have rejoice at these award exhibits, and Jean Good’s proper up there. You speak along with her colleagues at Hacks, and so they sing her praises as properly. They love working along with her. And I do assume that that is vital, particularly whenever you’re primary on the decision sheet. This can be a dialog that I’ve with plenty of main actors and actresses. You bought to set the tone on set. And whenever you’re on a TV present like this, which has been on for plenty of seasons, after which clearly you are part of all of those awards campaigns, and also you’re getting collectively for these as properly, you do actually turn out to be a household. And Jean has definitely led that household. If she’s the matriarch, so be it. She is the matriarch. Sure, I do assume she will get one out the door although. For this present, after all. We’re not sending Jean into retirement but if she does not need to, simply so far as the ultimate season of Hacks.
Dana Taylor:
Most know her as Olivia Benson from Regulation and Order SVU, however tonight she’s operating the present. It is already been an enormous 12 months for Mariska Hargitay, hasn’t it?
Ralphie Aversa:
Are you speaking about the truth that she took an evening off from Broadway to go to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding ceremony? What are we … No, I am simply joking, after all. It does look like, particularly being right here primarily based in New York, that it has been an important 12 months. Once more, we talked about Mariska’s run on Broadway. Clearly, her Knicks fandom, we noticed her court docket aspect for just about that whole playoff run. Her and Jalen Brunson simply introduced he’ll be the primary visitor host of Saturday Evening Dwell, the brand new season that is developing. And clearly, their relationship, properly documented, Regulation and Order SVU, and let’s go forward and throw the Emmys proper into the combo as properly. She is such a beloved determine, and so I’m very curious to see how she’s going to open the present, what sort of host she’s going to be, and the way she’s going to be acquired.
My guess, for those who requested for a prediction, you did not. I am going to give it to you in any case, Dana, I do not assume she’s going to be too political. I do not assume she’s going to be too polarizing. That stated, I do assume she will likely be well-received on the finish of the evening.
Dana Taylor:
So a lot of the Emmys are going to be handed out tonight, however there have been some early winners. The most important headline thus far appears to be the posthumous Emmy for Rob Reiner, his function in The Bear. Some other early winners you need to speak about?
Ralphie Aversa:
Shailene Woodley is definitely one, and I noticed that throughout my social feeds. Sabrina Carpenter is one other, and the third Unhealthy Bunny and the Halftime Present, after all, as properly. So we’ll provide you with these three proper there I believe that have been cool. And it was good to see the artistic Emmys get extra of a light-weight shined on it. Jimmy Kimmel additionally, who’s within the headlines, he additionally received for finest sport present host for Who Desires to Be a Millionaire. In order that’ll be one other fascinating a part of the primetime Emmys to see the late evening hosts as properly along with SNL, John Oliver, all of these people. It is all the time good to meet up with them on the purple carpet, and we’ll see who comes residence with {hardware} after tonight.
Dana Taylor:
Nicely, you are normally the person who I search for on the purple carpet. I need to see what you are carrying. Tonight, it is going to be Zendaya. I need to see what she wears. You’ve got labored sufficient of them to know that there is all the time one superstar that everybody crowds round. As we head into tonight, who’s that individual and why?
Ralphie Aversa:
Nicely, look, Zendaya, we speak about individuals who’ve had fairly the years, fairly the summers. Zendaya, I imply, with The Odyssey and with the brand new Spider-Man and with this. Let’s imagine they’re married now, if all of us however confirmed that. I imply, her stylist did. That is the factor. Once you deliver up Zendaya, I imply her stylist has turn out to be as a lot … Possibly not as a lot of a star as her, however definitely a boldfaced title, Regulation Roach. And so folks will likely be crowding round Zendaya. They’ll be crowding round Regulation as properly, particularly if Zendaya’s acquired a practice, and he is following her down the carpet, as he did, by the best way, as I watched him do at The Odyssey premiere.
So yeah, look, the Emmys do prefer to every so often throw it again and sort of get plenty of forged members from previous standard exhibits collectively. So it’s going to be fascinating to see the way wherein they try this this night. However look, yeah, Zendaya, completely, Mariska Hargitay, the host I believe as properly can be one other off the highest of my head, and we’ll go from there.
Dana Taylor:
This can be a larger business query for you, however from status dramas like The Pitt to horror comedies like Beef, what sort of TV is successful proper now?
Ralphie Aversa:
I do assume that comedy nonetheless performs properly. I believe folks need to snigger, particularly at the moment. And positively if it is comedy that is not essentially bearing on any political notes or any notes that perhaps hit too near residence for fractured relationships, we’ll name them. So I believe that definitely works. I do see once more, as we speak about how these creatives, by means of streaming, are capable of increase their horizons a bit of bit, and never essentially be restricted by what they was once restricted for when it got here to cable tv or broadcast tv. I do assume style bending definitely has turn out to be standard as properly. Restricted collection, once more, we speak about binging. These appear to additionally hit as a result of they’re so digestible in comparison with a collection that perhaps has 5 seasons, and it is a bit of daunting to begin on the high. So yeah, these are the tendencies definitely that leap out for me as we sit up for the Emmys tonight.
Dana Taylor:
Ralphie Aversa is a senior leisure correspondent for USA TODAY.
At all times love having you on. Thanks, Ralphie.
Ralphie Aversa:
Thanks, Dana.
Dana Taylor:
Be sure you like and subscribe to The Excerpt to remain related. I am Dana Taylor. Thanks for listening.
