The Emmys 2025 have been handed out, meaning it’s time to analyse the biggest shocks and surprises, including the stars and shows that were snubbed.
The Studio and Adolescence were the big winners at the 2025 Emmys, taking home six and four awards respectively.
The Pitt wasn’t far behind with three Emmys, while our favorite show of 2025 so far – Severance – managed two.
We’re already listed the 2025 Emmys winners and written about nomination snubs, while below are a few more shocks from the big night.
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The Bear won nothing
FX/Hulu
The Bear is a weird one at the Emmys, as every year the show gets nominated in the comedy category, and every year commentators question whether it would be better suited to drama.
We loved Season 3, writing in our Bear review that “it’s another delicious serving of emotional depth and culinary drama. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have heart palpitations… and you’ll be left hungry for more.”
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But Emmys voters thought differently, with The Bear departing empty-handed.
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Kathy Bates in Matlock lost to Britt Lower in Severance
Apple TV+
Kathy Bates was red-hot favorite for ‘Actress in a Drama’ thanks to her performance in the acclaimed Matlock reboot. That’s because as well as being terrific in the show, many felt is was “her time,” with the Guardian writing:
“The lead actress race is all about narrative. At 77, Kathy Bates is the oldest person to be nominated for a lead actress Emmy for Matlock; she put off retirement to star as a late-in-life lawyer motivated by the opioid death of her daughter.”
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But Bates lost to Britt Lower, for her undeniably brilliant work in Severance, though maybe she had an advantage due her two performances, as Helena Egan and Helly R.
The White Lotus snubbed
HBO
The White Lotus was arguably the most talked-about TV show of 2025, due to the quality of the writing, acting, and directing onscreen, as well as some inter-cast drama behind-the scenes.
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But Season 3 won nothing at the 2025 Emmys, with The Pitt defeating Lotus in the ‘Best Drama Series’ category.
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But when it comes to acting, it might have been a case of the White Lotus women cancelling each other out, with Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, and Aimee Lou Wood all up for the same supporting actress award, but losing out to The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa.
Tramell Tillman made history
Apple TV+
It isn’t a shock that Tramell Tillman won in this category, though the competition was stiff, thanks to the likes of Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell in The White Lotus, as well as his own Severance co-stars Zach Cherry and John Turturro.
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Rather, the shocking thing about this victory was the fact that Tillman was the first Black man to win in that category in the ceremony’s 77 year history.
When speaking to Variety about that prospect in last month, Tillman said: “Do I feel a weight? No. I feel honored to join the legacy of these incredible storytellers. I’m ambitious and would love an Emmy, but I’ve learned it’s not up to me.”
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No one thanked Sal Saperstein
A running joke in ‘The Golden Globes’ episode of The Studio is winners thanking executive Sal Saperstein (Ike Barinholtz) much to the annoyance of his boss Matt Remick (Seth Rogen).
When the technical Emmys were handed out last week, the Studio winners jumped on that joke by paying tribute to the fictional characters, so there was an expectation that would continue last night.
It wasn’t to be, however, with Seth Rogen telling press: “It’s our own joke. It feels weird to reference your own joke in my opinion.” Making Sal Saperstein subject of the night’s most surprising snub.
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For more TV news, check out this year’s upcoming releases with our 2025 TV calendar and our list of the best shows of the year so far.
