Widow’s Bay got the last laugh at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The show took home the trophy for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Monday, September 14, ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, completing a resounding sweep that also saw the Apple TV series collect wins for Actor (Matthew Rhys), Supporting Actor (Stephen Root), Supporting Actress (Kate O’Flynn), Writing (Katie Dippold) and Directing (Hiro Murai) in the comedy categories.
“First of all, this is incredible. We love all these other shows so much,” show creator Dippold, 46, said during her acceptance speech. “Every other show is amazing. I have to thank my mom for always making Halloween fun.”
Widow’s Bay triumphed over nominees Hacks, Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building and Shrinking.
Jean Smart won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Hacks, the only major comedy category where Widow’s Bay was not nominated.
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay hosted the 78th annual ceremony, her first time at the Emmys helm.
“The night is about celebrating this incredible thing that we’re all so fortunate to be able to do: Tell stories that move people, entertain people, make people laugh and cry and everything in between,” Hargitay, 62, told The Hollywood Reporter in a story published on Wednesday, September 9. “Humor and laughter are deep, vital, indispensable parts of who I am, and I feel very lucky that I have this opportunity to bring all of myself to the party.”
Hargitay said she looked to “anyone vaguely wise-looking” for advice before the ceremony.
“A lot of old ladies and dudes with white beards from my trip to Europe this summer are still wondering who the crazy American lady is asking them about ‘… crushing the awards show? Que cosa?‘” she joked.
Hargitay was asked about being the emcee of TV’s biggest night during a “precarious state” for the industry.
“I think about it more in terms of what endures, in spite of the cycles the industry goes through,” the actress said. “It’s beautiful to me that people still gather around stories, that creators still bring the height of their talents to tell them and audiences come to them hoping to be transported in some way.”
As far as what other items she wants to check off her career bucket list, Hargitay theorized hosting the Emmys might help.
“I do actually think the night will open a door — to whatever’s next,” she suggested. “It’s exciting not to know what that is yet. That’s the way my bucket list works. It’s not a list of things to check off, it’s a way of going deeper into life.”
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