There’s a consistency to how the Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series nominations work. Many of the same shows are nominated year after year, so when a new show breaks through, it often replaces a past winner or one with multiple consecutive nominations.
This is one of those years, with two new shows breaking in: one replacing a show that ended, and another replacing one that’s still on the air (and surprisingly didn’t make the cut).
What You’ll Find in This Article
- Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series: The Nominees
- The Newcomers: Shrinking and The Studio
- The Case for Only Murders in the Building and Hacks
- Will The Bear Continue it’s Emmy Dominance?
- The Verdict
Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series: The Nominees
Let’s talk about the nominees. They are:
- The Bear (Jeanie Bacharach, Maggie Bacharach, Jennifer Rudnicke, Mickie Paskal)
- Hacks (Linda Lowy, Morgan Smith)
- Only Murders in the Building (Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Destiny Lilly)
- Shrinking (Debby Romano, Brett Benner)
- The Studio (Melissa Kostenbauder, Francine Maisler)
The last two shows mentioned are the new ones. They replace Curb Your Enthusiasm, which had its tenth and (possibly) final season last year, and Abbott Elementary, which won this award three years ago for its first season and was nominated for each of the next two before being snubbed this year.
The Newcomers: Shrinking and The Studio
Both Shrinking and The Studio are Apple TV+ shows, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
The work of Debby Romano and Brett Benner on Shrinking is terrific and smart, but it’s far less flashy than what Melissa Kostenbauder does on The Studio. If you doubt it, look at all the guest actors from The Studio who earned nominations. Five of the six men nominated in that category are from the show — Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie, and directors Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese — as well as Zoë Kravitz in the Guest Actress category.
There’s something gritty about the Shrinking cast that is just as impressive as the flashiness of The Studio cast. Still, flash tends to get more attention, so if one of these shows has a real shot at dethroning the two-time defending champ, it’s The Studio.
The Case for Only Murders in the Building and Hacks
When we talk about consistency, we can bring up the pure excellence of anything that anyone at the Telsey Office puts together, and Only Murders in the Building is no exception.
Beyond the big three of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, or the fact that only Short was nominated this year, the murderer’s row (pun intended) of talent that Bernie Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield and Destiny Lilly put together is mind-blowing. It might not be as flashy as The Studio — though Only Murders has Meryl Streep — but it sure does showcase some of the best character actors in the game.
Hacks, meanwhile, focuses on a smaller cast that is just as hilarious.
As much as I enjoyed the other shows on this list, none of them makes me laugh like Hacks does. Part of that is the writing, of course, but just as much comes from the performance. Hannah Einbinder is the only one from the show nominated in the Supporting Actress category, but Megan Stalter could easily have been the second. The Guest nominations of Julianne Nicholson and Robby Hoffman, both of whom were uproarious in their limited action, only hammer that home.
As good as the other shows are, I would say that this is the year Hacks will finally break through and win this award after being nominated in each of its first three seasons. Maybe it’s because there’s a new team casting it, with Linda Lowy and Morgan Smith replacing Jeanne McCarthy and Nicole Abellera Hallman, who were nominated for the previous three seasons.
Will The Bear Continue it’s Emmy Dominance?
That brings us to the defending champions — Jeanie Bacharach, Maggie Bacharach, Jennifer Rudnicke, and Mickie Paskal of The Bear, which won this award for each of its first two seasons.
The third season was the weakest of the bunch, but as we discussed yesterday in the Drama category, that doesn’t necessarily work against the casting team. On the contrary, it may give them more credit.
The stars lining up to appear on the show help, but it’s the smaller, less heralded characters who add so much color and humor — actors like Matty Matheson, Edwin Lee Gibson, Corey Hendrix, Lionel Boyce and Ricky Staffieri, just to name a few — who really set the show apart. The Bear’s casting team has deserved each of its wins (however, I would have given last year’s award to the Curb team), and it deserves this one, too.
The Verdict
They all deserve to win. Every one of them. That said, I can’t fault the Academy for rewarding The Bear again, and I think they will.
Taking nothing away from that group, since they’ve already won twice, I will be rooting just a wee bit harder for the duo from Hacks. But only a wee bit.
Who Should Win: Hacks
Who Will Win: The Bear
Final Takeaways
Breaking into the world of comedy series can feel like stepping into a tight-knit club where the same shows and teams dominate year after year. However, this year’s Emmy nominations shows that fresh faces and new approaches can shake things up and earn recognition.
For actors looking to make their mark, understanding what casting directors look for and how to stand out is key.
- Build relationships with casting directors who consistently deliver strong ensembles.
- Be versatile and bring authenticity to smaller, less flashy roles. They often add crucial depth and can help set you apart.
- Don’t shy away from comedy that balances sharp writing with heartfelt performances.
- Keep an eye on new shows and streamers that are breaking into the scene with bold casting choices.
- Be ready to showcase your unique strengths since those can be the breakout moments that casting teams will notice.
Landing a role in a nominated comedy series is about more than just big names; it’s about fitting into a dynamic ensemble that brings a story to life. By focusing on authenticity, versatility and building strong industry connections, actors can find their place in this competitive landscape.
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