In a world that is surrounded by some of the best television shows ever, from programs on Netflix to series on Max, there have been plenty that have won Outstanding Drama, Comedy or Limited or Anthology Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
There are also so many shows that have never won any of these awards. Despite their impressive reputations or stellar casts, these shows have never won Best Series in any category at the Emmys. Prepare to have your mind blown.
(HBO)
This Is Us was a famous NBC show known for its brilliant storytelling and episodes that always found a way to make you cry. It was led by a brilliant cast which included Sterling K. Brown (who won an Emmy for this show), Milo Ventimiglia and more. Somehow, the series never won Outstanding Drama at the Emmys. What’s even worse is Mandy Moore never won an Emmy for her portrayal of the matriarch of the Pearson family. That, in itself, is a sin.
(NBC)Yes, I know that in the later years of Shameless, the episodes didn’t feel the same without Emmy Rossum as part of the fearless Shameless cast. However, the first few seasons of the dramedy became some of the best television at the time – and one of the best Showtime shows. And still, it never won Outstanding Comedy.
(Showtime)Enlightened only ran for two seasons, but they were full of great acting, a fun story, and so much more. Plus, it was led by the legend Laura Dern. The series, however, was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy. The only nomination that came through was for Dern, and she didn’t win.
(HBO)Say what you want about The Walking Dead, but as someone who watched all eleven seasons of the show, those first five were excellent television. The only praise this show ever got in the Emmy world was for its visual and practical effects on the zombies – but the acting and the show as a whole? It went completely over the heads of those who chose the nominations.
(AMC)Dickinson was one of the best Apple TV+ original shows. I fully believe this series was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy because it flew under the radar at first as one of the streaming platforms’ first series. Hailee Steinfeld at least should have garnered a nomination, but there was no love for this series.
(Apple TV+)Parks and Recreation never won a single Emmy Award. The show was top-rated and well-known for its talented cast, but not even Amy Poehler won the Emmy for her lead performance in the show. And the series, while nominated twice for Outstanding Comedy, never won.
(NBC)I still believe Dexter is worth rewatching despite its later seasons being less than stellar. But the first four seasons of Dexter are classic TV. The plot twists are great, the acting is fantastic, and the backstory behind the serial killer is one of the best in Showtime history. While the series was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series several times, it never won.
(Showtime)
I know. The Wire is one of the best shows in HBO history and television in general. And yet, somehow, the series never won any Emmy awards. It was never even nominated for Outstanding Drama. The only praise the Television Academy ever gave it was in the form of its writing – which was excellent, understandably – but come on, only that?
(HBO)
This sitcom from the 1970s is considered one of the most well-known and created several spinoffs. It also spawned one of the best-known TV catchphrases ever (“Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”), yet somehow, this series was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy — or a single other Emmy award.
(Paramount Television)
Peaky Blinders has gained a lot more popularity over the last few years thanks to the growing stardom of Cillian Murphy from Oppenheimer, but this show was one of the best the BBC had to offer. It featured several other major stars too, like Anya Taylor-Joy, Tom Hardy, Sam Claflin, and many more, and it was a fantastic story. But it was never nominated for a single Primetime Emmy Award. I’m upset even writing that down.
(Netflix)Doctor Who is one of those shows that has ebbed and flowed in quality. Some doctors have been great, others have been forgettable. But you can’t deny the impact this series has had and the stories it tells with its most excellent doctors. And yet, Doctor Who has never been recognized in terms of acting, writing, or anything at the Emmys. The only nomination it ever got was for Outstanding Derivative Interactive Program in 2020.
(BBC)
When Better Call Saul was confirmed after Breaking Bad, many believed it would never live up to its predecessor. Still, the prequel series about Saul Goodman was almost as good as the original – and to some, it’s even better. But while Better Call Saul was nominated several times for Outstanding Drama, it has never won.
(AMC)Hannibal was a tremendous psychological horror-thriller that aired for three seasons and told stories that would blow the minds of anyone who watched it. It was scary and psychological and everything you could want – but it was never nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.
(NBC)
I loved New Girl and will rewatch it over and over again, but it seems like the Emmys forgot about the popular sitcom series after its first season. New Girl was only nominated for a few awards in 2012, not even for Outstanding Comedy Series. After that, it wasn’t nominated again.
(Fox)
Parenthood lasted six seasons and had some of the best writing about modern-day family life. It is a more dramedy version of Modern Family. But the only person who ever got recognition for the show at the Emmys was Jason Ritter, and that was for a guest appearance on the series.
(NBC)Starring Zachary Levi, Chuck was the spy drama that everyone enjoyed when it first came out in 2007, and it lasted for five seasons. But despite the show’s fun nature and entertaining stories, it was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy. Its stunt work did receive some praise, though.
(NBC)This one surprised me when I found out, but The Good Place and cast have never won an Emmy award. The show was nominated for 14, including Outstanding Comedy Series, but aside from that, it has never actually won an award. Considering the love this show got, that’s very shocking – almost as much as the twist in Season 1.
(NBC)Narcos was one of those crime drama TV shows that took the world by storm and has only gained more popularity over the last several years, especially with Pedro Pascal’s rise to fame. But the series, which told the story of Pablo Escobar, was only ever nominated for Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and never for Outstanding Drama.
(Netflix)Dave Chappelle is hands down one of the most influential voices in comedy and sketch television. Chappelle’s Show is an excellent example of that, showcasing the comedian in some of the funniest sketches of the 21st century. However, the series was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy. It was, however, nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series but didn’t win.
(Comedy Central)Kaley Cuoco is known for her role in Big Bang Theory, but it’s a sin that people don’t talk about her incredible performance in The Flight Attendant more. And while she and the show were nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, it never won.
(Max)Daredevil was one of the best Marvel TV shows on Netflix, lasting for three seasons and telling authentic superhero stories that didn’t seem as intense as aliens invading from the galaxy. Instead, it was a much more grounded show with excellent battle sequences. But despite its popularity, Daredevil was never nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.
(Netflix)Married…with Children was one of the best sitcoms of the late 1980s to 1990s, lasting ten years and eleven seasons, and it brought up one of the best-known names in comedic television, Ed O’Neill. But this series, despite its long run, never won a single Emmy Award. Talk about the definition of snub.
(Fox)
Station Eleven was a miniseries that came out of Max (previously HBO Max), an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel, and was one of the best post-apocalyptic TV shows out there. However, while the miniseries received praise, it was not nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
(Max)
There was a rumor that WandaVision would be a multi-season series, but it was put into the Emmys as Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Of all the MCU shows on Disney+, the show was a huge hit but didn’t win at the Emmys.
(Marvel Studios)
The Leftovers was an excellent supernatural series that showed what would happen when 2% of the world’s population suddenly vanished without a trace. The series was popular and featured a fascinating story. But the show was never nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.
(HBO)Perry Mason is an HBO series people adored, but it didn’t live as long as it should have, because it was canceled by Max after Season 2. On top of that sad news, it hasn’t been nominated for Outstanding Drama at all. The only people who have received praise are Matthew Rhys and John Lithgow, both of whom have only been nominated and not won.
(HBO)While the Star Trek franchise has gone on for many years, the original Star Trek series (the one that pioneered and started it all) was never nominated for a single Emmy Award. This show, which meant so much to so many people, didn’t even get to compete in this prestigious awards competition. But no matter – we’ll always live long and prosper without an Emmy win.
(Paramount+)
I know it’s rare for CW shows to get nominated for Primetime Emmys, but Jane the Virgin should have been a contender. The series features an original idea, bold storytelling, and the impressive cast. And yet, the Emmys never gave it the praise it deserved. In fact, only the narrator was nominated.
(The CW)
There are some excellent adult animated shows on Netflix, and BoJack Horseman stands out as one of them. The series is a realistic telling of what it’s like to fall out of the spotlight in Hollywood and what can happen to people. Despite its acclaim, the series was never nominated for Outstanding Comedy at the Emmys. It did get two nominations for Outstanding Animated Program, but it deserved Comedy.
(Netflix)
I could not think of a better example of a show that deserved way more Emmy love than Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its earlier seasons. The show, led by Sarah Michelle Gellar, is a staple in supernatural television. However, it did not receive a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series.
(Disney / Fox)Oz is considered one of the best TV shows ever, taking place in a men’s prison and following the stories of prisoners over six seasons. However, despite its reputation and impact on TV, it was never nominated for Outstanding Drama. The only actor who was nominated in the series was Charles S. Dutton for a guest appearance on the show.
(HBO)Mindhunter, starring Jonathan Groff, was an excellent TV show on Netflix from director David Fincher, and everyone was sad when Season 3 was confirmed never. The series was fantastic and featured storytelling unlike any other. But despite its fresh tales and incredible acting, Mindhunter was never nominated for Outstanding Drama. It’s such a shame.
(Netflix)
There are plenty of great TV shows that never won Best Series at the Emmys — here are some we need to talk about.
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