The Academy doesn’t always get it right, and in this day and age, it often skips over quality network TV shows likeHigh Potentialwhen determining Emmy nominees. Thankfully, there is still some representation viaAbbott Elementary. However,TV series on CBS, NBC, and ABC deserve more love,especially in this year’s Emmy Awards ceremony.
The2025 Emmy Award nominationswere unveiled on July 15, andstreaming and cable shows (e.g.,SeveranceandThe White Lotus) dominated the categories.As mentioned above,Abbott Elementarywas recognized in a handful of categories, but that’s not nearly enough, as there are plenty of other network series that should be viewed on the same level as other shows likeSeverance.
12Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Given thatAbbott Elementaryhas a history with the Emmys, many expected its actors to get nods. However,despite being nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the sitcom’s first three seasons,Tyler James Williams wasn’t among those listed in the category in 2025. It’s quite surprising, especially because he did such great work in season 4.
Gregory Eddie had to take on anew role inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, and just like his character,Williams stepped up to the plate.The actor also marvelously played opposite guest star Orlando Jones (who plays Gregory’s father, Martin) in the finale. To say that Williams was snubbed at the 2025 Emmys is an understatement.
11Elsbeth
Outstanding Comedy Series
Perhaps it wasn’t all that shocking thatElsbethdidn’t receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series for its second season, butit’s still an oversight by the Academy.The CBS police procedural comedy-drama serves as aspinoff of two critically acclaimed series —The Good WifeandThe Good Fight. If those got recognized on TV’s biggest night,Elsbethshould’ve, too.
Elsbethis unlike anything else on broadcast TV,and that’s a good thing. However, even though it stands out from the crowd thanks to its format and unique characters, the show hardly receives any recognition for its hard work. Hopefully, that will changewhenElsbethseason 3 premieres, but it’s best not to get our hopes up.
10Matlock
Outstanding Drama Series
Yes,Matlockwill get some love at the2025 Emmys via Kathy Bates' nominationfor Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series. But the show itself deserves to be celebrated.Matlockhas only released one season, and it’s already a triumph,due to its unique take on the originalMatlockseries and Bates' strong performance as the titular character.
If audiences and critics alike are acknowledging how goodMatlockis, the Academy should, as well.
CBS renewedMatlockfor a second seasonjust one month after its premiere.Its excellent ratings and reviews pushed it ahead of the crowd,giving the network faith that it would continue to succeed. If audiences and critics alike are acknowledging how goodMatlockis, the Academy should, as well.
9Peter Krause, 9-1-1
Believing that the Academy would recognize9-1-1might be a pipe dream, but that’s not due to a lack of talent by the cast. In particular, Peter Krause has dedicated eight years of his career to playing Bobby Nash, and he has always been spectacular. However,Krause’s performance inBobby’s final episode of9-1-1was his magnum opus.
Krause is an acclaimed actor, and he proved exactly why that isin9-1-1season 8, episode 15. Unfortunately, that came at a great cost. No one can deny how brilliant Krause was in Bobby’s final moments, though, andhis scene opposite Angela Bassett’s Athena Grant warrants him an Emmy nomination.But because9-1-1is a network TV show, Krause was snubbed.
8Carrie Preston, Elsbeth
Elsbethwouldn’t be the success that it is without Carrie Preston,and she deserves more praise for her work on the show. Sadly, that won’t happen at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. She didn’t receive a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, even though she has more than earned one.
Preston previously won an Emmy in 2013 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Elsbeth Tascioni inThe Good Wife. She also received a nomination in the same category in 2016 but lost toThe Americans' Margo Martindale.
Episode after episode, Preston consistently gives exceptional performances asElsbeth’s leading character. And yet,the dominance of streaming and cable TV overshadows the actress’s talent.IfElsbethwere on Apple TV+ or HBO Max, Preston would undoubtedly get a nod for playing Elsbeth Tascioni in the police procedural comedy-drama.
7Lisa Ann Walter, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Somehow,Lisa Ann Walter has never received an Emmy nominationfor her work asMelissa Schemmenti inAbbott Elementary, and that’s a shame. Almost everyone else in the main cast (aside from Walter, Chris Perfetti, and William Stanford Davis) has been recognized by the Academy. Meanwhile, Walter has been left in the dust, despite her admirable contributions to the ABC sitcom.
2025 should have been Walter’s time to shine at the Emmys,given her impressive performance in season 4. More specifically, Walter was fantastic in episode 8. She expertly played a frantic, yet still tough Melissa, trying to ensure that Christmas Eve dinner was perfect for her overly judgmental family. Meanwhile, Walter seamlessly weaved in the subtle, more vulnerable qualities that Melissa possesses.
6St. Denis Medical
In a perfect world,St. Denis Medicalwould get the same recognition asAbbott Elementary.Sadly, that’s not the world we live in, and the NBC sitcom didn’t receive a nod at the 2025 Emmys. Similar toMatlock,St. Denis Medicalwas relatively quickly renewed for a second seasonfollowing its premiere and was a hit among critics and audiences alike.
Nico Santos
Rene
Thanks toAbbott Elementary, mockumentaries are making a comeback, andSt. Denis Medicalis one of the good, if not great ones.Its entire cast is hilarious,and the show wisely utilizes its setting to distinguish itself from other mockumentaries. Nevertheless,St. Denis Medical’s wholly entertaining first season won’t be recognized at the 2025 Emmys.
5Skye P. Marshall, Matlock
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Kathy Bates is obviouslyMatlock’s shining star, but Skye P. Marshall has also made a name for herself via her role as Olympia Lawrence.Marshall is one of the best parts of the CBS legal drama.She’s funny, but still a force to be reckoned with, and she brings out the best in Bates.
Some ofMatlock’s best scenes are between Bates and Marshall’s characters.So, if Bates was nominated at the 2025 Emmys, Marshall should have been, too. Overall, Olympia is just a complexcharacter inMatlock, and the Academy should acknowledge Marshall for her work on the series.
4Angela Bassett, 9-1-1
Peter Krause was excellent in his final moments asBobby Nash in9-1-1, but so was his scene partner, Angela Bassett. To no one’s surprise,Bassett gave the performance of a lifetime during that sequence,and she should have been granted an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work.
Over the course of her career, Bassett has received 11 Primetime and Daytime Emmy nominations, winning one for Outstanding Narrator forQueens: African Queensin 2024.
Like Krause, though,the Academy overlooked Bassett’s performance, likely because9-1-1airs on network TV. If any network TV actor could receive an Emmy nod, though, it’s Bassett. She is a highly respected actress,having won numerous prestigious awards in the past.However, 2025 won’t be Bassett’s year at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
3Ramón Rodríguez, Will Trent
Will Trentwouldn’t be as extraordinary as it is without Ramón Rodríguez. Although the show has various other engaging qualities, Rodríguez, who plays the titularcharacter inWillTrentandis an executive producer, is undoubtedly a highlight.The actor delivers Emmy Award-winning performances every episode,and he was especially remarkable in season 3.
Will Trentseason 4 isn’t expected to premiere until early 2026.
Will has always been quite complex, and he went through many struggles inWill Trentseason 3, which opened the door for Rodríguez to soar. He fully embraced his character’s trauma, andhis pain was always evident, even in subtle moments.Alas, Rodríguez didn’t receive a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 2025 Emmys.
