Two evenings at the Peacock Theatre, 20 awards for Apple – and the main categories haven't even been awarded yet. A title that hardly anyone had on their radar a year ago tops the list of winners. And in Apple's own roster, there's a trophy that doesn't belong to any series.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards concluded their technical portion this past weekend. On September 5th and 6th, the Television Academy presented the Creative Arts Emmys at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles – the 101 categories covering cinematography, editing, sound, production design, casting, and guest performances. Apple garnered 20 awards over the two nights, setting a new personal best for the weekend. This success was built on the groundwork laid in July during the nomination round, where Apple TV placed two series, Widow's Bay and Pluribus, at the top of the list.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Apple wins 20 Emmys at Creative Arts Weekend: 2 on the first night, 18 on the second.
- "Widow's Bay" was the most awarded title of the entire weekend with eight awards.
- "Pluribus" wins four trophies, "Margo's Got Money Troubles" and "Palm Royale" each win three.
- Betty Gilpin wins for best guest actress in a comedy series
- The main categories will follow on Monday, September 14th – in this country on the night of September 15th.
Widow's Bay dominates with eight awards
The horror-comedy about an overwhelmed mayor on a New England island won more Emmys than any other production of the weekend. Betty Gilpin was awarded best guest actress in a comedy series, and the show also won for production design, casting, cinematography, music composition, music selection, and sound editing and mixing.
For a series that only started in 2026, this is an unusual start. Apple had priced in the success early on: A second season was ordered long before the Emmy nominations were announced.
Four more titles on the winners' list
"Pluribus" won four awards for production design, editing, theme music, and sound mixing. The series, created by Vince Gilligan, went into the weekend with 18 nominations and is planned for at least three seasons.
"Margo's Got Money Troubles" won three awards in its Emmy debut – costumes, hair, and makeup – while "Palm Royale" also won three for choreography, period costumes, and makeup. Remarkably, the series was canceled in March after its second season and received its eight nominations and three awards as a canceled production.
The documentary series "Mr. Scorsese" won the award for best documentary or nonfiction series on its first night; Apple had announced the portrait of the director in May 2025.
The following overview lists the six nominated series with their nomination numbers from the July round:
| Title | Nominations | Victories this weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Widow's Bay | 19 | 8 |
| Pluribus | 18 | 4 |
| Shrinking | 10 | 0 |
| Slow Horses | 9 | 0 |
| Margo's Got Money Troubles | 8 | 3 |
| Palm Royale | 8 | 3 |
The remaining two of the total 20 wins go to "Mr. Scorsese" and a commercial.
Two nominations outside of the series program
The twentieth win is not part of any series. Apple wins the category for best commercial on the first night with "I'm Not Remarkable" – a trophy for the marketing department, not for a studio.
This also explains a number that has been circulating in two versions since July. Our report on the nomination round stated 87 nominations, while Apple itself, in its announcement, speaks of 89 nominations for 15 programs. The difference is precisely two commercials: In addition to "I'm Not Remarkable," "A Critter Carol" was also nominated in the same category. Those who only count the series and films arrive at 87 – those who, like Apple, consider the entire tally, arrive at 89.
The main categories are still pending
Best Comedy Series, Best Drama, Best Lead and Supporting Roles, Best Director, and Best Screenplay will be awarded at the main ceremony. Apple has six series nominated in the two top categories – "Widow’s Bay," "Shrinking," and "Margo’s Got Money Troubles" in the comedy categories, and "Pluribus," "Slow Horses," and "Your Friends & Neighbors" in the drama categories.
Two shows went home empty-handed this weekend, despite being among Apple's most nominated series: "Slow Horses" with nine nominations and "Shrinking." Both are still in the running in the major categories, including Gary Oldman for Best Actor in a Drama and Harrison Ford for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. The nominated show is the fifth season of "Slow Horses" - the sixth season is about to premiere.
Dates that count in this country
The main gala will air on Monday, September 14th, at 8 PM Eastern Time on NBC in the US, hosted by Mariska Hargitay. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, this will be the night of Tuesday, September 15th, starting at 2 AM CEST.
Two days later, on September 16, the sixth season of "Slow Horses" premieres – simultaneously with the US and without a staggered release date for German-speaking countries. All the productions honored over the weekend are already available here and included in your subscription, with no additional cost for individual titles. For a complete list of new releases throughout the rest of the month, see our overview of Apple TV's September lineup.
A record that lacks the main categories
The 20 awards represent an interim assessment, not a final tally – and that's precisely where their significance lies. Last year, Apple garnered 22 awards throughout the entire Emmy season, the best result in the company's history up to that point, driven by The Studio and Severance. This mark has almost been reached now, even before the main ceremony has begun. By comparison, the first night of last year's awards saw 15 wins.
The distribution is remarkable. Apple's success this year no longer hinges on a single train series, but is spread across five productions plus one commercial – last year, all 22 Emmys went to just three titles. Subscribers to the service will therefore find the award-winning style not only in the flagship show, but throughout the entire catalog. Whether this will result in the biggest Emmy success in Apple's history, however, will only be decided at the main awards ceremony – and there, the competition from cable and streaming networks is considerably fiercer than in the production categories.
Do you think "Widow's Bay" has a good chance of winning Best Comedy Series – or is "Pluribus" the more promising candidate in the drama category? Let us know your prediction for September 14th in the comments.
