Television’s most coveted event, the Emmys, culminated on September 14, 2025, marking the show’s 77th anniversary. While the night largely followed traditional award-show procedures, there was no shortage of the clichéd musical skits and beloved cast reunions that give the Emmys their signature charm.
Hosted by Grammy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze at the iconic Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, the pressure to impress was on, as this marked Bargatze’s first-ever hosting position at a major award show. Suffice to say, his execution left viewers divided, as some felt he occasionally overshadowed the winners, while others were amused by his recurring joke that if winners didn’t keep their acceptance speeches under the allotted time, his charity donation would be cut. He kicked off the night with a $100,000 pledge to the Boys and Girls Club of North America, shaving off $1,000 each time a winner went over.
Fans at home were stressed to see that by the midpoint of the show, the total donation fund had dropped to a mere $26,000—nearly a quarter of the original pledge—with Bargatze joking that he was “actually making money.” But in Hollywood, an unhappy ending is unacceptable. Bargatze revealed at the show’s close that he would make up for the loss by donating $250,000, with CBS adding an extra $100,000.
The primary contributor to the fund’s deficit was Seth Rogen, who co-created and starred in Apple’s Hollywood satire: The Studio. The rampant overspending proved worthwhile, though, as The Studio swept the night away as the most-winning freshman comedy in Emmy history, setting a new record with 13 wins overall. With trophies for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (among others), Rogen came out of the night looking not too shabby—much to his publicist’s relief. During his acceptance speech for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of Matt Remick, the “newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios,” Rogen compared his Emmy to a bowling trophy bought at a real estate sale, joking, “I’ve never won anything in my life. When I was a kid, I bought a used bowling trophy at an estate sale, and my parents were like, ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea. You should probably buy that.’” With stiff competition in the category, like Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This), Jason Segel (Shrinking), Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)—it’s safe to say Rogen’s lack of preparation stemmed from disbelief. “I so could not wrap my head around this happening that I literally prepared nothing,” Rogen rambled, amusing the audience.
History was made as Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne’s Adolescence, a dramatic limited series following a teenage boy accused of a gruesome murder, swept the mini-series category with wins for Best Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor for both Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty. Cooper’s trophy in particular garnered attention, cementing his title as the youngest supporting actor to ever win the category. Overcome with gratitude, he delivered an especially heartwarming speech—only after giving nomination presenter Sydney Sweeney a bashful hug. Backstage, Cooper continued his streak of appreciation, professing that “It means so much to me, my family, people back home. So, you know, it just means a lot to me.” Adolescence director Philip Barantini even joined in, describing how they made the show in Yorkshire with the hopes of “sparking a bit of conversation in the UK,” given the nation’s ongoing epidemic of knife crime.
Severance and The Pitt went head-to-head in the Best Drama Series category, dividing public opinion due to the die-hard nature of both fanbases. The Pitt ultimately snagged two major awards back-to-back—Outstanding Drama Series and Noah Wyle’s win for Best Lead Actor in a Drama. Wyle called his award “a dream,” while the show’s creator, R. Scott Gemmill, dedicated the win “on behalf of everyone, to all the healthcare workers, front-line first responders. Respect them, protect them, trust them.” Katherine LaNasa is also impossible to forget, as she took home Best Supporting Drama Actress for her portrayal of charge nurse Dana in the series.
In tandem with Severance, making Emmy Awards history was Tramell Tillman, who played the mystifying Seth Milchick in Apple TV’s psychedelic drama, Severance. Tillman became the first-ever Black man to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, dedicating the recognition to his mother, whom he described as his “first-ever acting coach.” Speaking to reporters after the show, Tillman also paid tribute to other Black men who had paved the way and been nominated in the same category—with special shoutouts to Andre Braugher, Ossie Davis, and Michael K. Williams.
Despite his late-night show being axed by CBS earlier this year—the very network that the Emmys are presented by—Stephen Colbert expressed deep gratitude for the company and all they’ve done for him over the years. Met with a thundering standing ovation as he ascended the stage to receive his award for Outstanding Talk Series, the crowd chanted an enthusiastic “Stephen! Stephen!”
Colbert added his signature comedic flair, holding up an old headshot and résumé to poke fun at his “unemployment” status. Wrangling the crowd and taking to the mic, Colbert addressed the controversial cancellation of his show with optimism, saying, “I want to thank CBS for giving us the privilege of being part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we’re no longer doing this show.” When asked backstage later that night about his future plans, he admitted that while he doesn’t have a set-in-stone plan, he’s focusing on the time he has left at his current position and is eager to “get back to work on Tuesday.”
Hannah Einbinder of Hacks made sure to use the spotlight of her Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series win for good, condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Gazan genocide, declaring, “Go birds, f**k I.C.E., and free Palestine.” Later backstage, Einbinder elaborated, saying it was her “obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the State of Israel,” emphasizing that criticism of the Israeli government’s genocidal war crimes is not anti-Semitic, and that being Jewish doesn’t mean supporting all of Israel’s actions. Fellow Hacks actress Megan Stalter also made her stance clear, sporting a purse on the red carpet with “Cease Fire!” written across it.
Another remarkable moment of advocacy came when Television Academy Chairman Cris Abrego delivered an earnest speech emphasizing the importance of public broadcasting. Abrego boldly called out the U.S. Congress, as well as the Trump Administration, for cutting funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which ultimately led to the organization’s closure earlier this year. The service the corporation provided wasn’t just a dubious podcasting fund—it actually offered lifesaving emergency updates to local areas across the nation. Its elimination could have devastating effects on countless communities, making public support far harder and exhausting to find. Abrego also reminded the audience that television helps shape culture, and that as a nation, we must ensure culture remains accessible and a “public good for all.”
As the night drew to a close, hope began to dwindle for fans of Grammy-winning superstars Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, who many believed would earn recognition for their memorable live performances—Beyoncé with The Beyoncé Bowl on Netflix, and Kendrick with his headlining Super Bowl halftime show. Though Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter won Album of the Year and Kendrick’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” snagged five total Grammys, their respective programs ultimately lost to SNL’s 50th Anniversary Special in the Outstanding Variety Special category, prompting online debate that both pioneering musicians were “snubbed”.
It wouldn’t be the Emmys without the show’s signature flair for corny yet somehow welcomed skits and reunions. The skits—like the Survivor-themed bit with a cameo from show host, Jeff Probst, presenting the award for Variety Series as if it were a tribal vote, snuffing out SNL’s torch after Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won—were generally well-received. But what really stole the heart of the audience was the ode to cast reunions. Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls reunited on a whimsical set, joking about their show’s former awards.
To present an award, Kathy Bates and Alan Cumming reunited to honor their roles as Miss Hannigan and Rooster in Disney’s Annie from the mid-1990s. Cumming teased Bates about her loss in the Lead Actress category, bragging about his multiple Traitors wins this year.
Technically not a reunion—since Law & Order: SVU still airs—the show’s alums (Ice-T, S. Epatha Merkerson, Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, and Tony Goldwyn) joined on stage to present a category, joking about how long the show’s been on air and how the show’s protagonist, Olivia Benson has solved more fictional crimes than real police.
Finally, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters of FX’s American Horror Story reunited as presenters to pressure the show’s director, Ryan Murphy (who was actually in the audience to represent Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story), to finally move forward with the show’s 13th season so the two could star together on the big screen again.
With a relatively balanced mix of unfortunate upsets, promising freshman debuts, and nostalgic cast reunions, this upcoming year of media sets an intimidating standard for television—(hopefully) promising a particularly quality-focused upcoming season for TV fanatics.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9zep0y7reo
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/emmys-2025-best-worst-moments-1235427213/best-katherine-lanasa-gets-the-recognition-she-deserves-1235427224/
https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/2025-emmys-recap-best-moments-surprises-snubs-reunions/#15
https://people.com/seth-rogen-wins-outstanding-lead-actor-comedy-series-emmys-2025-11805943