Los Angeles, California - Apple TV's new horror-comedy series Widow's Bay and gritty hospital drama The Pitt have emerged as the favorites ahead of the Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, which will take place Monday in Los Angeles.
Widow's Bay stars Matthew Rhys as a wacky New England mayor who is trying to boost tourism on his island, which residents believe is haunted.
It has already scooped up eight awards in the Emmy pre-gala ceremonies, at which the vast majority of the more than 100 statuettes were handed out last weekend by the Television Academy.
"People just love that show," Christopher Rosen, the deputy editor of the Hollywood news outlet The Ankler, told AFP.
It won for best comedy casting, best comedy guest actress Betty Gilpin, and six technical awards.
Those victories put Widow's Bay in position to become the most awarded comedy series in Emmys history, a record held by last year's best comedy series, Seth Rogen's Hollywood satire The Studio.
Rosen believes that Rhys – a winner for best drama actor for The Americans in 2018 – could now earn his first comedy Emmy.
His Widow's Bay co-stars Kate O'Flynn and Stephen Root are also favorites in the supporting acting categories.
While surprises are always possible, Rosen predicts a major awards haul for Widow's Bay, surpassing all competitors including the final season of the perennial favorite Hacks.
Hacks, the tale of a stand-up comedian trying to revive her career and the dysfunctional millennial assistant who helps her, had led the way for comedies with 24 nominations, compared to 19 for Widow's Bay.
Its one sure bet left in the running – and maybe its only statuette, says Rosen – is a best actress prize for Jean Smart for playing the indefatigable Deborah Vance.
"That's a great way to honor the final season," Rosen told AFP. "She's never lost from playing this part. I don't see why she would lose for the final season when she had more stuff to do."
Smart, who turns 75 on Sunday, has won four Emmys for the show so far.
A win on Monday would give her eight acting Emmys, tying her with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most ever by a performer. Allison Janney is also vying for her eighth Emmy, for The Diplomat.
Medical drama The Pitt expected to win big once again
The Pitt – a cross between ER and 24, and last year's winner for best drama – follows the stressed-out workers in a Pittsburgh emergency room, with each episode unfolding in real time.
Tackling everything from abortion rights to immigration crackdowns to mass shootings, the show started slowly but became a word-of-mouth sensation – and is the odds-on favorite to sweep several drama prizes.
"If The Pitt doesn't win, it would be a tremendous shock," Rosen said.
It led all shows with 25 nominations and has already won four awards in the early ceremonies, including best casting for a drama series.
Star Noah Wyle, who has racked up awards over the past year including an Emmy, is expected to triumph again. Seven of his co-stars are hopefuls in the supporting acting categories.
For best drama actress, Rosen says it will be a race between Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn and Keri Russell for political soap opera The Diplomat.
In the limited series categories, HBO Max's DTF St. Louis – the tale of a middle-aged love triangle gone wrong – is a top contender.
The show has scooped up six prizes so far, including two for actors David Harbour and Linda Cardellini.
Rosen said the show "really took people by surprise" and could break Netflix's three-year winning streak for best limited series, despite the strength of the streaming giant's second take of the anthology series Beef.
Other highlights from the Emmy pre-ceremonies were a posthumous award for Rob Reiner for best guest actor in a comedy for The Bear, and seven prizes for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show.
The 78th Emmy Awards gala will be hosted by Law and Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, who won two Emmys last weekend for her documentary My Mom Jayne.
The ceremony begins at 8 PM ET on Monday.