The Pitt: A Potential Emmy Winner for Best Drama Series

Leo Stageborn4 hours agoLast Updated: October 21, 2025

‘The Pitt’ would be the first show to win Best Drama Series since ’24’ with a season longer than 13 ...

In a groundbreaking moment for television, The Pitt stands poised to make history by potentially winning the Best Drama Series award with a season longer than 13 episodes, a feat last achieved by 24 in 2006.

The Pitt: A Historic Opportunity for Best Drama Series

As one of the biggest contenders in the Emmy odds, The Pitt has the chance to achieve something that hasn’t been done in nearly 20 years: winning the Best Drama Series award with a season exceeding 13 episodes. The last show to accomplish this was 24 in 2006, a Fox action series starring Kiefer Sutherland that produced 24 episodes per season, chronicling a single day. Notably, it was also the last time a broadcast-network series won the Best Drama award.

Breaking the Mold of Short Seasons

The Pitt is only the second series in the last decade to be nominated for the top category with an extended season, following This Is Us, which had 15 episodes. Prior to this trend, broadcast networks dominated the category.

Premium cable first made its mark in 1999 with HBO’s The Sopranos, which became the first cable series to win Best Drama in 2004. It triumphed again for its final season in 2007, paving the way for cable dramas like Mad Men, Game of Thrones, and Succession, each with seasons ranging from eight to 13 episodes. This shift led to a norm where shorter seasons became the standard for the category, with fewer broadcast dramas being recognized each year.

The Pitt’s Unique Format

Despite streaming on HBO Max, where most current programming adheres to the cable-standard of 13 episodes or fewer, The Pitt recalls the earlier days of premium television, where shows had season counts comparable to their broadcast counterparts. Notable examples include Emmy-winning comedies like Dream On, The Larry Sanders Show, and Sex and the City, which featured season orders ranging from 18 to 27 episodes. Today, it is uncommon to find a drama that exceeds 13 episodes, with most hovering around six to 10 episodes. Among this year’s Best Drama Series nominees, Andor follows with 12 episodes, while Severance has 10, and the remainder range from six to eight episodes.

The Pitt’s episode count is crucial to its narrative structure, covering a 15-hour hospital shift in the emergency department. Each episode serves as a snapshot of the day, mirroring the format of the 2006 Best Drama Series Emmy winner, utilizing real-time narration on a weekly release. A victory for The Pitt would be a fitting tribute to 24.

Current Standing and Future Prospects

Currently, The Pitt holds a strong second place in the Gold Derby odds for Best Drama Series, closely trailing Severance. The medical procedural has several pivotal categories that could elevate it to victory, including Best Drama Actor for Noah Wyle, Best Drama Supporting Actress for Katherine LaNasa, and Best Drama Casting, which is a key indicator for determining the Best Drama Series. With The Pitt‘s 13 nominations and significant word-of-mouth, a win would not come as a surprise.