HBO dominated the TV landscape in 2023, and it clearly shows in the Emmy nominations. Three of their TV shows have a collective total of a whopping 74 nominations. This includes the power struggle dark comedy, Succession, and the zombie game adaptation, The Last of Us. While one show ended on a high note, the other seems to be just getting started. Regardless, fans have been asking the same question: which show will take home the most Emmy Awards? Let’s find out.
Succession’s Emmy nominations
The family drama has 27 nods to its name, making it the most nominated show for this year’s Emmy Awards. This includes a staggering 14 acting nominations, which consists of those for almost all members of the Roy family and Waystar Royco employees.Â
The #Emmy nominees for Lead Actor In A Drama Series are:@MrBobOdenkirk#BrianCox@thejeffbridges#JeremyStrong#KieranCulkin#PedroPascal#Emmys #Emmys2023 #EmmyNoms #TelevisionAcademy pic.twitter.com/aGISVQ1Tqc
— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) July 12, 2023
In fact, this is the first time in the history of the Emmy Awards that three actors from the same TV show have been nominated in the same lead actor category. Nominations for Succession across major Emmy categories include:
- Outstanding Drama Series
- Lead Actor – Drama Series x 3 – Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin
- Lead Actress – Drama Series – Sarah Snook
- Supporting Actor – Drama Series x 4 – Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, Alexander SkarsgĂ¥rd
- Supporting Actress – Drama Series – J. Smith-Cameron
- Guest Actor – Drama Series – Arian Moayed, James Cromwell
- Guest Actress – Drama Series x 3 – Cherry Jones, Harriet Walter, Hiam Abbass
- Directing For a Drama Series x 3 – Mark Mylod (Connor’s Wedding), Andrij Parekh (America Decides), Lorene Scafaria (Living+)
- Writing For A Drama Series – Jesse Armstrong, (Connor’s Wedding)
The Last of Us’ Emmy nominations
The video game-to-TV adaptation of The Last of Us managed to earn a second-best 24 nominations. The show’s lead actor Pedro Pascal made history by becoming the first-ever Latino actor to be nominated in three different categories in the same year.Â

While Arcane won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program last year, The Last of Us is the first live-action adaptation to drastically impact the awards’ history. Just like fellow HBO show Succession, The Last of Us also has a diverse portfolio of nominations:
- Outstanding Drama Series
- Lead Actor – Drama Series – Pedro Pascal
- Lead Actress – Drama Series – Bella Ramsey
- Guest Actor – Drama Series x 4 – Murray Bartlett, Lamar Johnson, Nick Offerman, Keivonn Montreal Woodard
- Guest Actress – Drama Series x 3 – Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Anna Torv
- Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series – Peter Hoar (Long, Long Time)
Which will win more: Succession or The Last of Us?
Succession is expected to make a complete sweep in most categories, especially in writing and directing aspects. However, despite having three noms in the Lead Actor category, Bob Odenkirk might emerge victorious for a groundbreaking final season of Better Call Saul.
Despite being just four seasons long, Succession’s clever marriage of dark comedy and a family’s internal power struggle has made it comparable to all-timers like The Sopranos and The Wire. The show’s unique perspective of the emotional conflicts of the rich has cemented its legacy.Â
The Last of Us is second to none, with the debut season expected to score in all technical categories, especially production design. The series has paved the way for more upcoming video game adaptations to be recognized by the Emmys.
You can share questions about Succession, The Last of Us, and 2023’s Emmy Awards nominations. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!