Hannah Einbinder is a big favorite to hack her way to a repeat win, with a lot of support for Jessica Williams and Janelle James from the panel as well. Michelle Pfeiffer is seen as a potential double nominee, as “Margo’s” “scene-stealing,” “bawdy” mom and for her dramatic work in “The Madison.”
Lorraine Ali is so glad we had this time together with “Carol Burnett in Season 2 of the best 2026 comedy you never watched, ‘Palm Royale.’ She still has it, in spades.”
Despite Jane Wickline’s delightfully awkward cringe and Sarah Sherman’s delectable insanity, only one “Saturday Night Live” cast member picks up votes this round. Per Matt Roush: “The limb I’m happy to go out on: championing Ashley Padilla for her breakout year on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ ”
Meanwhile, Tracy Brown says another of the “Hacks” deserves notice: “I think Meg Stalter is more than due.”
Speaking of “Hacks” folks whose names do not rhyme with Schmanna Schmeinbinder, Kristen Baldwin offers one neat trick to fix stuff in general: “A modest proposal to Hollywood: Cast Robby Hoffman in everything.”
More predictions: comedy series | comedy actor | comedy actress | comedy supp. actor
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
2. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
3. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
4. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
5. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
6. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
7. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
8. Laurie Metcalf, “Big Mistakes”
T9. Erika Alexander, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
T9. Ashley Padilla, “Saturday Night Live”
T9. Megan Stalter, “Hacks”
Los Angeles Times
Lorraine Ali
T1. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
T1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
T1. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
T1. Laurie Metcalf, “Big Mistakes”
T1. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
T1. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
T7. Justine Lupe, “Nobody Wants This”
T7. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
“Carol Burnett in Season 2 of the best 2026 comedy you never watched, ‘Palm Royale.’ She still has it, in spades. This comedy goddess deserves another Emmy. (It’d be her eighth if she’s nominated and wins.)”
Freelance Critic
Kristen Baldwin
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
2. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
3. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
4. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
5. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
6. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
7. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
8. Megan Stalter, “Hacks”
“A modest proposal to Hollywood: Cast Robby Hoffman in everything. If that’s not technically possible, the least voters can do is nominate the singular writer/actress for her fantastically funny performance as Randi, the hyper-efficient assistant to Paul W. Downs’ Jimmy on ‘Hacks.’ (She’s also eligible in this category for HBO’s ‘Rooster’!)”
Los Angeles Times
Tracy Brown
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
2. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
3. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
4. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
5. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
6. Erika Alexander, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
7. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
8. Megan Stalter, “Hacks”
“Michelle Pfeiffer is generating buzz for her work on the drama side with ‘The Madison,’ but I think she has a better shot with ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ despite the stiff competition. There’s likely room for an additional ‘Shrinking’ or ‘Hacks’ nominee in this race, and I think Meg Stalter is more than due.”
Blavity
Trey Mangum
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
2. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
3. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
4. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
5. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
6. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
7. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
8. Danielle Deadwyler, “Rooster”
“Every year should be Janelle James’ turn to win here, and she really could get ever so close this year. But with Hannah Einbinder’s final ‘Hacks’ turn and a scene-stealing Michelle Pfeiffer in the wings, it may take another year for her to finally snatch it.”
TV Insider
Matt Roush
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
2. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
3. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
4. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
5. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
6. Ashley Padilla, “Saturday Night Live”
7. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
8. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
“Michelle Pfeiffer could score twice, in drama (‘The Madison’) and surely as ‘Margo’s’ bawdy mom. Hard to choose between her, last year’s champ Hannah Einbinder and ‘Shrinking’s’ fabulous Jessica Williams. The limb I’m happy to go out on: championing Ashley Padilla for her breakout year on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ ”
Los Angeles Times
Glenn Whipp
1. Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
2. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
3. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”
4. Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
5. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
6. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
7. Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
8. Megan Stalter, “Hacks”
“Between her lead turn in the Taylor Sheridan neo-western ‘The Madison’ and her supporting work as the complicated mom in ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles,’ Michelle Pfeiffer is back and reminding us just how good she can be when given the right role.”