Will ‘Hacks’ be first show since ‘Veep’ to start winning Best Comedy Series Emmy in the middle of its run?

Lately at the Emmys, it seems like your best bet is to come out of the gate strong or go out with a bang. At least, that’s been the case for Best Comedy Series. Since 2018 every single winner has prevailed for the first time for their first season or their final season. The last time a show started winning in the middle of its run was “Veep,” which took home trophies from 2015 to 2017 for seasons four through six. This year “Hacks” aired its third season. It has two previous nominations and losses for Best Comedy. Can it likewise win top honors this time around?

The first-season shows that have won in the past six years were “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (2018), “Ted Lasso” (2021-2022) and “The Bear” (2023). The final season winners were “Fleabag” (2019) and “Schitt’s Creek” (2020). “The Bear” is back for the 2024 Emmys and is widely expected to win again. But “Hacks” was on hiatus last year so this will actually be the first time the two shows compete against each other.

“Hacks” lost both of its Best Comedy Series attempts to “Ted Lasso,” which is now off the air, but even then “Hacks” showed strength, winning Best Comedy Writing and Best Comedy Directing in 2021, and leading lady Jean Smart took Best Comedy Actress in both 2021 and 2022, though she never had to face a “Ted Lasso” star in that race.

How might the show fare now against “The Bear”? Well, if nominations are any indication, “Hacks” could actually have a leg up. The last time “Hacks” competed in 2022 it picked up 17 total nominations, while “The Bear’s” total in 2023 was 13, which might indicate wider overall support for “Hacks” from the television academy. The number of noms isn’t always a reliable sign of strength — “Ted Lasso” had a whopping 21 noms when it lost to “The Bear” last year — but it sure as heck doesn’t hurt.

As of this writing “The Bear” has a sizable advantage in the combined predictions of Gold Derby users. But “Hacks” does have support from two out of 17 Expert journalists, two out of 11 Gold Derby Editors and one of our Top 24 Users. Perhaps that’s a minority report worth heeding.

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