‘The Bear’ looking to break own Emmy record for most comedy wins in same year

At the most recent Emmy Awards, “The Bear” set a new record for the most comedy wins in the same year at 10. The previous record-holder for comedies was “Schitt’s Creek,” which won nine trophies in 2020. Now that FX’s cooking dramedy has amassed a whopping 23 nominations at the upcoming 2024 Emmys (that’s yet another record for comedies, as it topped the 22 bids held by “30 Rock” since 2009), awards pundits are wondering if it can now break its own record. Start your ovens, “The Bear” fans.

First things first, here are the 10 Emmys that Season 1 recently won at the strike-delayed 2023 ceremony: Best Comedy Series, Best Comedy Actor (Jeremy Allen White), Best Comedy Supporting Actor (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Best Comedy Supporting Actress (Ayo Edebiri), Best Comedy Writing (Christopher Storer), Best Comedy Directing (Storer), Best Comedy Casting, Best Comedy Picture Editing, Best Half-Hour Sound Editing and Best Half-Hour Sound Mixing.

For Season 2 at the 2024 Emmys, all 10 of those bids are back in contention with one exception: Edebiri is now competing up in the lead actress race, while Liza Colón-Zayas is nominated in her old supporting actress category. Also of note, Lionel Boyce has joined Moss-Bachrach in the supporting actor lineup.

Simply put, if all of last year’s 10 winners repeat, plus Colón-Zayas finds herself holding a trophy on Emmy night, that means “The Bear” will easily set a new record at 11 wins. But we haven’t even gotten to the guest stars yet.

Jon Bernthal, Bob Odenkirk and Will Poulter are nominated in Best Comedy Guest Actor, while Olivia Colman and Jamie Lee Curtis contend in Best Comedy Guest Actress. Gold Derby predicts that Bernthal and Curtis will win their respective races thanks to the stand-out episode “Fishes” that takes place at the Berzatto family Christmas. Victories for both of these day players would give “The Bear” two additional trophies that it didn’t claim last year.

Speaking of “Fishes,” that episode is currently the front-runner for Best Comedy Directing (Storer) and Best Comedy Writing (Storer and Joanna Calo), plus it’s been submitted for Odenkirk, Best Contemporary Costumes, Best Contemporary Hairstyling, Best Contemporary Makeup and Best Comedy Picture Editing. If Emmy voters love the episode as much as fans do, then don’t be surprised if it claims some of those all-important below-the-line trophies.

As for the other nominated episodes, “Forks” is submitted for Moss-Bachrach, Colman, Best Half-Hour Cinematography, Best Half-Hour Sound Editing and Best Half-Hour Sound Mixing; “Honeydew” for Boyce, Poulter and Best Comedy Directing (Ramy Youssef); “The Bear (finale)” for White; “Sundae” for Edebiri; “Pop” for Colón-Zayas; and “Omelette” for Best Half-Hour Production Design. Finally, the Best Comedy Casting race doesn’t submit a specific episode, but the casting directors are eligible for the entire second season as a whole.

Because of multiple bids in some categories (namely directing, supporting actor, guest actor and guest actress), the maximum number of trophies “The Bear” can win this year is 18. That wouldn’t just be a new same-year Emmy record for comedy series, but it would also beat the drama series leader “Game of Thrones” (12) and the limited series champion “John Adams” (13).

So how many Emmys do YOU think “The Bear” will win for Season 2? Make your predictions at Gold Derby right now and then be sure to sound off in our TV forums with other awards fanatics.

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