Key events
WINNER: Last Week Tonight — writing for a variety series
Adrian Horton
No surprise here, as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver deservedly wins their 32nd all-time award for the show’s pinpoint sharp writing. Speaking on behalf of the staff, senior writer Daniel O’Brien notes that they share this award with the “writers of late-night political satire, while that is still a type of show that’s allowed to exist.” Oof!
Benjamin Lee
A lot of the comedy bits haven’t worked tonight but Tina Fey’s did, of course:
WINNER: SNL 50: The Anniversary Special — live variety special
Adrian Horton
Well, live variety special goes to neither Beyoncé nor Jay Z, who do not appear to have ultimately shown up. Maybe they knew it was another year for Lorne Michaels, winning for the celebrity extravaganza that was the SNL 50 special.
“I won this award for the first time 50 years ago, in 1975,” says Michaels flanked by the show’s current stars. That was back when he had many dreams, “but not one of those dreams was that I’d still be doing the same show for the next 50 years”. And seemingly, as many more years as the 80-year-old comedy titan lives on.
Benjamin Lee
Backstage, Emmy winner Hannah Einbinder was also asked about adding Free Palestine to the end of her speech. Here she is:
Hannah Einbinder on saying “Free Palestine” in her Emmys acceptance speech.
“It is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel. Our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing institution that is really separate to this sort… pic.twitter.com/FNVTji7VC3
— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2025
Adrian Horton
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the reunion of Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, stars of the mother-daughter cult classic Gilmore Girls – or, as Graham jokes, the little WB show that “took the season of fall hostage”.
On a recreation of their Stars Hollow porch, the two humorously recall how the show, which premiered 25 years ago next month (!), was not terribly popular or celebrated in it’s time. “If there was a birthday at the Drew Carey show next door, they would send us leftover sheet cake,” Graham says.
“Basically, we were bullied and starving,” Bledel jokes, before Graham adds, slightly more seriously: “But the one thing we did have was scripts.” A tantalizing taste, for those of us who miss them together.
WINNER: The Studio – writing for a comedy series
Adrian Horton
Following Seth Rogen’s lead, the writers of The Studio – on a roll tonight with three awards so far – keep it extremely brief. They thank Seth and Evan Goldberg, and peace out. That’s money back on the board!
Benjamin Lee
Here’s a look at record-breaking Adolescence star Owen Cooper’s heartfelt speech:
WINNER: Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (Adolescence) – writing for a limited or anthology series
Adrian Horton
Adolescence is (rightly) on a roll now, as Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne take home the writing award for a series that is now being shown in secondary schools across Europe.
“We haven’t expected our little program to have such a big impact, but we’re really grateful that it did,” says Graham, also a nominee for lead actor tonight.
His comically much taller co-writer Thorne adds a note of thanks for the show’s adolescent actors: “You are the flame that proves young people are going to be OK, and we’re very grateful for you”.
WINNER: Owen Cooper (Adolescence) – supporting actor in a drama series
Adrian Horton
Wow, what a moment – Owen Cooper, the youngest-ever nominee for supporting actor in a drama series, is now the youngest winner, for his absolutely stunning performance as a 13-year-old killer in Adolescence. (If you’ve seen the child psychologist episode, you know he deserves.)
“Standing up here is just, wow, it’s just so surreal,” says the clearly overwhelmed 15-year-old, who made his screen debut(!) in the hit Netflix series.
He encourages viewers, assumedly fellow teens, to focus and put themselves out there, because you never know – “who cares if you get embarrassed, you know? Anything can be possible”. And in a sweet and classy move, he thanks the crew of Adolescence: “It may have my name on the award, but it really belongs to the people behind the camera.” Here’s to a long career ahead.
WINNER: Dan Gilroy (Andor) – writing for a drama series
Adrian Horton
Hell yeah! Thank god there’s at least one award for Andor, by my estimation the best drama of the year. Dan Gilroy wins for Welcome to the Rebellion, a standout episode in a standout second season that surpasses any other show in the Star Wars universe.
Said Gilroy: “I want to thank the fans, who did more than watch this show, they listened, they cared and they made a story of ordinary people fighting extraordinary odds possible.”
WINNER: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – scripted variety series
Adrian Horton
Survivor host Jeff Probst stages this two-nominee category as a showdown vote between two hosts: Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver and Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels. Last Week Tonight is the easy pick – it’s won in a series category nine times in a row. And accepting their 31st overall Emmy(!), Oliver speaks at 2x his standard quick speed. With several bleeps – other than “that’s money for CBS!” – it’s nearly unintelligible.
WINNER: Adam Randall (Slow Horses) – directing for a drama series
Adrian Horton
The first win tonight for Slow Horses, the Apple TV British show that has diehard fans, but not many Emmys yet. “That is unexpected,” says Adam Randall, who wins over Severance’s Ben Stiller and others, in a speech that like most others tonight, doesn’t go beyond standard, if sweet, thanks to friends and family.
WINNER: Philip Barantini (Adolescence) – directing for a limited or anthology series
Adrian Horton
Not a surprise, and much deserved – Philip Barantini wins for Adolescence, which besides being devastating is also technically impressive – filmed seamlessly in one take.
That’s thanks to Barantini, who pays tribute to creators Stephen Graham (shedding a tear) and Jack Thorne, for writing a series “so raw, so urgent and so absolutely necessary”. I really hate that they keep this speech timer up there, theoretically taking money away from kids and distracting first-time winners as they thank their friends, family and coworkers. But it is keeping this show running at a clip!
Benjamin Lee
It’s not been the most political night so far but here’s video of the most notable speech:
WINNER: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (The Studio) – directing for a comedy series
Adrian Horton
We’re cooking with awards here, and Rogen and Goldberg keep it snappy: they thank their cast and crew, joke about being wife guys – “I LOVE MY WIFE!” shouts Goldberg – and celebrate being under time (“we’re under, thank you!”).
With this award and counting the pre-telecast Creative Arts Emmys, The Studio now has the most Emmys ever for a freshman series.
WINNER: Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) – supporting actor in a comedy series
Adrian Horton
Oh wow, the biggest surprise of the night so far – I gasped – as Jeff Hiller beats out former winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach and The Studio’s Ike Barinholtz for his role on the excellent but criminally under-seen HBO series Somebody Somewhere.
I really thought Hiller’s nomination was the win, and it seems he did too. “I feel like I’m going to cry because the past 25 years I’ve been like ‘World, I want to be an actor,’ and the world kept being like ‘How about computers?’” he says, nearly sobbing during his speech.
He thanks the writers of the Kansas-set, heartwarming small-town show, which celebrates “connecting and love in this time when compassion is seen like a weakness”, as well as its co-star and creator, the truly incomparable comic Bridget Everett. Watch Somebody Somewhere!
WINNER: The Traitors – reality competition program
Adrian Horton
Seems like The Traitors is becoming the new RuPaul’s Drag Race, winning once again for reality competition.
Host Alan Cumming, already a winner for best host earlier this month, thanks “our cast, our CRAZY cast” (accurate!) and acknowledges that “it’s a difficult time to be living, but it’s so nice that this show can bring a little bit of joy”.
WINNER: Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) – supporting actress in a comedy series
Adrian Horton
Finally! On her fourth nomination, Hannah Einbinder wins her first Emmy for her incredible performance as the gen Z foil to Jean Smart’s bristly Deborah Vance on Hacks.
“I was pretty committed to my personal narrative that it was actually cooler to continue to lose,” she jokes, “but this is pretty cool too!”
Einbinder gets emotional talking about her costar/fellow winner Smart, “who is like the sun, and I just get to stand in her warmth”.
And she ends her speech with a list: “go birds”, a bleeped-out “fuck Ice [US Immigration and Customs Enforcement]” and “free Palestine!”
