Emmys 2026: 'Weird TV' Triumphs as DTF St. Louis and Widow's Bay Clean Up
HBO Max's 'DTF St. Louis' and Apple TV's 'Widow's Bay' dominated the 78th Creative Arts Emmys, with stars David Harbour, Linda Cardellini, and Betty Gilpin taking home trophies.
The 78th Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday cemented a major shift in television's creative landscape, with two unconventional series emerging as the night's biggest victors. HBO Max's "DTF St. Louis" and Apple TV's "Widow's Bay" collectively amassed 14 awards, a clear signal that audiences and voters alike are embracing bold, genre-blending narratives.
"DTF St. Louis," a dramedy created by Steve Conrad, saw its stars Linda Cardellini and David Harbour each secure their first Emmy wins. The show's total haul now stands at six trophies, including honors for writing, directing, and photography. Harbour, who also served as an executive producer, expressed that the recognition validates a hunger for risk-taking content.
"I didn't know if we would have a very niche audience," Harbour said, reflecting on the show's broad appeal. "It just means that people are sort of hungry for this type of show... This is all I want to watch, all I want to do is strange original tone stuff that has comedy and pathos and is very vulnerable and also has some deep hope embedded in it."
Cardellini praised Conrad's unique voice, describing his writing as a roadmap to complex, familiar characters. She noted the joy of working in a tonal space that sits between comedy and drama, which she believes mirrors real life.
Across the aisle, Apple TV's horror-comedy "Widow's Bay" continued the trend of unconventional success, securing eight wins. Among them was a first-ever Emmy for guest star Betty Gilpin, who used her moment on the carpet to champion the project's distinctive cast.
Gilpin credited her co-stars, including Matthew Rhys and Dale Dickey, as inspirations for her own career path. "They represent what I want to keep pointing my boat towards of the actor I want to become and stay," she said, "even when the world is telling you to be something shinier, or more boring, or a safer bet."
Gilpin also revealed that a last-minute nudge from actor Hamish Linklater on a flight prompted her to prepare an acceptance speech, which she delivered as a poem. The ceremony is scheduled to air on September 13, with the main Primetime Emmy Awards following live on September 14.