The fact thatHacksbeatThe Bearto Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2024 Emmys has caused a minor controversy among TV fans, butHacksis more than deserving of the award. The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on June 21, 2025, and plenty of great TV shows went home with trophies, fromFargotoRipleytoTrue Detective: Night Country.The Beartied withShōgunandBaby Reindeerfor the most major victoriesat the ceremony, with a total of four major wins each, butThe Bearmissed out on the top prize in its genre.
IfHacksseason 3 had won the Emmy overThe Bearseason 3, there probably wouldn’t be much argument, becauseThe Bearseason 3 was met with a mixed response. But these Emmys covered the TV shows that aired from July 25, 2025, until July 24, 2025, soThe Bear’s nominations were actually for season 2, which was considered to be one of the greatest seasons of television in years. Naturally, there’s been a lot of discussion about whetherThe Bearshould’ve won Outstanding Comedy Series instead ofHacks, but that’s ignoring what a great showHacksis.
Hacks Season 3 Deserves The Win For Being A More Genuine Comedy
The Bear Is More Of A Drama With Some Funny Moments
Although it won Outstanding Comedy Series for its first season,The Bearhas reignitedcontroversies over the Emmys’ categorization. Unlike the Oscars,the Emmys split their nominees into separate categories for comedy and drama.This made sense when linear television separated its timeslots into half-hour sitcoms and hour-long dramas, but in the age of streaming, most TV shows have flexible runtimes and genres. Fellow nominees likeAbbott ElementaryandCurb Your Enthusiasmare straightforward sitcoms, but most Emmy-nominated comedy shows have strong dramatic elements, likePalm RoyaleandReservation Dogs.
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards are the second Emmys ceremony in 2024 because the previous one was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
The explosive emotions and anxious atmosphere ofThe Bearmake it feel more like a dramathan a comedy at times, which has led to some accusations of “category fraud” at the Emmys. That’s going a bit too far;The Bearstill has more than enough laughs to qualify as a comedy. With its hectic workplace setting full of larger-than-life personalities,The Bearhas the makings of a comedy series, and it works great as one. However, there’s no question thatHacksis a comedy.
WhereasThe Bearis best described as a drama series with some funny moments,Hacksis best described as a comedy series with some dramatic moments.It’s jam-packed with jokes and it even takes place in the world of comedy, so there’s an in-universe reason for the characters to constantly crack one-liners. Much likeThe Bear, it balances the humor with drama and has plenty of heartfelt moments that dig deeper into the characters’ emotions, but unlikeThe Bear, it’s a comedy above all.
Hacks Has Some Of The Greatest & Most Consistent Acting & Writing On TV
Jean Smart & Hannah Einbinder Are A Double Act For The Ages
Hackshas some of the best writing and acting on TV. Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are a double act for the ages as a veteran comedian and an up-and-coming comedy writer with a love-hate relationship, and showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky have kept the arc of that relationship consistently unpredictable. Not to undermineThe Bear’s efforts in these categories at all, because that show also has fantastic writing and acting, butHacksstands on its own as a show very deserving of its award for its very holistic merits as a great, well-rounded comedy series.
The Bear Season 2 Still Deserved Its September 2024 Acting & Directing Emmy Wins
The Bear Certainly Didn’t Go Home Empty-Handed
Although it missed out on Outstanding Comedy Series,The Bearcertainly didn’t go home empty-handed.Series creator Christopher Storer won Outstanding Directingfor his work on season 2, episode 6, “Fishes.”The Bear’s “Fishes”is the flashback episode that introduced Jamie Lee Curtis as the manic Berzatto matriarch. It went a long way toward explaining how Carmy ended up the way he is; he can only communicate through anger and yelling because that’s how his mother raised him. “Fishes” is masterfully directed, maintaining the hair-raising, stress-inducing tension from start to finish, and Storer more than earned his Emmy for it.
The Bear Season 3 Ending Explained: What’s Next For Carmy & Sydney
After walking through Carmy, Sydney, and the crew’s struggles with their new restaurant, The Bear season 3 ends on a fascinatingly ambiguous note.
While Ayo Edebiri lost Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series to Smart’s turn inHacks,The Bearswept the rest of the comedy acting categories. Jeremy Allen White won Outstanding Lead Actor for playing Carmy, Ebon Moss-Bachrach won Outstanding Supporting Actor for playing Richie, and Liza Colón-Zayas won Outstanding Supporting Actress for playing Tina. All three of these actors are spectacular in their roles, bringing them to life as real, three-dimensional human beings. Regardless of whetherHacksmay be more worthy of the overall Outstanding Comedy Series award,The Beardeserved its acting and directing wins.
Hacks
Cast
Hacks, released in 2021, is a dark comedy series that explores the evolving relationship between Deborah Vance, a legendary comedian in Las Vegas, and an ambitious, outcast young writer. The show delves into the complexities of mentorship and creativity in the entertainment industry.
