The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, colloquially known as the 2023 Emmy Awards, were defined by a historic "triple sweep" that saw Succession, The Bear, and Beef dominate nearly every major category. Held on January 15, 2024, after a four-month delay due to industry strikes, the ceremony awarded the best in television for the 2022-2023 season. While the winners largely aligned with critical forecasts, the night was punctuated by historic snubs, particularly the record-breaking winless streak of Better Call Saul.
The Context of the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards
Looking back from 2026, the 2023 Emmy cycle remains one of the most unique in the history of the Television Academy. Originally scheduled for September 2023, the ceremony was pushed to early 2024 because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. This delay created a strange "time warp" effect where shows that had finished airing months prior were competing against more recent cultural phenomena.
The eligibility window—June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023—meant that the 75th Emmys served as a final coronation for HBO’s Succession and a breakout celebration for FX’s The Bear. It was a year where the Academy favored concentrated excellence, awarding the vast majority of trophies to a small handful of programs, leading to a "sweep" narrative that left many other high-quality productions empty-handed.
The Dominance of "The Big Three"
The 2023 winners list is largely a directory of three specific shows. In the Drama categories, Succession took the lion's share of trophies for its fourth and final season. In the Comedy categories, The Bear proved unstoppable for its debut season. Meanwhile, the Limited or Anthology Series categories were almost entirely claimed by Netflix’s Beef.
Succession: The Final Lap of a Drama Dynasty
For its farewell season, Succession solidified its place in the pantheon of great American dramas. The show entered the night with 27 nominations and walked away with the top prize: Outstanding Drama Series.
The acting categories were particularly notable because Succession had multiple nominees in the same brackets. Kieran Culkin won Lead Actor in a Drama Series, beating out his on-screen father Brian Cox and brother Jeremy Strong. Sarah Snook won Lead Actress, and Matthew Macfadyen secured his second win for Supporting Actor. The show's ability to sweep the writing, directing, and series awards demonstrated a level of Academy consensus rarely seen in the modern "Peak TV" era.
The Bear: Redefining the Comedy Category
While The Bear is often debated for its tonal placement in the Comedy category, its dominance at the 75th Emmys was unquestionable. Jeremy Allen White won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, while Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach took home the Supporting Actress and Actor trophies, respectively.
The success of The Bear highlighted a shift in the Academy's preferences toward shorter-form "dramedies" that offer high emotional stakes alongside dark humor. By winning Outstanding Comedy Series, The Bear signaled a new era for FX as a powerhouse in the comedy space, even as the show's intensity pushed the boundaries of the genre.
Beef: A Clean Sweep for Limited Series
Netflix's Beef was the third pillar of the evening. The series, which follows the escalating consequences of a road rage incident, swept the major Limited Series categories. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong made history as the first actors of Asian descent to win in their respective Lead Actor/Actress categories for a Limited Series. Lee Sung Jin also won for both Directing and Writing, cementing the show as a creative triumph for A24 and Netflix.
2023 Emmy Winners: The Full List of Major Categories
The following table summarizes the primary winners from the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. This list focuses on the major categories that defined the broadcast.
| Category | Winner | Show |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Drama Series | Succession | HBO / Max |
| Outstanding Comedy Series | The Bear | FX / Hulu |
| Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series | Beef | Netflix |
| Lead Actor, Drama | Kieran Culkin | Succession |
| Lead Actress, Drama | Sarah Snook | Succession |
| Lead Actor, Comedy | Jeremy Allen White | The Bear |
| Lead Actress, Comedy | Quinta Brunson | Abbott Elementary |
| Lead Actor, Limited Series/Movie | Steven Yeun | Beef |
| Lead Actress, Limited Series/Movie | Ali Wong | Beef |
| Supporting Actor, Drama | Matthew Macfadyen | Succession |
| Supporting Actress, Drama | Jennifer Coolidge | The White Lotus |
| Supporting Actor, Comedy | Ebon Moss-Bachrach | The Bear |
| Supporting Actress, Comedy | Ayo Edebiri | The Bear |
| Supporting Actor, Limited Series/Movie | Paul Walter Hauser | Black Bird |
| Supporting Actress, Limited Series/Movie | Niecy Nash-Betts | Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story |
| Outstanding Reality Competition Program | RuPaul's Drag Race | MTV |
| Outstanding Talk Series | The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | Comedy Central |
| Outstanding Scripted Variety Series | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | HBO / Max |
Major Surprise Upsets and Noteworthy Snubs
While the "Big Three" sweep was predicted by many, the absence of other beloved shows from the winner's podium created several "upsets" by omission.
The Better Call Saul Tragedy
Perhaps the most discussed "upset" was the final shutout of Better Call Saul. Despite being one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of the last decade, the series concluded its run without a single Primetime Emmy win across 53 total nominations over its six seasons. At the 2023 ceremony, Bob Odenkirk lost to Kieran Culkin, and Rhea Seehorn lost to Jennifer Coolidge. In 2026, this is still cited by television historians as one of the most significant oversights in the Television Academy's history.
The Last of Us and the HBO Internal Battle
The Last of Us entered the ceremony as a massive cultural hit and a critical darling. However, because it was competing directly against its HBO sibling Succession, it was largely locked out of the major categories. While Nick Offerman and Storm Reid won Guest Acting awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, the main series failed to topple the Roy family’s final stand. This "HBO vs. HBO" dynamic prevented what could have been a historic night for video game adaptations.
The Comedy Actress Shift
One of the few breaks in the Succession/Bear/Beef dominance was Quinta Brunson's win for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Abbott Elementary. This was a significant moment, as she became the first Black woman to win in this category in over 40 years (since Isabel Sanford in 1981). While Brunson was a favorite, many wondered if the "Bear sweep" would extend to this category as well; her win provided a necessary moment of variety in the telecast.
The Role of the Creative Arts Emmys
It is important to note that the "Full List" of Emmy winners actually includes dozens of technical and guest categories awarded during the Creative Arts ceremonies. In 2023, The Last of Us led the pack here, winning eight trophies, primarily in technical fields like Prosthetic Makeup and Special Visual Effects.
The White Lotus also fared well in the Creative Arts categories, picking up wins for Casting and Music Composition. These awards often serve as a bellwether for the main ceremony, but in 2023, they showed a divide between the technical appreciation for high-budget spectacles (The Last of Us) and the narrative appreciation for character-driven dramas (Succession).
Cultural Impact and Legacy (2026 Perspective)
From our vantage point in 2026, the 2023 Emmys represent the end of the "Golden Age of Prestige Cable." Succession was the last of the big-budget, traditional weekly dramas to hold a collective grip on the culture. The dominance of The Bear and Beef also signaled a permanent shift in how viewers consume content—rapid-fire, intense, and often blurring the lines between genres.
The 2023 awards also highlighted the growing dominance of streamers and premium cable over traditional broadcast networks. Aside from Abbott Elementary, the major categories were entirely occupied by HBO, Netflix, and Hulu/FX. This trend has only accelerated in the years since, with broadcast television moving almost exclusively toward live sports and unscripted content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the 2023 Emmys held in 2024?
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards were delayed from September 2023 to January 2024 due to the concurrent strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA). The Television Academy and Fox (the broadcaster) decided to postpone the event to ensure that the nominated actors and writers could attend and participate.
Which show won the most Emmys in 2023?
Technically, The Bear and Succession tied for the most wins at the Primetime ceremony with six awards each. However, when including the Creative Arts Emmys, The Last of Us took home the most total trophies for the season with eight wins, followed closely by Succession and The Bear.
Did Bob Odenkirk ever win an Emmy for Better Call Saul?
No. Despite being nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for every season of the show, Bob Odenkirk never won the Emmy for his portrayal of Saul Goodman. This remains one of the most cited examples of Emmy "snubs" in television history.
Was The Bear considered a comedy or a drama?
For the 75th Emmy Awards, The Bear was submitted and accepted in the Comedy Series category. This sparked significant debate among critics and fans, as the show's intense subject matter and stressful tone often felt more like a drama. However, its half-hour runtime traditionally pushed it toward the comedy designation.
Who won the Guest Acting awards in 2023?
The Guest Actor awards are presented at the Creative Arts Emmys. For the 2023 cycle, the winners were:
- Guest Actor in a Drama: Nick Offerman (The Last of Us)
- Guest Actress in a Drama: Storm Reid (The Last of Us)
- Guest Actor in a Comedy: Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso)
- Guest Actress in a Comedy: Judith Light (Poker Face)
Practical Takeaway for TV Enthusiasts
For those looking to catch up on the definitive television of the early 2020s, the 2023 Emmy winners list serves as the ultimate "must-watch" guide. If you only have time for three shows, Succession (HBO), The Bear (Hulu/FX), and Beef (Netflix) represent the peak of the medium's creative output during this era. While the awards ceremony itself was delayed, the quality of these productions has stood the test of time, influencing the storytelling styles we see in 2026.
