Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series — Can Hulu Hold Off a ‘The White Lotus’ Win?

Last Year’s Winner: “The Queen’s Gambit”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: For the most part, only the anthology side of the category could have a streak. “American Crime Story” has already won the category twice, so should “Impeachment” win, it would make “American Crime Story” the first anthology since “Prime Suspect” to win the category three times. Other possible streaks are at the network level. Netflix could win a second year in a row with a title like “Maid.” Meanwhile, while it hasn’t all been consecutive, a win for HBO with a title like “The White Lotus” would mean the network spent a decade dominating the Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series category, winning seven out of ten years.
Notable Ineligible Series: “Loki” (submitted as a Drama Series); “Black Bird” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); “The White House Plumbers” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); “Love and Death” (the season will not air in time to be eligible)

This article will be updated throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2022 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting took place from June 16 to June 27, with the official Emmy nominations announced on Tuesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, with an edited presentation on the ceremonies to be broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:00 p.m. ET on FXX. Finally, the 74rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, September 12, and air live on NBC at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.

The State of the Race

As Emmy nominations rolled out in mid-July, it became clear on the Limited Series front that there were two winners: the streaming network Hulu, and the limited-turned-anthology series “The White Lotus.” In fact, together they make up the entire Supporting Actor and Actress categories for Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

It’s now been over a year since the HBO series helmed by writer-director Mike White became the surprise hit of the summer, so for it be able to maintain the level of momentum that nets five nominations in the aforementioned Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie alone is both impressive and telling. Especially when it’s already been written in stone which one of the actresses will win. It feels like Jennifer Coolidge’s co-stars were gifted a consolation prize in the form of an Emmy nomination just because voters liked the overall show so much.

Even the accusations of category fraud hold no weight because they have accepted anthology series like “American Horror Story” having returning characters from past seasons before, and the category includes anthology series anyway, so “The White Lotus” should be in the clear. Part of its appeal is how it blends comedy, drama, and even some thrills into a very bingeable six hours, making it an easy watch for any voters that have held out on watching it this long.

“Dopesick” has also been out for nearly a year, but is a much more difficult watch. That does not mean it isn’t rewarding, it is just accurate to say that there are people who will have difficulty getting through its honest depiction of drug addiction, and even more frank look at how little the government has done to quell the problem, and hold manufacturers like Purdue Pharma responsible for exacerbating it. “Dopesick” definitely feels like the most distinguished choice to win Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, but it does not seem like that was the vibe of what grabbed people’s attention this year.

Look at the last three nominees “The Dropout,” “Pam & Tommy,” and “Inventing Anna.” All three aspired to be provocative looks at recent crimes involving charismatic women, with a balance of comedy and tragedy. If this category were just between the three shows, the victory would hinge entirely on what Lead Actress performance Emmy voters preferred best. Nominees Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, and Julia Garner are all great bets on who will win that category this year, but again, seeing just how little love these shows that came towards the end of eligibility received elsewhere, the overall Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series category is very likely a two-horse race.

Power Rankings:

1. “The White Lotus” (HBO)
2. “Dopesick” (Hulu)
3. “The Dropout” (Hulu)
4. “Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)
5. “Inventing Anna” (Netflix)

Will Win: “The White Lotus”
Could Win: “Dopesick”
Should Win: “The White Lotus”