Never Mind the IP, Here’s How Original Ideas Dominated This Year’s Emmy Races — SkimNews
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- "The Pitt" leads a drama category where six of eight featured nominees are original creations — including Hulu's "Paradise" (Dan Fogelman), Apple TV's "Pluribus" (Vince Gilligan), and Netflix's "The Diplomat" (Debora Cahn) — with only "Slow Horses" and "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" adapted from existing novels.
- "Widow's Bay" anchors a comedy field of original work, from Katie Dippold's horror-comedy to Quinta Brunson's "Abbott Elementary" (inspired by her teacher mother) and Netflix's "Nobody Wants This" (drawn from creator Erin Foster's own life); only "Margo's Got Money Troubles" comes from a 2024 novel.
- "Beef" (Lee Sung Jin) and "DTF St. Louis" (Steven Conrad) — both originals — lead a limited/anthology race that typically favors adaptations, alongside Netflix's "The Beast in Me"; only Peacock's "All Her Fault" is drawn from Andrea Mara's 2021 novel.
- The Emmy ceremony airs Sept. 14, with the author predicting "The Pitt" for drama, torn between "Hacks" and "Widow's Bay" for comedy, and between "Beef" and "DTF St. Louis" for limited/anthology.
- Creative IP reimaginings like "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," "Lanterns," and the new "A Different World" prove franchises can still get fresh treatment — but none broke through at this year's Emmys.
Why it matters: With creator-driven originals from Vince Gilligan, Quinta Brunson, and Dan Fogelman earning top nods at HBO Max, Apple TV, Netflix, and Hulu, the 2025 Emmys offer a data point against the industry narrative that Hollywood depends on IP — and the Sept. 14 ceremony will likely reward that originality, with "The Pitt" favored for best drama.
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