2026 Emmy Picks: Drama


DRAMA SERIES
The Diplomat (Netflix)
Industry (HBO)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO)
Paradise (Hulu)
The Pitt (HBO Max)
Slow Horses (Apple TV)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
Task (HBO)

Potential surprises:
The Boys (Prime Video) – 1 nomination
Euphoria (HBO) – 2 nominations
Fallout (Prime Video) – 1 nomination
The Gilded Age (HBO) – 1 nomination
The Morning Show (Apple TV) – 1 nomination
Pluribus (Apple TV) – new show
The Testaments (Hulu) – new show

Ineligible: Andor, The Last of Us, Severance, The White Lotus

In my dreams: Heated Rivalry (HBO Max) – ineligible as it’s a wholly Canadian-funded production


ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo, Task
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman
Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Potential surprises:
Idris Elba, Hijack – 1 nomination
Walton Goggins, Fallout – 1 nomination
Jon Hamm, Your Friends & Neighbors – never nominated
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager – 1 nomination
Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat – never nominated
Morgan Spector, The Gilded Age – never nominated

Ineligible: Pedro Pascal, Adam Scott

In my dreams: Antony Starr, The Boys


ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Zendaya, Euphoria

Potential surprises:
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show – 2 nominations
Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age – 1 nomination as Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Chase Infiniti, The Testaments – new show
Myha’la, Industry – never nominated
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Madison – new show
Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show – 2 nominations

Ineligible: Sharon Horgan, Britt Lower, Bella Ramsey

In my dreams: Karen Fukuhara, The Boys

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2026 Emmy Picks: Comedy


COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
The Bear (Hulu)
The Comeback (HBO)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Shrinking (Apple TV)
Widow’s Bay (Apple TV)

Potential surprises:
The Chair Company (HBO) – new show
Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat (Prime Video) – new show
Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV) – new show
Palm Royale (Apple TV) – 1 nomination
Rooster (HBO) – new show
Scrubs
(ABC) – 2 nominations

Ineligible: The Studio, What We Do in the Shadows

In my dreams: The Lowdown (Hulu)


ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Steve Carell, Rooster
Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Potential surprises:
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man – new show
Zach Braff, Scrubs – 1 nomination
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This – 1 nomination
Dan Levy, Big Mistakes – new show
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building – 2 nominations
Tracy Morgan, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins – new show
Tim Robinson, The Chair Company – new show
Seth Rogen, Platonic – never nominated

Ineligible: Seth Rogen (for The Studio)

In my dreams: Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown


ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Jean Smart, Hacks

Potential surprises:
Rose Byrne, Platonic – never nominated
Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles – new show
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building – 1 nomination
Maya Rudolph, Loot – 1 nomination
Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale – 1 nomination

Ineligible: Uzo Aduba

In my dreams: Meg Stalter, Too Much

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2026 Emmy Picks: Limited/Anthology Series


LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES
The Beast in Me (Netflix)
Beef (Netflix)
DTF St. Louis (HBO)
Half Man (HBO Max)
Love Story (Hulu)

Potential surprises:
All Her Fault (Peacock)
Black Rabbit (Netflix)
Death by Lightning (Netflix)
Lord of the Flies (Netflix)
Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)

In my dreams: N/A


ACTOR IN A LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
Jamie Bell, Half Man
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac, Beef
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me

Potential surprises:
Michael Chernus, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Jason Clarke, Murdaugh: Death in the Family
Paul Anthony Kelly, Love Story
Jude Law, Black Rabbit
Matthew Macfadyen, Death by Lightning
Michael Shannon, Death by Lightning

In my dreams: Riz Ahmed, Bait


ACTRESS IN A LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
Carey Mulligan, Beef
Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story
Sarah Snook, All Her Fault

Potential surprises:
Patricia Arquette, Murdaugh: Death in the Family
Toni Collette, Wayward
Allison Janney, Miss You, Love You
Kerry Washington, Imperfect Women
Robin Wright, The Girlfriend

In my dreams: Rachel Weisz, Vladimir

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2026 Emmy Picks: Creative Arts


MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Deep Cover (Prime Video)
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (Hulu)
Miss You, Love You (HBO Max)
People We Meet on Vacation (Netflix)
Remarkably Bright Creatures (Netflix)

Potential surprises:
Swiped (Hulu)
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Shadow War (Prime Video)

In my dreams: N/A


ANIMATED PROGRAM
Bob’s Burgers – “Grand Pre Pre Pre Opening” (Fox)
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal – “Feast of Flesh” (Adult Swim)
King of the Hill – “Kahn-scious Uncoupling” (Hulu)
Long Story Short – “Shira Can’t Cook” (Netflix)
South Park – “Sermon on the ’Mount” (Comedy Central)

Potential surprises:
Futurama – “The White Hole” (Hulu)
Predator: Killer of Killers (Hulu)
Rick and Morty – “There’s Something About Morty” (Adult Swim)
The Simpsons – “Homer? A Cracker Bro?” (Fox)
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord – “Chapter 9: Strange Allies” (Disney+)

In my dreams: Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head – “Oldholio/The Discoverers” (Comedy Central)


VARIETY SERIES
The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Show with Steven Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Potential surprise:
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

In my dreams: Ziwe: You’d Be an Iconic Guest (YouTube)

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20 After 20: 2005


20. King Kong (dir. Peter Jackson)
Believe it or not, kids, there was a time when special effects were actually special. When movies were filmed on actual sets. When digital environments were carefully rendered and not sloppily rushed out to meet a quarterly earnings call. Peter Jackson’s adaptation may be as large as the Kong himself, but there’s still the same movie magic present in all three Lord of the Rings movies. And once again the MVP is Andy Serkis, bringing to life a fictional creature with astonishing presence.


19. Batman Begins (dir. Christopher Nolan)
A comic book origin story that puts others to shame. Batman Begins is miles away from Joel Schumacher’s maximalism, but it’s not without its own sense of humor. Years before he got typecast as a man with a “particular set of skills,” Liam Neeson delivered one of the best villain turns of the decade as Ra’s al Ghul, whose contemptuous view of mankind sounds like a precursor to Thanos. Nolan would perfect his vision of Gotham a few years later, but this grounded starting point remains highly watchable, and a reminder of a time when superhero movies didn’t come with homework.


18. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (dir. Judd Apatow)
It’s crazy to think how different the comedy landscape would be now if this hadn’t been a hit. It’s unlikely The Office would have become a phenomenon. Seth Rogen wouldn’t be an impresario. Paul Rudd might still be doing guest arcs on sitcoms instead of playing a superhero. But everything about Judd Apatow’s sweet-but-naughty rom-com works, from Carell’s sincere turn to the tender relationship he develops with Catherine Keener’s single mom. It also helps that it has one of the funniest scenes ever, with improvised faux-profanity and genuinely horrified reactions.


17. Grizzly Man (dir. Werner Herzog)
An essential nature doc whose message is not conservation or wonder, but staying the fuck away from dangerous animals.


16. Downfall (dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel)
Anchored by a titanic performance from Bruno Ganz, Downfall captures the bleak final days of Hitler’s reign. It’s not a humanizing portrait by any means, but it does cut an almost mythically evil figure down to size. As the walls close in, he’s all too eager to blame anyone but himself for losing the war he escalated at every turn. That its images of Berlin could soon mirror Washington, D.C. just makes the film that much more powerful.

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Oscar Guide 2026


BEST PICTURE
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams

Will and should win: One Battle After Another
Could win: Sinners
Should have been nominated: Blue Moon


BEST DIRECTING
Chloé Zhao, Hamnet
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Will and should win: Paul Thomas Anderson
Could win: Ryan Coogler
Should have been nominated: Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident


BEST ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Will win: Timothée Chalamet
Could win: Michael B. Jordan
Should win: Ethan Hawke
Should have been nominated: Jesse Plemons, Bugonia


BEST ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
Emma Stone, Bugonia

Will win: Jessie Buckley
Could and should win: Rose Byrne
Should have been nominated: Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo, Sinners
Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

Will win: Stellan Skarsgård
Could win: Sean Penn
Should win: Delroy Lindo
Should have been nominated: Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan, Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Will and should win: Amy Madigan
Could win: Wunmi Mosaku
Should have been nominated: Mariam Afshari, It Was Just an Accident


BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Blue Moon
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Will win: Sinners
Could win: It Was Just an Accident
Should win: Blue Moon
Should have been nominated: Eddington


BEST WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Train Dreams

Will and should win: One Battle After Another
Could win: Hamnet
Should have been nominated: The Life of Chuck


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

Will and should win: Kpop Demon Hunters
Could win: Zootopia 2
Should have been nominated: N/A


BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
It Was Just an Accident (France)
Sentimental Value (Norway)
Sirāt (Spain)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)

Will win: The Secret Agent
Could win: Sentimental Value
Should win: It Was Just an Accident
Should have been nominated: No Other Choice (South Korea)


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Alabama Solution
Come See in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor

Will win: The Perfect Neighbor
Could win: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Should win: N/A
Should have been nominated: N/A


BEST CASTING
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners

Will win: Sinners
Could win: The Secret Agent
Should win: Marty Supreme
Should have been nominated: Eephus

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
All the Empty Rooms
Armed with Only a Camera
Children No More
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness

Will win: All the Empty Rooms
Could win: Armed with Only a Camera
Should win: N/A
Should have been nominated: N/A

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT
Butcher’s Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva

Will win: Two People Exchanging Saliva
Could win: A Friend of Dorothy
Should win: N/A
Should have been nominated: N/A

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters

Will win: Butterfly
Could win: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Should win: N/A
Should have been nominated: N/A

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Marty Supreme
Sinners

Will win: Frankenstein
Could win: Sinners 
Should win: Marty Supreme
Should have been nominated: Train Dreams

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners

Will and should win: Frankenstein
Could win: Sinners
Should have been nominated: The Phoenician Scheme

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
Frankenstein
Kukuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister

Will win: Frankenstein
Could win: Sinners
Should win: The Ugly Stepsister 
Should have been nominated: Blue Moon

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

Will and should win: Sinners
Could win: One Battle After Another 
Should have been nominated: No Other Choice

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners

Will and should win: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Could win: Jurassic World Rebirth
Should have been nominated: TRON: Ares

BEST FILM EDITING
F1
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Will and should win: One Battle After Another
Could win: F1
Should have been nominated: A House of Dynamite

BEST SOUND
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sirāt
Sinners

Will win: Sinners
Could win: F1
Should win: Sirāt
Should have been nominated: Warfare

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners

Will win: Sinners
Could win: Hamnet
Should win: One Battle After Another
Should have been nominated: Marty Supreme

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Dear Me” (Diane Warren: Relentless)
“Golden” (KPop Demon Hunters)
“I Lied to You” (Sinners)
“Sweet Dreams of Joy” (Viva Verdi!)
“Train Dreams” (Train Dreams)

Will win: “Golden”
Could and should win: “I Lied to You”
Should have been nominated: “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” (Sinners)

Winners:
Avatar: Fire and Ash – Visual Effects
Frankenstein – Costume Design, Production Design, Makeup & Hairstyling
Hamnet – Actress
Kpop Demon Hunters – Animated Feature, Music (Original Song)
Marty Supreme – Actor
One Battle After Another – Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing
The Perfect Neighbor – Documentary Feature
The Secret Agent – International Feature
Sentimental Value – Supporting Actor
Sinners – Original Screenplay, Casting, Cinematography, Sound, Music (Original Score)
Weapons – Supporting Actress

Losers: The Alabama Solution, Arco, Blue Moon, Bugonia, Come See Me in the Good Light, Cutting Through Rocks, Diane Warren: Relentless, Elio, F1, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, It Was Just an Accident, Kukuho, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Sirāt, The Smashing Machine, Song Sung Blue, Train Dreams, The Ugly Stepsister, Viva Verdi!, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Zootopia 2

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My Dream Oscar Ballot 2026

BEST PICTURE
Blue Moon
Bugonia
Eddington
It Was Just an Accident
The Life of Chuck
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Sinners
The Testament of Ann Lee

BEST DIRECTING
Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Mona Fastvold, The Testament of Ann Lee

BEST ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Jesse Plemons, Bugonia
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

BEST ACTRESS
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone, Bugonia

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Oscar Re-Do: 2015


BEST PICTURE
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Should have won: Mad Max: Fury Road
Not even nominated: Inside Out

Along with 2017 and 2023’s batches, this is the strongest slate of the Academy’s expanded era, with not a dud in the bunch. While I certainly prefer some of these movies to others, this is a fantastic group that includes mega-blockbusters, tiny indies, and the kinds of adult dramas Hollywood shows no interest in making anymore. The latter ended up taking the top prize, and only one other Oscar, making it the winner with the fewest overall awards in modern times. And Spotlight is an exceptional film about the real journalists who help expose the network of abuse and corruption in the Catholic Church. But there are stronger choices here, and none of them are as awe-inspiring as Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s an absolutely insane action film that shouldn’t work, but provides non-stop thrills and themes that remain relevant.

But with two extra slots, I’m surprised Inside Out didn’t make it in when Up and Toy Story 3 had made it previously. It’s just as good as those Pixar films, if not better, dealing with complex emotions in ways kids can grasp but only adults can truly understand. It remains my favorite film of 2015.


BEST DIRECTING
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Should have won: George Miller
Not even nominated: László Nemes, Son of Saul

Giving this to Iñárritu one year after Birdman is crazy, even if The Revenant is a stronger feat of filmmaking. It’s especially baffling given that George Miller, an idiosyncratic Aussie whose films are one of a kind, was right there. The Revenant certainly has a grand scope worth of awards. But it doesn’t hold a candle to even a jaw-dropping frame of Fury Road.

And speaking of jaw-dropping, the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the most harrowing things I’ve ever seen. That’s because Nemes – in his feature debut! – immerses us in the everyday horrors of Auschwitz and the ways its prisoners attempt to remain human even as they’re degraded and slaughtered.


BEST ACTOR
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Should have won: Michael Fassbender
Not even nominated: Paul Dano and/or John Cusack, Love & Mercy

DiCaprio got his first, long-overdue award. But since I’ve already given him two, I’ll take his trophy and give it to Fassbender, who churned out several incredible performances in the eight years between this and his debut in 300. While he should have been nominated and probably won for both Hunger and Shame, he’s magnificent as the Apple founder despite looking nothing like him. Part of the film’s success is Aaron Sorkin’s terrific script (more on that later), but Fassbender makes him a distinctly brilliant asshole.

Love & Mercy is arguably the only post-Walk Hard music biopic that’s worth a damn. Splitting the duties between Paul Dano and John Cusack, the film is much more interested in exploring Brian Wilson’s mental illness and exploitation than in celebrating his genius. They’re both terrific – with Cusack locked in for the first time in years – and create a portrait of one of the greatest popular musicians that’s neither hagiography nor takedown.


BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Should have won: No complaints here
Not even nominated: Nina Hoss, Phoenix

It’s pretty baffling why Larson, a terrific actress and (at least seemingly) a very nice person has gotten so much online hate over the years. Sure, y’know, misogyny, but she’s been a very specific target for some of the most vile shit you’ll ever read. This is another case where a performer should have won for a movie that went completely overlooked (Short Term 12), but she’s just as good here as the imprisoned mom who has trouble readjusting to life on the outside.

And while I am a huge J-Law fan, we can forget Joy ever happened and replace her with Nina Hoss, whose multi-layered performance in Phoenix left me spellbound.

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The List: Top 10 ‘Scrubs’ Episodes

We’re a few months early for the 25th(!) anniversary of Scrubs, but ABC has resurrected the show once again, with a new season premiering on February 25. The show quickly became one of my favorite sitcoms with its outlandish visual gags, flawed but winning characters, sharp writing, and excellent needle drops. It’s no surprise creator Bill Lawrence went on to create similarly charming shows like Ted Lasso and Shrinking. We all probably got a little too much Zach Braff exposure between this and Garden State, but it’s fascinating he never got bigger than he was in the mid-2000s.

So without further ado, my 10 favorite episodes of the show.


10. “My Way Home” (Season 5, Episode 7)
Possibly the silliest episode of the show – and that includes a musical and a “multi-cam” diversion – but one that successfully pulled off its Wizard of Oz homage, even with the metaphor stretching about as far as it will go. Carla needs courage, Elliot needs more brains, Turk literally needs a comatose patient’s heart, and J.D. just wants to go home. This half-hour packs in more visual humor than usual, as well as renditions of the classic film’s songs by the Worthless Peons.


9. “My Porcelain God” (Season 3, Episode 13)
This “supersized” episode makes the most of its guest spot from Michael J. Fox, making his first on-screen TV appearance since leaving Lawrence’s Spin City. When the visiting doctor has an “epiphany toilet” installed on the roof, it leads to revelations from all the medical staff, including Elliot, who suddenly has a case of the yips. It’s one of the warmest episodes of a show that never was afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve.


8. “My Old Lady” (Season 1, Episode 4)
The show’s first great episode, featuring the always dependable Kathryn Joosten. While Turk and Elliot are dealing with their own dying patients, J.D. is stuck with Babs, who decides against future life-saving measures. When she announces that she’s “ready to die,” the show delivers its greatest visual gag: a delivery of an actual ton of bricks to fall on our protagonist. This may be the perfect episode to introduce someone who’s never seen the show, as it’s the perfect blend of silly humor and earnest sweetness.


7. “My Cake” (Season 4, Episode 6)
John Ritter’s sudden death didn’t just affect his show 8 Simple Rules. It also forced Scrubs to address his passing head-on. Having played J.D.’s dad in the previous season, his brother Dan (Tom Cavanagh) shows up to deliver the bad news with cake to offset the sadness. J.D. and Dan both try to avoid the elephant in the room, but it’s surprisingly Dr. Cox who helps pull them out of their depression. While it’s a perfect balance of crushing and uplifting, this episode is also responsible for a line from Turk that’s rattled around my brain for more than two decades: “Your dad dying has stolen my diabetes thunder.”


6. “My Hero” (Season 1, Episode 23)
A standout episode for guest star Brendan Fraser as Ben – who will pop up later – but maybe the single best episode for Neil Flynn as the Janitor (“My Best Laid Plans” comes close). While undergoing treatment for leukemia, Ben finds his brother-in-law Dr. Cox strangely distant. At the other end of the spectrum, J.D. is freaked out by just how much the janitor knows about him. It’s a great encapsulation of their rivalry and Flynn’s perfectly deadpan performance.

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The Best Film Performances of 2025

In many of these categories, there were performances I liked more. But all of those were nominated for Oscars, and I’d rather shine a spotlight on the less-heralded turns this year.


ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY
Eephus
One advantage to make an amateur sports movie as opposed to a pro sports movie is the actors don’t have to be that good at the game itself. That frees up the casting director to pick interesting faces and big personalities. Spending an afternoon (and chilly evening) on the baseball diamond with these guys felt like hanging out with your buddies, a lost art in film.


ACTOR & SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun
That they’re both great at comedy shouldn’t have surprised anyone, given how game they’ve been to poke fun at their own images. But they really are a comedic dream team, whether cooking, scat-singing, or having a threesome with a magical snowman.


ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
A performance so good you’ll be thinking “How was this her first movie?!” for the rest of time. Going toe-to-toe with both Leonardo DiCaprio (as her stoner dad) and Sean Penn (as her malevolent sire), this massive film shifts onto her shoulders in the last half-hour and she carries it without breaking a sweat.


SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Kevin O’Leary, Marty Supreme
I am well aware of how much this unscrupulous businessman sucks in real life. But he is absolutely perfect as, well, an unscrupulous businessman in this film. He’s not any less a hustler than Marty Mauser, but he has the wealth and leverage to humiliate him over and over. When he makes a bold, bizarre claim near the end of the movie, he might actually be telling the truth.

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