With 99 submissions, the 2025 Best Comedy Directing category at the Emmy Awards is set to feature six finalists when the nominations are announced on July 15. Like the drama directing category, this year’s comedy directing ballot presents a diverse mix of shows employing various submission strategies. Some, such as Hacks and The Studio, wisely submitted a single memorable episode almost guaranteed to make the final list, while others like Abbott Elementary, Only Murders In The Building, and The Bear opted for three entries, and Shrinking went further with four. This approach raises the risk of vote-splitting, complicating the path to the coveted six-episode lineup — though technically only five spots are open since one is reserved for a multicamera show.
Hacks and The Studio stand out as near-locks due to their singular episode submissions. The HBO Max hit has been a consistent nominee, with Lucia Aniello winning in 2021, submitting the penultimate episode titled “A Slippery Slope.” Meanwhile, the Apple TV+ satire offers “The Oner,” an episode filmed as a one-shot take, appealing strongly to the Directors’ Branch for its technical mastery.
Among shows with multiple submissions, The Bear leads in chances, having all three episodes nominated at the 2025 Directors’ Guild of America Awards. Christopher Storer, a two-time Emmy winner, is up again for the Season 3 premiere “Tomorrow,” which employs a nonlinear narrative with flashbacks. Other submitted episodes include “Doors,” a chaotic installment directed by Duccio Fabbri, and “Napkins,” a character-focused episode helmed by Ayo Edebiri.
Though absent from the category in previous seasons, Only Murders in the Building returns with a standout episode “Blow-Up,” directed by Jessica Yu, shot in a found-footage mockumentary style. Meanwhile, Shrinking offers a vulnerable finale titled “The Last Thanksgiving,” featuring a poignant monologue from Harrison Ford.
Abbott Elementary expands its submissions to three this year, with episodes like the season finale “Please Touch Museum,” directed by Randall Einhorn, and “Audit,” which includes significant plot developments involving Janelle James’ character Ava Coleman.
Newcomer Netflix series like A Man on the Inside and Nobody Wants This have also entered the race with two episodes each, with the latter’s pilot especially noted for its nomination potential given recent trends favoring premiere episodes.
Other sole submissions include The Rehearsal, English Teacher, and What We Do in The Shadows — the latter potentially making its first comedy directing nomination with its series finale episode.
Per Emmy rules, one multicamera series will be nominated, with Mary Lou Belli (The Ms. Pat Show) ineligible this year. The contenders are veteran directors James Burrows, for Mid-Century Modern’s episode dedicated to Linda Lavin, and Mark Cendrowski, for the pilot of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, a spinoff of Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory.
Front-runners:
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Hacks (Lucia Aniello, “A Slippery Slope”)
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The Studio (Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, “The Oner”)
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The Bear (Christopher Storer, “Tomorrow”)
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Only Murders In The Building (Jessica Yu, “Blow-Up”)
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Nobody Wants This (Greg Mottola, “Pilot”)
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Mid-Century Modern (James Burrows, “Here’s To You, Mrs. Schneiderman”)
Potential Spoilers:
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The Bear (Duccio Fabbri, “Doors”)
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Abbott Elementary (Randall Einhorn, “Please Touch Museum”)
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Shrinking (Bill Lawrence, “The Last Thanksgiving”)
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Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (Mark Cendrowski, “The 6:10 To Lubbock”)
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What We Do In The Shadows (Yana Gorskaya, “The Finale”)
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Nobody Wants This (Hannah Fidell, “Rebecca’s Box”)
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Only Murders In The Building (Jamie Babbit, “My Best Friend’s Wedding”)
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The Bear (Ayo Edebiri, “Napkins”)
Long-shot Candidates:
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The Rehearsal (Nathan Fielder, “Pilot’s Code”)
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Only Murders In The Building (John Hoffman, “Once Upon A Time In The West”)
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Abbott Elementary (Jaime Eliezer Karas, “Audit”)
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Shrinking (Randall Keenan Winston, “Jimmying”)
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A Man On The Inside (Michael Schur, “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold”)
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English Teacher (Jonathan Krisel, “Linda”)
This competitive field promises a highly contested 2025 Emmy race in comedy directing, spotlighting innovative storytelling, technical prowess, and standout performances.
