BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2026: The Drama Series Nominees

Here are the nominees for the Drama Series categories!

Check out past nominees in this field: 2025   2024   2023   2022   2021   2020

There are 24 eligible shows I watched at least four episodes of. Since that falls between 21-30, my rule is seven nominees per category.

The eligible series in alphabetical order are: 9-1-1 (ABC), The Bear (FX/Hulu), Boston Blue (CBS), Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago Med (NBC), Criminal Minds: Evolution (CBS), The Diplomat (Netflix), Elsbeth (CBS), Euphoria (HBO), High Potential (ABC), The Hunting Wives (Netflix), Landman (Paramount+), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), The Lowdown (FX), The Madison (Paramount+), Matlock (CBS), Memory of a Killer (FOX), The Morning Show (Apple TV), Paradise (Hulu), The Pitt (HBO Max), Pluribus (Apple TV), Smoke (Apple TV), The Summer I Turned Pretty (Prime Video), Task (HBO)

And the Nominees Are...

Outstanding Drama Series
The Bear (FX/Hulu)
The Diplomat (Netflix)
Elsbeth (CBS)
The Lowdown (FX)
The Pitt (HBO Max)
Pluribus (Apple TV)
Task (HBO)

Notes on Nominees: Fourth nomination in this category for The Bear, which won in 2024. Second nomination in this category for The Pitt, which won last year. Second nomination in this category for Elsbeth, which was nominated in 2024.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Matlock (CBS)
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Madison (Paramount+)
Carrie Preston, Elsbeth (CBS)
Keri Russell, The Diplomat (Netflix)
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus (Apple TV)
Zendaya, Euphoria (HBO)

Notes on Nominees: Seventh overall nomination for Ayo Edebiri, who was nominated in this category the last two years. Second nomination for Kathy Bates, who won last year in this category. Second overall nomination for Michelle Pfeiffer, who won Limited Lead Actress for The First Lady in 2022. Third nomination in this category for Carrie Preston, Keri Russell and Zendaya.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown (FX)
Tom Pelphrey, Task (HBO)
Mark Ruffalo, Task (HBO)
Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat (Netflix)
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman (Paramount+)
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Noah Wyle, The Pitt (HBO Max)

Notes on Nominees: Second overall nomination for Ethan Hawke, who won for Limited Actor for The Good Lord Bird in 2021. Fourth overall nomination for Tom Pelphrey, who previously received nominations for Ozark and Love and Death. Second overall nomination for Mark Ruffalo, who was previously nominated in 2020 for I Know This Much is True. Third nomination for The Diplomat for Rufus Sewell. Second nomination in this category for Billy Bob Thornton and last year's winner, Noah Wyle. Fourth nomination in this category for Jeremy Allen White.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Ryan Kiera Armstrong, The Lowdown (FX)
Fiona Dourif, The Pitt (HBO)
Allison Janney, The Diplomat (Netflix)
Emilia Jones, Task (HBO)
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt (HBO Max)
Ali Larter, Landman (Paramount+)
Karolina Wydra, Pluribus (Apple TV)

Notes on Nominees: Second nomination for The Diplomat for Allison Janney, who was previously nominated in Guest. Second nomination in this category for Ali Larter and last year's winner, Katherine LaNasa.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Patrick Ball, The Pitt (HBO Max)
Keith David, The Lowdown (FX)
Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt (HBO Max)
Michael Hitchcock, The Lowdown (FX)
Gerran Howell, The Pitt (HBO Max)
Kyle MacLachlan, The Lowdown (FX)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear (FX/Hulu)

Notes on Nominees: Third nomination for Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who won in this category in 2024. Second nomination in this category for Patrick Ball and Gerran Howell and second overall for Shawn Hatosy, who was nominated for Guest last year.

Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series
Macon Blair, The Lowdown "This Land?" (FX)
Bradley Buecker, 9-1-1 "Hearts and Flowers" (ABC)
Vince Gilligan, Pluribus "We Is Us" (Apple TV)
Sterlin Harjo, The Lowdown "The Sensitive Kind" (FX)
Gordon Smith, Pluribus "Got Milk" (Apple TV)
John Wells, The Pitt "9:00 P.M." (HBO Max)
Salli Richardson Whitfield, Task "Out Beyond Ideas of Wrongdoing and Rightdoing, There is a River" (HBO)

Notes on Nominees: Second nomination in this category for Bradley Buecker, who was also nominated for 9-1-1 back in 2020. Second overall nomination for John Wells, who was nominated in 2022 for Maid.

Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series
Ayo Edebiri & Lionel Boyce, The Bear "Worms" (FX/Hulu)
Brad Ingelsby, Task (HBO)
Kristen Pierre-Geyfman & R. Scott Gemmell, The Pitt "1:00 P.M." (HBO Max)
Olivia Purnell, The Lowdown "This Land?" (FX)
Christopher Storer, The Bear "Goodbye" (FX/Hulu)
Alison Tatlock & Gordon Smith, Pluribus "La Chica o El Mundo" (Apple TV)
Scott Teems, The Lowdown "Dinosaur Memories" (FX)

Notes on Nominees: Eighth overall nomination for Ayo Edebiri (the most of any individual in the history of the awards). Second nomination for Brad Ingelsby, who won for Writing in 2021 for Mare of Easttown. Fifth nomination for Christopher Storer (third for Writing). Second nomination this year for Gordon Smith.

Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress of a Drama Series
Steve Buscemi, Elsbeth (CBS)
Jamie Lee Curtis, The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Peter Dinklage, The Lowdown (FX)
Colman Domingo, Euphoria (HBO)
Mary McCormack, The Pitt (HBO Max)
Bradley Whitford, The Diplomat (Netflix)
Shaliene Woodley, Paradise (Hulu)

Notes on Nominees: Third nomination for The Bear for Jamie Lee Curtis, who won in this category the past two years. Third overall nomination for Bradley Whitford, who was previously nominated for a guest appearance on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and a supporting performance on The Handmaid's Tale.

Outstanding Technical Design of a Drama Series
The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Euphoria (HBO)
The Lowdown (FX)
The Madison (Paramount+)
The Pitt (HBO Max)
Pluribus (Apple TV)
Task (HBO)

Notes on Nominees: Fourth nomination in this category for The Bear. Third nomination in this category for 2020 winner Euphoria.

Nominations
12 nominations: The Lowdown
11 nominations: The Pitt
8 nominations: The Bear
7 nominations: Pluribus, Task
5 nominations: The Diplomat
3 nominations: Elsbeth, Euphoria
2 nominations: Landman, The Madison
1 nomination: 9-1-1, Matlock, Paradise
0 nominations: Boston Blue, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Criminal Minds: Evolution, High Potential, The Hunting Wives, Law & Order: SVU, Memory of a Killer, The Morning Show, Smoke, The Summer I Turned Pretty

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