With just one episode left to go in its first season, Widow’s Bay has earned a dedicated fan base and racked up lots of critical love. That latter achievement has translated into the Apple TV+ show’s first awards-season recognition, thanks to the just-announced nominations for the 2026 Television Critics Association Awards.
Widow’s Bay notched five nominations, the Hollywood Reporter notes, the same as the other two most-nominated series: Heated Rivalry and Industry. However, both of those shows have been around long enough to settle into their acclaim. Also, neither had a witchcraft-fueled cocktail party as a pivotal story point—just saying.
The categories Widow’s Bay was nominated in include Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, Outstanding New Program, and Individual Achievement in Comedy (with both Matthew Rhys, who plays Mayor Tom Loftis, and Kate O’Flynn, who plays Patricia, making the list).
Here’s the full list of TCA Awards nominees; the winners will be announced over the summer.
The Comeback (HBO) Hacks (HBO Max) Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO Max) Industry (HBO) The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS) The Pitt (HBO Max) Pluribus (Apple TV) Shrinking (Apple TV) Widow’s Bay (Apple TV)
Abbott Elementary (ABC) The Comeback The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (NBC) Hacks The Lowdown (FX) Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV) Shrinking Widow’s Bay
The Gilded Age (HBO) Heated Rivalry Industry A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO) Paradise (Hulu) The Pitt Pluribus Task (HBO)
All Her Fault (Peacock) The Beast in Me (Netflix) Beef (Netflix) Death by Lightning (Netflix) DTF St. Louis (HBO) Half Man (HBO) Lord of the Flies (Netflix) Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette (FX)
Alien: Earth (FX) The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Heated Rivalry A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms The Lowdown Margo’s Got Money Troubles Pluribus Widow’s Bay
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles Harrison Ford, Shrinking Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay Jean Smart, Hacks Tim Robinson, The Chair Company (HBO)
Marisa Abela, Industry Sterling K. Brown, Paradise David Harbour, DTF St. Louis Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt Ken Leung, Industry Myha’la, Industry Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus Connor Storrie, Heated Rivalry Hudson Williams, Heated Rivalry Noah Wyle, The Pitt
60 Minutes (CBS) The American Revolution (PBS) CBS This Morning (CBS) Disneyland Handcrafted (Disney+) Frontline (PBS) Have I Got News for You (CNN) Marty, Life Is Short (Netflix) Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)
The Daily Show (Comedy Central) Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) The Late Show with Stephen Colbert The Muppet Show: Sabrina Carpenter (ABC/Disney+) Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Couples Therapy (Paramount+) Finding Mr. Christmas (Hallmark) The Great British Baking Show (Netflix) Love on the Spectrum (Netflix) RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV) Survivor (CBS) Top Chef (Bravo) The Traitors (Peacock)
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation (Disney+) Electric Bloom (Disney+/Disney Channel) Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+/Hulu) Phineas and Ferb (Disney+/Disney Channel) Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 (Netflix) Vampirina: Teenage Vampire (Disney+/Disney Channel) Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (Disney+/Disney Channel) WondLa (Apple TV)
Carl the Collector (PBS Kids) The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (Apple TV) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ (Disney+/Disney Jr.) Phoebe & Jay (PBS Kids) Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical (Apple TV) Sofia the First: Royal Magic (Disney+/Disney Jr.) Weather Hunters (PBS Kids) The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball (Hulu)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox) Haunted Hotel (Netflix) Invincible (Prime Video) King of the Hill (Hulu) Long Story Short (Netflix) The Simpsons (Fox) South Park (Comedy Central) Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord (Disney+) Women Wearing Shoulder Pads (Adult Swim)
The Boyfriend (Netflix) Crime Scene Zero (Netflix) Drops of God (Apple TV) The House of the Spirits (Prime Video) Last Samurai Standing (Netflix) Squid Game (Netflix)
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Source: Gizmodo