The Emmy nominations arrive Wednesday morning, and while plenty of national attention will be on the usual heavy hitters, Chicago viewers have a smaller, more specific question:
Which local or Midwest-connected shows actually have a shot?
The honest answer: probably The Bear and Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
That does not mean Chicago-connected television had a quiet year. The city and region remained visible across scripted TV, from the continued presence of The Chi and NBC’s One Chicago universe to Apple TV+’s Dark Matter and Hulu’s Deli Boys. But when it comes to likely Emmy nominations, the field narrows quickly.
The Bear remains the big Chicago hope. Even with ongoing debate over whether FX’s kitchen-pressure cooker belongs in comedy, the series has become an Emmy regular and still carries significant awards weight. Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bacharach and Liza Colón-Zayas remain part of one of TV’s most respected ensembles, and the show’s craft categories could also keep it in the mix.
The question is not whether Emmy voters know The Bear. They do. The question is whether voters are beginning to cool on it.
After a few seasons of awards dominance and online debate, The Bear may not feel as fresh as it once did. But even when the series frustrates viewers, its performances, direction, editing and emotional intensity remain hard to ignore. For Reel Chicago, it is still the clearest local story on nomination morning.
The other Midwest-connected contender is Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the latest installment in Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology. Gein’s story is rooted in Wisconsin, giving the limited series a regional connection even if it is not a Chicago production.
Charlie Hunnam could land in the limited series actor race for his portrayal of Gein, while Laurie Metcalf is a possible supporting actress contender. The show itself may be divisive, but Emmy voters have a long history of recognizing transformation-heavy performances, especially in true-crime limited series.
Beyond those two, the odds get tougher.
The Chi remains culturally important and deeply tied to Chicago, but it has never been an Emmy powerhouse in the major categories. That could always change, but a major nomination would qualify as a surprise.
The One Chicago franchise, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med, remains one of broadcast television’s most durable success stories, but durability and Emmy heat are not the same thing. The franchise continues to deliver for NBC, yet awards voters rarely treat long-running network procedurals as nomination priorities outside select craft or technical areas.
Dark Matter brought a high-profile sci-fi story to Apple TV+ with Chicago built into its identity, but the Emmy drama field is crowded. Unless voters make room for genre storytelling beyond the most obvious contenders, it feels like a long shot.
Deli Boys also has Chicago-area relevance and a distinctive voice, but it would need a much stronger awards push to crack the main comedy categories.
So the Reel Chicago watch list is pretty simple:
The Bear is the local heavyweight.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is the Midwest wild card.
Everything else is a long shot.
If Wednesday morning brings major Chicago-related Emmy news, expect it to come from the kitchen first.
ALSO READ:
Big Brother reveals new Houseguests — and Reel Chicago has two hometown favorites
