Emmy Award…Paging Dr. Abbott.
Sean Hatosy, who won a Primetime Emmy Award for Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Dr. Jack Abbott, will return for Season 2 with an expanded profile, appearing in six of the show’s 15 episodes. In the 50-year history of the guest acting race, repeat wins are rare, and repeat wins on the same show are even rarer. Only five actors have ever won multiple times in the guest drama actor category: Patrick McGoohan for Columbo (1975, 1990), Ed Asner for Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and Roots (1977); John Lithgow in Amazing Stories (1986) and Dexter (2010), Charles S. Dutton in The Practice (2002) and Without a Trace (2003), and This Ron Cephas Jones in “Is Us” (2018, 2020).
Remarkably, no performer has ever won consecutive Guest Drama Actor Emmy Awards for the same role. It’s a lane that Hatosy is able to create entirely for himself.
Such streaks have been achieved in other guest categories, most famously Mel Brooks, who was the only person to win three times in a row for “Mad About You,” and Jay Thomas, who won back-to-back for “Murphy Brown.” In the drama category, Margo Martindale was a huge success for “The Americans”, while in the guest comedy actress category Jean Smart of “Frasier” and Maya Rudolph of “Saturday Night Live” won back-to-back. Zooming in on the lens further highlights its rarity: Only a handful of performers have won multiple awards for the same show in nonconsecutive years, including McGoohan for Columbo, Patricia Clarkson for Six Feet Under, Cephas Jones for This Is Us, Colleen Dewhurst for Murphy Brown, and Kathryn Joosten for Desperate Housewives.
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HBO Max’s medical drama broke out in its first season, winning five Emmy Awards, including a guest award for Hatosy, as well as outstanding drama series, best actor for Noah Wyle, and best supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa. We will enter this year’s race as a show that is sure to win.
Hatosy’s work is at the heart of that momentum. As Dr. Abbott, he gives a down-to-earth, lively performance, effectively sitting opposite Wily and supporting the show’s high-stakes storytelling. His role in season 2 will expand slightly, and he’ll even be standing behind the camera directing the episode “3:00 PM,” potentially even leading to a double nomination. Responsible for six episodes, including the upcoming season finale, he once again finds himself in the gray area between guest and support, a debate that Emmy voters and Television Academy officials continue to debate.
Still, stories matter. Repeat winners often benefit from compelling stories of overdue recognition and sustained excellence. Hatosy brings both, strengthened by his long-time collaboration with producer John Wells and standout roles in “Southland” and “Animal Kingdom.”
“The Pit” gives us the opportunity to redefine what guest acting triumphs look like in today’s television world. When Dr. Abbott finishes his night shift, he might make Emmy history.
