The first season of Apple TV+’s legal thriller Presumed Innocent will compete in the Limited or Anthology Series categories at the 2025 Emmy Awards, according to Deadline. This surprising category shift comes after the show was originally submitted as a drama series for the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, where star Jake Gyllenhaal earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series, Drama. The series has also been featured in various Emmy predictions for the drama category.
The change in category stems from the evolution of Presumed Innocent over the past few months. Initially conceived as a limited series adaptation of Scott Turow’s bestselling novel, the show had no plans for a second season. However, after the first season’s success, Apple TV+ greenlit a second season, which led the creators to adopt a model similar to The White Lotus—a new story and mostly new cast each season, with potential crossover characters acting as a link between seasons.
Deadline reports that Presumed Innocent was originally submitted as a drama series, similar to how The White Lotus switched from limited to drama series after its first season. According to the Emmy Awards rules, for a show to qualify as a limited or anthology series, “the story arc must be completely resolved within its season, with no ongoing storyline and/or main characters in subsequent seasons.”
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the first season of the anthology series revolves around a shocking murder that disrupts the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The ensemble cast includes Ruth Negga, who received a nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, along with Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle, and Renate Reinsve.