Only One ‘Stranger Things’ Star Is Eligible For An Emmy This Year (And He’s Not Even On The Show Anymore)

The eligibility period for the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards is from June 1, 2022, until May 31, 2023. That means, even though the season hasn’t finished yet, Succession will go against Better Call Saul, House of the Dragon, The Bear, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, etc. in one of the most stacked Outstanding Drama Series races in Emmys history. One show that won’t be part of the Drama conversation is Stranger Things, even though the final two episodes of the two-part fourth season aired within the dates for eligibility.

Variety reports that Emmys consider these to be “orphan” episodes, “which prevents the show from submitting for the drama series category (which requires a minimum of six), nor any main series acting categories, where stars Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour have garnered recognition for previous seasons.” There’s only one Stranger Things cast member who’s even eligible to be nominated, and he’s not even on the show anymore.

Despite Vol. 2 having standout turns from the likes of Sadie Sink as tomboy Max Mayfield or Quinn as the rock ‘n ‘ rolling Eddie Munson, the only Stranger Things actor eligible for Emmy acting recognition this year is Dacre Montgomery, for guest actor in a drama series. Montgomery plays Max’s deceased stepbrother, Billy. Despite being killed by the Mind Flayer in Season 3, the character appears in “The Piggyback” finale when Vecna puts Max into a trance, with her deceased brother showing up in a vision to blame her for his death.

Montgomery faces stiff competition, however, from frontrunners Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, who were so good in one of the best episodes of The Last of Us, as well as all the male dragons on House of the Dragon. They might as well get their own category at this point.