The 78th Emmy Awards are set to take place Monday night, with HBO Max’s “The Pitt” hoping to strengthen its place among television’s top shows and Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” arriving with strong momentum.
The ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Mariska Hargitay, the longtime star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and a three-time Emmy winner, will host the event on NBC. The network has prepared a peacock-blue carpet to mark its 100th anniversary.
The ceremony will also mark the 30th anniversary of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the 50th anniversary of “Charlie’s Angels,” with members of both casts expected to appear as presenters.
How to watch the Emmys
The Emmy Awards rotate among the major US broadcast networks. This year, the ceremony will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock at 8 p.m. Eastern time, or 5 p.m. Pacific.
“Live from E!: Countdown to the Emmys” will cover stars arriving at the ceremony from 5 p.m. Eastern, or 2 p.m. Pacific, on YouTube and Peacock. The Associated Press will also provide a delayed feed of celebrity arrivals on YouTube.
‘The Pitt,’ ‘Widow’s Bay’ and ‘Hacks’ lead the race
“The Pitt,” a real-time drama set in a hospital emergency room, was a newcomer at last year’s Emmys but quickly became one of television’s top shows. It won best drama, best actor for Noah Wyle and best supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa.
The show is expected to defend all three awards this year and could win three more. Wyle is competing for three awards, while the cast received four nominations for supporting actress and three for supporting actor.
“Hacks,” which received the most nominations among comedy series for its fifth and final season on HBO Max, is also a strong contender. Its star, Jean Smart, is widely expected to win best actress in a comedy for the fifth consecutive time.
However, Apple TV’s horror comedy “Widow’s Bay” could disrupt the expected “Hacks” farewell. The series has already won eight awards at earlier ceremonies covering most of the more than 100 Emmy categories.
It could win as many as six more awards Monday. A strong showing could give it 14 Emmys for the season, surpassing the record of 13 set by “The Studio” last year.
“Widow’s Bay” star Matthew Rhys is considered a leading contender for best actor in a comedy, while breakout star Kate O’Flynn is among the favorites for best supporting actress.
Seehorn, Ford and Zendaya also in contention
Rhea Seehorn could earn her first Emmy for best actress in a drama for her role as the central character in Apple TV’s “Pluribus.”
Her competitors include Zendaya, who won the award for the first two seasons of “Euphoria” in 2020 and 2022. She is nominated again for the show's third and final season.
The ceremony could also bring Harrison Ford his first Emmy and his first major competitive Hollywood award. The 84-year-old actor is among the favorites for best supporting actor in a comedy for his role in “Shrinking,” where he plays a therapist dealing with Parkinson’s disease.