Television’s biggest night is finally here. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards air tonight, September 14, 2026, live from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles — and this year’s ceremony comes with a genuinely unusual twist before a single award is handed out: the host isn’t a comedian.
How to watch tonight
- Network: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock (live and on demand)
- Main ceremony start time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
- Red carpet coverage: Begins at 5 p.m. ET, with additional red carpet coverage on E! starting at 6 p.m. ET; streaming red carpet coverage is also available via CNN/Variety
If you don’t have cable, Peacock is your easiest path to a live stream, and it will also carry the show on demand afterward if you’d rather catch up later tonight.
Who’s hosting
Mariska Hargitay — best known as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — is hosting this year’s ceremony, produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. It’s a notable break from tradition: Hargitay is the first Emmys host who isn’t a comedian, comedy performer, reality host, or general TV personality since Angela Lansbury hosted in 1993, and the first woman to host since Jane Lynch in 2011.
The nominees leading the pack
Three shows have dominated this year’s nomination tallies:
- “The Pitt” (HBO Max) leads all series with 25 nominations
- “Hacks” (HBO Max) follows close behind with 24 nominations — a new record for a comedy series
- “Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV) leads all new shows with 19 nominations
Outstanding Drama Series
- The Diplomat (Netflix)
- The Gilded Age (HBO Max)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max)
- Paradise (Hulu)
- The Pitt (HBO Max)
- Pluribus (Apple TV)
- Slow Horses (Apple TV)
- Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple TV)
Outstanding Comedy Series
- Abbott Elementary (ABC)
- The Bear (FX/Hulu)
- Hacks (HBO Max)
- Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV)
- Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
- Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
- Shrinking (Apple TV)
- Widow’s Bay (Apple TV)
Lead Actress in a Drama
Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, Rhea Seehorn, Zendaya
Lead Actor in a Drama
Sterling K. Brown, Gary Oldman, Mark Ruffalo, Rufus Sewell, Noah Wyle
Lead Actress in a Comedy
Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, Lisa Kudrow, Jean Smart
Lead Actor in a Comedy
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Steve Carell, Matthew Rhys, Jason Segel, Martin Short
Predictions: who takes home the big ones
Outstanding Drama Series: With 25 nominations behind it, “The Pitt” enters the night as the clear frontrunner. Its unflinching, real-time medical-drama format has been the most talked-about new entry in the category, and the volume of nominations across acting and technical categories suggests broad Emmy voter support rather than just a passion-project bump.
Outstanding Comedy Series: “Hacks” set a record for comedy nominations this year, and its late-series momentum makes it the favorite over stiff competition from “The Bear” and breakout freshman contender “Widow’s Bay.”
Lead Actor in a Drama: Noah Wyle’s work anchoring “The Pitt” has drawn some of the strongest reviews of any performance this season, putting him in a tight race with Gary Oldman.
Lead Actress in a Comedy: Jean Smart remains a perennial threat in this category, but Quinta Brunson’s continued work on “Abbott Elementary” keeps her firmly in contention.
As always with the Emmys, nomination counts aren’t destiny — voters have surprised everyone before. Tune in tonight to see how it actually shakes out.