TV moved off cable

Most of the shows people actually watch now live on Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu rather than a cable box. The Emmys still honor them, but finding the broadcast is its own puzzle.

The 78th Emmys, explained

The Television Academy hands out the awards for prime time TV, and this is the night the winners get named. If you like seeing every star in one room, this is the one broadcast to catch.

Mark your calendar

The ceremony starts at 8:00 p.m. ET, 5:00 p.m. PT on September 14, 2026, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

“8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT on September 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater”

Mariska Hargitay hosts

The Law & Order: SVU star takes the stage as host this year.

Show up early online

Emmys.com and the Television Academy YouTube channel run official backstage coverage, and several networks air their own pre-shows before the ceremony starts.

Two ways in

NBC carries the broadcast on linear TV. If you cut the cord, Peacock streams the same ceremony live.

Peacock is the cheap route

Peacock Premium runs $10.99 a month and covers the live event. Walmart+ members can pick Peacock as a free perk instead of paying separately.

Live TV streamers that carry NBC

DirecTV's Entertainment package is $89.99, Fubo's Sports plan is $55.99, Hulu + Live TV with ads is $89.99, and YouTube TV's Sports plan is $64.99 a month.

Free trials, ranked by length

YouTube TV gives you 7 days, DirecTV and Fubo each give 5, and Hulu gives 3. Sign up close to showtime and you watch for nothing.

The Peacock workaround

Peacock dropped its free trial, but Walmart+ offers 30 days for $1 and lets you fold Peacock in. Not free, still the cheapest door.

“It's not free, but it's certainly better than paying full price.”

What is eligible this year

Nominees cover American prime time TV that aired between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, as picked by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The nomination leaders

The Pitt leads with 25 nods, followed by Hacks with 24, Widow's Bay with 19, Pluribus with 18, and Beef with 16.

Comedy series contenders

Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, and Widow's Bay are all in the running, spread across Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, and Apple TV.

Drama series contenders

The Pitt, Pluribus, Slow Horses, The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, Paradise, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Your Friends & Neighbors round out the drama field.

Limited series field

All Her Fault, The Beast in Me, Beef, DTF St. Louis, and the JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette love story compete in the limited and anthology category.

Acting races to watch

Jean Smart, Quinta Brunson, and Ayo Edebiri face off in comedy. Noah Wyle, Gary Oldman, and Rhea Seehorn headline drama. Sarah Snook, Claire Danes, and Sally Field lead the limited categories.