How to watch the 2021 Emmy Awards
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards are almost here, and with an especially exciting batch of nominees, it's an event TV fans won't want to miss. This year's ceremony will see its audience in person once again, after the 2020 awards took place virtually. Attendees of the 2021 Emmy Awards will be asked to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 amid the surge of cases in Los Angeles.
Due to the pandemic and its effects on production, the total number of submissions went down significantly across many categories this Emmys cycle. The shows that did make the cut and grossed the most nominations are representative of the range of content audiences fell in love with. "Star Wars" spin-off series "The Mandalorian" is tied with historical drama "The Crown," at 24 nominations. Disney Plus' other streaming star, "WandaVision," is trailing just a bit behind, at 23 nominations. Comedy series "Ted Lasso" and "Saturday Night Live" are tied with dystopian drama "The Handmaid's Tale" at an even 20 nominations each.
Many beloved quarantine-binges, including "The Queen's Gambit" and "WandaVision," are set to face off for the title of best limited series, with leads Anya Taylor-Joy and Elizabeth Olsen both up for best actress alongside Kate Winslet and Michaela Coel.
So whether you'll be handling the family Emmys betting pool this year, or you're just excited to see a (hopefully) hazmat suit-free ceremony, CBS Essentials has rounded up all the necessary information to help you watch the awards ceremony. Here's your Emmys 2021 FAQ: how to stream or watch the awards for free in real time; info on who is nominated; and a roundup of predictions about who is expected to win at the 2021 Emmys.
When are the 2021 Emmys?
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on September 19 at 5 p.m. PDT.
Where can I stream the 2021 Emmys?
There are plenty of streaming services that offer access to CBS — and by extension, the 2021 Emmys — both live and on-demand, including Paramount+, Hulu Plus Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV. Keep reading to learn more about which streaming service is right for you.
Paramount+
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on Paramount+ and will be available to all subscribers to stream in real time or on-demand afterwards. You can also catch the Emmy-nominated "The Amazing Race" on the platform, as well as plenty of other shows and movies.
(CBS Essentials and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of ViacomCBS.)
Hulu Plus Live TV
Hulu Plus Live TV includes access to CBS, so subscribers will be able to watch the 2021 Emmy Awards live in real time. Subscribers can also stream Emmy-nominated series such as "The Handmaid's Tale," "PEN15," "Shrill" and "Black-ish" on Hulu.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV lets subscribers access CBS and more than 80 other channels, including PBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. Subscribers can also enjoy unlimited recording space to save and watch their favorite programs at their own pace, on their own time.
FuboTV
FuboTV gives subscribers access to CBS, as well as more than 100 other local channels, including AMC, ESPN and FX. FuboTV also provides a cloud DVR with the capacity to record up to 250 hours of content, so subscribers who can't catch the awards live can record them to watch later.
How can I watch the 2021 Emmys live for free?
With cable or a TV antenna, it should be easy to locate a local CBS station and watch the Emmy Awards live on TV. Paramount+ also offers a seven-day free trial, so prospective subscribers can trial-run the streaming service the week of the awards show at no extra cost.
Who's hosting the 2021 Emmys?
This year, the 73rd Emmy Awards will be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, comedian and star of CBS' "The Neighborhood."
"Since I was a little boy huddled up next to my grandmother, television has always been my reliable friend, so it is an enormous honor for me to host this year's Emmy Awards," Cedric the Entertainer told ET.
Who is nominated at the 2021 Emmys?
The competition is fierce this year, despite the drop in submissions, with streaming giants Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO, Hulu and Netflix dominating many of the most-anticipated categories of the evening. Some notable nominations include Mj Rodriguez, nominated for her role in the FX series "Pose," making history as the first trans person to be nominated in a lead actress category, and HBO's "I May Destroy You," which garnered nine nominations after being notably snubbed by the Golden Globes.
Amazon Prime Video's "The Boys," HBO's "Lovecraft Country" and Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" are all up against two Netflix giants, "Bridgerton" and "The Crown," for Outstanding Drama Series. Meanwhile "Blackish," "The Flight Attendant," "Hacks," Hulu original "PEN15," Apple TV's "Ted Lasso," and three Netflix heavy hitters, "Cobra Kai," "Emily in Paris" and "The Kominsky Method" are up for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series is a category filled with quarantine binge-favorites, with "I May Destroy You," "Mare of Easttown," "The Queen's Gambit," "The Underground Railroad," and Disney Plus' "WandaVision" all going head to head. Leads Michaela Coel, Cynthia Erivo, Elizabeth Olsen, Anya Taylor-Joy and Kate Winslet will also face off for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
"Hamilton"'s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. are nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie along with Paul Bettany, Hugh Grant and Ewan McGregor.
The stars nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series include Sterling K. Brown, Jonathan Majors, Josh O'Connor, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Porter and Matthew Rhys. Up for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series are Uzo Aduba, Olivia Colman, Emma Corrin, Elizabeth Moss, Mj Rodriguez and Jurnee Smollett.
Anthony Anderson, Michael Douglas, William H. Macy, Jason Sudeikis and Kenan Thompson are all nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series alongside actresses Aidy Bryant, Kaley Cuoco, Allison Janney, Tracee Ellis Ross and Jean Smart for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
See the full list of nominations here.
Who will win at the 2021 Emmys?
Many of the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards categories appear too close to definitively call at this point, but of course, there are some predictions already.
Variety muses that Disney Plus' "WandaVision" is most likely to take home the award of best limited series, despite its assertion that very few pundits had Marvel Studios on their lists of ones to watch this awards cycle. But the LA Times, utilizing its BuzzMeter -- a panel of six veteran TV journalists who called the final list of nominees with 76% accuracy -- have predicted that "The Queen's Gambit" will take the title. However, BuzzMeter panel member Glenn Whip just penned his own prediction that "Mare of Easttown" will win best limited series with its lead actress, Kate Winslet, winning for best actress in a limited series as well.
Variety and the LA Times agree that "The Crown" will win best drama series, with the BuzzMeter identifying Emma Corrin as the clear projected winner of best lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Princess Diana in the Netflix historical drama.
For more Emmy predictions, news and updates, check out ET's ongoing coverage of the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.
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