The 78th Emmy Awards will save its biggest series prizes for the final stretch. Drama Series and Comedy Series are scheduled as the telecast’s last two awards, according to the presentation order reported by Film Updates.
The ceremony airs Monday, Sept. 14, from Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, with Mariska Hargitay hosting the NBC and Peacock broadcast. The Television Academy lists the telecast for 8 p.m. ET, following the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies held Sept. 5 and 6.
The night opens with Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, followed by Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The early run then moves through Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Reality Competition Program arrives seventh, before Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Lead Actor in a Comedy Series follows, keeping the four lead acting categories spread across the first half of the broadcast rather than grouped together.
The middle section turns toward craft and special programming: Writing for a Comedy Series, Directing for a Drama Series, Variety Series and Directing for a Comedy Series. The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for Michael J. Fox comes next, followed by Writing for a Drama Series.
Tributes arrive before the final series races
A Dolly Parton tribute is scheduled immediately after the drama writing award. Limited or Anthology Series follows, then the In Memoriam segment, before the telecast reaches its closing pair: Drama Series and Comedy Series.
The order gives the program a clear awards-show crescendo, with the two top series categories separated from the acting and craft races by the Parton tribute and remembrance segment. It also places Fox’s humanitarian honor well before the final competitive awards, rather than using it as the closing presentation.
The ceremony comes after a nominations race led by The Pitt, which received 25 nominations, while Hacks set a comedy-category record with 24. Hargitay, meanwhile, is hosting a ceremony that also includes her own nominations for the documentary My Mom Jayne.
By the time the broadcast reaches its final envelope, the Emmy order will have moved from supporting performances to the night’s broadest question: which drama and comedy take the last trophies of the 78th ceremony?
