Tonight's Emmys will hand out 19 awards instead of 26 after five categories were moved off the NBC broadcast
The 78th Emmys start at 8pm ET from the Peacock Theater with Mariska Hargitay hosting, and the show you are about to watch is five trophies shorter than last year's. Those five were handed out a week ago, off camera, and three Hollywood guilds are still angry about it.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards go live at 8pm ET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, on NBC and Peacock, with Mariska Hargitay hosting. The telecast runs three hours and hands out 19 awards. Last year it handed out 26.
Five categories were taken off the broadcast this summer, and they are not minor ones: supporting actor and supporting actress in a limited series or movie, writing for a limited series or movie, directing for a limited series or movie, and writing for a variety series.
They were not cancelled. They were moved to the Creative Arts ceremonies on 5 and 6 September, which in recent years have aired separately on FXX. So five winners already exist, were announced a week ago, and will not get a moment on camera tonight in front of the audience the Emmys actually reach.
The Directors Guild, SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild put out a joint statement when the decision was reported in July, and it was not diplomatic.
"The decision to eliminate these categories from the primetime broadcast devalues the contributions of the talented people the Academy is meant to honor. An awards show dedicated to recognizing excellence should not reduce recognition for the artists whose work gives it meaning." — DGA, SAG-AFTRA and WGA
What the Academy bought with the time
The Television Academy's reasoning is arithmetic. "Given the extraordinary breadth of work recognized each year and the limited time available within a three-hour broadcast, a select number of categories will be moving to the Emmy ceremonies taking place the week prior to the telecast," it said. The space goes to musical performances, comedy sketches and longer speeches.
Academy chairman Cris Abrego was blunter about the goal in Variety: "We're really excited to flex more creativity into the show... it needs time, and that's where we really want to find time to create an incredible night of entertainment."
Read more: Emmy Awards 2026 predictions
What is still on the line
Nineteen categories is still the whole top of the card, and the nomination count says where the pressure sits.
- The Pitt, 25 nominations. The most-nominated programme of the year, and the one with the most to lose in a shortened show.
- Hacks, 24. Comedy's incumbent, back in the same race it keeps winning.
- Widow's Bay, 19. Apple's breakout, and already eight Emmys up from the Creative Arts weekend.
- Pluribus, 18. The other Apple contender, and the reason the drama race is not a formality.
The head start matters more than it sounds. Widow's Bay walked into tonight with eight trophies already banked; the Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show starring Bad Bunny has seven. Anyone reading a "total wins" table tomorrow morning is reading two ceremonies, not one, and most of the winning happened before the cameras were on.
An awards show that cuts awards to make room for entertainment has answered a question about itself out loud.
Nineteen categories, three hours, one host who won two of these last weekend. The five that were cut go to limited series and variety writing — the corners of television where the Emmys have historically done their most interesting work. Tonight nobody watching will see them handed over.
Previously we wrote: House of the Dragon is missing from tonight's Emmys
