The 78th Emmy Awards have officially begun, bringing a major structural shakeup and history-making moments to Los Angeles.
Abandoning the traditional "Creative Arts Emmys" moniker, the Television Academy has rebranded this weekend’s events at the Peacock Theater as the first two nights of the main Emmy Awards. Night one focused on unscripted series and variety specials, while night two turns the spotlight toward dramas, comedies, and limited series.
Here is what went down during the opening night and what to expect next.
Bad Bunny’s Historic First Emmy
Global music sensation Bad Bunny is officially an Emmy winner. Nominated under his birth name, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, he secured his first career Emmy as a producer-performer.
"The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny" dominated night one, taking home seven trophies, including the prestigious award for Outstanding Variety Special. In a highly competitive category, the show beat out high-profile broadcasts of the Oscars, Grammys, and Tonys.
Other notable early winners included:
- Seth Rogen, accepting Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) for "The Muppet Show."
- Mariska Hargitay, winning outstanding documentary or nonfiction special and outstanding directing for "My Mom Jayne."
- Ben Archard, taking outstanding directing for a reality program for "The Traitors."
The Sunday Showdown: What to Watch
The momentum builds on night two, where top nominated series face off. The Television Academy has deliberately injected more star power into this early phase by moving five major acting categories—including best supporting actor and actress in a limited series—to the Sunday lineup.
Several powerhouse shows are poised for massive sweeps:
- "The Pitt": HBO Max's breakout medical drama leads the entire field with 25 total nominations and could claim up to nine awards on Sunday.
- "Hacks": The fifth and final season of the comedy giant scored 24 nominations, with up to a dozen awards within reach.
- "Pluribus": The psychological drama from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan holds 10 nominations.
- "Widow's Bay": Apple TV's rookie horror-comedy is also positioned to win up to 10 trophies.
Key Storylines to Follow
Beyond the sheer volume of awards, several deeply personal storylines are developing. Legendary Hollywood figure Rob Reiner, who died alongside his wife Michele Singer Reiner in December, is nominated posthumously for his guest role on "The Bear." He competes against five-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox, nominated for his guest spot on "Shrinking."
Meanwhile, neurodiversity advocate Tal Anderson has earned her first nomination for her role in "The Pitt," highlighting a push for authentic representation in the drama categories.
The first two nights will be edited together to air on FXX on September 12 and stream on Hulu on September 13. This leads directly into the primetime telecast on September 14 on NBC, hosted by Mariska Hargitay.
