In the battle for glory at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, two leading contenders have emerged: the powerful feudal lords of 17th-century Japan and the beleaguered cooks of a modern-day Chicago restaurant.
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“Shōgun” and “The Bear” cruise into the Emmys with a ton of momentum thanks to glowing reviews and loyal fandoms. They’re joined in the top award categories by a mix of freshman series (“Fallout,” “3 Body Problem”) and returning favorites (“Abbott Elementary,” “Hacks”).
Here’s a guide to this year’s celebration of all things television, and don’t forget to follow NBCNews.com’s live coverage of all the key moments.
How to watch the Emmys
The three-hour telecast from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles kicks off live at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ABC. The ceremony will be available to stream the next day on Hulu. (The broadcast network that presents the Emmys changes regularly. Fox aired the previous edition.)
Who is hosting?
This year’s emcees are Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, the father-son duo behind “Schitt’s Creek.” Eugene, 77, and Dan, 41, are each making their Emmys hosting debuts. Four years ago, “Schitt’s Creek” became the first series to sweep all seven comedy categories.
“We’re going to keep it light and bright,” Dan Levy told the Los Angeles Times in an interview about their plans for the night.
“You’re setting a tone, and it’s our tone. It is what it is,” Eugene Levy added. “It’s kind of tricky when you’re in the weeds, but ultimately we have to be ourselves and go with what we think is funny.”
Who is presenting?
The actors assembled to present awards include some of the night’s nominees: Matt Bomer (“Fellow Travelers”), Lily Gladstone (“Under the Bridge”), Greta Lee (“The Morning Show”), Jean Smart (“Hacks”) and Kristen Wiig (“Palm Royale”).
The lineup of talent also includes Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke, who turns 98 in December. He is a four-time winner at the Primetime Emmy Awards and a two-time winner at the Daytime Emmy Awards, most recently for his guest role on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives.”
The list of presenters hints at a possible reunion of the stars of the NBC political drama “The West Wing,” perhaps tied to the 25th anniversary of the show’s debut. Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Martin Sheen and Jimmy Smits are all slated to appear onstage.
The top nominees
The eight nominees for outstanding drama series are Netflix’s “The Crown,” Prime Video’s “Fallout,” HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” FX’s “Shōgun,” Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses” and Netflix’s “3 Body Problem.”
In the comedy series race, the eight nominees are ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” FX’s “The Bear,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Max’s “Hacks,” Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” Apple TV+’s “Palm Royale,” FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows.”
You can read the full slate of nominees here.
Who is expected to win?
FX and the cable channel’s two breakout hits are widely expected to dominate the night.
“Shōgun” goes into Sunday with a commanding 25 nominations, the most of any series. The first season of the show received almost universally positive reviews, while the critical reaction to some of this year’s other drama series contenders was more mixed.
“The Bear” swings into the ceremony with a similarly impressive number of nods: 23 — the most ever for a comedy series in a single year, shattering a record once held by NBC’s “30 Rock,” which picked up 22 in 2009.
Of course, Emmy voters might surprise viewers by honoring two shows that recently left the airwaves. “The Crown” concluded in December after six seasons chronicling the private lives of the British royal family. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” signed off in April, 24 years after it premiered.
The front-runner for best limited or anthology series is Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer,” according to the awards prediction website Gold Derby. The other nominees in that category include HBO’s “True Detective: Night Country” and the fifth installment of FX’s “Fargo.”
In the lead actor races, Gold Derby is banking on Jean Smart (“Hacks”); Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”); Anna Sawai (“Shōgun”); Hiroyuki Sanada (“Shōgun”); Jodie Foster (“True Detective”); and Richard Gadd (“Baby Reindeer”).
