LOS ANGELES: Emmy Awards host Cedric the Entertainer and the show's producers promise it will be a celebration for all. But it could be much more rewarding, even historic, for some.
That includes Netflix's drama "The Crown" and Apple TV+ comedy "Ted Lasso." Each is considered a frontrunner Sunday for top series honors in their respective categories, and their casts received armloads of nominations.
More than the shows would benefit. Victories in both the best drama and comedy series categories would mark a first for streaming services and reinforce their growing dominance, to the dismay of competitors.
But the TV industry overall, including the broadcast networks that still field popular shows but are largely eclipsed at the Emmys, will be honored, say those in charge of the event airing 8 p.m. EDT on CBS.
Ellen Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy," Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson ("black-ish"), and LL Cool J ("NCIS: Los Angeles") are among the presenters.
The producers' ultimate goal is a ceremony that is upbeat and acknowledges how much TV's importance grew during the pandemic and its lockdowns.
"When we first sat down with Cedric, we all quickly agreed on the idea of celebration," said Hudlin. "The fact is, television right now is perhaps the best it's ever been...and boy, have we ever needed it."
It's gotten us "through some very tough times," Hudlin said.
"We're going to have a good time," Cedric said. He's binged on recent and older seasons of nominated shows — retro-watching, as he dubbed the latter — to ensure he was ready with equal-opportunity wisecracks.
The top nominees include the British royal drama "The Crown" and the Star Wars-universe derived "The Mandalorian," which received a leading 24 nominations each.
On the comedy side, the feel-good comedy "Ted Lasso" is competing with "black-ish"; "Cobra Kai"; "Emily in Paris"; "Hacks"; "The Flight Attendant"; "The Kominsky Method" and "PEN15."
Other drama series contenders include past winner "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Lovecraft Country," which was cancelled after a single season but yielded nods for cast members Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, Aunjanue Ellis and the late Michael K. Williams, who died Sept. 6.
They're part of a diverse field of nominees. Of the 96 acting nods for drama, comedy and miniseries, nearly 44% — a total of 42 nominations — went to people of color. Their rise echoes the change in the U.S. population, with the number of people who identify as white shrinking for the first time in census history.
Here is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 73rd Emmy Awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on Sunday.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
"The Boys" (Prime Video)
"Bridgerton" (Netflix)
"The Crown" (Netflix)
"The Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu)
"Lovecraft Country" (HBO)
"The Mandalorian" (Disney +)
"Pose" (FX Networks)
"This is Us" (NBC)
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
"black-ish" (ABC)
"Cobra Kai" (Netflix)
"Emily in Paris" (Netflix)
"The Flight Attendant" (HBO Max)
"Hacks" (HBO Max)
"The Kominsky Method" (Netflix)
"PEN15" (Hulu)
"Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+)
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
Sterling K. Brown, "This is Us"
Jonathan Majors, "Lovecraft Country"
Josh O'Connor, "The Crown"
Rege-Jean Page, "Bridgerton"
Billy Porter, "Pose"
Matthew Rhys, "Perry Mason"
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA
Uzo Aduba, "In Treatment"
Olivia Colman, "The Crown"
Emma Corrin, "The Crown"
Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Mj Rodriguez, "Pose"
Jurnee Smollett, "Lovecraft Country"
LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, "black-ish"
Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method"
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Jason Sudeikis, "Ted Lasso"
Kenan Thompson, "Kenan"
LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY
Aidy Bryant, "Shrill"
Kaley Cuoco, "The Flight Attendant"
Allison Janney, "Mom"
Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"
Jean Smart, "Hacks"
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Giancarlo Esposito, "The Mandalorian"
O-T Fagbenle, "The Handmaid's Tale"
John Lithgow, "Perry Mason"
Tobias Menzies, "The Crown"
Max Minghella, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Chris Sullivan, "This Is Us"
Bradley Whitford, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Michael K. Williams, "Lovecraft Country"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Gillian Anderson, "The Crown"
Helena Bonham Carter, "The Crown"
Madeline Brewer, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Ann Dowd, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Aunjanue Ellis, "Lovecraft Country"
Emerald Fennell, "The Crown"
Yvonne Strahovski, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Samira Wiley, "The Handmaid's Tale"
SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Carl Clemons-Hopkins, "Hacks"
Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso"
Brendan Hunt, "Ted Lasso"
Nick Mohammed, "Ted Lasso"
Paul Reiser, "The Kominsky Method"
Jeremy Swift, "Ted Lasso"
Kenan Thompson, "Saturday Night Live"
Bowen Yang, "Saturday Night Live"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Aidy Bryant, "Saturday Night Live"
Hannah Einbinder, "Hacks"
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"
Rosie Perez, "The Flight Attendant"
Cecily Strong, "Saturday Night Live"
Juno Temple, "Ted Lasso"
Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso"
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
"I May Destroy You" (HBO)
"Mare of Easttown" (HBO)
"The Queen's Gambit" (Netflix)
"The Underground Railroad" (Prime Video)
"WandaVision" (Disney+)
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE
"Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square" (Netflix)
"Oslo" (HBO)
"Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia" (Lifetime)
"Sylvie's Love" (Prime Video)
"Uncle Frank" (Prime Video)
LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Paul Bettany, "WandaVision"
Hugh Grant, "The Undoing"
Ewan McGregor, "Halston"
Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Hamilton"
Leslie Odom, Jr, "Hamilton"
LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Michaela Coel, "I May Destroy You"
Cynthia Erivo, "Genius: Aretha"
Elizabeth Olsen, "WandaVision"
Anya Taylor-Joy, "The Queen's Gambit"
Kate Winslet, "Mare Of Easttown"
SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, "The Queen's Gambit"
Daveed Diggs, "Hamilton"
Paapa Essiedu, "I May Destroy You"
Jonathan Groff, "Hamilton"
Evan Peters, "Mare Of Easttown"
Anthony Ramos, "Hamilton"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Renee Elise Goldsberry, "Hamilton"
Kathryn Hahn, "WandaVision"
Moses Ingram, "The Queen's Gambit"
Julianne Nicholson, "Mare Of Easttown"
Jean Smart, "Mare Of Easttown"
Phillipa Soo, "Hamilton"
Top five programs with most overall nominations:
"The Crown" - 24
"The Mandalorian" - 24
"WandaVision" - 23
"The Handmaid's Tale" - 21
"Saturday Night Live" - 21
"Ted Lasso" - 20