Everything you need to know about the 75th Emmy Awards

The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards are due to take place on Tuesday – about four months later than originally scheduled. Now hot on the heels of the Golden Globes, the Emmys will celebrate the binge-worthiest television shows and the brightest stars of the small screen.

We’ve compiled all the key details, including where and when to watch American television’s night of nights, why the ceremony was postponed, and our critics’ take on the nominees.

When will the Emmys take place?

The Emmys will be broadcast live on Tuesday, January 16 at 12pm (AEDT).

Due to the sheer number of awards given out, the Emmys is divided into two separate events. The first is the slightly smaller-scale Creative Arts Emmys, which has already taken place, held at the Peacock Theatre on the same weekend as the Golden Globes. An edited-down broadcast of this will air on American network FXX on January 13 at 8pm (Los Angeles time).

The Primetime Emmys, generally considered the main event with the flashiest prizes, will then wrap up the awards with a bang.

Where can I watch the ceremony?

Streaming service Binge will broadcast the ceremony from 12pm (AEDT). However, this will not include coverage of the red carpet, which begins about two hours earlier. But fear not, you’ll be able to follow all the proceedings – including the biggest fashion moments from the carpet – via the live blog helmed by reporters at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. This will kick off at 10am. There will also be an encore broadcast of the award ceremony on Binge at 8.30pm.

In the US, the ceremony will air on the American broadcast network FOX, while coverage of both the red carpet and the Emmys after-party will be broadcast on E! Entertainment.

Why are the 2023 Emmys in 2024?

Television shows that were released in 2022 (such as Andor and Wednesday) are being honoured in 2024. Why has it taken so long?

Essentially, it’s all because of the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes. The 75th Primetime Emmys were originally slated to air in September 2023, but the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and its broadcaster FOX announced it would be postponed by four months due to the strikes that were taking place at the time.

Members of The Writers Guild of America picketed outside Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles during the Hollywood strikes.Credit: AP

Under the terms of the strike, any member of the Writers Guild of America or actors’ union (SAG-AFTRA) was prohibited from promoting new TV shows and films. This meant performers and writers could not attend events such as conventions, premieres and – you guessed it – award shows. Without A-list celebrities to walk the red carpet or give teary acceptance speeches on stage, broadcast ceremonies like the Emmys became rather pointless.

This marked the first time the Emmys had been postponed since 2001, when it was pushed back following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Now that the strikes have ended, the Emmys are back in business; however it means we will have two Primetime Emmys in one year – one this month (technically the 2023 Emmys) and one in September, thereby bringing it back to its regular scheduling.

Who is hosting?

American actor and comedian Anthony Anderson (Black-ish, Kangaroo Jack) will lead the proceedings.

The previous awards, held in 2022, were helmed by Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, whose jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating life were generally well-received. Other notable hosts have been Jimmy Kimmel, who has led the Emmys three times, Neil Patrick Harris and Conan O’Brien.

Anthony Anderson will host the 75th Primetime Emmys.Credit: AP

Due to the postponement, Anderson will take the stage just over a week after comedian Jo Koy arguably bombed his opening monologue at the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards.

Koy became the subject of a slew of negative headlines following his stint as host, with various outlets criticising his tendency to blame the writers for his poor punchlines and his rather problematic take on Barbie.

Anderson will surely be aware of the buzz around Koy, so all eyes will be on whether he uses this to his advantage – perhaps referencing it in his opening monologue.

Who made the cut, and who missed out on a nomination?

The 75th Emmys could prove a boon for Australian talent. Leading the pack is Murray Bartlett, who received two nods: one for his work on Welcome to Chippendales in the supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie category, and another for his guest role in that episode of The Last of Us.

Elsewhere, Australian director and producer Fletcher Moules is nominated as one of the producers of the animated music special Entergalactic, which was nominated in the animated program category. Elizabeth Debicki and Anna Torv are also nominated for The Crown and The Last of Us, respectively.

Following her success at the Globes, Australian star Sarah Snook has been nominated for her role in HBO’s Succession. The show’s final season dominated the nominations, receiving 27 nods in total, with most of its main cast also vying for a win.

Jennifer Coolidge and The White Lotus are both vying for victory at the 75th Primetime Emmys.Credit: HBO

Fellow HBO show The White Lotus will also be a hot contender, having received a nod for best drama and various actor nominations, including for Jennifer Coolidge and Aubrey Plaza (it has 23 nominations overall).

Meanwhile, The Last of Us earned 24 nods, followed by Ted Lasso with 21 and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with 14.

A surprise exclusion was Yellowstone, which was left out despite its global popularity and the various prequels it inspired, including 1923 and 1883.

The Diplomat also didn’t perform as well as expected, having only received one nod – for Keri Russell in the lead actress in a drama series category.

What have our critics said about the nominees?

Outstanding Drama Series

Andor

“Andor is compelling at every turn. To call it the best Star Wars show of the year is damning praise, given how poor The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi were. It’s simply one of the best shows of the year. We’ve finally got an iteration of Star Wars for adults. What a revelation.” – Read Craig Mathieson’s full story here.

Better Call Saul

“Across the seasons of the show, we’ve come to appreciate how complicated and conflicted [Saul] Goodman – aka Jimmy McGill, aka Gene Takavic – really is. And for all we might root for him to overcome his many failings and find a path to redemption, he always lets us down.” – Read Karl Quinn’s full story here.

The Crown – ★★★★

“The strength of The Crown remains ... exactly what made it a distinct and stunning addition to the television slate when it began back in 2016: an inexplicable but compelling intertwining of the filmed story and the real-life characters who populate its dramatic inflection points. When it strays from the crown itself, it weakens. When it understands that the crown is the star of the show, it shimmers.” – Read Michael Idato’s full review here.

House of the Dragon – ★★★★

“House of the Dragon delivers above expectation. It is dramatically solid, if a little unsurprising.” – Read Michael Idato’s full review here.

The Last of Us – ★★★★

“This show, with its wrenching humanity and harsh burdens, unfolds on a deeper and often darker level. What starts with level and gameplay soon embraces empathy and torment. The scale is vast, but the truths are often intimate.” – Read Craig Mathieson’s full review here.

Succession

“What is clear is that Succession deserves to be celebrated as the best show on television, if not one of the greatest TV shows of all time … It is a masterclass in misdirection.” – Read Thomas Mitchell’s full story here.

The White Lotus – ★★★★½

“The second season of The White Lotus is delicious, and like the first, full of the spirit of place. At times, it feels like a living oil painting, or a postcard come to life, reminiscent of the geography-as-TV-porn masterpiece The Durrells. But with next-level writing.“ – Read Michael Idato’s full review here.

Yellowjackets – ★★★★

“This horror-charged thriller is one of the most delicious shows on television: it’s both an enthralling, emotionally knotty watch and features cannibalism.” – Read Craig Mathieson’s full review here.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

“This is one of the best surprises of the television year so far. And those 22-minute episodes are an absolute balm in the current age of demanding drama.” –Read Craig Mathieson’s full story here.

Barry – ★★★★½

“Everything that Barry has masterfully traded upon, from the Hollywood satire to the truly loopy conversations between career criminals, remains in play, but the outcomes push the show towards a wrenching ending.” – Read Craig Mathieson’s full review here.

The Bear

“The Bear’s embrace of the lives of its characters and its affection for all of them stems from a winning romanticism. But it’s the adventurousness of its storytelling that makes it downright irresistible. To appropriate the vernacular of the show when an experimental dish dazzles, it’s something.” – Read Tom Ryan’s full story here.

Jury Duty

“Jury Duty works as a broad comedy. But it’s also psychologically revealing, as good reality TV always is. It shows us how much a human being can be made to swallow, especially when there are TV cameras around.” – Read David Free’s full story here.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

“The stark visual contrast neatly complements the comedy inherent in the witty, screwball-style dialogue.” – Read Debi Enker’s full story here.

Only Murders in the Building – ★★★★

“Right from the start, the comedic chemistry between longtime friends Steve Martin and Martin Short and their younger but equally luminous co-star, Selena Gomez, was a sheer delight … The new second season brings more of the same, along with an even more ebullient sense of freedom stemming from the first being so widely adored.” – Read Brad Newsome’s full review here.

Ted Lasso – ★★★

“As this new season opens and Ted moons over his young son’s return to his mother Stateside, the balance is out of whack. We’re practically drowning in treacle, and given the real-life issues surrounding the breakdown of Sudeikis’ relationship with Olivia Wilde and subsequent custody battles, it leaves a funny taste in the mouth.” – Read Karl Quinn’s full review here.

Wednesday – ★★★★

“For fans of [Tim] Burton’s trademark dark aesthetic and the original Addams Family humour there’s plenty to love, even if it’s all (beautifully) wrapped in a teen sleuthing storyline.” – Read Kylie Northover’s full review here.

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