Emmys 2021: Time, Channel and How to Watch

By Anna Rumer

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After last year's mostly virtual award show, the Primetime Emmy Awards are back in person. But that's not all — now the ceremony is easier to stream than ever. The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards will air live Sunday, Sept. 19 from 8-11 p.m. ET on CBS and will stream both live and on-demand on Paramount+. Cedric the Entertainer, the star of The Neighborhood, will host. Viewers can expect special appearances from stars including Jennifer Coolidge, America Ferrera, Angela Bassett and Catherine O'Hara as the hottest names in television vie for an Emmy. 

Paramount+ offers a free one-week trial for new streaming customers looking to try out the service before committing to a monthly subscription, and cord-cutters can also stream live with services like Hulu Live, Sling TV and YouTube TV. The ceremony will take place both indoors and outdoors on the Event Deck at L.A. Live, nearby the Emmys' usual venue of the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, due to COVID precautions. The television academy revealed last month that the number of guests at the show will be limited, and even "not all nominees will be able to attend this year's awards."

This year's Emmys has the potential to make history on two fronts. Mj Rodriguez is nominated in the lead drama actress category for her portrayal of Blanca Rodriguez on FX's Pose, and if she wins, could be the first transgender performer to win an acting Emmy. Only two openly trans performers have been nominated for acting awards in the past - Laverne Cox for Orange Is the New Black and Rain Valdez for Razor Tongue.

Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang could also become the first featured player in the show's history to win an Emmy if awarded the supporting comedy actor award. Yang was the first Chinese American performer to join the SNL ensemble and made an impact with characters like the iceberg that sank the Titanic and Fran Lebowitz.

Netflix is looking to make history for itself, as the streaming giant has yet to win an Emmy in either of the top two categories - best drama series and best comedy series. The streamer has a good chance to end its losing streak this year in the drama category with strong contenders in both The Crown and Bridgerton.

It will be an emotional moment as Michael K. Williams' name is read as the nominee for his supporting performance on HBO's Lovecraft Country, as the actor died suddenly Sept. 6 at just 54. Williams' made his mark on the series as Montrose Freeman, and is up against 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) and Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid's Tale). The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards will air live Sunday, Sept. 19 from 8-11 p.m. ET on CBS and will stream both live and on-demand on Paramount+

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