The Emmys are worth tuning into this year! Here's how (and why) to stream or watch the ceremony live on TV

Every year, there's the common refrain 'Is X award show even worth watching this year?' To be fair, for certain lovers of TV, movies, and music, the days of these lauded events being must-watch are bygone. There's a belief that they're stale, the hosts aren't funny, and they drag on. And, honestly, that's a fair assessment BUT there are definitely years that you should sit down or at least DVR the ceremony. For the Emmys, that's the case for the 2024 event.

Don't believe me? Allow yours truly to get you hip to what's set to unfold tonight Sunday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC and abc.com (with a TV provider log-in). Cord-cutters will be able to view the award show through streaming TV providers like Fubo TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Youtube TV and more depending on subscription and region. If you miss the three hour ceremony, you'll be able to stream it on Monday via Hulu.

For a quick look at the information you need, here's a table of contents:

Why the Emmys are worth the watch in 2024

Eugene and Dan Levy are hosting

"For two Canadians who won our Emmys in a literal quarantine tent, the idea of being asked to host this year in an actual theater was incentive enough. We’re thrilled to be able to raise a glass to this extraordinary season of television and can’t wait to spend the evening with you all on Sept. 15."

With this father-son duo, you know you're going to have a good time. Fans of Schitt's Creek love and adore them but even if you haven't see their hit, Emmy-award winning comedy, interviews they've done together have made the rounds over the years. They're nothing short of genuine and endearing, their humor right on the money and their lightheartedness is infectious.

With the Emmys 2024 ceremony in the capable hands of Eugene and Dan Levy, you just know it's bound to be the kind of viewing experience one hopes to tune into. For instance, don't expect the pair to punch down or roast any of the nominees. That's not something that's ever sat right with the younger Levy. Hello! reports Levy explained why their approach to hosting will be a "tribute to television, certainly the nominees, but to the medium that gave us both our starts":

"It’s always hit me in a funny way when jokes are done at the expense of people who are nominated. They’ve put in the work, and it’s their night, really, and you have to have enough respect for the awards show itself. Otherwise, why are we here?"

Selena Gomez is finally up for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

It's been a long wait for Only Murders in the Building viewers, and Selena Gomez's devoted fans, to see the multi-hyphenated talent be recognized for her work in the hit Hulu original. While she'd been nominated before as an executive producer, until this year she hadn't been nominated for her acting. This was particularly galling for those who've seen the series as Gomez is brilliant in it and deserved to be nominated years ago just like her co-stars Martin Short and Steven Martin (who are nominated again this year!)

Olympians Ilona Maher and Caeleb Dressel will make a special appearance

Still riding the high of the Paris Olympics? So is the team behind the 2024 Emmys ceremony. Bronze medal-winning rugby player Ilona Maher (who's a contestant on Dancing with the Stars season 33!) is set to make an appearance after winning the hearts of viewers during the Olympics. She and the rest of the women's rugby team of the USA made quite the case for their beloved sport and have inspired many to not only tune in but also learn how to play.

Joining Maher is Caeleb Dressel, the gold medalist swimmer who, along with his teammates in the men's 4x100 meter freestyle relay, won the USA's first gold medal of the Paris Olympics. Dressel was open about his mental health challenges and how his faith carried him through trying times. His connection to his wife Meghan and their son August, was a heartwarming highlight to the games as he celebrated his win with them both.

Henry Winkler and Ron Howard are set to reunite for a Happy Days tribute

Like last year's Emmys, we will be treated to a special tribute for a classic television show. Henry Winkler and Ron Howard will celebrate Happy Days' 50th anniversary by reminiscing about the comedy on a re-created Arnold's Drive-In set, per Variety.

There will also be a tribute to Saturday Night Live which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The West Wing turns 25 this year but the Emmys producers wouldn't confirm the cast would make an appearance together in honor of the anniversary. Some of the cast are presenters though so make of that what you will! Variety has confirmed that there won't be a Friends tribute for the sitcom's 30th.

Greg Berlanti to receive the Governors Award

Arguably the most influential person in this era of television, Greg Berlanti will be honored at the Emmys with the Governers Award for his impact on the medium. As a writer and producer, Berlanti has created and helped shape groundbreaking series and, if there's a show you've loved over the last 20+ years, he's likely had a hand in it. At one point, Berlanti Productions had 15 shows on the air at once! Learn more about his legacy below (per Television Academy's press release):

"Berlanti has engineered many cultural television-industry firsts via his passion for including the invisible and underrepresented in his storytelling, which has propelled him into the ranks of cultural icon. He helped introduce a gay character into a primetime television show and featured the first same-sex kiss between two men on U.S. network television with Dawson's Creek.

In 2006, Berlanti executive produced and wrote Brothers & Sisters for ABC, which aired for five seasons and featured the first same-sex legal marriage on network television. In 2007, Berlanti executive produced Dirty Sexy Money for ABC, which featured the first recurring transgender character on primetime television and in 2018 he introduced the first transgender superhero on his series, Supergirl.

His commitment to diversity and inclusion continued with Batwoman featuring the first openly gay superhero to headline a series and Red, White and Royal Blue, which gave LGBTQ+ audiences a royal rom com of their own.

Berlanti is currently the executive producer of Brilliant Minds, a new NBC series premiering this fall, which features the first single gay lead in a U.S. medical drama."

What else to know about Emmys 2024: Presenters, Performer, and Nominees

Emmy 2024 presenters

For good or for cringe, the presenters at awards shows do tend to give us memorable moments that we'll be talking about well after the ceremony ends. Here's who will be presenting awards tonight and likely teasing their upcoming new series on the red carpet as Kathy Bates (Matlock), Colin Farrell (The Penguin), Joshua Jackson (Doctor Odyssey), George Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez), Reba McEntire (The Voice, Happy's Place) and more will grace the stage!

Jelly Roll will perform during the In Memoriam segment

The Emmys isn't an award show that has a roster of music performers though there are occasionally musical moments depending on who is hosting or the tributes planned for the night. However, the In Memoriam, where television talents who've passed on are honored, does feature an artist who pays tribute to them all. For the 2024 ceremony, Jelly Roll has been bestowed that privilege. The Southern singer-songwriter/rapper who blends the genres of rock, hip hop, and country in his music, is set to take the stage. The song he'll perform hasn't been announced, however, it's been teased that it will leave listeners with tears in their eyes.

Emmy 2024 nominees

As has become the norm for the Emmys, streaming releases have dominated every category. Broadcast and cable haven't been completely shut out but the talent that's being recognized is overwhelmingly from originals that debuted on Netflix, Hulu, Max, Prime Video, and Apple TV+. As a lover of network TV, I'm a bit bitter about that but the nominees for this year's Emmys are certainly deserving. Here's who's up for the top prizes!

For the full list of Emmy nominations, click here.

The Emmys air at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET tonight on ABC. The award ceremony will stream on Hulu starting Monday, Sept. 16. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more TV news and coverage!