Emmy Awards Live Updates: Mariska Hargitay Opens Ceremony With an Ode to the Small Screen, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09/14/arts/emmy-awards-2026/widows-bay-emmys-casting-production)

At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Hargitay kicked off the ceremony with an opening monologue paying tribute to television, celebrating the craft and cultural connection of the “small screen.”The specific report focuses on Apple TV+’s breakout horror-comedy series “Widow’s Bay” and its dominance in key creative and technical categories:

• Major Craft Recognition: Heading into the main telecast, the freshman series swept key industry categories, highlighted by wins for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series (led by casting directors Allison Jones, Emily Buntyn, Lisa Lobel, and Angela Peri) and Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour) (led by production designer Steve Arnold, supervising art director Peter Borck, and set decorator Jennifer Engel).
• Early Record-Breaking Haul: Along with casting and production design, Widow’s Bay collected awards for cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing, music composition, music supervision, and a guest acting win for Betty Gilpinbringing its tally to eight Emmy wins from its 19 total nominations.
• Awards Season Standing: The piece highlights how the show’s early technical and creative sweep established it as one of the standout new shows of the year, providing Apple TV+ with a strong awards footprint and setting up a high-profile showdown in the major comedy categories against veteran favorites like the final season of Hacks.