LOS ANGELES - The Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, will take place this Sunday, and pundits say the race for the highly coveted best drama series prize is too close to call.
Apple TV+'s sci-fi office thriller "Severance" and HBO medical procedural "The Pitt" go head-to-head in the night's most prestigious category, while Hollywood satire "The Studio" and searing teen murder saga "Adolescence" are tipped to sweep up other awards.
"Severance" -- a psychological drama set largely in the near-future offices of a shadowy corporation -- has the most nominations of any show this year with 27.
Starring Adam Scott, the show's acclaimed first season in 2022 missed out to "Succession" for Emmys glory, but this year's sophomore run was the presumed drama frontrunner.
Then along came "The Pitt," a quietly released medical drama that was originally conceived as an "ER" spinoff, and emulates much of that show's DNA.
"ER" veteran Noah Wyle is tipped to pip Scott for the best drama actor prize for his performance as the emergency room's haunted leader.
By contrast, Apple's "The Studio" -- starring its co-creator Seth Rogen as floundering movie executive Matt Remick -- appears to be a lock for best comedy series.
Its 23 nominations are the joint-most ever by a comedy in a single year, and it already won nine statuettes last weekend at the ceremony for the more technical Emmy categories.
Host Nate Bargatze has even devised a novel way to keep things succinct.
The comedian has pledged to donate $100,000 of his own money to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The catch? He will deduct $1,000 for every second that a winner's acceptance speech exceeds the allotted 45 seconds.