A MARTINEZ, HOST:
This year's primetime Emmy Awards will be held tonight in Los Angeles and broadcast live on NBC and its streaming service, Peacock. NPR's Mandalit del Barco previews some of the top contenders.
MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: The third season of "Succession" earned 25 Emmy nominations. The HBO series about an international media conglomerate is actually a dark satire, but critics have it as a frontrunner for this year's best drama award. Favorite for best comedy - the second season of "Ted Lasso." The Apple TV+ show about a British soccer team with an American coach has 20 Emmy nominations, including one for its lead star, Jason Sudeikis.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TED LASSO")
JASON SUDEIKIS: (As Ted Lasso) Whew. It's a miracle.
DEL BARCO: There are some comedies that landed Emmy nominations for their first seasons, like Hulu's "Only Murders In The Building." Stars Steve Martin and Martin Short are competing for the lead actor in a comedy category. But there's a notable snub of their co-star, Selena Gomez.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING")
SELENA GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) Excuse me?
STEVE MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) Well, I can turn on the charm.
GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) Is it on now?
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) It's warming up.
DEL BARCO: Another fan favorite is ABC's "Abbott Elementary." Quinta Brunson wrote and produced the series and stars as a second grade teacher.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "ABBOTT ELEMENTARY")
QUINTA BRUNSON: (As Janine Teagues) Just a day in the life of being a teacher here. You get used to it.
TYLER JAMES WILLIAMS: (As Gregory Eddie) And that smell in the wall?
BRUNSON: (As Janine Teagues) Oh, no. You're never going to get used to that.
WILLIAMS: (As Gregory Eddie) OK.
DEL BARCO: The Korean thriller "Squid Games" earned 14 Emmy nominations, a first for a non-English language series. The Netflix show, which was dubbed for American viewers, depicts a fictional TV reality fight-to-the-death competition based on children's games.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SQUID GAME")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) If you do not wish to participate, please let us know at this time.
DEL BARCO: "Saturday Night Live's" Kenan Thompson will emcee tonight's awards ceremony.
Mandalit del Barco, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
