Sawt Falasteen - 'The Studio' claims early win as TV's Emmys kick off

Pretending to predict the future of TV as its long-ago inventor, host Nate Bargatze joked that "most people will watch football and 'Yellowstone'" rather than the high-brow shows typically honored by television's equivalent of the Oscars.

As if on cue, "The Studio" -- which draws a relatively small audience on the Apple TV+ platform -- took the first prize of the night, with co-creator Seth Rogen named best actor for his role as floundering movie executive Matt Remick.

"The Studio" is both a love letter to Hollywood, and a searing send-up of the industry's many insecurities, hypocrisies and moral failings.

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, before Rogen's win.

Jean Smart again won best actress in a comedy -- her fourth for her starring role as a late-night comedian in "Hacks."

In the other major sections Sunday, "Adolescence," arguably this year's most talked-about TV hit, is the clear favorite to win best limited series -- awarded to shows that end after one season.

Sci-fi office thriller "Severance" and HBO medical procedural "The Pitt" will vie for the highly coveted best drama series prize, with pundits saying the race is too close to call.

Delivering his opening monologue, Bargatze set out a novel way to keep things succinct.

The comedian 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 -- and add money back on for speeches that run short.

"Don't go crazy, because I am paying for this," he quipped.

- 'Zeitgeist' -

In the limited series section, "Adolescence" follows a 13-year-old schoolboy arrested on suspicion of murdering a female classmate with a knife.

The series earned a whopping 140 million views in its first three months on Netflix, and drew rave reviews as well as countless water-cooler discussions.

It is "inconceivable to see a way in which 'Adolescence' loses come Emmy night," wrote Vanity Fair's John Ross.

"Cultural zeitgeist trumps all at the Emmys."

Each of its four episodes are shot in a stunning single take, and together form a timely and tragic examination of the impact of toxic masculinity on young boys.

The Los Angeles ceremony's most intriguing moment seems destined to be the announcement of the best drama series award -- typically the final prize of the night.

"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.

The premise: the "innie" employees of Lumon Industries quite literally leave their outside lives, memories and personalities at the door, thanks to a dystopian new mind-splitting technology.

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.

All 15 episodes are set consecutively during the same unbearably stressful shift at an inner-city Pittsburgh hospital.

Tackling everything from abortion rights to mass shootings, it has become a word-of-mouth sensation.

"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.

O.Salim--SF-PST