Roll out the virtual red carpet: The Emmy nominations are coming.

This year’s nominations, and the subsequent award show, will be unlike any in the decades-long history of the awards due to the coronavirus pandemic. Just like every other institution, the Emmy Awards, and the Television Academy that puts them on every year, have had to make major adjustments to keep people safe as they try to continue with traditions and ceremonies. This summer, the Daytime Emmy Awards aired a remotely filmed ceremony, with winners sending in video acceptance speeches. 

So what will happen with the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, the much higher profile ceremony? The nominations, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. EDT/8:30 a.m. PDT Tuesday, will be the first event in what will prove to be a very strange 2020-2021 award season. If you’re wondering how an event that relies on red carpets packed with celebrities and photographers is supposed to go on, we’ve answered a few frequently asked questions about the Emmys. 

Are the nominations on schedule? 

No! The Television Academy opted to push back the regularly scheduled announcement by two weeks, to give more time for voters to view eligible series. On Tuesday as-yet-unannounced celebrity presenters will read the top nominees live. 

Will the pandemic affect which actors and series get nominated?

Yes and no. The Academy altered the eligibility rules slightly to accommodate production delays and scheduling problems caused by the pandemic, including pushing back the deadline for “hanging episodes” – episodes from an eligible season that air after the deadline – by a month. The Academy also recently announced rule changes unrelated to the pandemic that will affect how many nominees are in each category, generally expanding them. 

But beyond the rules, more time at home might affect what series voters were able to watch, and how many (we’re all watching more TV, aren’t we?). April and May are usually packed with “for your consideration” events in Hollywood as shows and networks try to woo voters.

But will a lack of gimmicky parties and open bars affect who votes what into the nominations? It’s a possibility. 

2020 Daytime Emmy Awards: The full list of winners

Who will get nominated?

Emmy darlings like Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and Netflix’s “The Crown” are virtual locks for multiple nominations. Other sure bets are PopTV’s “Schitt’s Creek,” which just aired a much-loved final season; FX on Hulu’s “Mrs. America,” a star-studded limited series with Cate Blanchett; HBO’s “Succession,” which gained in popularity and critical acclaim in Season 2; and HBO’s “Watchmen,” another widely acclaimed miniseries. Up-and-comers like Hulu’s “Ramy,” which surprised at this year’s Golden Globes” and Apple TV+’s hyped “The Morning Show” also have good shots at getting recognition. 

More: ABC maps tentative fall plans, including ‘The Bachelorette,’ Emmys and (now) ‘Black-ish’

So, are the Emmys actually going to happen in September? Will it all be on Zoom?

Unlike the Oscars, which recently announced the 2021 ceremony won’t occur until April, the Emmys have kept their original Sept. 20 air date firmly on the calendar. 

ABC is airing the awards this year, and the network is simultaneously pursuing plans for both a traditional broadcast in a theater setting and a “virtual” one produced remotely. Jimmy Kimmel will host the ceremony in either scenario.

“Jimmy and the team are being very thoughtful and exploring all options,” ABC President Karey Burke told USA TODAY. “We’re waiting until the last possible moment to pivot.  Luckily Jimmy in particular has some experience with that.”

More: Jimmy Kimmel to host 2020 Emmy Awards: ‘I don’t know where we will do this or how’

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