Here’s how you can watch the 2022 Oscars with or without cable

It’s that time of year again. The biggest night in Hollywood is almost here, and after 2021’s socially distanced, partially remote Oscars ceremony, it’s safe to say that we’re more excited than ever for what will hopefully be a perfectly normal 2022 Oscars.

Thankfully, the loosening of the COVID-19 pandemic protocols has allowed us to have a full live audience again, which is exciting in and of itself, but that’s not the only return to familiarity. After four long years of having no host to helm the show, this year we’ll be getting not only one host, but three, and on top of that, it will be three female hosts ⏤ a first in Oscar history.

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, and Regina Hall will be splitting stitches this Sunday evening on the Oscar stage as all three women lead us into a night of historic Oscars firsts. Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf actor to be nominated for a supporting role in the film CODA, Ariana DeBose from West Side Story is the first Latina actress who openly identifies as LGBTQ+ to be recognized, and Drive My Car is the first Japanese film to ever be nominated for Best Picture. 

If only these exciting firsts could make up for the devastating removal of eight categories from this year’s live telecast, a move made by producers to fit the notoriously long ceremony into its intended time slot (lest we forget the 2002 Oscars that ran more than an hour over its proposed three-hour time slot). The categories we won’t be seeing live are Best Original Score, Film Editing, Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film.

Only time will tell if the removal of these eight categories from the live telecast has the intended effect on the ceremony’s end time. Regardless of when the show ends, though, the start time is set in stone. Here’s when the 2022 Oscars begin and how you can tune in. 

What time do the Oscars start?

If you’re a fan of the red carpet premiere, plan to be ready early. This year, ABC will have two red carpet pre-shows, with the first starting at 1pm ET/10am PT on the ABC network and the second starting at 4:30pm ET/1:30pm PT on ABC News Live, the network’s streaming service.

The Oscars ceremony itself starts at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.

How to watch the 2022 Oscars with or without cable

The cable broadcast of the 2022 Oscars will begin at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT on ABC. If you pay for a cable subscription, then you can watch via ABC, ABC.com, or the ABC app. For those looking to stream the ceremony, you’ll need either Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, or YouTube TV. All three streaming services include ABC, which is where you’ll need to watch the ceremony. 

Hulu + Live TV starts at $69.99/month, but unfortunately it does not include a free trial. FuboTV also starts at $69.99/month, but unlike Hulu, you can start with a free trial. The cheapest of the bunch is YouTube TV, which currently has a limited time offer of $54.99/month for the first three months and includes a free trial.

However you plan to tune into this year’s 2022 Oscars, buckle your seatbelt, because as we’ve learned in the past, you never know what will happen. Check out the full list of Oscar nominations here, and if you’re scrambling to watch all the Best Picture films before Sunday, here’s how you can do that.