9 Things to Watch for During the 2015 Emmys

You can expect the Emmy telecast, hosted by Andy Samberg, to stick with what's worked in the past. Of course, the moments that producers have absolutely no control over are the ones awards show viewers live for. So we'll keep an eye out for spontaneity, but as for the rest of the show, there are 9 things we can expect to see.

1. Andy Samberg being mildly naughty and irreverent.

After all, that's the "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star's stock in trade. It's also what's earned him seven Emmy nominations for his "Saturday Night Live" work, including a trophy for his immortal "D--k in a Box." No doubt there'll be a number of pre-taped bits that emulate the digital shorts he specialized in on "SNL" and the musical parodies he excels at. (The one he did with Weird Al Yankovic, inventing lyrics for previously wordless TV show theme songs, was a highlight of last year's Emmy ceremony.) But please, Andy: no laser cats.

2. Fresh blood.

Besides the fact that "Breaking Bad" can't win Best Drama again, a a number of rule changes this year may mean fresh faces at the podium. For one thing, voting on the top awards for series and acting is now open to the entire Television Academy membership, not just blue-ribbon panels. For another, the Academy ruled that hour-long shows have to compete as dramas, not comedies, forcing "Orange Is the New Black" into a new category with new competition. Finally, this is the first year that Emmy voters have used online balloting to pick the winners, not just the nominees. What does all this mean for the actual awards selection? Who knows, but it'll be interesting to find out.

3. Star power.

Among those already confirmed as presenters: Maggie Gyllenhaal, LL Cool J, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, and Amy Schumer, with more to be named as the show approaches. Is it worth sitting through two hours or more of the show just to watch Schumer kill for 45 seconds before announcing the winner for Best Writing in a Limited Series? Actually, probably, yes.

4. Donald Trump jokes.

Not that they're relevant to the Emmys. But no comic can resist the easy punchline.

5. Fox plugs.

Every year, this ceremony airs on a different big-four network. Since it's Fox's turn, and since Fox doesn't have a late-night host, we're getting Samberg, in the hopes that he'll charm you into watching "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." We're also getting "Empire" fun couple Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson as presenters. As if Fox needs to twist your arm to get you to watch "Empire."

6. History being made in the Best Actress Drama category.

Henson and Viola Davis ("How to Get Away With Murder") are the frontrunners here; if either one wins, she'll be the first black woman ever to take home a trophy in the category. (Expect an appropriately dignified but emotional speech.) Then again, if Tatiana Maslany wins for "Orphan Black," it'll mark the rare occasion that the Emmys rewarded someone from a sci-fi show. And if Elisabeth Moss wins, it'll be the first time someone from the "Mad Men" cast actually won. (Don't you want to see her reprise that famous Peggy Olsen strut?) And if Claire Danes ("Homeland") or Robin Wright ("House of Cards") wins, there'll be blood in the streets -- but only because they're not Davis, Henson, Maslany, or Moss.

7. 1,500 pounds of beef.

That's what they'll be serving to the winners and 4,000 other guests at the post-show Governors Ball. The three-course feast includes a poached-pear and fennel-spiced goat cheese salad with spiced walnuts and quince vinaigrette, a beef filet tenderloin with various side dishes (potato terrine, king trumpet mushrooms, yucca chips, roasted cherry tomatoes, and béarnaise espuma), and for dessert, a single origin Ghana brownie with zephyr popcorn chantilly, Cara Crakine, and baby bourbon caramel. Not that we'll get to watch them eat any of this, but you can make your own at home and graze while you watch. You keep a jar of Cara Crakine on hand, don't you? (Yeah, we had to look it up, too. It's a chocolate-caramel dessert filling with a creamy/crunchy cookie texture.)

8. Controversy over the "In Memoriam" reel.

The segment commemorating TV luminaries who've died over the past year inevitably leaves out some worthy individuals, since it's only about three minutes and 45 seconds long. Mischer has said that families and friends of various departed notables have been lobbying him all year long for inclusion of their loved ones, and many of them won't make the cut. Joan Rivers, Anne Meara, and Leonard Nimoy are all probably sure things. Everyone else is a toss-up. Please remember to hold your applause -- and your angry tweets -- until the montage is over.

9. The digital future.

The ongoing migration of TV from broadcast and cable to the Internet will be readily apparent. Not just in gimmicks like the now-annual "Backstage LIVE" second-screen coverage that will allow you to watch the winners chatting in the wings on streaming video throughout the Fox telecast, or the Transparent"). The Television Academy may still be concentrating on that big screen rooted in your living room and the three hours after dinner when TV's programmers want to send programs to that screen, but the Emmy show itself will be moving forward, at least with baby steps.