In 2022, the Oscars remain one of the most prestigious American awards for filmmaking despite declining viewership. Streaming services are reaching a complete cultural saturation as Netflix or Apple TV+ could win the Oscar for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday.
WIRED’s extensive coverage of the nominated films includes a thoughtful review of Dune by senior editor Angela Watercutter, analysis of how Encanto was optimized for TikTok from senior editor Jason Kehe, and an article with climate scientists’ reactions to the doomsday movie Don’t Look Up by senior writer Amit Katwala.
Make sure to have plenty of snacks on hand, a few drinks in the fridge, and a cozy blanket nearby, if you’re enjoying the Oscars from the comfort of your living room couch. Whether or not you have access to cable, we put together a list of the best ways to watch the 2022 Oscars ceremony live, and how to stream the awards show after it airs.
How to Watch the Oscars
The 2022 Oscars will be streamed live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 27 at 8 pm Eastern on ABC. The 94th Academy Awards will not have one, specific host for acerbic Twitter users to roast–Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall will jointly lead the ceremony.
If you already have a cable subscription that includes ABC, you can watch the 2022 Oscar awards on your TV, on ABC.com, or through the ABC app on iPhone and Android smartphones.
Viewers who often watch shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX may want to consider investing around $50 in a TV antenna that receives over-the-air channels. Depending on the local availability, you may be able to stream the awards ceremony live on your ABC affiliate without any subscription needed.
Another solid choice for watching the live presentation of the 94th Academy Awards without cable is to use a live TV subscription service like YouTube TV, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV. All three options provide at least a one-week, free trial for new users. The standard monthly rate for YouTube TV is $65 for over 85 channels, and new members currently get three introductory months for $55 each. FuboTV has more than 100 channels for $70 a month.
I would recommend Hulu + Live TV for anyone who watches a decent amount of on-demand entertainment alongside their live TV consumption. The service has around 75 channels. What Hulu + Live TV lacks in obscure channels you’ll likely never watch, it makes up for with access to Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu for $70 a month. For $6 more a month, the bundle can be upgraded to Hulu without ads.
A supplemental American Sign Language (ASL) live feed for the 94th Academy Awards will be provided on the Oscars YouTube channel.