Oscars preview: 6 things to look for before, during and after the show

Despite cosmetic changes and experiments with hosts (or no host), the Oscars have remained largely rooted in tradition, producing a 20th-century TV show for a 21st-century audience. Coming off record-low ratings and with the film industry still reeling from a global pandemic, the burden for the 94th annual Academy Awards will be whether they can pivot to face present realities, and at this point how much good that will do.

Those are some of the questions facing the producers of the Oscars, ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which has risked angering some of its members and endured criticism over plans to shake up the format by handing out eight awards during what amounts to a preshow, then editing those acceptance speeches into the telecast.

Yet other challenges loom over the March 27 presentation, which, despite an expansion to 10 best-picture nominees, has embraced streaming services but largely overlooked the kind of blockbusters that connect with the widest possible audience and, theoretically, might help entice those who aren't regular Oscar viewers to consider tuning in.