The internet had thoughts about THAT ending to the Oscars

On Sunday night, for the first time since 1971, the Best Picture category was not the final category presented at the Oscars. Which makes for a rather unusual watch, because if you're a regular Oscar viewer, you'll know the show tends to end on a bright, celebratory note by handing the gold to what is pretty obviously the biggest award of the night (stream the full show now on CTV).

Except this year, Best Picture went third last, to Chloe Zhao's frontrunner Nomadland. It was followed by Best Actress, which went to Nomadland's Frances McDormand. Finally, Best Actor was announced.

It would seem Oscar producers had predicted – as most did – that the late Chadwick Boseman would win for Best Actor for his highly praised performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, as he had also picked up the same win, posthumously, at nearly every other major awards ceremony leading up to Sunday night. Those attending the Oscars were even given 3D digital tributes of Boseman's likeness in their swag bags, upping the ante for his win.

Instead, and because something weird always happens on Oscar night, the win went to Anthony Hopkins for his incredibly moving performance in The Father. Not only was this a shock for most – in the audience and for those online and at home – but Hopkins was not in the room or videoconferencing to accept the award. And so the show pretty much ended on a dud moment, with the Nomadland team's big night ending bizarrely prematurely.

It had many on Twitter asking why none of the show's producers had perhaps risked a peek at the Best Actor win to be certain as to whether this new award order would pan out as they seemed to have hoped. Others felt manipulated by the anticipation of Boseman's expected win, and disappointed that the Academy didn't honour his family with one.

Most were just utterly perplexed by the new order, which certainly ended an already – to put it kindly – different Oscars telecast thanks to the pandemic.

Hopefully we won't have another one of those any time soon.

Watch the full 93^rd Academy Awards on CTV.ca and the CTV app. 

BEFORE YOU GO: Director Regina King is excited to celebrate the success of 'One Night In Miami' in person

[video_embed id='2188536']BEFORE YOU GO: Director Regina King is excited to celebrate the success of 'One Night In Miami' in person[/video_embed]