The 2026 Emmy Awards are set to shake things up with some intriguing changes and surprises. The nominations for best variety series and reality competition will be announced on the Today show on Wednesday morning, marking a pivotal moment in the awards' history. The Emmys have recently undergone a significant restructuring, merging the best scripted variety and best talk series categories into a single, revived best variety series category. This move has had a notable impact on the landscape of Emmy-winning shows, particularly affecting perennial winner Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, which has now been placed in the scripted variety category alongside Saturday Night Live, the most Emmy-award-winning show in TV history. In its place, the best talk series category now features shows with interview segments or panel discussions, with Late Show With Stephen Colbert taking home the 2025 trophy, despite its recent cancellation. This shift in categories reflects a broader trend of declining submissions in the scripted variety and talk series categories, prompting the TV Academy to classify the variety series category as an 'area award,' potentially leading to multiple winners. The 2025 Emmy winners, Adolescence, The Studio, and The Pitt, will be in the running, but the 2026 ceremony promises to be a competitive and exciting affair. The Emmys' decision to announce all nominees on July 8, rather than in two batches, is a strategic move to better serve promotional campaign schedules. Mariska Hargitay, an Emmy winner for her role in Law & Order: SVU, will host the 2026 Emmys, marking a significant departure from the recent trend of comedic hosts. With her own documentary, My Mom Jayne, eligible for awards, Hargitay is a strong contender, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the event. The 2026 Emmys, set to air live on NBC and Peacock on September 14, will be a celebration of the best in television, with the Creative Arts Emmys taking place a week earlier. The ceremony promises to be a showcase of talent, with a focus on the evolving nature of variety and talk shows, and the potential for multiple winners in the newly classified 'area award' category. As the nominations are revealed, the 2026 Emmys are poised to be a memorable and impactful event, leaving a lasting impression on the television industry.
