The TV Academy has mixed things up with the new Outstanding Talk Series category, opening it up to more traditional late night hosts having a shot at the Emmy this time.
We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 15 to June 26, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be presented over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10, with an edited presentation of the ceremonies to be broadcast on FXX at a later date. Finally, the 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards take place on Monday, September 18, and air live on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
The State of the Race
The Variety categories meant for late night shows have been all too predictable, and arguably put some shows at an advantage, so the Television Academy made the recent decision to change the rules up in a way that would move “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the winner for seven years in the row despite it being a weekly show sans any traditional late night interviews or panels, into a new category called Scripted Variety.
After two decades, the doors have finally reopened for a network host to win Outstanding Talk Series. That said, should “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” or “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” win, we would possibly be entering a new decade of a “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” alum winning the category each year. Colbert has already won it twice before for his Comedy Central series “The Colbert Report.” It being Noah’s final season though may work to the host’s advantage.
But the bigger hope is that the nominees reflect the huge way in which that late night talk series landscape has changed in the past 10 years. The TV Academy already missed the boat on awarding a female host for the first time. Recent ones like Samantha Bee, Robin Thede, Chelsea Handler, and Lilly Singh are now all off the air. “Late Night with Seth Meyers” getting its first series nod was a step in the right direction, as the show becomes a model for a more casual late night talk show, but it would especially be interesting to see Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” finally make it in after 10 years, since its looseness and interactivity has inspired a new generation of variety show hosts like Ziwe.
Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC)
“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
“Hart to Heart” (Peacock)
“Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God” (Comedy Central)
“The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC)
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO)
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)
“Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo)
More Category Predictions:
Outstanding Animated Program
Outstanding Scripted Variety Series
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
To see IndieWire’s full set of predictions for the 75th Emmy Awards click here.
Last Year’s Winner: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: John Oliver’s HBO series has won the category designated for late night talk shows seven years in a row, even though his program only airs on Thursdays, and does not involve bringing on guests. The introduction of the Scripted Variety category this year, changes things, primarily by moving “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” out of the category. Still, Outstanding Variety Talk Series/Outstanding Variety Series has gone to a “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” alum every year since 2003, so Stephen Colbert or Trevor Noah could keep that unprecedented streak going.
Notable Ineligible Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (submitted as a Scripted Variety Series); “Ziwe” (submitted as a Scripted Variety Series); “My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman” submitted as Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special); “The Problem with Jon Stewart” (submitted as Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special); “Conan” (ended); “Desus & Mero” (ended); “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (ended)
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