TVLine loves TV, so it was a surprise when the Emmys 2026 broadcast made the network’s own writers squirm. The ceremony opened with Mariska Hargitay hosting, and the show spent more time on sports stars, movie stars and music stars than on the actual awards.
The broadcast aired Monday night on NBC. It delivered the usual winners, speeches and jokes, but the pacing was rushed and the jokes were weak. The show seemed afraid to do what audiences want: celebrate the best in television. Instead, it leaned on cameos from Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton and other figures whose fame comes from fields far outside TV.
Mariska Hargitay Opens With a Cringe Number
Hargitay is a star of “Law & Order: SVU,” not a comedian or talk show host. That made her an unusual pick for the job. TVLine hoped she could pull it off anyway. She did not.
Her opening number paid tribute to TV screens, set to Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” with dancing TV sets behind her. TVLine compared the routine to Rob Lowe’s infamous Oscar song-and-dance number with Snow White. The joke landed poorly. Her later attempts at humor fell flat too, except for a “SVU” sketch that brought in Taylor Swift. Even that moment felt wrong, since this is the Emmys, not the Grammys.
John Mulaney stole the show while presenting lead actor in a drama. His bit was riotous. TVLine wants him lined up to host next year.
Winners Rushed Through the First Half-Hour
The ceremony moved fast through the winners. Jean Smart won her fifth Emmy for “Hacks” in the first half-hour. That is a landmark achievement, but the show did not slow down to honor it. Deborah Vance would be furious, TVLine noted.
Allison Janney’s win for “The Diplomat” brought genuine surprise. Her reaction was a fun highlight. Tom Pelphrey, the winner of Task, gave a heartfelt tribute to his very pregnant wife, Kaley Cuoco. That moment was undeniably adorable.
Rhea Seehorn finally won an Emmy for her work on “Pluribus” after years of being denied for “Better Call Saul.” The producers dared to play her off, though. She has waited years for this award, and so have the fans.
The Middle Hour Drags
The ceremony dragged in the middle hour. Writing, directing and variety categories filled the broadcast, even though those categories are usually reserved for earlier, non-broadcast Emmy nights. TVLine called the glut of categories misplaced.
The Dolly Parton tribute felt out of place too. Parton is better known for her music and movies than for her TV work. The show also ran its traditional in memoriam segment alongside it, which TVLine found odd. Maybe the producers just wanted to beat the Grammys to the punch, the outlet speculated.
Reunions were a mixed bag. The Emmys marked the 30th anniversary of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” but barely acknowledged the show while it was actually airing. TVLine is still salty about that.
The Final Hour Squeezes Four Awards
The show’s final hour gave only four awards in total. That feels pretty meager for an awards show. Instead of honoring the winners, the broadcast ran a zonked-out Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey riffing for what felt like hours before finally presenting best comedy series.
TVLine appreciated the Emmys’ efforts to keep viewers entertained for three hours. But so many of those efforts did not work that the outlet is reconsidering the whole thing from the ground up.
What a Better Emmy Ceremony Would Look Like
TVLine has ideas for an Emmy ceremony that actually celebrates TV. More clips, more comedy, more TV stars, less apologizing for being a celebration of TV. Mostly, though, the outlet knows it does not look quite like this year’s broadcast.
| Element | What Happened | What TVLine Wanted |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Mariska Hargitay | A stronger host |
| Opening | Cringe-worthy tribute to TV screens | A strong, confident start |
| Pace | Rushed through winners | Slower, unhurried |
| Cameos | Sports, movie, music stars | More TV stars |
| Reunions | Missed “Buffy” while it aired | Acknowledged shows during their runs |
| Final hour | Four awards, riffing for what felt like hours | More winners, fewer detours |
The show tried to do everything at once. It honored TV, celebrated milestones, ran reunions and tributes, and kept the audience entertained with celebrity appearances. It succeeded at none of it.
A Score For the Broadcast
TVLine’s review carries a clear verdict. The Emmys 2026 broadcast was a disappointment. The pacing was rushed, the jokes were weak, and the show spent more time on distractions than on the actual awards.
The ceremony had highlights. Jean Smart’s fifth Emmy, Allison Janney’s surprise win, Tom Pelphrey’s tribute to Kaley Cuoco, and Rhea Seehorn’s long-awaited victory all stood out. But those moments were buried under a schedule that refused to let them breathe.
The final hour, with four awards squeezed into a broadcast that felt like it stretched past its natural length, was the clearest example of the problem. An awards show should honor winners. This one spent most of its time doing anything else.
TVLine’s advice is simple: slow down, focus on the winners, and stop apologizing for being a celebration of television. The Emmys exist to honor the best in the medium. That is a worthy goal. This year’s broadcast forgot that.
The broadcast is over. The results are set. But the structure of the ceremony — the pacing, the focus, the balance between winners and spectacle — is something the show controls. TVLine wants it to control it better next year.
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