The trophies have been given out, the heels have been kicked off and Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have finally stopped vamping: The 2026 Emmys are over. But was it a night worth remembering?
There was plenty to love about the Emmy ceremony, from the triumphant and deserving winners, to the thoughtful and heartfelt speeches, to the celebration of the best of TV, the vivid storytelling and the very un-artificial creations of all the actors, directors, writers and producers in the room. And then, there was also an aggressively long and not very funny sketch about a pop star with barely any connection to the world of television.
Every awards show is a mixed bag of good speeches, boring ones, faux pas from the host, great winners and dud
winners, presenters who are actually funny and ones who make us cringe, and the 78th Primetime Emmy Awardswere no exception. But considering the show actually ended three minutes early, this year's ceremony often felt too slow and too long.
Did we need so many bits from host Mariska Hargitay, no matter how inherently charming she is? Should we have gone over 20 minutes in the dragging second half of the program without giving out a single award? Did we really need to kick important acting awards (supporting actor and actress in a limited series) to the Creative Arts ceremony to make room for Taylor Swift?
The 2026 Emmys were the best and the worst of the modern award show. Here are just a few examples.
Best: Emotional wins from Rhea Seehorn, Sally Field, Noah Wyle and more
Rhea Seehorn has long been the bridesmaid and never the bride when it comes to the Emmys. Her performance on AMC's "Better Call Saul" was infinitely praised by critics and peers over the series' 2015-2022 run, but she never nabbed an Emmy award for it (and not nearly enough nominations). So it was a triumph, not just for Seehorn, but for the whole darn TV industry, when she received the award for lead actress in a drama for her Earth-shattering turn in Apple TV's "Pluribus" (created by "Saul" creator Vince Gilligan). Her joyful speech was just one of the genuine emotional highlights of the night.
Sally Field's shock and glee at winning for her turn in Netflix's TV movie "Remarkably Bright Creatures" echoed her famous Oscar win as she babbled delightfully.
Everyone knew Noah Wyle would win for HBO Max's juggernaut "The Pitt," but his graciousness and gratitude for continuing to be recognized by his peers for his hard work was deeply moving. And writer Katie Dippold may not be a household name, but her hilarious acceptance speech for writing for Apple TV's "Widow's Bay" was memorable (and a good advertisement for her writing on her show).
Worst: The lack of diversity, and all that time spent on filler between awards
There were no people of color among the winners of the major acting awards at the 2026 Emmys this year, a fact that has many on social media declaring #EmmysSoWhite, a riff on the #OscarsSoWhite controversies of years past. While the winners gave great performances in their respective shows, it's hard not to wonder why the also-great performances of actors of color, like Janelle James of "Abbott Elementary," Yahya Abdul-Mateen II of "Wonder Man" and Sterling K. Brown of "Paradise," didn't also deserve a chance to stand up on that stage.
Best: A fresh faced host in Mariska Hargitay
Comedians, from late night and the stand-up circuit, usually dominate award show hosting gigs, which makes sense since they have a mandate to entertain the audience with bits and monologues. Most of them are good at it, but it can get tiresome and repetitive to see the same late night guys in tuxes on stage every year. So it was surprising, yet refreshing, for the choice to be a respected actress known for gritty drama trying something new. Hargitay, the longtime star of "Law and Order: SVU" excelled at many parts of hosting, from nailing corny mom jokes to offering sincerity and lived-in experience.
And though she fumbled in some areas, it was clear she was having the time of her life at every moment. Many hosts feel almost pained as they phone in tired monologue jokes. I'd rather see someone genuine deliver a dud than a robotic comedic veteran go for the lowest common denominator laugh.
Worst: Too many hosting bits (we're looking at you, Taylor Swift)
Hargitay was mostly a great host, but overall the balance of the show was quite off, with awards stuffed into the first half at record speed and then an awkward 20+ minute gap without them as the night got later. A huge part of the problem was an over reliance on host bits (songs, monologues and sketches) that started to grow a little tired.
A protracted pre-taped sketch spoofing Hargitay's "SVU" centered around whether her friend and international pop star Taylor Swift would show up at the Emmys (spoiler: Swift showed up in the sketch) overstayed its welcome by far. And while Swift is clearly a draw and has her legions of fans, she has little, if anything, to do with honoring the artists who make great TV. And she certainly has been on our screens and in our headlines quite enough for the year.
Best and worst: The prolonged in memoriam
There's no way around the fact that the last year has seen a shocking loss of beloved Hollywood names in tragic deaths. The industry and the audience watching at home expects to remember them through the yearly "in memoriam" segments at award shows, which usually list the people who have died who worked in the industry.
However, lately these segments have gone beyond a beautiful sad song and photographs to include extended tributes to particularly famous people who have died. This year Dolly Parton, Catherine O'Hara, James Burrows and Rob Reiner all received extra time in the ceremony. And while many fans and friends love the extra space to grieve and honor those they've loved and lost, they can become a distraction and take up too much time.
Parton, while beloved around the world and accomplished in multiple art forms, is not best known for her limited work on TV. O'Hara was honored by Macaulay Culkin, a true friend of the late star, but who worked with her in film, not TV. Burrows, one of the most prolific TV directors who ever lived, seemed to be an afterthought before Jamie Lee Curtis spoke about Reiner. And many beloved stars like Eric Dane and Hayden Panettiere were "only" in the photo segment.
It's a hard needle to thread, when it comes to something this emotional, but these extra-long tributes feel like they start to rank the love for the dead, rather than honor them. As the Oscars and other awards show approach in the next few months, it's worth thinking about what is the best way to remember everyone we've lost.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Best and worst moments of 2026 Emmys, from excessive Taylor Swift skit to Sally Field
