10 Emmy Rule Changes That Would Transform TV Awards Forever

With rapid advancements reshaping the world of TV, it’s essential that organizations honoring its accomplishments adapt as well. The Television Academy, responsible for the Primetime Emmy Awards, is about to extend voting rights to its over 24,000 members, who will soon decide on the year’s top TV shows and performances. However, once the winners are announced at this September’s event, the actual work commences.

After the broadcast, the Academy’s Board of Governors will gather to discuss a wide range of proposed rule modifications. These proposals, if implemented, could significantly alter the way the television industry’s most prestigious night is conducted. The changes aim to address various issues, including outdated eligibility requirements, long-standing representation concerns, and classifications that are no longer relevant.

Changing “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” from being categorized as a scripted variety program to no longer using the term “TV movie” (which upsets filmmakers worldwide), there are simple adjustments the Emmys could make to produce a more captivating broadcast, and increase viewership.

As contenders for this year’s awards emerge from the current pool of entries, many experts in the field advocate for fundamental changes – not just in how awards are given out, but also in how performances are categorized, what constitutes a storytelling format, and acknowledging new platforms. Given the ever-changing nature of our industry, it’s time for the Emmys to adapt as well.

Even though not every suggestion is formal or currently being discussed, considering them could significantly alter the Academy’s strategy, focusing on aspects like diversity, creativity, and flexibility in a field that never ceases to evolve. In an age marked by continuous artistic evolution, we have the potential to accomplish more than just change – we can experience genuine growth.

EbMaster explains and justifies the ten most debated rule suggestions. Voting for nominations takes place between June 12 and June 23, with the final nominees being revealed on July 15.

Notable Recognitions: Combine all documentary genres into one group, and unite all reality TV series genres into another, each category now featuring a list of ten nominees.

EbMaster Awards Circuit: Emmy

Create a Reality Performer Category

For a long time, individuals from reality television have been overlooked when it comes to awards recognition at the Emmys, particularly the contestants and stars who are just as crucial to their shows as hosts or show formats. Creating a gender-neutral category for reality performers would rectify this situation, providing a much-needed opportunity to honor the people central to unscripted storytelling.

Competing personalities such as Gabby Windey, whose allure and charm are irresistible from Peacock’s “The Traitors,” or Eva Erickson, a rising star from Survivor Season 48 and the show’s first openly autistic participant, demonstrate the captivating screen presence that boosts ratings and influences cultural debates.

Give them their flowers.

Revisit the Guest Acting Rule (Again)

2025 Emmy rule changes have sparked controversy over who is considered a “guest” performer, with some arguing that these adjustments unfairly exclude actors previously recognized for lead or supporting roles. Critics claim this creates uncertainty and potentially disadvantages established performers like Meryl Streep, who was ineligible for guest consideration on Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” despite appearing in just four episodes. Conversely, a co-star like Paul Rudd almost qualified due to playing a new character. However, individuals without prior nominations can easily enter the guest category.

A revision is likely on the horizon.

Allow Members to Opt-In Other Categories for Final Voting

Let’s get everyone in the mix.

It’s suggested that Television Academy members could choose to participate in the final round of voting for a select few categories beyond their main peer group. This is inspired by a similar approach recently adopted by the Oscars.

At the moment, each member is allowed to cast a vote in only fifteen program areas (excluding their designated peer group sections). To foster more inclusivity and widespread participation across the industry, we’re considering a change that would allow members to vote in extra categories if they confirm that they have reviewed all the nominated entries.

Embracing a collaborative method across various disciplines – such as involving editors in scriptwriting and actors in director recognition – more accurately embodies the cooperative essence of television production.

Furthermore, the Academy might think about adopting a system of ranked-choice voting for both nominations and final awards. With this method, members could express their preferences in an ordered fashion. This would help to bring attention to outstanding, passion-driven work that may otherwise get overlooked in traditional, checkbox-style voting methods where support is scattered.

Standardize Acting Nominee Counts Across the Board

At the moment, the number of acting nominees in each Emmy category is determined by the amount of submissions, a system some critics consider inconsistent and unpredictable. Under the current guidelines, categories with less than 20 submissions can only have five nominees, but will increase to six when 80 are reached, and so on, maxing out at eight for over 240 submissions. This changing threshold can cause confusion for both viewers and industry professionals, while also leading to imbalances between categories that should be evaluated equally.

In my suggestion, there should be a limit of six to seven nominees in every acting category, whether it’s for leading or guest roles. This universal limit would provide consistency across different genres such as comedy, drama, limited series, and variety shows. By doing so, we can create a more balanced competition among performers, ensuring a fair playing field for everyone involved.

In an era where acting on television is thriving on both established and novel platforms, ensuring a consistent number of nominees would prevent outstanding performances from being overlooked due to technicalities.

Create Two Non-Gendered EbMaster Performer Categories

In today’s world of television entertainment, where roles span widely across shows like “Saturday Night Live” on NBC, award ceremonies, and late-night programs, it would be beneficial for the Television Academy to introduce two gender-neutral categories for variety performers. One category could be for leading performers, while the other for supporting ones. Previously, up until 2008, the Emmys had a specific category for outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program. This was particularly significant for stars like Will Ferrell and Tina Fey from “Saturday Night Live”, as well as hosts of award shows such as Ellen DeGeneres and Jon Stewart.

Yet, in the year 2008, when Don Rickles received an award for “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,” a documentary showcasing snippets from popular TV shows, films, and stand-up performances, that specific category was discontinued the subsequent year.

Instead of maintaining four distinct categories for variety programs, why not merge them to include stand-up comedy specials, hosted by renowned comedians, ongoing sketch comedy series, and talk shows? This adjustment would bring the awards in line with current industry trends, providing a level playing field for performers such as Lady Gaga on “Saturday Night Live” or Trevor Noah at the Grammys, regardless of their gender identity or the format of their performance.

Rethink the Limited Series Category (and Classifications)

Various suggestions and viable options have been put forward to address the perceived flaws in the structure of TV’s popular limited or anthology series, which many consider as the hub of quality television content today. Let me share two prominent concepts that stand out:

1. A rotating team approach, where different creative teams work on each season or story arc, allowing for fresh perspectives and ideas with every new installment.
2. The establishment of a dedicated streaming platform specifically for limited series, providing a home for these productions and enabling creators to experiment more freely without the constraints of traditional network television.

Let’s do away with the “limited/anthology series” category entirely. Instead, we categorize shows based on their genre – either comedy or drama. For instance, Netflix’s show “Adolescence” could be entered in the drama category, while Apple TV+’s spin-off “Side Quest” would qualify as a comedy. The “TV movie” category will remain separate. To provide more opportunities for exceptional shows, we should increase the minimum number of nominees to 10 for both comedy and drama series categories.

Option A: Instead of changing the category for limited/anthology series, maintain it but ensure there are eight nominated productions every year, just like how the Academy handles comedy and drama series now. Although submissions for limited series have dwindled, the same trend is observed in the comedy category. As it stands, there are only 67 entries in the comedy competition, which typically wouldn’t warrant more than six nominees, let alone eight. A set number of nominations would foster fairness and stimulate increased participation among limited series producers.

Allow Premium Digital Content to Submit

With more and more platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and independent streamers like Dropout creating content on par with Emmy-winning productions, it’s high time for organizations like the Television Academy and NATAS to invite these creators to compete in suitable Emmy categories, be it Primetime, Daytime, Children’s & Family, or International. This is particularly relevant for talk shows or scripted variety series, should they continue to maintain such distinctions. If integrating into existing categories proves impractical, then the creation of a new, dedicated category specifically for digital content would be more than justified. For instance, think about Dropout’s popular show “Smartypants” facing off against Amelia Dimoldenberg’s “Chicken Shop Date,” which consistently attracts millions of views with each new episode release.

Introduce Best Episode of the Year Category

The idea is that every television show could present its best 22 to 60 minutes – the mind-blowing, talk-of-the-town scene that makes a season memorable. This is the concept behind a new award category: Best Episode of the Year. In this scenario, any eligible series – be it a drama, comedy, reality show, documentary or others – would submit one exceptional episode for evaluation by all members of the Television Academy.

Comparable scenes such as “Through the Valley” in “The Last of Us,” where Pedro Pascal delivers a poignant farewell, can be placed alongside significant moments like Jeff Probst crying on “Survivor,” Connor’s first kiss with Georgie on “Love on the Spectrum,” and Gabby Windey showcasing her bold personality in any scene from “The Traitors.” These scenes could face off against each other in a high-stakes event honoring the best of both scripted and unscripted television.

This Emmy category brings together all genres in a head-to-head competition, showcasing the most memorable moments on television. It could also indicate trends for overall series recognition and shine a spotlight on exceptional episodes that might not get noticed in category-specific competitions.

Merge Talk Series and Scripted EbMaster

Merging the shrinking genres of talk series and scripted variety shows into a single category seems like an obvious solution. With only 12 submissions for talk series and just 5 for scripted variety, it’s clear that both have been diminishing. Furthermore, having John Oliver’s weekly show “Last Week Tonight” compete against the long-running sketch comedy “Saturday Night Live,” solely due to the lack of guests on Oliver’s show, seems illogical. The question also arises about how to compare the production challenges of daily talk shows like “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” with those of weekly series such as “Hot Ones” and “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney.” Combining the categories would more accurately represent the genre’s current blended characteristics. Critics argue that this change would push voters to evaluate content based on its overall quality, rather than outdated distinctions between formats.

Rename TV Movie to Elevate Prestige

The label “TV movie” is frequently associated with an outdated, less-than-prestigious image, which the Television Academy should strive to alter. A suggested new title, “Outstanding Film Produced for TV or Streaming,” could help redefine the category and encourage top-tier filmmakers who might currently shy away due to its perceived lack of prestige. Directors such as David Fincher or Martin Scorsese, whose work often straddles the boundary between cinematic and streaming, may be more likely to engage if the category’s name better reflects the current landscape.

Ponder over the successful Netflix production “Carry On,” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, which attracted substantial viewership and positive reviews but surprisingly missed out on Emmy nominations this year. A film of such quality should be part of the discussion in the industry. One possible solution to increase its prominence could be to rename the award category.

Afterward, numerous films debut at the Sundance Film Festival, which are later purchased by entities such as HBO (“Are You OK?”). Consequently, these movies become more aligned with the director’s original objectives.

As a movie critic, I strongly advocate for a shift in the acting categories, making it more logical and fair. This adjustment would allow actors from TV movies or streaming platforms to compete separately from those in limited or anthology series. At present, lumping these together creates an inconsistency, as their artistic aims, storytelling structures, and production scales can vary greatly. A well-considered distinction would acknowledge and celebrate each medium on its own merits.

2025-05-20 00:49