All Five 2026 Emmy Variety Series Nominees Have a Path to Victory

If you’re planning to watch the 2026 Primetime Emmys on Monday (Sept. 14), brace yourself for a long (but likely highly entertaining) segment when they hand out the award for outstanding variety series. Thanks to a rule change this year, there could be multiple winners in that category.

Beginning this year, the Television Academy combined best scripted variety series and best talk series into a single category: best variety series. The academy also converted it to what they call “an area award,” which means the nominees aren’t directly competing against each other. Instead, voters answer one question for each nominated show: “Does this nominee merit an Emmy?” Any series that receives at least 90% “yes” votes is awarded an Emmy. (If no nominee meets that threshold, the show with the highest approval percentage takes the trophy.)

All the nominees are worthy and could very well clear that bar: The Daily Show (Comedy Central), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC), Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO), The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS) and Saturday Night Live (NBC)

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Four of these shows have won an outstanding series award in the past. The only one that hasn’t is Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which has been nominated for an outstanding series award in each of the last 15 years, losing in that time to: The Daily Show (variously hosted by Jon Stewart , Trevor Noah or multiple hosts) four times; The Colbert Report (twice); Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (seven times); and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (once).

Here’s how each of this year’s nominees for outstanding variety series have done at the Primetime Emmys in the past.

_Originally reported by [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/lists/2026-emmys-variety-series-multiple-winners-likely/)._