- Opinion
- Entertainment
- Television
A desperate plea to Hollywood bosses: We’ve had enough of nostalgia bait and the 2026 Emmys prove it
Opinion: The Emmys will be here within mere hours and if there’s one thing studios can learn from television’s night of nights, it’s that viewers crave original content – and critics are ready to reward it.
Hollywood studios have been force-feeding us reboots, remakes, prequels, sequels and spin-offs for years, from That ’90s Show, to the Frasier sequel, and now Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (yet another Big Bang Theory spinoff).
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which centres on comic store owner Stuart (Kevin Sussman), is Big Bang’s third spin-off show. Warner Bros. TV
We’ve had two Game Of Thrones prequels (House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) of varying quality, six seasons of Cobra Kai (a sequel to a franchise that peaked in the 80s), and HBO is about to re-do Harry Potter.
And none of them are topping the nominee lists at the 2026 Emmys.
The Pitt earned a staggering 25 nominations this year, Hacks is right behind it with 24, and Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, and Beef racked up 19, 18 and 16 respectively.
The Pitt is up for a string of Emmy Awards, along with other original shows like Widow’s Bay, Hacks, Pluribus and Beef. Max via AP
That’s more than 100 nominations between just five original programs, and they’re not niche shows either.
These are series that have captivated viewers globally, shaped conversations about entertainment, and changed the way we watch, with several even returning to the one-episode-a-week release schedule of the pre-streaming era.
Unable to rely on nostalgia or throwbacks to fan-favourite characters to keep audiences watching, they take risks and prioritise clever writing over nods to a more successful predecessor.
Clearly, it’s working for The Pitt, Hacks, Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, and Beef.
Now studios, networks and streamers need to pay attention.
Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart with Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky. Getty Images for IMDb
Audiences have an appetite for well-made, well-written, and well-lit (don’t get me started on so-called ‘Netflix lighting’) programs that explore original ideas with new characters.
They’re even willing to tune in every week for several months to watch episodes as they drop one by one.
But those kinds of shows don’t get made without studio support and funding, and there’s not enough of that to go around when every streaming platform is looking for the next nostalgia-bait spin-off they can greenlight without a second thought.
So consider this a message – a plea – to every studio executive walking the red carpet, sitting in the audience, and voting as part of the Television Academy tonight: make more original shows.
Widow/s Bay and Pluribus are up for 19 and 18 Emmy Awards respectively. Apple TV+
Greenlight, fund, market and support more original shows.
And don’t cancel them after a single season if it doesn’t make $10 billion in profit and break streaming records.
Because if every new, original program was treated that way, we probably never would have seen That ’70s Show, Frasier, or The Big Bang Theory make it past season one either.
Nine Entertainment Co (the publisher of this website) owns and operates the streaming service Stan.
