The Television Academy has announced a new Legacy Award, the first in nearly 20 years, to honor TV programs with profound and lasting impact. This category recognizes series that have aired at least 60 episodes over five seasons and continue to influence audiences or culture. The award can go to both ongoing shows and long-ended classics.
The Television Academy revealed the creation of the Legacy Award on Thursday, marking the first new Emmy category in almost two decades. According to the official announcement, the award will be presented to TV programs that have made a "profound and lasting impact" on audiences.
To qualify, a series must have aired a minimum of 60 episodes across at least five seasons and demonstrate "continued or sustained relevance, influence or inspiration" over a television genre, existing or new audiences, and/or society and culture. Franchises can receive the honor only once.
TV Academy President Maury McIntyre explained to The Hollywood Reporter that the award is flexible in scope: "It absolutely can go to a show that's still on the air, or it can go to a show that hasn't been on the air in 30 years." He provided examples, noting it could recognize 'Grey's Anatomy' as one of the longest-running medical procedurals or 'Gunsmoke' for establishing the Western genre. "We're happy to do both," McIntyre added.
TV Academy Chair Cris Abrego emphasized the award's purpose in a statement: "The Legacy Award celebrates groundbreaking programming — programs that have stood the test of time, delivering stories that continue to engage audiences and featuring iconic and timeless characters with multigenerational appeal." He continued, "The award allows the Academy to honor more of television's rich history and acknowledge the storytellers whose work has resonated with viewers and continues to entertain legions of fans around the globe."
It remains undecided whether the Legacy Award will be presented at the main Emmys telecast, the Creative Arts Emmys, the annual Televerse festival, or the Hall of Fame ceremony. The last new award introduced was the 2007 TV Academy Honors Award, which recognizes programming driving positive social change.
This addition aims to spotlight television's enduring contributions amid an evolving industry landscape.
