Emmys Introduce Award to Honor TV Shows That Stood the Test of Time

The Emmys are getting a major update with the addition of a brand-new award for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The Television Academy announced on Thursday that it will introduce the Legacy Award, which will honor TV programs that have made a “profound and lasting impact” on audiences and continue to stay relevant in culture, society, and the industry.

To be eligible, shows must have at least 60 episodes spread across five or more seasons. They must also show lasting influence, inspiration, or relevance, either to a TV genre, audiences, or society at large. Franchise shows are considered as a whole when being judged.

Past hits like All in the Family and Will & Grace are eligible, as well as ongoing series such as Grey’s Anatomy and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Programs that are ending soon, like The Late Show, could also be considered.

Nominations for the Legacy Award can come from members of the TV Academy’s board of governors, the special awards committee, industry members, or even the public. Winners will be chosen annually by what is now the Special Awards Committee, formerly called the Governors Award Committee.

The award itself will be an engraved Emmy statuette. It could be presented during the Primetime Emmys, the Creative Arts Emmys, the TV Academy’s Televerse festival, or at its Hall of Fame ceremony. The exact presentation will be decided each year by the Academy.