# Mariska Hargitay's just-OK Emmys night

> The Emmys finally gave a woman the mic again, then handed her eight minutes and a stack of stale jokes.
- Title: Mariska Hargitay's just-OK Emmys night · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: The Emmys finally gave a woman the mic again, then handed her eight minutes and a stack of stale jokes. Hargitay was likable and underused. The telecast's…
- Keywords: emmys, awards shows, television, mariska hargitay, hosting, Mariska, Hargitay's, just-OK, night, TIME
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/09/14/emmys-2026-review-mariska-hargitay
- Author: Judy Berman
- Published: 2026-09-15T04:12:52.959+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: emmys, awards shows, television, mariska hargitay, hosting
## Eight minutes, then nothing
The Jalen Brunson cameo lasted seconds, the "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" number doubled as a Marriott and United ad, and the monologue was over fast. That opening set the tone for the whole night.
## First woman since 2011
Hargitay was the first female Emmys host since Jane Lynch. The years in between ran on a rotation of SNL and talk-show guys, which makes a wasted slot sting more.
## Late night's decline changed casting
With talk shows fading, the Emmys started casting wider. Anthony Anderson was forgettable, the Levys were charming, and Nate Bargatze's gimmick-heavy year was a slog.
## Not a comedian, on purpose
She was the first Emmys host not known mainly for comedy since the 2008 reality-host experiment with Ryan Seacrest and Heidi Klum, widely called one of the worst ceremonies ever.
## She had the credits for it
Hargitay trained with the Groundlings and did Seinfeld. Add two Emmys for her Jayne Mansfield documentary, a Broadway run, and Knicks courtside loyalty, and Variety called her a national best friend.

> a national best friend
## Companion, not ringmaster
She joked about all the stars she'd "arrested" on SVU, then coasted. The Nicole Kidman AMC parody and a "hot as balls" Game of Thrones bit both landed years late.
## Everyone else stole it
Amy Poehler topped the whole monologue with one presenting joke. John Mulaney got more laughs and more stage time, and Andrew Rannells rescued her shaky canceled-series song.
## Even her own SVU bit
The pre-taped SVU parody investigated whether Taylor Swift would show up, which was really just a way to put the most famous entertainer alive on screen instead of the host.
## Blame the writers' room
The non sequitur after her Ghoulies flashback and the "Hannah Mammogramma" pun were script problems. She avoided disaster, kept her likability, and deserved better material.

> here's to the Emmys giving women more chances to be wonderful, awful, and even just-OK Emmys hosts
## Key takeaway

Hargitay was likable and underused. The telecast's failures were written, not performed, and the fix is more chances for women to host, not fewer.