Critics’ Choice Awards: Colbert, Meyers, and Bee get nominations

Here are the nominees for Best Talk Show at the 26th Critics’ Choice Awards

The nominees for the 26th Critics’ Choice Awards have been announced. In the category of Best Talk Show, three fan-favorite shows made the grade.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee all picked up nominations. The awards are set to be handed out on March 7.

Other nominees in the category include Desus & Mero, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and Red Table Talk. It should be among the more competitive categories in this year’s Critics’ Choice Awards.

Last year, Late Night picked up the award in a tie with The Late Late Show with James Corden. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee was also nominated last year.

These three Critics’ Choice Awards nominees all have on thing in common

It’s hard to know exactly why Last Week Tonight with John Oliver or Jimmy Kimmel Live! was nominated after the year both those shows had. But perhaps there was only room for so many late night TV shows in the category.

The three that did pick up nominations all have one thing in common: they’re known for their political commentary. While all late night shows try to find a balance, there was no denying that The Late Show, Late Night, and Full Frontal all had a singular focus.

Time and time again, audiences turned to late night TV to try to make sense of the news cycle that was dominated by the election and the pandemic. And time and time again, it was Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Samantha Bee who stood out.

It’s possible that there could be some course correction in late night starting in 2021. If the political temperature is lowered during President Joe Biden’s tenure, then politics may not be the lead story every night. Shows like The Tonight Show and The Late Late Show that rely more on celebrity interviews and musical bits could catch up to their more politically-minded competition.

But before we look too far ahead, it’s worth looking back at 2020 and everything that late night TV did for audiences during an unprecedented time. The Late Show, Late Night, and Full Frontal may have been the ones nominated but the entire late night field stepped up and deserves recognition.

The 26th Critics’ Choice Awards, hosted by Taye Diggs, will air on the CW on March 7. Who do you think will win Best Talk Show?