Conan Oscars 2.0

By every metric, Conan O’Brien hosting the Oscars was a hit. Everyone from critics to audiences approved of the job he did, and more importantly, the telecast scored its highest ratings in five years, with 19.69 million total viewers. It was also the highest rated Oscar telecast among adults aged 18-49 in five years, and perhaps most importantly, for the first time, the Oscars outperformed the Super Bowl on social media (and the Grammys, but like…who’s keeping track of the Grammys). It was a big win for everyone, and a fine feather in Conan’s cap.

So it’s no surprise that the Academy wasted no time in asking Conan to return for the 98th Oscars in 2026, and he’s already agreed. Returning alongside him are his longtime producer Jeff Ross and longtime writer Mike Sweeney, as well as telecast producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, who have produced the last two Oscars. In a statement Conan said, “The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech.”

Ba dum tss…

Basically, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the Academy is sticking with what works, at least until they run it into the ground in true Hollywood style. But really it’s a savvy move for two reasons. Not only are they locking down a host everyone likes, but they are also cutting off the entire “no one wants to host the Oscars” conversation, which is toxic to the Oscars as a brand, and has been a big part in the perceived diminishment of the show itself. But that conversation was drastically reduced by asking Conan all the way back in November of last year, and now they’re ending it entirely by announcing their host 363 days in advance.

That’s right, 363 days in advance. The 2026 Oscars are scheduled for March 15, 2026. The delay is due to the winter Olympics, but they’ve moved the show in the wrong direction. The 2026 Olympics are scheduled to end on February 22, the Oscars could be the next Sunday on March 1. Alternatively, they could speed run awards season and cram everything into January and air the Oscars on February 1, right before the Super Bowl and the Olympics.

The Oscars used to be a February affair. Sure, sometimes the telecast had to bump into early March because of the Olympics, but that was only occasional. Since 2021, though, the Oscars have been in March (with 2021’s ceremony held in late April because of the pandemic), and that appears to be the new normal. I kind of worry about this, as by March, most people have moved on from the year’s previous films. Long term, I wonder if pushing the Oscars permanently into March might have a deleterious effect on the telecast. Only time will tell. For now, I’ll just be glad they brought Conan back, and brace myself for a marathon awards season next year.

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