As Jean Smart eyes her eighth acting Emmy prize, which would tie her with Mary Tyler Moore Show star Cloris Leachman and Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus for most of all-time, and Ted Danson looks to get nominated for his fourth different show, fifth television project overall, the legendary actors currently on the campaign trail have a new honor. Alongside Ted Sarandos, Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Sheila Nevins, and Ed Bradley, they will receive a spot in the Television Academy Hall of Fame as part of its 26th class.
For Smart, Hacks has taken her from television character actor to comedy legend. With the show, which focuses on her as Deborah Vance, an aging comedian that loses her Las Vegas residency and is forced to work with cancelled comedy writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), with the two having a massive generational gap in how they view comedy, Smart has won every single major television comedy award over its first four seasons, losing only the SAG award to the late Catherine O’Hara for The Studio earlier this year. She’s expected to dominate again for its fifth season. But Smart landed her first major television role in the ‘80s, starring in Designing Women as the naive office manager for Sugerbaker and Co., after previous stints on lesser known sitcoms Reggie and Teachers Only. From there, Smart had a handful of unsuccessful CBS sitcoms that stalled her career until she became a major Emmy contender for her chaotic performances in Frasier, and parlayed that into a memorable nuanced, unstable performance as the First Lady in day five of 24. Alongside memorable seasons on Fargo and Watchmen, Smart’s career on television ranges from being the voice of the mother on Disney’s Kim Possible, an incredible turn in HBO’s Mare of Easttown opposite Kate Winslet, and ABC sitcom Samantha Who?
Another Fargo actor whose most memorable work is opposite Frasier Crane, George Costanza will have to live in a world where Ted Danson is in the Hall of Fame and he’s not. Danson, best known as barkeeper Sam Malone on Cheers, had the hardest job in comedy: being funny while everybody else has significantly better material. The straight man of the show, Danson keeps the crown jewel of television sitcoms grounded opposite the zaniness of everybody around him. Beyond leading the ensemble on what was once the biggest show on television, Danson has had a variety of hit television shows including Becker and The Good Place, but it’s his current starring role as Charles on Netflix’s Man on the Inside that’s introducing him to new generations, as he portrays a private detective who has no experience as a private detective. Other notable credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigations, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Damages.
Speaking of Netflix, CEO Ted Sarandos has been tabbed. Sarandos, who has worked at Netflix since 1999, has been their CEO since 2020. Before that, however, he had been their chief content officer when the platform greenlit shows such as Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Ozark, Sense8, and a number of other programs that launched them as a main player in television. With Sarandos leading the charge in putting high quality programming and cultural phenomenons such as Stranger Things in homes across the United States, Netflix has not only disrupted the way television runs, but become the poster child for it in the process.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been elected. While their list of qualifications may not be as deep as other candidates, the co-creators of South Park have changed television, especially comedy and animations, for the better for just about 30 years. The show, once the biggest cultural phenomenon on television, is still going strong in 2026 for Paramount. Unlike their contemporaries, South Park’s ability to stay up-to=date with the modern news cycle helps maintain an air of freshness around the product, ultimately becoming the first political satire of its kind in the process.
The long time head of HBO Documentaries Sheila Nevins has been selected after a career that includes 42 Peabody Awards, 31 individual Primetime Emmys, and 35 News and Documentary Emmys. She has served not only with HBO, but also as the head of MTV’s documentary division, and had worked in news in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Our final selection also worked in news in the ‘60s and ‘70s, breaking through for his coverage over the ‘64 Race Riots. The late Ed Bradley has been given a spot in the Television Hall of Fame, after spending 25 years being beloved on 60 Minutes. Alongside his anchor role on CBS Evening News in the late ‘70s and his coverage of both Vietnam and the Carter administration, Bradley became one of the most trusted faces in news in American history.
“These visionary performers, creators, executives and storytellers have made a profound and enduring impact on the television industry,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. “Through their innovation, talent and dedication to their craft, they have helped transform and enrich the medium, influencing generations of audiences and professionals alike. We are proud to induct these distinguished individuals into the Hall of Fame and celebrate their extraordinary contributions to the growth and advancement of television.”
The ceremony will be held on August 13th. DSR would like to issue congratulations to all of the selections.
Photo credit: HBO
Jameus Mooney is an entertainment writer and editor for Comic Book Clique, having covered the entertainment industry for years. You can follow him on Twitter here, and Letterboxd here. You can also listen to his horror podcast, The 2:17 Horror Podcast, at the DeathArts XIII YouTube channel.