Specials surge: VMAs, “Judge Judy” and more

In the new TV world, award shows and specials have become more important. Now CBS is planning a flurry for this fall.
That includes a three-Sunday stretch of “Video Music Awards” specials (Sept. 13, 20 and 27), sandwiched around one special with Cedric the Entertainer and another with “Judge Judy” (shown here). All of those are before the network starts its new season, in the first week of October.
As ratings for regular series decline, networks have been more interested in sports and specials. CBS, in particular, has grabbed awards that used to be on its cable channels. It took the VMAs from MTV… took CMT’s “CMT Country Music Awards” (but hasn’t aired it for the past two years) … and now is adding BET’s “Soul Train Awards.”
Others have also had news about awards this fall. Here’s a round-up, chronological by airdate:
— Sept, 13: “Best of VMAs: Iconic Vanguard Performances,” 9:30 p.m. , CBS. Donnie Wahlberg hosts a collection of performances by people who won Video Vanguard Awards. When those began in 1984, they went both to performers (starting with the Beatles and David Bowie) and directors. Now they’re performers-only, with the most recent eight going to women, from Rihanna to Mariah Carey.
— Sept. 14: Emmy Awards, 8 p.m., NBC and NBC. It’s usually been on Sundays, but for NBC that’s football night.
— Sept. 18: “The Greatest@Home Videos,” 8 p.m., CBS. Created during the pandemic, this hasn’t had any new episodes lately — except for the annual “awards.” Cedric shows some of the year’s top homemade creations.
— Sept. 20: “Best of VMAs: Unforgettable Moments,” 9 p.m., CBS. This one is a general collection of performances, stunts, acceptance speeches and more. Vanessa Lachey, a former MTV VJ. hosts.
— Sept. 22: “Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable,” 8 p.m. Sept. 22, CBS. A few days earlier (on Sept. 16), the “Judge Judy” court show marks its 30th anniversary. That show stopped production five years ago, but Judith Sheindlin promptly began making “Judy Justice” for Amazon Prime. Both shows thrive (via reruns) on stations’ daytime schedule, along side two more shows produced by Sheindlin, 83 — “Hot Bench,” with three judges, and “Adam’s Law,” which debuts Sept. 14 with her son, Adam Levy.
— Sept. 27: “Video Music Awards,” 7:30-9:30 p.m., CBS. After the two-Sunday build-up, here are the actual awards. Two generations lead the way, with Madonna and Taylor Swift leading the nominations.
— Oct. 30: “Daytime Emmy Awards,” online-only. This no longer has a TV home, but it has a star: Genie Francis will get the Lifetime Achievement Award. She started on “General Hospital” in 1977 and her Luke-and-Laura wedding in ’81 reportedly drew 30 million viewers. CBS carried the broadcast through 2024, but hasn’t returned — despite the fact that its new “Beyond the Gates” has 15 nominations.
— Nov. 18: “CMA Awards,” 8 p.m., ABC. Lainey Wilson will be back as host for the third straight year. Wilson — a 12-time CMA winner — made the announcement during a “College GameDay” broadcast, a time when there figured to be some country-music fans watching.
— Nov. 27: “Soul Train Awards,” 8 p.m., BET, CBS, VH1, MTV2 and Logo. BET took over these awards in 2009, but it’s been three years since the last edition. Now the show is back and on an expanded line-up, including CBS. For the first time in its 39 years, the show will be taped in Chicago.