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The Voice Teases “New Twists” For Season 26 – So What Are the New Format Ideas?
The Voice showrunner Audrey Morrissey never wants the enduring competition series to ever get complacent.
How do you keep a show as exciting as ever as its heads into its 26th season? According to The Voice showrunner Audrey Morrissey, it's all about being open to change.
At the NBC FYC Emmy campaign panel for The Voice this past weekend, showrunner from the beginning, Morrissey, was joined by her Season 25 coaches — Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper, Dan + Shay and John Legend — to celebrate the enduring legacy of the competition reality series.
NBC Insider was present for the event where Access Hollywood moderator Scott Evans got Morrissey to dig into how she and her team keep the show fresh after so many seasons.
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"The show has a very sport-esque angle to it," she said. "We have coaches and teams and you sort of draft your team in the Blinds. So then a steal was an obvious evolution." Not to mention the addition of Saves for the coaches and the Playoff Pass that lets one artist advance to the Playoffs.
What changes could be coming to The Voice Season 26?
Aside from the big coach changes coming up, Morrissey alluded to some process changes they're toying with too.
"I'm always trying to think about what would be a good thing to add to the engine of the show?" she explained to the audience. "What are the new twists that aren't just interesting but that feel really germane and make sense for the show? We're constantly thinking about that return on investment."
For example, Morrissey teased that they're contemplating a whole new Round for Season 26. "Much like how we rotate the Chairs to just keep a fresh dynamic, you want that for Rounds to keep that fresh. So we might be moving Rounds."
So does she mean the order in which they occur, or by adding in a new twist? She didn't say, but we can't wait to find out.
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Talking about coaches, Evans asked about the vetting process to bring in a new face to the show's dynamic.
"We're constantly talking to people. Constantly chatting with people and just keeping our eyes and ears open about who might make sense," Morrissey said of their appraisal of music talent for future Coaches. "You want people who will get it and who will enjoy it, and who will really fit the seat."
She continued, "The Blinds are all about the good natured ribbing and the theatrics of that. But sometimes we just very jokingly call The Voice: 'a sitcom disguised as a music competition show' because of that dynamic we all know and love."
Chemistry is also all-important, she added. "All these artists really care. And they'll also tell you how much they are fed. There are creatively and emotionally and spiritually fed by their teams. Gwen talks about it a lot, like, 'You're inspiring me. I've lived my dream and I want to shine a light on you.' So it's hard to say. You just get a vibe from people by watching them on shows and going to their concerts to get a sense of them. Then some of them end up mentoring on the show and that's how we get a better sense of them. Is that a good fit today? Did they enjoy it and it seemed right? So, we've been so fortunate."
The Voice Season 25 Finale airs Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 at 8/7c on NBC, then streams the next day on Peacock.
