Shows with the most Emmy wins in TV history
Bringing Home the Gold
The Emmys celebrate outstanding achievements in television. From the actors to the writers and directors, cinematographers, as well as hairstylists, makeup artists, lighting designers, and more. Television is now almost 100 years old, with the first TV drama, The Queen's Messenger, airing in 1928. Since then, the industry has continued to evolve and reward excellence, with the first Emmy Awards ceremony taking place in 1949. Here's a look at the shows that have earned the most accolades since then.
<i>Saturday Night Live:</i> 82 wins
Saturday Night Live is the most Emmy-winning show of all time. Debuting in 1975, it is also one of the longest-running shows in television history and has launched many of the biggest and most talented names in comedy. So, it comes as no real surprise that SNL would dominate the Emmys. Not only has the show won Outstanding Variety Sketch Series multiple times, but tons of cast members have won awards for their time on the series, including Gilda Radner, Kate McKinnon, Dana Carvey, and even Alec Baldwin for his ongoing Trump impersonation. On top of that, many of the show's staff have taken home Outstanding Writing Emmys, including Phil Hartman, Bob Odenkirk, Tina Fey, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray, among many others.
<i>Game of Thrones:</i> 59 wins
Games of Thrones is one of the most impactful series in TV history - multi-million dollar budgets, epic sets and costumes, and a tale of dueling families and kingdoms... all fighting for ultimate power. The show won Outstanding Drama Series four times and won Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing twice each. For the cast, Peter Dinklage took home the Supporting Actor Emmy four times for his role as Tyrion Lannister. And, of course, who could forget the show's iconic opening credits that scored Thrones Main Title Design wins twice, once for the original opening and again in the final season for the updated version.
<i>Fraiser:</i> 37 wins
Kelsey Grammer was nominated for his role as Frasier twice during Cheers…but he wouldn't win the award until he got his spin-off series, Frasier. Grammer went on to win Outstanding Lead Actor four times throughout the show's run, while his costar, David Hyde Pierce, won three times for Outstanding Supporting Actor. The series was loaded with guest stars throughout the years, with Jean Smart and Laura Linney both winning awards for their appearances. On top of that, Fraiser won Outstanding Comedy series five times, meaning that, for almost 20 years, the Cheers-Fraiser franchise dominated the Emmys.
<i>The Simpsons:</i> 35 wins
The Simpsons has won the Outstanding Animated Series Emmy 11 times throughout the years, proving the show is a powerhouse of talent. The entire main cast has all won Emmys for their voice work as well, including Hank Azaria (Moe and Chief Wiggum, among others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Dan Castellaneta (Homer), and even Kelsey Grammer, who voices everyone's favorite psychotic lunatic, Sideshow Bob. On top of that, The Simpsons has won the Achievement in Animation award six times, and has even won Emmys for its original songs, like "We Put the Spring in Springfield," from the episode where Bart starts working in a secret burlesque house.
<i>The Mary Tyler Moore Show:</i> 29 wins
The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a groundbreaking sitcom that broke barriers for women in television and was known for its boundary-pushing storylines that included things like feminism, pay inequality, divorce, and homosexuality. Plus, the show had a beloved cast that all won awards for their performances, including Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, and, of course, Mary Tyler Moore herself. The show won Outstanding Comedy Series three times. Its legacy was later carried on by three spin-off series.
<i>Cheers:</i> 28 wins
Cheers, centering around a neighborhood pub in Boston, became one of the most beloved sitcoms on television. America fell in love with the show's ever-growing cast and numerous actors and actresses ended up taking home awards. Famous Cheers cast members who won Emmys throughout the show's run include Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, John Cleese, Woody Harrelson, Ted Danson, Bebe Neuwirth, and Kirstie Alley, among others. Cheers also won Outstanding Comedy Series four times throughout its decade-long run.
<i>RuPaul's Drag Race:</i> 26 wins
Drag legend RuPaul is the most awarded Black artist in Emmys history, winning seven consecutive awards for Outstanding Host for RuPaul's Drag Race. On top of that, the show is a regular winner in the Outstanding Competition Program category, which has brought Ru's total Emmy wins to 12 since he serves as Executive Producer. Drag Race has also won awards for directing, picture editing, and, of course…costumes!
<i>Last Week Tonight With John Oliver:</i> 26 wins
After gaining fame as a correspondent on The Daily Show, John Oliver scored his own topical news program on HBO, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. As a spiritual spin-off to The Daily Show, the series is renowned for its quick wit and humor while talking about important and sensitive topics. It's won Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Variety Talk Series seven years in a row. It also won several times in the defunct category of Outstanding Interactive Program, which was last awarded in 2021.
<i>The West Wing:</i> 26 wins
Among the most popular political dramas ever made, The West Wing starred Martin Sheen as the fictional president of the United States, and the show followed him and his administration as they navigated governing a rapidly-changing country. The series won Outstanding Drama four times. During the show's first award circuit in 2000, it won five of its nine major Emmy nominations, including one for Allison Janney, who would go on to win three more Emmys during the show's run. Other actors who received awards include Bradley Whitford and Stockard Channing, among others.
<i>Hill Street Blues:</i> 26 wins
Hill Street Blues dominated the Emmys yearly during the early '80s. In fact, in 1982 the show was nominated for a whopping 16 major category awards, including five in the Best Supporting Actor Category alone (the award went to Michael Conrad, who had won the same category the year prior as well). On top of Conrad, numerous other cast members received awards throughout the show's run, including Betty Thomas, Barbara Babcock, and the show's lead, Daniel J. Travanti. Hill Street Blues also snagged Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row.
<i>The Carol Burnett Show:</i> 25 wins
First airing in 1967, The Carol Burnett Show was a comedy sketch and variety series featuring some of the biggest names in comedy, including Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, and, of course, Carol Burnett. The show won numerous awards for writing and directing throughout its run, and in 1975 it took home the award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series. Its cast also regularly took home awards with Conway winning three times, Korman winning twice, and Lawrence winning once. Lawrence would also go on to reprise her famous character, Mama, in the spin-off Mama's Family.
<i>ER:</i> 23 wins
Despite being on the air from 1994-2009 and receiving a whopping 124 Emmy nominations throughout its run, ER failed to win almost all of its major category nominations, taking home Outstanding Drama Series only once. However, the series fared much better at the Creative Arts Emmys, where it regularly won awards for sound mixing, sound editing, technical direction, casting, and more.
<i>Modern Family:</i> 22 wins
Much like All in the Family, Modern Family helped change the social landscape and showed how different and varied a family can be. The show was an instant hit and ended up winning Outstanding Comedy Series five years in a row from 2010-2014. Thanks to the outstanding ensemble, numerous cast members also won their prospective Emmys, with Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, and Julie Bowen all winning two each throughout Modern Family's run. And, obviously, with such a phenomenal group, the show also won for Outstanding Casting.
<i>All in the Family:</i> 22 wins
All in the Family was the sitcom that changed America. The bullheaded and crass father, Archie Bunker, was an avatar for the everyday, white, middle-class, middle-aged man, and the series watched him and his family deal with issues rarely talked about on TV like racism, gay rights, sexual assault, and the ever-present generation gap. The show was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series nine times, winning four. Actor Carroll O'Connor, who played the iconic Archie Bunker, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor eight times, winning four; and his onscreen wife, Jean Stapleton, won Outstanding Lead Actress three times. Rob Reiner was nominated five times, winning twice; and Sally Struthers also won twice for her role. In short, the cast was beloved by critics and audiences, and they have the Emmys to prove it.
<i>The Sopranos:</i> 21 wins
The Sopranos has gone down as one of the best dramas ever on television. Throughout the show's run, its stars James Gandolfini Edie Falco and Edie Falco both won three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress, respectively, and the show won Outstanding Drama Series twice (and was nominated for all seven years it was on the air). It also took home the award for Outstanding Writing for six of the seven years it was at the Emmys…which wasn't hard considering that, for many ceremonies, The Sopranos dominated the writing category, with multiple writers being nominated, virtually assuring the series a win.
<i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel:</i> 20 wins
Considered as one of the biggest hits on Prime Video to date, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has managed to walk that fine line between critical success and audience hit. The show centers around a housewife who decides to pursue a career in stand-up comedy in the late 1950s. As period pieces are often awards darlings, the show has won various Emmys for its costumes and hairstyling, but the true joy of the show comes from its phenomenal cast. Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, and Tony Shalhoub have all been nominated all four seasons, and have all won their respective awards at least once. During the show's first season it also won Outstanding Comedy Series.
<i>American Masters:</i> 20 wins
Premiering in 1999, American Masters is a documentary series on PBS that showcases the lives of some of America's most prolific writers, athletes, politicians, and artists like James Baldwin, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, Keith Haring, and more. Since its premiere, it's been a virtual sure-winner in the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series category (winning 10 times), and regularly wins directing and writing awards as well.
<i>NYPD Blue:</i> 20 wins
It's no surprise that one of America's favorite police procedurals is also one of the most Emmy-winning shows in history. Running for 12 seasons, spanning over a decade, NYPD Blue was famous (and infamous) thanks to its many controversial topics and scenes of nudity. The show's lead, Dennis Franz, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor eight years in a row, taking home the award four times. On top of Franz's wins, the show was regularly awarded for its writing and directing, and throughout the years, many of the supporting and guest cast also won awards. In 1995, it took home Outstanding Drama Series.
<i>Boardwalk Empire:</i> 20 wins
HBO's period-set crime drama, Boardwalk Empire, had all the fixings to be an Emmys favorite…and yet, the series won hardly any of its major category noms, taking home only three during its entire run. However, it fared much better at the Creative Arts Emmys, which celebrates technical and behind-the-scenes achievements. For all five seasons, the series nabbed awards for things like casting, cinematography, sound editing and mixing, art direction, and more. Critics agreed that Boardwalk Empire was a visual masterpiece.
<i>24:</i> 20 wins
24 was a notable series because every season took place in real-time, with each episode consisting of one hour, making a full 24-hour season. Naturally, pulling that off required some fantastic editing and continuity, so it's no wonder the show was a regular winner in the editing and sound mixing categories. During the peak of 24's fame, it also snagged more notable awards as well. At the '06 ceremony, 24 won its annual editing and music awards, but also took home Outstanding Director, Outstanding Lead Actor for Kiefer Sutherland, and even the prestigious Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.
<i>Dancing With the Stars:</i> 18 wins
Glittering outfits, fantastical performances, and celebrities who always look their best. To make each number on Dancing With the Stars look and feel special, a lot of work has to be done behind the scenes. That's why the show has taken home numerous Emmys for choreography, makeup, lighting design, hairstyling, technical direction, and more.
<i>Will & Grace:</i> 18 wins
Not only was Will & Grace known for being one of the first series to prominently feature several openly-gay characters, but it was also known for its talented and lovable ensemble cast comprised of Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, and Sean Hayes. Throughout the show's run, all four eventually won in their lead and supporting categories respectively, with Mullally winning twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress. On top of that, the series was an annual favorite for the Guest Actor category, winning almost yearly thanks to its lineup of famous faces. Throughout the years, actors like Gene Wilder, Bobby Cannavale, and Leslie Jordan all won for their guest spots, with Jordan regularly returning as a fan favorite. Surprisingly, Will & Grace only won Outstanding Comedy Series once, during its first year on the awards circuit in 2000.
<i>Taxi:</i> 18 wins
Taxi was a comedy series that followed the lives of a handful of NYC taxi drivers and the colorful characters they had to haul around the city. The show won numerous awards for Outstanding Writing and the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row from 1979-81. Its talented cast was also awarded with lead and supporting acting awards, including Judd Hirsh, Carol Kane, Christopher Lloyd, and Danny DeVito.
<i>Murphy Brown:</i> 18 wins
Candice Bergen starred as the titular character in Murphy Brown, a series about a recovering alcoholic who returns to work on a fictional news series called FYI. During its run, the show was known for being one of the smartest comedies on television that wasn't afraid to push boundaries. Bergen herself won five times for Outstanding Lead Actress and her costars often won for supporting and guest appearances, including Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Sheen, and Jay Thomas. On top of the cast, the show was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series five times, winning twice.
<i>Veep:</i> 17 wins
The fictional (yet hilariously all-too-real) life of Vice President Selina Meyer became one of HBO's biggest shows during the 2010s with Veep. The series lead, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, received six Outstanding Lead Actress wins, with critics and fans hailing her performance. On top of that, Veep won Outstanding Comedy Series three times, and costar Tony Hale took home two awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor. The show also won Outstanding Casting multiple times.
<i>Star Trek: The Next Generation:</i> 17 wins
Often cited as one of the best Star Trek series by fans, The Next Generation was also a critical hit, holding a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and racking up a hefty number of Emmy wins. For a sci-fi series, it even broke barriers, getting nominated for Outstanding Drama Series in 1994. But all of The Next Generation's wins come from the creative side, including numerous awards for costuming, makeup effects, visual effects, and sound mixing.
See which series have earned the greatest Emmy Awards haul.