The TV Show That Holds The Record For Most Emmy Wins

There's no greater honor in television than winning a Primetime Emmy Award. For 76 years and counting, the Television Academy has hosted a star-studded awards show that honors the best in televisions. Actors, directors, writers, producers, and more all gather to celebrate everyone's talents and toss back a few drinks. 

With all the back-slapping and glad-handing that happens at these Hollywood award shows, you might find yourself wondering which TV show has the most Emmy wins. Thankfully, we've dug through all the statistics and have the definitive answer. In fact, you might be surprised to hear that the show with the most Emmy award wins is one whose record won't be taken down anytime soon. That's largely because it's a television institution that's been running for 50 years and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. 

The TV show with the most Emmy wins is none other than "Saturday Night Live," clocking in with 101 wins out of a 341 whopping nominations. The next show in line is "Game of Thrones" with 59 wins and almost zero chance of catching up, unless there's some kind of continuation under the same title. 

The late night sketch comedy show created by Lorne Michaels (who has 106 nominations and 21 wins himself, though not solely for "SNL") has been on the air since October 1975, when it broke the mold for variety shows (and was recently chronicled in Jason Reitman's spectacular movie "Saturday Night"). It's been reinvented and overhauled so many times that it's truly a miracle that it's survived this long. Even more impressive is that it's still a pop culture juggernaut, despite many missteps and lows sprinkled among their many triumphs and highs over the years. 

"SNL" has been honored with plenty of awards in a variety of categories throughout its five-decade run. From makeup, lighting, art direction, production design and camera work to the ever-important writing and directing, "SNL" has racked up a nomination in pretty much every category it's ever been eligible for. 

Despite the fact that "SNL" is an ensemble effort, many of the cast members have shined so brightly that Emmy voters can't help but reward them with nominations and wins. The winners from "SNL" in Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories are few and far between: Kate McKinnon won in 2016 and 2017, along with Alec Baldwin for his Donald Trump performance tenure in 2017 and 2018. Dana Carvey also won back in 1993, after being nominated a total of five times, and the legendary Gilda Radner won back in 1978, after being nominated alongside some of her fellow cast members that same year. But there have been many more nominations for the show's varied ensemble stars over since 1975.

Cast members who have gotten individual Emmy nominations for their performance on "SNL" include Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant, Leslie Jones, Will Ferrell, Vanessa Bayer, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Molly Shannon, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Jon Lovitz, Billy Crystal, Joe Piscopo, and Eddie Murphy. However, the original cast of "SNL" may have been the most celebrated, with Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, and Chevy Chase (who would go on to get in a fight with Bill Murray when he returned to host) all earning nominations. 

Plus, let's not forget the all-star "SNL" guest hosts. Nominees range from 2024's all-time great performance by Ryan Gosling (pictured above) and stretch back to 2009, when Tina Fey and Justin Timberlake landed the first guest performer nominations for the series. Fey's nomination came thanks to her turn as Governor Sarah Palin, which came after she left the show, while Timberlake earned a nomination for his hosting stint that year, and they both won. It's not clear why "SNL" didn't make the cut for the guest performance category before that, but it might be due to the fact that the category wasn't separated into actor and actress until 1988, even though that leaves 11 years unaccounted for with such an excuse. Even so, other nominees include former cast members like Bill Hader, Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph, as well as the likes of Tom Hanks, Melissa McCarthy, Dave Chappelle, Quinta Brunson, and many more.

Of course, the most consistent nominations for the series throughout its 50 years on air have been for writing and directing, as well as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series, or whatever category the overall show qualifies for when the Emmys change up their awards roster. And that's because the series has refused to die, even when seemingly faced with cancellation.

From Lorne Michaels leaving the show after the first five seasons to the less acclaimed 1980s years, not to mention the awkward year when Lorne Michaels returned to the series for season 11 (recently chronicled in a new Peacock documentary series), the series has seen many peaks and valleys. That's especially true when it comes to losing and adding cast members. While some seasons have Michaels clearly getting fresh-faced comedians used to the show's incredibly unique and stressful format, others have the ensemble perfectly honed and churning out memorable sketches that we still talk about today. 

The important thing to remember is that "Saturday Night Live" is always simultaneously incredibly hilarious and painfully bad. It's always been a series that has multitudes. Sure, everyone has their attachment to the era they grew up on, and someone is always bound to lament how much funnier the showed "used to be." But that's only because we remember the best sketches, rather than recalling those that didn't move the laugh meter much. Believe me when I say "SNL" in the 21st century is just as funny as it was in the late 1970s, and that's why it continues to earn Emmy nominations to this very day, and it will continue to do so until the show ends (if it ever does).