The 16 TV Shows With The Most Emmy Wins

As TV nerds, we love awards shows and relaying cool TV facts, and what better way to do that than diving into some statistics about the biggest Emmy winners in TV history? We're here today to explore which shows have taken home the most hardware during TV's biggest night. From sitcoms to procedurals to fantasy epics, these TV series have been rewarded handsomely, and many have broken Emmy records in the process.

As astute TV watchers yourself, you may be able to guess some of the shows that made the cut, though this list features a few surprises, too. Which comedy classic has over 95 Emmys? Which historical drama holds the record for the most wins by a streaming service? Which '80s series was nominated an unprecedented 21 times in its first season? Keep reading to discover the 16 TV shows with the most Emmy wins, and let us know in the comments if you were shocked by anything on (or not on) this list.

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" was a streaming juggernaut for Amazon's Prime Video, bringing home the goods during awards season and delighting its many, many viewers at home. The show won 22 Emmys during its tenure, an impressive number considering it only ran for five seasons. It also did reasonably well on the acting front, as series star Rachel Brosnahan, who plays an aspiring stand-up comedian in the 1950s and '60s, won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2018. Her co-star, Alex Bornstein, won Outstanding Supporting Actress twice. The show also won Outstanding Music Supervision, a non-televised award, three times.

2018 marked a record-breaking turn for the series. Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino became the first woman to win an Emmy for writing and directing a comedy show. Her competitors included Donald Glover for "Atlanta" and Bill Hader for "Barry." Despite its popularity, Sherman-Palladino's previous hit series, "Gilmore Girls," only won and was nominated for a single Emmy –- for Outstanding Makeup.

Though it's indebted to classic sitcoms like "All In the Family" (we'll get to that in a moment), "Modern Family" is the only 21st century sitcom on this list. With 22 wins and 85 nominations, the show had a years-long streak at the Emmys. This sweep finally ended in 2018, when the show only received one nomination, for Sound Mixing, and many viewers breathed a sigh of relief that its reign was finally over.

And an impressive reign it was. "Modern Family" holds the record, alongside "Frasier," for most wins for an Outstanding Comedy series, which it won every year for five years in a row, from 2010 to 2014. The cast went home with a lot of gold as well. Series stars Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, and Eric Stonestreet each won two acting awards for "Modern Family." Since the show's ensemble cast was a large part of its appeal, it's no surprise the series also won an award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series.

"All In the Family" changed the television landscape forever, as the great Norman Lear showed us that TV can tackle important social issues, inspire debates amongst viewers, and still make us laugh. One of the most beloved and influential TV shows in American history, it's only right that "All In the Family" took home gold at the Emmys. The show, which ran for nine seasons, (two less than "Modern Family"), won 22 Emmys. It had massive audience appeal as well, and was the most-watched TV show in America for five years running.

The series swept awards all across the board, including acting. Carroll O'Connor, who played the controversial Archie Bunker, won four times for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Other winners include future director Rob Reiner, who played Archie's son-in-law, often referred to as "Meathead," along with Sally Struthers and Jean Stapleton. "All In the Family" also achieved some record-breaking sweeps, as it's the only TV series in history to win six of the seven main Emmy categories in two different years (1972 and 1978).

The hit medical series "ER" was nominated for a whopping 124 Emmys over the course of 15 seasons, winning 23 of those awards. The drama was and is revered for its fast-paced storytelling, seamless choreography, and heartbreaking realism. It also inspired our favorite medical drama of the 2020s, HBO's "The Pitt."

Despite a truly phenomenal cast, most of the awards "ER" won were for work done behind the scenes. Julianna Margulies was the only member of the main cast to win an Emmy, for the show's first season. Sally Field, who played Abby's (Maura Tierney) mother, and Ray Liotta, who played a patient in a gut-wrenching bottle episode, both won Emmys as guest stars.

"ER" had a better track record at the Creative Arts Emmys, winning multiple awards for sound mixing, sound editing, picture editing, and casting. Veteran TV and film director Mimi Leder won a directing award for the show, and also took home an award as a producer when the show won Outstanding Drama Series in 1996.

"The Crown" may be the most important show Netflix has ever produced, at least as far as critical approval is concerned. The popular series follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, from her marriage to Philip to the early 2000s, with different actresses playing the queen during various periods of history. With 24 Emmys (and 87 nominations), "The Crown" holds the record for the most wins for a streaming series.

The series excelled in the categories you might expect. It won multiple awards for costume and production design, as well as two for cinematography. The show dominated the acting categories, with eight wins for actors like Claire Foy and Olivia Colman (both playing the queen), Gillian Anderson (as Margaret Thatcher), and Elizabeth Debicki (as Princess Diana). It also won two awards for Best Casting. "The Crown" is one of only three shows — "Schitt's Creek" and "Angels in America" are the other two — to sweep all seven of the major awards in the same year.

"The Carol Burnett Show" premiered on CBS in 1967, turning its titular comedian into a superstar alongside her co-stars, which included Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, and Lyle Waggoner. The popular series ran for 11 seasons, and is often considered one of the greatest comedy shows of all time. Emmy voters agreed, and honored the show 25 times, based on 75 nominations.

On the creative side, the series won for writing, directing, editing, and cinematography. It also garnered several acting awards for series stars Conway (who won three times), Korman (who won twice), and Lawrence (who won once). Amazingly, Burnett never received an acting award for the show, though she did win an Emmy when it won Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series in 1975. Though the show aired nearly 60 years ago, Burnett is still gracing our screens today. In fact, in 2024, she became the oldest person to be nominated in a major acting category when she was recognized for "Palm Royale" at 91.

"The West Wing" was the show that put Aaron Sorkin on the map and gave us one of the most beloved fictional presidents of all time in the form of Martin Sheen's President Bartlet. Fast-paced, dialogue-heavy, and endearingly optimistic, it's the gold standard for political dramas. 

"West Wing" was a heavy hitter at the Emmys, scoring 26 awards and 95 nominations. The show received several awards for writing and directing, and won Outstanding Drama Series four times, tying the record for most wins in this category with four other shows. 

During its first awards season, in 2000, the show won nine Emmys, including acting awards for Allison Janney and Richard Schiff. In total, Janney won four Emmys for her role on the series, while Stockard Channing, Alan Alda, John Spencer, and Bradley Whitford all took home statuette. Martin Sheen was nominated five times, but never won an Emmy for his portrayal of President Bartlet.

"Hill Street Blues" has an Emmys story like few others. The NBC cop drama, which premiered in 1981, decisively changed the TV landscape, introducing long-form, serialized storytelling to the procedural and redefining the kinds of existential questions that could be asked on a television program. Despite critical acclaim, the series failed to find an audience and had ratings so bad it should have been canceled early on. However, the 1981 Emmys changed the show's fate, breaking records by earning 21 nominations for its first season. It won eight of those awards, another record at the time.

That first year, in 1981, "Hill Street Blues" nearly swept the main categories, winning acting awards for Barbara Babcock, Daniel J. Travanti, and Michael Conrad, as well as Outstanding Drama Series, an award it would go on to win three more times, in consecutive years. In 1982, the show made history again, with all five Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nominations going to "Hill Street Blues" actors. In total, it won 26 times. The show's success at the Emmys saved it from falling into obscurity, and it stayed on air for seven seasons.

One of the most beloved sitcoms in American TV history, "Cheers" takes place in the Boston bar of the same name, run by former Red Sox picture Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Like "Hill Street Blues," "Cheers" wasn't initially a hit. When it premiered, the show ranked 60th out of 63 shows, and was viewed by less than 8 million households (a low number for the 1980s). By contrast, its season finale, which aired in 1993, was watched by an astounding 93 million people. How did it get so big? One of the reasons was critical acclaim, including the Emmy awards.

During its first awards season, "Cheers" was nominated for eight Emmys, winning three of them. Over the course of its 11 seasons, the show won a total of 28 Emmys. Its 117 nominations make it the most-nominated scripted comedy series ever. The show's charming ensemble cast was beloved by viewers, and most of them took home awards for their efforts. Danson and Bebe Neuwirth won twice, Rhea Perlman won four times, and co-stars Kirstie Alley, Bebe Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, John Cleese, Shelley Long all took home a single statue.

Arguably the most popular and most successful drag queen of all time, RuPaul Charles has built an empire out of a humble reality competition called "RuPaul's Drag Race." The series follows a dozen drag queens participating in challenges to win the top prize. The show is currently on its 18th season, and over the course of 17 years on air, it has racked up 29 Emmy awards.

Many of these awards have gone to the legend himself, RuPaul, who has 14 Emmys to his name. In 2021, these successes made RuPaul the most-winning person of color in Emmy history. He also holds the record for most wins for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program, with 8, and "RuPaul's Drag Race" is the most-awarded reality show of all time. In addition to awards for RuPaul, the show has also won for casting, costumes, hairstyling, and makeup, among other technical categories.

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was another paradigm-shifting series, one that forever changed how women could be portrayed on television. Mary Tyler Moore played a career-driven young woman living on her own in Minneapolis, and the series explicitly touched on topics like feminism, gender discrimination in the workplace, and sex. The show was a critical and a commercial hit, running for seven seasons and spawning three spin-offs. It was rewarded with 29 Emmy awards and 67 nominations.

The show's iconic cast were well loved. Moore won four acting awards, Valerie Harper and Ed Asner won three times, while Cloris Leachman, Betty White, and Ted Knight all won twice. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" is tied with "The Simpsons" for most acting wins for a comedy series, with sixteen in total. The show's influence continues today, and every modern show about single, working women has Moore to thank for the path she paved back in the 1970s.

"Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" is one of the most unique late-night talk shows out there, in part because it's not actually a late-night talk show. It airs on HBO once a week, on Sundays, as host John Oliver tackles a recent political topic that hasn't gotten a ton of mainstream attention. As the show's title alludes to, it's less interested in covering the most recent news, instead prioritizing compelling, in-depth coverage.

The show has many devoted fans, some of whom are Emmy voters. It has won 32 Emmys over the course of 13 seasons (making it one of HBO's longest-running shows). "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" won Outstanding Variety Talk Series seven years in a row, from 2016 to 2022. It was then moved to the Outstanding Scripted Variety Series category, and it swept there too, winning three years in a row, from 2023 to 2025. The switch in category means "Last Week Tonight" now has fewer competitors but goes up against "Saturday Night Live," which has dominated the variety category for the last several decades. So far, it's come out on top.

"The Simpsons" has been on air since 1989, and in that time, has managed to compile an impressive slate of accolades. Created by Matt Groening, the series was developed by Sam Simon and director James L. Brooks, who also co-created Emmys powerhouse "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." "The Simpsons" has outperformed that iconic show by a significant margin, with 37 Emmys wins over 37 seasons.

The animated series is known for its beloved voice cast, and they've received their fair share of recognition. Dan Castellaneta, who voices Homer Simpson, has won Outstanding Voice-Over Performance four times for that character, an Emmys record he shares with Seth MacFarlane for "Family Guy" and Maya Rudolph for "Big Mouth." Hank Azaria has also won four Emmys for "The Simpsons," voicing numerous iconic characters on the show. "The Simpsons" has won more Emmys for acting than any other animated show, with most of the main cast taking home gold alongside guest stars like Kelsey Grammer and Anne Hathaway. The most-awarded animated series in history, "The Simpsons" has won Outstanding Animated Series 12 times.

Another revered comedy series, "Frasier" is tied with "The Simpsons" for Emmy wins, with 37 awards to its name. (The number jumps to 38 if you include the revival series.) "Frasier" is a spin-off of another Emmys hall of famer, "Cheers." The show follows Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), a psychiatrist who moves from Boston to his hometown of Seattle to work as a talk radio host. One of the most critically-acclaimed comedies of all time, "Frasier" won Outstanding Comedy Series five times (for its first five seasons), a record it shares with "Modern Family."

The series did well on the acting front, with Grammer winning four times for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. David Hyde Pierce, who played Frasier's younger brother, won four Emmys as a supporting actor. Some of the show's memorable guest stars received Emmys as well, including Jean Smart (who more recently won four Emmys for "Hacks"), Laura Linney, and Anthony LaPaglia. The series also won a bevy of awards for directing, writing, and other technical accomplishments.

Though you might think of "The Sopranos" as the HBO show that put the cable network on the map in terms of critical acclaim, one HBO show reigns above them all when it comes to Emmys. The epic fantasy series "Game of Thrones" (almost) takes the crown with its impressive 59 Emmys over the course of eight seasons. The show won Outstanding Drama Series four times, and remained on the Emmys' good side throughout its entire run, winning 12 Emmys in its eighth season (the most any show has won for its final season).

"Game of Thrones" didn't attain this unprecedented number of wins through the big categories like acting or writing. In fact, Peter Dinklage is the only actor from the show to win an Emmy, though he won four times. Instead, the majority of the show's Emmys comes from creative or technical achievements. It won five Emmys for costumes, eight for makeup, seven for visual effects, and four for stunt coordination. It also received two awards for Ramin Djawadi's score, and two for its captivating title sequence, which changed in the final season.

We've arrived at the end of the list, and it comes as no surprise that the TV show with the most Emmys is one that has been on air for over 50 years. "Saturday Night Live," a staple of American television and one of the longest-running shows of all time, holds the record for Emmys wins with 93 awards and 338 nominations. "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels has been nominated 107 times, more than any other individual, though he doesn't hold the record for most wins. That title is held by Sheila Nevins, who has previously worked as the head of MTV Documentary Films and the president of HBO Documentary Films.

"SNL" has won awards in nearly every possible category, from production, to writing, to acting. Acting winners include Maya Rudolph, Alec Baldwin (for playing Donald Trump), Tina Fey (for playing Sarah Palin, among other characters), Betty White, Gilda Radner, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, Dave Chappelle, and Justin Timberlake. 

The show only has two writing awards, but winners include Conan O'Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Mike Meyers, Mike Schur, Paula Pell, and, once again, Tina Fey, who has 10 Emmys to her name. Considering the continued longevity of "SNL," it's unlikely the show's Emmys record will be surpassed anytime soon -– or ever.