Did you know that it’s almost been 100 years since the very first TV show aired? In September 1928, The Queen’s Messenger was broadcast to the Nation from New York — and the rest, they say, is history.
Since then, there have been many TV milestones — from the advent of color television to the first televised adverts. However, arguably the most significant advancement in TV show history was the start of The Emmy Awards. Named after the ‘Immy’, a nickname for ‘image orthicon’ (a type of camera tube used in TV), the Emmys have been celebrating on-screen talent, innovation, and success since January 1949.
In this blog, we’ll take you through a list of the highest-ranking Emmy-award-winning TV shows ever — from The Simpsons (bonus points if you sang that like the opening credits) to Game of Thrones. If you can often be found glued to the TV, firmly in couch potato pose — or you just love TV history — this is the blog for you.
10. The West Wing (26 Wins)
In 10th place, we have Warner Bros. Televisions’ iconic The West Wing. This early 2000s political drama was created by Aaron Sorkin and features Martin Sheen as the US president.
Set in, you guessed it, the West Wing of the White House (where you can find the Oval Office and key presidential personnel), the show follows the working lives of a fictional president and his senior staff, giving viewers newfound insight and appreciation into the inner workings of America’s political system.
Winning in the ‘Outstanding Drama’ category 4 times, this show also features many outstanding actors, including Stockard Channing who you may better know as ‘Rizzo’ from Grease (1978).
Regarded by many as among the greatest TV shows of all time, alongside an impressive 26 Emmy wins, The West Wing has also won 2 Peabody Awards and 3 Golden Globes.
9. Hill Street Blues (26 Wins)
Though technically a tie, in 9th place, we wind the clock back a decade to the 80s with Hill Street Blues. Dominating the Emmys and, to a greater extent, TV screens for all 7 of its seasons, Hill Street Blues first aired in January of 1981. In its debut year, the show won a record-breaking 8 Emmy awards — a number only beaten by The West Wing in 2000.
After its first year, the show was nominated for an astounding 16 category awards — 5 of which were in the Best Supporting Actor category, won by Michael Conrad (who played Phil on the show).
Hill Street Blues chronicles the lives and tribulations of the Hill Street Metropolitan Police Department staff, getting its name from both the blue uniforms worn by US police officers and the sometimes ‘blue’ nature of inner-city police work.
Despite being canceled somewhat abruptly in 1987, Hill Street Blues was — and still is — a fan favorite. Even after 40 years, the show remains regarded as one of the best cop dramas of all time and continues to captivate audiences
8. Cheers (28 Wins)
Taking 8th place, we have the well-loved Cheers.
Since its first episode on NBC in 1982, Cheers has captured the hearts of TV audiences across America with its casual setting and relatable characters. Set in a bar in Boston — called ‘Cheers’ of all things — the show centers around a group of locals who meet to relax and chat.
Cheers appeared on our screens for over a decade from September 1982 to May 1993 with a whopping 275 episodes across its 11 series. Featuring huge names like Woody Harrelson and Rhea Perlman (who you might have caught in Barbie recently), this show was immensely popular.
With an impressive 28 Emmy wins, Cheers is one of the best-performing TV shows ever. However, it didn’t start so successfully. What many fans don’t know is that Cheers nearly flopped after its first series was ranked 74th out of 77 TV shows. Luckily, after a shaky start, Cheers went on to feature on NBCs “Must See TV” list for Thursday nights for most of its run time and its finale episode became the most-watched TV episode of the 1990s. Pretty big, huh?
7. RuPaul’s Drag Race (29 Wins)
Start your engines! Next on our list is RuPaul’s Drag Race, serving up 7th place realness.
In this reality competition series, we join drag legend, RuPaul, and a well-loved panel of judges and guest stars as they search for ‘America’s next drag superstar’. In a series of weekly challenges, contestants battle head-to-head at lip-syncing and other comedic and performance-based trials.
The world inside RuPaul’s Drag Race is colorful, fierce, and has been putting on an eleganza extravaganza for viewers since February 2009 with 16 series and counting! The Drag Race franchise (including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Canada’s Drag Race, and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars) is vast and has brought big names to the drag scene like Trixie Mattel and Alyssa Edwards.
Earning 29 Emmys so far, the show regularly wins in the Outstanding Competition Program category, making RuPaul the most decorated black artist in Emmy history with 8 consecutive awards for Outstanding Host.
We sure hope this show doesn’t sashay away any time soon.
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (29 Wins)
In a tie with RuPaul comes Mary Tyler Moore! The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a hugely popular sitcom from the 70s, has also received an impressive 29 wins. Created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, the show — starring actress Mary Tyler Moore — was groundbreaking in the visibility it gave to equal rights issues and the matter of women’s employment in the era of second-wave feminism.
Running between September 1970 and March 1977, The Mary Tyler Moore Show uniquely followed the life of an unmarried, career-driven woman called Mary Richards as she navigated a high-pressure career producing a news show.
Despite the work it did for important topics like the position of women in the workplace, the show was immensely funny and resonated with all viewers, winning it Outstanding Comedy Series 3 times too.
5. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (30 Wins)
Halfway through our list, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver takes 5th place with 30 Emmy wins.
After John Oliver gained considerable fame on The Daily Show as a correspondent, he started his own show on HBO in April 2014 — and it really took off. With 10 series (so far) — and 1.11 million views on its debut episode — Last Week Tonight is a regular feature on American TV.
This late-night talk show comes dripping in satire and delights audiences by taking a look back at the previous week’s political, social, and cultural happenings. Well-loved for its humor and wit, Last Week Tonight has won Outstanding Variety Talk Series 7 times in a row before moving to the Outstanding Scripted Variety Series category where it has won twice already.
Filmed in front of a live studio audience, the show features a number of funny segments and clips often referencing popular culture and viral memes. For audiences, John Oliver’s show breaks the traditional format of talk shows and gives viewers a real take on life.
4. The Simpsons (37 Wins)
Need we introduce this one? If you haven’t heard of The Simpsons, we honestly don’t know what to tell you. Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Homer, and Marge have been turning TV screens yellow for 35 years, so it’s no surprise that they’ve won so many awards.
Almost one for every Emmy, The Simpsons currently has 36 seasons with a running total of 771 episodes (yes, really) and a cast list so immense we can barely wrap our heads around it. With cameos from everyone from Michael Jackson to Ringo Starr, The Simpsons universe is simply epic.
Winning the Outstanding Animated Series Emmy 12 times and the Achievement in Animation award 6 times over the years, it’s safe to say that this show is an animated TV giant. From the iconic theme tune to its widespread merchandise, no matter the country or the language, The Simpsons is a universally-loved show.
3. Frasier (37 Wins)
Onto the podium now; in 3rd place, we have Frasier. Remember Cheers at number 8? Frasier was originally created as a spin-off to Cheers before exploding into a standalone show of immense popularity in its own right.
From its first episode in September 1993, to its last in May 2004, Frasier comforted, amused, and delighted audiences across the globe with 264 episodes following psychiatrist, Frasier Crane, as he reconnects with his dad and brother.
While Kelsey Grammar was playing Frasier in Cheers, he was nominated for his role twice, he only won when Fraiser became its own entity, taking Outstanding Lead Actor 4 times while the show was running.
Wholesome, funny, and undoubtedly shedding important light on male familial relationships, Frasier was an immense show with multiple guest stars and five Outstanding Comedy Series wins, dominating the Emmys for 20 years.
2. Game of Thrones (59 Wins)
Next on the podium, we have Game of Thrones (GoT) coming in at a respectable 2nd place. When GoT was first released in April of 2011, fantasy drama changed forever. Taking huge strides in this genre of TV series, Game of Thrones brought fantasy to the masses in its adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
Premiering on HBO over a decade ago, GoT’s mammoth cast is the basis for an even larger international fanbase, making it one of the most popular TV series of our generation. With a staggering 59 Emmy wins, multimillion-dollar budgets, and record-breaking audience figures, Game of Thrones truly deserves to sit so highly on this list.
Game of Thrones won Outstanding Drama Series 4 times alongside Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing 2 times each — and that’s just the show. The cast has also won numerous awards in their own right, namely the likes of Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister who took home the Supporting Actor Emmy 4 times!
1. Saturday Night Live (90 Wins)
Lastly, at the top of our list, we have the sprawling show Saturday Night Live (or SNL), with 90 Emmy wins.
If you’re not familiar, firstly: have you been living under a rock? Secondly, let’s give you a quick rundown of this late-night comedy variety show. Each week, a selection of sketches is performed for audiences parodying American culture and politics. The guests have ranged from Emma Stone and Harry Styles to Carry Fisher and Betty White (to name but a few).
SNL has almost become synonymous with American comedy TV itself at this point. Since its debut in October 1975, Saturday Night Live has been livening up the weekends of viewers everywhere for nearly 50 years. With 5 hosts over the years — and nearly 1000 episodes— SNL is one of the longest-running TV shows ever. Unsurprisingly winning Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Writing Emmys numerous times, the guests of SNL have also won Emmys for their performances (Alec Baldwin famously won an Emmy for his Trump Impersonation!).
A permanent feature and household name in countless Americans’ lives, SNL is truly a TV giant.
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Whether you love animated series like The Simpsons or Family Guy, or you’re a die-hard fantasy TV fan, Displate has the decor to brighten up your living room.
If your favorite series has come to an end or you’re simply a humble superfan looking for some themed decor, Displate’s collection of metal posters have designs from almost every TV show out there that make the perfect addition to your walls.
Browse our full collection today or, for TV show trivia, facts, gift lists, and more, be sure to keep up with the Displate blog.
