26 Shows With the Most Emmy Nominations Ever
Each year, the Primetime Emmy Awards honors television’s most talented casts and crews, but some are notably more celebrated than others. For example, “Watchmen,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Ozark” and “Succession” are the toast of this year’s ceremony.
Ahead of the 72nd Primetime Emmys on Sept. 20, GOBankingRates conducted a study to see which shows have garnered the most Emmy nominations of all time. After analyzing data to find the 26 shows with the most Emmy nods, data was compiled to determine the total number of wins each show secured and their overall winning percentage.
Find out which shows have received the most recognition if you’re looking for an award-winning show to watch.
Last updated: Sept. 16, 2020
25. 'Seinfeld' (Tie)
Nominations: 68
Wins: 10
Winning percentage: 14.71%
Starring Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Seinfeld” ran on NBC from 1989-98. During its nine-season tenure, Richards (Kramer) won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor three times, Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes) won outstanding supporting actress once and the show scored a win for outstanding comedy series.
25. 'Veep' (Tie)
Nominations: 68
Wins: 17
Winning percentage: 25%
A major hit for HBO, “Veep” ran from 2012-19. Julia Louis-Dreyfus made Emmy history with six outstanding lead actress awards for her work as Selina Meyer. Tony Hale also scored two outstanding supporting actor wins for his portrayal of Gary Walsh and the show won outstanding comedy series three times.
24. 'Downton Abbey'
Nominations: 69
Wins: 15
Winning percentage: 21.74%
British drama “Downton Abbey” ran on PBS from 2010-15. Dame Maggie Smith scored three outstanding supporting actress Emmys for her work as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, and the show also garnered a win for outstanding miniseries or movie.
23. 'Everybody Loves Raymond'
Nominations: 70
Wins: 15
Winning percentage: 21.43%
CBS sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond” won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series twice during its 1996-2005 run. Several cast members received individual honors, including Ray Romano — one outstanding lead actor win — and Patricia Heaton — two outstanding lead actress wins.
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22. 'So You Think You Can Dance'
Nominations: 71
Wins: 16
Winning percentage: 22.54%
Reality competition show “So You Think You Can Dance” has been going strong on Fox since 2005. Not surprisingly, the show has won a collective 11 Emmys for outstanding choreography. Individual choreographers honored — some more than once — include Mandy Moore, Travis Wall, Tabitha D’umo, Napoleon D’umo, Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio and Wade Robson.
21. '24'
Nominations: 76
Wins: 20
Winning percentage: 26.32%
Kiefer Sutherland starred on the Fox hit “24,” which ran from 2001-10. Some of the show’s many Emmys include a win for outstanding drama series, outstanding lead actor — Sutherland as Jack Bauer — and outstanding supporting actress — Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor.
20. 'The Carol Burnett Show'
Nominations: 77
Wins: 25
Winning percentage: 32.47%
“The Carol Burnett Show” was an iconic sketch comedy series on CBS from 1967-78. Individually, actors Harvey Korman and Tim Conway garnered four Emmys each for their performances. The show also won the Emmy for outstanding writing six times and twice for outstanding variety series.
19. 'The Amazing Race'
Nominations: 81
Wins: 15
Winning percentage: 18.52%
Long-running show “The Amazing Race” has been on CBS since 2001. It has scored the win for outstanding reality-competition program 10 times.
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18. 'NYPD Blue'
Nominations: 84
Wins: 20
Winning percentage: 23.81%
Immensely popular ABC drama “NYPD Blue” aired from 1993-2005. Dennis Franz (Detective Andy Sipowicz) won the Emmy for outstanding lead actor four times and the show was awarded outstanding drama series once.
17. 'Modern Family'
Nominations: 85
Wins: 22
Winning percentage: 25.88%
The groundbreaking ABC sitcom “Modern Family” ran from 2009-20. During its tenure, the show won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series. Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy) also scored two outstanding supporting actress wins and Ty Burrell (Phil Dunphy) and Eric Stonestreet (Cameron Tucker) were each honored with two outstanding supporting actor wins.
16. 'L.A. Law'
Nominations: 89
Wins: 15
Winning percentage: 16.85%
An NBC hit that aired from 1986-94, “L.A. Law” won the Emmy for outstanding drama series four times. Cast members Richard Dysart (Leland McKenzie) and Jimmy Smits (Victor Sifuentes) each garnered an outstanding supporting actor win, and Larry Drake (Benny Stulwicz) received the honor twice.
14. 'Will & Grace'
Nominations: 96
Wins: 18
Winning percentage: 18.75%
Iconic NBC sitcom “Will & Grace” originally ran from 1998-2006, but much to fans’ delight, it was revived from 2017-20. In addition to scoring an Emmy for best comedy series, Debra Messing (Grace Adler) was honored with an outstanding lead actress Emmy and Eric McCormack (Will Truman) received an Emmy for outstanding lead actor.
Additionally, Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland) was honored with an outstanding supporting actor Emmy and Megan Mullally (Karen Walker) scored two wins in the outstanding supporting actress category.
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14. 'The West Wing'
Nominations: 96
Wins: 27
Winning percentage: 28.13%
NBC drama “The West Wing” aired from 1999-2006 and scored four wins for outstanding drama series. Allison Janney (C.J. Cregg) was also honored four times for her work on the show.
Additionally, cast members Alan Alda (Arnold Vinick), Stockard Channing (Abigail Bartlet), John Spencer (Leo McGarry), Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman) and Richard Schiff (Toby Ziegler) each received one Emmy for their supporting roles.
13. 'Hill Street Blues'
Nominations: 97
Wins: 25
Winning percentage: 25.77%
“Hill Street Blues” was an NBC drama that ran from 1981-87. In addition to four wins for outstanding drama series, Daniel J. Travanti (Captain Frank Furillo) was honored as outstanding lead actor twice, and Barbara Babcock (Grace Gardner) scored an award for outstanding lead actress.
11. 'The Tonight Show'
Nominations: 98
Wins: 13
Winning percentage: 13.27%
Hosted by Jimmy Fallon since 2014, “The Tonight Show” has been running late-night on NBC for more than six decades. Jay Leno helmed the show from 1992-2014, Johnny Carson hosted from 1962-92 and various others sat behind the desk from its start in 1953.
“The Tonight Show” has been honored twice in the outstanding variety, music or comedy series category — once in the Carson era and once during Leno’s tenure.
11. 'The Simpsons'
Nominations: 98
Wins: 34
Winning percentage: 34.69%
It debuted on Fox in 1989, and “The Simpsons” is still on the air today. The long-running show has received outstanding animated program honors 11 times. Several actors have earned Emmys for their voice work on the series, including Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta, who have been honored four times each.
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10. '30 Rock'
Nominations: 103
Wins: 16
Winning percentage: 15.53%
Created by Tina Fey, “30 Rock” aired from 2006-13. The NBC sitcom won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series three times. Fey was also honored with an outstanding lead actress win — and two outstanding writing awards — and Alec Baldwin took home a statuette for outstanding lead actor.
9. 'Frasier'
Nominations: 107
Wins: 37
Winning percentage: 34.58%
“Frasier” ran from 1993-2004 and the NBC sitcom won five outstanding comedy series Emmys during its tenure. Kelsey Grammar (Frasier Crane) also won four outstanding lead actor Emmys and David Hyde Pierce (Niles Crane) received four awards for outstanding supporting actor.
7. 'M*A*S*H'
Nominations: 109
Wins: 14
Winning percentage: 12.84%
Starring Alan Alda and Loretta Swit, “M*A*S*H” aired from 1972-83. The CBS hit garnered one win for outstanding comedy series and the multitalented Alda (Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce) took home five total statuettes — three for acting and one each for writing and directing. Swit also scored two outstanding supporting actress wins.
7. 'Dancing With the Stars'
Nominations: 109
Wins: 17
Winning percentage: 15.60%
Reality competition show “Dancing With the Stars” has been a smash hit for ABC since its 2005 debut. The show has won three Emmys for outstanding choreography — including individual wins for Mandy Moore and Derek Hough, and a joint honor for Hough, Julianne Hough and Tessandra Chavez — and former host Tom Bergeron was honored with an Emmy for outstanding host.
6. 'The Sopranos'
Nominations: 112
Wins: 21
Winning percentage: 18.75%
Largely considered one of the greatest television shows of all time, “The Sopranos” ran on HBO from 1999-2007. In addition to being named outstanding drama series twice, James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano) scored an outstanding lead actor win three times, and Edie Falco (Carmela Soprano) also received three outstanding lead actress honors.
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5. 'Mad Men'
Nominations: 116
Wins: 16
Winning percentage: 13.79%
An AMC hit that aired from 2007-15, “Mad Men” was honored as outstanding drama series four times. Jon Hamm also scored an outstanding lead actor Emmy for his portrayal of Don Draper.
4. 'Cheers'
Nominations: 119
Wins: 28
Winning percentage: 23.53%
Iconic sitcom “Cheers” was on the NBC lineup from 1982-93. It was named outstanding comedy series four times and Rhea Perlman (Carla Tortelli) was also honored as outstanding supporting actress four times. Ted Danson (Sam Malone) received outstanding lead actor honors twice and Bebe Neuwirth (Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane) scored two outstanding supporting actress Emmys.
3. 'ER'
Nominations: 124
Wins: 23
Winning percentage: 18.55%
Seriously long-running drama “ER” aired on NBC from 1994-2009. The show scored an Emmy for outstanding drama, and Julianna Margulies (Carole Hathaway) was named outstanding supporting actress. It was also honored three times for outstanding directing and once for outstanding writing.
2. 'Game of Thrones'
Nominations: 164
Wins: 59
Winning percentage: 35.98%
The massively successful HBO drama “Game of Thrones” ran from 2011-19. The show was honored as outstanding drama four times, and Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) also scored four outstanding supporting actor wins. In addition, it won six Emmys for outstanding special visual effects.
1. 'Saturday Night Live'
Nominations: 297
Wins: 73
Winning percentage: 24.58%
Created by Lorne Michaels, “Saturday Night Live” has been an NBC weekend mainstay since 1975. It’s been honored as outstanding variety sketch series seven times, and Kate McKinnon has scored two outstanding supporting actress wins.
Several celebrities have also won guest actor/actress Emmys for hosting the show, most recently Tiffany Haddish, Dave Chappelle and Melissa McCarthy.
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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at CynopsisMedia’s “TV Series with the Most Primetime Emmy Nominations,” USAToday’s “TV shows with the most Emmy wins of all time,” TheThings.com’s “15 TV Shows With The Most Emmy Nominations of All Time” and YardBarker’s “The TV shows with the most Emmy wins” to create a list of TV shows that GOBankingRates could then analyze to find the 25 shows (there was a tie, making it 26) with the most Emmy nominations of all time. For each television show on the list, GOBankingRates found (1) the network it premiered on; (2) total Primetime Emmy nominations; (3) total Primetime Emmy wins; and (4) winning percentage. Shows were ranked based on factor No. 2. All data was collected on and up to date as of Sept. 8, 2020.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 26 Shows With the Most Emmy Nominations Ever
