Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Awarded for	Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Country	United States
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
First awarded	2015
Currently held by	Saturday Night Live
Website	emmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series is an award presented to the best sketch comedy-driven variety show of the year.

History[]

In 2015, Outstanding Variety Series was separated into two categories – Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.^[1]

Winners and nominations[]

2010s[]

Year	Program	Producers	Network
2015 (67th) ^[2]
	Inside Amy Schumer (Season 3)	Amy Schumer, Jessi Klein, Daniel Powell, Steven Ast and Tony Hernandez, executive producers; Kim Caramele and Kevin Kane, producers	Comedy Central
	Drunk History (Season 2)	Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Owen Burke, Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner, executive producers; Melissa Wylie, produced by	Comedy Central
	Key & Peele (Season 4)	Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Ian Roberts, Jay Martel, Joel Zadak, Peter Principato and Paul Young, executive producers; Peter Atencio, co-executive producer; Linda Morel, produced by; Keith Raskin, consulting producer	Comedy Central
	Portlandia (Season 5)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel and Andrew Singer, executive producers; Karey Dornetto and Graham Wagner, co-executive producers; David Cress and Alice Mathias, producers	IFC
	Saturday Night Live (Season 40)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus and Erin Doyle, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
2016 (68th) ^[3]
	Key & Peele (Season 5)	Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Jay Martel, Ian Roberts, Peter Principato, Paul Young and Joel Zadak, executive producers; Peter Atencio, co-executive producer; Linda Morel, produced by	Comedy Central
	Documentary Now! (Season 1)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Rhys Thomas and Andrew Singer, executive producers; Erik Kenward, supervising producer; Hilary Marx and Alice Mathias, producers; Stephanie Meurer, produced by	IFC
	Drunk History (Season 3)	Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Owen Burke, Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner, executive producers; Seth Weitberg, co-executive producer; Melissa Wylie, produced by	Comedy Central
	Inside Amy Schumer (Season 4)	Amy Schumer, Daniel Jason Powell, Jessi Klein, Steven Ast and Tony Hernandez, executive producers; Kim Caramele and Kevin Kane, supervising producers; Ayesha Rokadia, Ryan Cunningham, Tami Sagher, Christine Nangle, Kurt Metzger and Kyle Dunnigan, producers	Comedy Central
	Portlandia (Season 6)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel and Andrew Singer, executive producers; Karey Dornetto, Graham Wagner and Alice Mathias, co-executive producers; David Cress, producer	IFC
	Saturday Night Live (Season 41)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus and Erin Doyle, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
2017 (69th) ^[4]
	Saturday Night Live (Season 42)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus and Erin Doyle, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
	Billy on the Street (Season 5)	Billy Eichner, Mike Farah, Anna Wenger, Doug Brady, Richard Kathlean and Bill Parker, executive producers; Elizabeth Baquet and Mary Zappulla, supervising producers	truTV
	Documentary Now! (Season 2)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Alex Buono, Rhys Thomas and Andrew Singer, executive producers; John Mulaney, co-executive producer; Alice Mathias, producer; Scott Sites, produced by	IFC
	Drunk History (Season 4)	Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Derek Waters, Jeremy Konner and Owen Burke, executive producers; Melissa Wylie, produced by	Comedy Central
	Portlandia (Season 7)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel and Andrew Singer, executive producers; Graham Wagner and Alice Mathias, co-executive producers; David Cress, producer	IFC
	Tracey Ullman's Show (Season 1)	Tracey Ullman, Ben Farrell and Myfanwy Moore, executive producers; Caroline Norris, producer	HBO
2018 (70th) ^[5]
	Saturday Night Live (Season 43)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle and Tom Broecker, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
	At Home with Amy Sedaris (Season 1)	Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Cindy Caponera, Vernon Chatman, John Lee and Alyson Levy, executive producers; Bernie Kaminski, co-executive producer; Jodi Lennon, Ryan Cunningham and Daria Scoccimarro, producers	truTV
	Drunk History (Season 5)	Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Owen Burke, Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner, executive producers; Greg Tuculescu, co-executive producer; Zachary Halley, produced by	Comedy Central
	I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman (Season 1)	Sarah Silverman, Amy Zvi, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Gavin Purcell and Joe Farrell, executive producers; David Ferguson, Meaghan Rady and Becca Kinskey, co-executive producers; Allyce Ozarski, produced by	Hulu
	Portlandia (Season 8)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel, Andrew Singer, Graham Wagner, Alice Mathias and Karey Dornetto, executive producers; David Cress, producer	IFC
	Tracey Ullman's Show (Season 2)	Tracey Ullman, executive producer; Caroline Norris, producer	HBO
2019 (71st) ^[6]
	Saturday Night Live (Season 44)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle and Tom Broecker, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward; produced by	NBC
	At Home with Amy Sedaris (Season 2)	Amy Sedaris, Ravi Nandan and Bill Benz, executive producers; Inman Young, Jeanie Igoe and Jodi Lennon, producers	truTV
	Documentary Now! (Season 3)	Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, Alex Buono, Rhys Thomas and Andrew Singer, executive producers; Alice Mathias, co-executive producer; Matt Pacult and Tamsin Rawady, producers; David Cress, produced by	IFC
	Drunk History (Season 5-6)	Derek Waters, Jeremy Konner, Will Ferrell]], Adam McKay and Owen Burke, executive producers; Greg Tuculescu, co-executive producer; Zachary Halley, produced by	Comedy Central
	I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman (Season 2)	Sarah Silverman, Amy Zvi, Adam McKay]], Will Ferrell, Gavin Purcell, Joe Farrell, Bellamie Blackstone and Dave Ferguson, executive producers; Becca Kinskey and Meaghan Rady, co-executive producers; Eric B. Shanks, supervising producer	Hulu
	Who Is America? (Season 1)	Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Todd Schulman, Andrew Newman, Dan Mazer and Adam Lowitt, executive producers; Nicholas Hatton, Daniel Gray Longino, Dan Swimer, Tim Allsop and Debra Neil-Fisher, producers; Melanie J. Elin, produced by	Showtime

2020s[]

Year	Program	Producers	Network
2020 (72nd) ^[7]
	Saturday Night Live (Season 45)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle and Tom Broecker, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
	A Black Lady Sketch Show (Season 1)	Robin Thede, Issa Rae, Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch, Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry, executive producers; Lauren Ashley Smith and Dime Davis, co-executive producers; Deniese Davis, Montrel McKay and John Skidmore, producers; Erin Owens, produced by	HBO
	Drunk History (Season 6)	Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Derek Waters, Jeremy Konner and Owen Burke, executive producers; Greg Tuculescu, co-executive producer; Zachary Halley, produced by	Comedy Central
2021 (73rd) ^[8]
	Saturday Night Live (Season 46)	Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle, Tom Broecker and Caroline Maroney, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by	NBC
	A Black Lady Sketch Show (Season 2)	Robin Thede, Issa Rae, Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch, Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry, executive producers; Lauren Ashley Smith, co-executive producer; Deniese Davis, Montrel McKay and John Skidmore, producers; Linda Morel, produced by	HBO

Programs with multiple wins[]

Totals include wins for Outstanding Variety Series.

7 wins

Saturday Night Live (5 consecutive)

Programs with multiple nominations[]

Totals include nominations for Outstanding Variety Series.

26 nominations

Saturday Night Live

6 nominations

Drunk History

4 nominations

Portlandia

3 nominations

Documentary Now!

2 nominations

A Black Lady Sketch Show
At Home with Amy Sedaris
I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman
Inside Amy Schumer
Key & Peele
Tracey Ullman's Show

Total awards by network[]

NBC – 4
Comedy Central – 2

References[]

^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 20, 2015). "EMMYS: TV Academy Splits Best Miniseries & TV Movie, Reality Program & Voice-Over Categories, Expands Combined Longform Fields To 6 Nominees, Sets Possibility For 7 Best Drama & Comedy Series Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

[1] Andreeva, Nellie (February 20, 2015). "EMMYS: TV Academy Splits Best Miniseries & TV Movie, Reality Program & Voice-Over Categories, Expands Combined Longform Fields To 6 Nominees, Sets Possibility For 7 Best Drama & Comedy Series Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

[2] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

[3] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

[4] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

[5] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2018.

[6] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 16, 2019.

[7] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 28, 2020.

[8] "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

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v t Primetime Emmy Award categories
Programs	Comedy Series Drama Series Limited or Anthology Series Television Movie Competition Program Variety Talk Series Variety Sketch Series Animated Program Short Form Animated Program Documentary or Nonfiction Series Documentary or Nonfiction Special Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series Structured Reality Program Unstructured Reality Program Variety Special (Live) Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Performance	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Lead Actor in a Drama Series Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Lead Actress in a Drama Series Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Guest Actor in a Drama Series Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Guest Actress in a Drama Series Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Character Voice-Over Performance Host for a Reality or Competition Program Narrator
Directing	Directing for a Comedy Series Directing for a Drama Series Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Directing for a Variety Series Directing for a Variety Special Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program Directing for a Reality Program
Writing	Writing for a Comedy Series Writing for a Drama Series Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Writing for a Variety Series Writing for a Variety Special Writing for a Nonfiction Programming
Animation	Individual Achievement in Animation
Casting	Casting for a Comedy Series Casting for a Drama Series Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Casting for a Reality Program
Choreography	Choreography for Scripted Programming Choreography for Variety and Reality Programming
Cinematography	Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program Cinematography for a Reality Program Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
Commercials	Commercial
Costume Design	Contemporary Costumes Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes Period Costumes Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming
Hairstyling	Contemporary Hairstyling Contemporary Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Period and/or Character Hairstyling
Interactive Media	Interactive Program Original Interactive Program Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within an Unscripted Program
Lighting	Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special
Makeup	Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) Period and/or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Prosthetic Makeup
Music	Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special Music Composition for a Series Music Direction Music Supervision Original Main Title Theme Music Original Music and Lyrics
Picture Editing	Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program Picture Editing for Variety Programming Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Production Design	Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour or Less) Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series Production Design for a Variety Special
Sound Editing	Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) Sound Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)
Sound Mixing	Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera) Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
Special Effects	Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie / Special and Visual Effects in a Single Episode
Stunts	Stunt Coordination Stunt Performance
Technical Direction	Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special
Title Design	Main Title Design
Engineering	Engineering Philo T. Farnsworth Award
Retired	Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series Children's Program Costumes for a Series Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) New Series Program of the Year Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Short Form Variety Series Super Emmy Variety Series Voice-Over Performance