70 Years of Emmy Award Winners for Outstanding Drama Series

By Joe Reid @joereid

Published Sep. 3, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

Photo Illustration of Handmaid's tail, Mission Impossible, Sopranos, and Madmen — To commemorate 70 years of the Emmys, we gathered the 46 drama series which took home the Emmy over the years. There are quite a few shows who won more than once -- though, interesting, none more than 4, an honor shared by *Hill Street Blues*, *L.A. Law*, and *The West Wing* -- and a few years that broke up the dramas into multiple winners. Where available, we noted where you can stream these shows. Happy Emmy memories!Photos: Everett collection, Getty Images ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

**WINNER:** *The Handmaid's Tale*
**PLATFORM:** Hulu
**YEARS WON:** 2017

*The Handmaid's Tale*, a dystopian series about a future America ruled by a repressed and women-hating government, became the first Outstanding Drama winner for a streaming platform.
Where to stream *The Handmaid's Tale*

**WINNER:** *Game of Thrones*
**NETWORK:** HBO
**YEARS WON:** 2015, 2016

Surprisingly only the second HBO series to win Outstanding Drama, *Game of Thrones* was also the first fantasy series to earn Emmy's top honor.
Where to stream *Game of Thrones*HBO

**WINNER:** *Breaking Bad*
**NETWORK:** AMC
**YEARS WON:** 2013, 2014

The straight-up villainy of Walter White captured the imagination of the American TV audience and assumed the Emmy mantle from its AMC neighbor, *Mad Men*.
Where to stream *Breaking Bad*

**WINNER:** *Homeland*
**NETWORK:** Showtime
**YEARS WON:** 2012

The only Showtime series to ever win Outstanding Drama, *Homeland* was also the only show in a seven year span to break up the *Mad Men*/*Breaking Bad* streak for AMC.
Where to stream *Homeland*

**WINNER:** 24
**NETWORK:** FOX
**YEARS WON:** 2006

While 24 was a hugely popular and groundbreaking series from the very beginning, it took until its 5th season -- the big one with the evil president and the plucky first lady -- for it to triumph at the Emmys.
Where to stream 24

**WINNER:** *Lost*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 2005

The blockbuster first season of *Lost* was a sensation everywhere, with critics, viewers, and, yes, Emmy voters lining up to sing its praises.
Where to stream *Lost*

**WINNER:** *The Sopranos*
**NETWORK:** HBO
**YEARS WON:** 2004, 2007

It seems crazy to think that *The Sopranos* only won the Outstanding Drama trophy twice, and not until its 5th season. But in the great Emmys rivalry between *The West Wing* and *The Sopranos*, it was NBC's White House show that dominated in the early years, even as James Gandolfini and Edie Falco were racking up acting trophies.
Where to stream *The Sopranos*

**WINNER:** *The West Wing*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003

*The West Wing* has an Emmy for every season Aaron Sorkin was with the show, and while it's not the most recent network series to win the Outstanding Drama Emmy, it is the last network drama to really feel like a force with the Emmys.
Where to stream *The West Wing*

**WINNER:** *The Practice*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1998, 1999

It's weird that there's a TV show that won't back-to-back Emmys that we don't ever talk about anymore, right? Track down *The Practice* some time and give it a look -- that show is crazy. The lawyers are so angry all the time! And they're all friends with murderers!
Where to stream *The Practice*

**WINNER:** *Law & Order*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1997

The show lasted 20 seasons, but it was only the magical 7th season that scored with the Emmy voters. The lineup that year? Jerry Orbach, Benjamin Bratt, S. Epatha Merkerson as the cops. Sam Waterston, Carey Lowell, and Steven Hill as the lawyers.
Where to stream *Law & Order*

**WINNER:** ER
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1996

The second season of NBC's groundbreaking medical drama captured the Emmy, which only encouraged burgeoning mega-stars like George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, and the great Noah Wylie.
Where to stream ER

**WINNER:** *NYPD Blue*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1995

ABC's tough-talking cop drama was known for much more than brazenly baring Dennis Franz's bare butt. It was also the gold standard in quality network drama in the years before cable exploded the game.
Where to stream *NYPD Blue*

**WINNER:** *Picket Fences*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1993, 1994

It's crazy to think that, despite CBS having a consistent ratings advantage among the networks, *Picket Fences* was the last time CBS was honored with the Outstanding Drama prize.
Where to stream *Picket Fences*

**WINNER:** *Northern Exposure*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1992

CBS's series about a New York fish out of water, played by Rob Morrow, transplanted to the snowy, quirky environs of Alaska was a brief but memorable sensation, and its unlikely Emmy triumph was its apex of industry support.
Where to stream *Northern Exposure*

cast of L.A. Law — **WINNER:** *L.A. Law*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991

Hot, sexy lawyers in Los Angeles! That was the pitch for *L.A. Law*, and as a result, we got Harry Hamlin, Jimmy Smits, and four out of five years as an Emmy winner.
Where to stream *L.A. Law*NBC

**WINNER:** *thirtysomething*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1988

ABC's ode to neurotic yuppies made headline after headline in the late '80s, but it won the Outstanding Drama Emmy because it was so strong at adult drama.

**WINNER:** *Cagney & Lacey*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1985, 1986

Tyne Daley and Sharon Gless played a pair of lady police detectives in CBS's groundbreaking cop drama.
Where to stream *Cagney & Lacey*

**WINNER:** *Hill Street Blues*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984

NBC's critically acclaimed but low-rated cop drama was all but cancelled when it won the Outstanding Drama Emmy in 1981 and went on to run for seven seasons and a bajillion more Emmys.
Where to stream *Hill Street Blues*

**WINNER:** *Lou Grant*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1979, 1980

*Lou Grant* will always be a wonder for not only being a drama series spun off from a comedy series -- Ed Asner took his TV news editor character out of Minneapolis, moved to Los Angeles, and resumed his career as a newspaperman -- but a drama spun off from a comedy that won TWO Emmys.
Where to stream *Lou Grant*

**WINNER:** *The Rockford Files*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1978

James Garner played a Los Angeles-based private detective in the much-loved *Rockford Files*, which was the first big series from TV producer Stephen J. Cannell (*The A-Team*; *21 Jump Street*).

Upstairs Downstairs cast — **WINNER:** *Upstairs, Downstairs*
**NETWORK:** PBS
**YEARS WON:** 1974, 1975, 1977

If you ever wondered why Emmy voters were so nuts for *Downton Abbey*, look no further than the three Outstanding Drama awards they handed to this hugely popular PBS drama that also depicted the decline of the British aristocracy in the early 20th century. PBS

**WINNER:** *Police Story*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1976

A true anthology series, where every episode was a new and distinct police story, this show ran for six seasons on NBC.

**WINNER:** *The Waltons*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1973

This series about a family in rural Virginia during the World War II years lasted for nine seasons on CBS, winning the Emmy for its debut year.
Where to stream *The Waltons*

**WINNER:** *Elizabeth R*
**NETWORK:** PBS
**YEARS WON:** 1972

This six-part miniseries starred Glenda Jackson -- who at the time the show aired was only a few weeks ahead of winning the Academy Award for the film *Women in Love* -- as Queen Elizabeth I.

**WINNER:** *The Bold Ones: The Senator*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1971

This political series starring Hal Holbrook only lasted one 8-episode season and was part of a greater NBC pack of *The Bold Ones* shows that included *The New Doctors*, *The Lawyers*, and *The Protectors*.

**WINNER:** *Marcus Welby, M.D.*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1970

Robert Young and James Brolin starred in this medical series about a kindly family doctor that went for seven seasons on ABC.
Where to stream *Marcus Welby M.D.*

**WINNER:** *NET Playhouse*
**NETWORK:** NET
**YEARS WON:** 1969

"NET" stood for "National Educational Television," a public television station that eventually merged with PBS.

**WINNER:** *Mission:Impossible*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1967, 1968

While Tom Cruise was still a grade-schooler, *Mission: Impossible* was racking up back-to-back Emmys for their mask-wearing, message-self-destructing spy antics.
Where to stream *Mission: Impossible*

**WINNER:** *The Fugitive*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1966

Another Emmy-winning TV series that was made into a great movie in the 1990s, *The Fugitive* captured America's attention with Dr. Richard Kimball's search for the one-armed man.

**WINNER:** *The Defenders*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1962, 1963, 1964

No, this wasn't an original version of the Marvel series about Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Iron Fist. No, this *Defenders* starred E.G. Marshall and a pre-*Brady Bunch* Robert Reed as a father/son pair of lawyers.

**WINNER:** *Hallmark Hall of Fame: Macbeth*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1961

This was a special production of Shakespeare's classic Scottish play, presented by the venerable Emmy fave Hallmark Hall of Fame.

**WINNER:** *Playhouse 90*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1958, 1959, 1960

CBS's anthology series of hour-long plays ran for four seasons, winning the Emmy for three of them.

**WINNER:** *Maverick*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1959
James Garner again, this time in his landmark western series (which was later adapted into a movie starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster).

**WINNER:** *Alcoa-Goodyear Theater*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1959

Another anthology series, this one spawned from the live *Goodyear Theater* productions.

**WINNER:** *Gunsmoke*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1958

The legendary Western series -- which lasted for a whopping 20 seasons on TV -- started out as a radio program. Where to stream *Gunsmoke*

**WINNER:** *The Phil Silvers Show*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1957

Phil Silvers was another great comedic actor and starred in this series, which is sometimes referred to as "Sergeant Bilko."

**WINNER:** *Caesar's Hour*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1957

The Caesar in this case isn't Julius but Sid, as in legendary comedic actor Sid Caesar, who hosted this hour-long sketch show.

**WINNER:** *Disneyland*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1956

The predecessor to Disney anthology series like *The Wonderful World of Disney*, this particular series coincided with the opening of the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, and thus featured park-related content.

**WINNER:** *Producers Showcase*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1956

While generically titled, this anthology series featured some of the great talent of its time, including stars like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and directors like William Wyler. Standout productions included the famous Mary Martin-starring production of "Peter Pan," as well as a musical production of *Our Town* (starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint) that featured Frank Sinatra's original song "Love and Marriage."

**WINNER:** *Stories of the Century*
**NETWORK:** syndicated
**YEARS WON:** 1955

This anthology western starred Jim Davis, who would later play Jock Ewing on *Dallas*.

**WINNER:** *The United States Steel Hour*
**NETWORK:** ABC
**YEARS WON:** 1954, 1955

Yes, sponsorship for Golden Age TV shows included big industries like U.S. Steel. This anthology series featured acting talent like James Dean. Andy Griffith, Walter Matthau and Tallulah Bankhead.

**WINNER:** *Dragnet*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1953, 1954, 1955

The classic, buttoned-down, conservative American cop show, Jack Webb's terse, to-the-point series won three consecutive Emmys. Where to stream *Dragnet*

**WINNER:** *Robert Montgomery Presents*
**NETWORK:** NBC
**YEARS WON:** 1953

This anthology series starred, among others, James Dean, James Cagney, Jack Lemmon, and Geraldine Page.

**WINNER:** *Studio One*
**NETWORK:** CBS
**YEARS WON:** 1952

Originally a radio show, the TV version featured performances by Sal Mineo, Ed Asner, and in his television debut, Warren Beatty.

**WINNER:** *Pulitzer Prize Playhouse*
**NETWORK:** KECA-TV
**YEARS WON:** 1951

True to its name, this anthology series featured adaptations of Pulitzer Prize-winning TV series and books.

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This year marks the 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in television since the 1950s. Recent years have seen the Emmys honor drama from all sorts of sub-genres — fantasy! dystopia! spycraft! moody anti-heroes by the truck-load! — and everywhere from basic cable to premium cable to streaming. (No winners from a network show since 24 in 2006, though.)

It’s been a long and fascinating history for dramatic Emmy winners. During the first couple decades of the award, anthology series were all the rage. Dramatic TV often boiled down to weekly filmed plays, broadcast at the same hour each week and under the same corporate-sponsor banner (Texaco! Goodyear!). The end of the ’60s brought us genres like the western and the medical, cop, and law dramas, genres that would essentially power the Emmys through the ’80s and ’90s. The cable revolution of the 2000s invigorated the category, and as we saw last year with The Handmaid’s Tale, streaming has only just begun to assert themselves in the top Emmys race.

To commemorate 70 years of the Emmys, we gathered the 46 drama series which took home the Emmy over the years. There are quite a few shows who won more than once — though, interesting, none more than 4, an honor shared by Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and The West Wing — and a few years that broke up the dramas into multiple winners. Where available, we noted where you can stream these shows. Happy Emmy memories!