“Saturday Night Live” and the “SNL50” specials cleaned up on Night 2 of the Creative Arts Emmys, winning 11 categories, by far the most of any nominee. Considering that Lorne Michael’s half-century-old comedy institution was already the most nominated program in Primetime Emmy Awards history with 372 nods, it was expected that TV Academy voters would respond well to its milestone fiftieth season in all its various forms. The “SNL” wins on Sunday included production design for a variety series; lighting design; sound mixing; technical direction/camera work; and writing.
Still, “SNL” wasn’t invincible. “SNL50” lost best documentary or nonfiction series to HBO Max’s “100 Foot Wave,” which also won for cinematography. Another HBO program, “Pee-wee As Himself,” scored three victories, including best documentary/nonfiction series, putting it just behind Peacock’s “The Traitors,” whose four wins included Alan Cumming’s second consecutive Emmy for reality TV host.
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” finally ended its history of leaving the Emmys empty-handed, picking up best directing for a variety series. That won’t change the fact that CBS canceled the show in July, calling it a “financial decision” mere days after Colbert derided CBS’s $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump. Still, nice to grab a win on the way out.
In other news sure to annoy Trump: Barack Obama, already the only U.S. president to win an Emmy, added a third statuette to his trove for narrating Netflix’s “Our Oceans.” And Netflix’s “Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor” won best pre-recorded variety special. The Kennedy Center had selected O’Brien as this year’s honoree before Forty-Seven’s hostile takeover, when he replaced longtime employees with his allies. (HBO Max’s “Conan O’Brien Must Go” also won on Sunday for hosted nonfiction series or special.)
And so concludes two evenings celebrating the best in technical and artistic achievement. Night 1 focused mainly on scripted programing, ending with “The Studio” on top with nine wins and in a comfortable position heading into the Primetime Emmys ceremony on Sept. 14, which airs live on CBS and Paramount+ at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST. Nights 1 and 2 of the CAE will be edited into a single broadcast that will air Saturday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m. PST on FXX.
Below is the complete list of winners.
Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program
“Love on the Spectrum,” Netflix
Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming
The 67th Grammy Awards, CBS
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
“100 Foot Wave,” HBO Max
Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program
“The Traitors,” Peacock
Outstanding Commercial
“Brian Cox Goes To College,” Uber One for Students
Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming (Juried)
“Beyoncé Bowl,” Netflix
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Matt Wolf, “Pee-wee as Himself,” Peacock
Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program
“The Traitors,” Peacock
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
Jim Hoskinson, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” CBS
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
Liz Patrick, “SNL 50,” NBC
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
“100 Foot Wave,” HBO Max
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
“Pee-wee As Himself,” HBO Max
Outstanding Emerging Media Program
“SNL 50th The Anniversary Special: Immersive Experience,” NBC
Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming (Juried)
“White Rabbit” Shibuya Film
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
“Patrice: The Movie,” Hulu
Outstanding Game Show
“Jeopardy!” ABC
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program
“SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
Outstanding Host for a Game Show
Jimmy Kimmel, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” ABC
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program
Alan Cumming, “The Traitors,” Peacock
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
“Conan O’Brien Must Go,” HBO Max
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series
“Saturday Night Live,” NBC
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special
67th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS
Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program
“SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
“Chef’s Table,” Netflix
Outstanding Music Direction
The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar, Fox
Outstanding Narrator
Barack Obama, “Our Oceans,” Netflix
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program
“Pee-wee as Himself,” HBO Max
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program
“The Traitors,” Peacock
Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program
“Welcome to Wrexham,” FX
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming
“Cunk on Life,” Netflix
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment)
“SNL 50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special
The Oscars, ABC
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series
“Saturday Night Live,” NBC
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
“The Daily Show” Desi Lydic Foxplains, Comedy Central
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series
“Adolescence, The Making of Adolescence,” Netflix
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program
“Music By John Williams,” Disney
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program
“Beatles ’64,” Disney
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Program
“Welcome to Wrexham,” FX
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
“SNL 50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
“Queer Eye,” Netflix
Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series
“Saturday Night Live,” NBC
Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special
“SNL 50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
“Love on the Spectrum,” Netflix
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
“Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor,” Netflix
Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program
“The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: MAGA: The Next Generation”
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
“SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” NBC
