Say this for the producers of the Primetime Emmy Awards: they know a good showdown when they see it.
Deadline’s Peter White reported Tuesday morning that the TV Academy is moving the presentation of Outstanding Variety Special (Live) from its traditional spot as part of the Creative Arts Emmys to the Primetime Emmy Awards proper.
The nominees this year include Saturday Night Live‘s star-studded 50th anniversary special and Netflix’s Beyoncé Bowl, two of the year’s most-talked-about TV events.
Also in the mix are The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show featuring Kendrick Lamar and the Conan O’Brien-hosted 97th Annual Academy Awards.
As White notes, the category is anyone’s to win. Last year’s winner was The Oscars, while the Super Bowl halftime show has prevailed in years past, as have SNL‘s anniversary specials. Meanwhile, with eight past nominations to her name but no wins, Beyoncé is overdue for an Emmy victory herself.
As we’ve reported, SNL has already broken its own record going into this year’s Emmy Awards, celebrating its 50th season by earning 31 nominations—the most the show has ever received in a single year.
Already the most Emmy-nominated show in history, SNL went into this year’s race with 341 total nominations—far ahead of any other series. Tuesday’s announcements brought that total to 372, cementing its legacy as a fixture of American television.
This new high mark surpasses the show’s previous record of 22 nominations, set in 2017. It also signals a return to awards prominence after a quieter showing in recent years.
The 31 nominations span not just the weekly sketch series, but also the 50th anniversary special, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, and SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which were recognized across a range of categories—from directing and production design to documentary and immersive media.
