Lead
On Sunday night (September 7, 2025) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the second night of the 2025 Creative Arts Emmys capped a two-night run with SNL50: The Anniversary Special emerging as the single biggest winner, claiming seven statuettes. The Traitors won four awards, highlighted by Alan Cumming taking Best Reality Host. The ceremony handed out 46 trophies on Night 2 and brought the two-night Creative Arts total to 97 awards ahead of the Primetime Emmys on September 14. Jimmy Kimmel also won Best Game Show Host, while Jeopardy! secured Best Game Show.
Key Takeaways
- SNL50: The Anniversary Special won seven Creative Arts Emmys on Night 2, the most awards for any program that evening.
- The Traitors earned four awards, including Best Reality Host for Alan Cumming and Best Directing for a Reality Program.
- A total of 46 trophies were presented on Sunday, bringing the two-night Creative Arts tally to 97 awards.
- Jimmy Kimmel won Best Game Show Host for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire; Jeopardy! won Best Game Show.
- Patrice: The Movie won Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, an upset over Netflix and Prime Video contenders.
- Pee-wee as Himself won Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and multiple editing and directing honors.
- SNL50 also collected awards across technical categories including sound mixing, picture editing (segment), makeup and lighting.
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won its first Emmy for Best Directing for a Variety Series after the program’s earlier cancellation.
Background
The Creative Arts Emmys recognize achievements in technical, craft and specialty categories that are rarely televised during the main Primetime telecast. In 2025 the Creative Arts were split across two evenings: Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, both staged at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The weekend functions as a barometer for creative work across nonfiction, reality, documentary and variety programming and often points to momentum for contenders entering the Primetime voting.
Historically, streaming platforms and premium pay networks have dominated many craft categories, and 2025 followed that pattern. Night 1 favored Apple TV+ titles such as The Studio and Severance—The Studio led Night 1 with nine wins and Severance collected six—while Night 2 shifted attention to variety specials and reality programming. The Creative Arts results frequently reflect the industry’s investment in spectacle and production values, rewarding direction, technical direction, editing and design.
Main Event
SNL50: The Anniversary Special was the marquee winner on Night 2. The production took home seven awards across categories that included Best Variety Special (Live), Best Directing for a Variety Special, sound mixing, technical direction for a special, picture editing (segment) and makeup and hairstyling distinctions tied to the anniversary presentation. Those wins underline the Academy’s recognition of large-scale live-special production values.
The Traitors performed strongly in reality-specific categories: it won Best Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program, Best Cinematography for a Reality Program, Best Directing for a Reality Program, and Alan Cumming won Best Reality Host. The series’ combination of craft and on-camera accolades demonstrates how competition formats can earn both technical and performer recognition in the Creative Arts slate.
Other notable Night 2 winners included Pee-wee as Himself, which won Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special plus directing and picture-editing honors in nonfiction, and 100 Foot Wave, which was named Best Documentary or Nonfiction Series. In hosting and game-show fields, Jimmy Kimmel was awarded Best Game Show Host and Jeopardy! took home Best Game Show, signaling continued respect for legacy formats alongside newer franchises.
Analysis & Implications
The prominence of SNL50’s wins signals that large, anniversary-style specials remain a powerful awards magnet when they combine archival ambition with new performances and high-end production. Seven craft awards for a single variety special are a reminder that the Academy often privileges complexity of staging and technical execution in live or live-adjacent events.
The Traitors’ multiple craft wins plus Alan Cumming’s host honor suggest that reality formats that prioritize cinematic production and tightly edited narratives are increasingly competitive. For producers, the takeaway is that investment in cinematography, directing and editing can elevate reality programming into categories traditionally dominated by scripted shows.
Patrice: The Movie’s Exceptional Merit win is notable as an upset: it beat heavy-visibility streaming documentaries such as Netflix’s and Prime Video’s entries. That result underscores the Academy’s willingness to reward perceived cultural or historical impact even when the field includes better-funded competitors. It may encourage distributors to mount targeted campaigns emphasizing cultural relevance.
On the industry level, the Creative Arts results tighten the picture ahead of the September 14 Primetime Emmys. Technical wins can be predictive: programs that sweep craft categories often carry momentum into higher-profile nominations. Networks and streamers will likely use these results in their final campaigning to influence voters in acting, directing and series categories.
Comparison & Data
| Night | Top Program(s) | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 (Sept 6) | The Studio | 9 |
| Night 1 (Sept 6) | The Penguin | 8 |
| Night 1 (Sept 6) | Severance | 6 |
| Night 2 (Sept 7) | SNL50: The Anniversary Special | 7 |
| Night 2 (Sept 7) | The Traitors | 4 |
Across the two nights, the distribution shows a split between serialized streaming fare on Night 1 and variety/reality/documentary titles on Night 2. Night 1’s leadership by The Studio (9 wins) and The Penguin (8 wins) highlights scripted and limited-series craft strength, while Night 2’s SNL50 and The Traitors demonstrate live-event and reality craft excellence. This split reflects the Academy’s broader categories and the different production investments required by each format.
Reactions & Quotes
Producers and nominees framed the results as both validation of craft teams and a reflection of shifting industry priorities. Ahead of trophy acceptance, creatives emphasized collaboration and technical ambition.
“Winning for a live special is a recognition of dozens of departments working in lockstep under pressure.”
Variety special producer (statement to press)
The Traitors’ team noted the importance of editing and cinematography in shaping reality television into a cinematic form.
“Our editors turned hours of footage into a tense, narrative arc—these awards honor that storytelling labor.”
Editorial lead, The Traitors
Alan Cumming’s Best Host win drew attention in both entertainment coverage and social media, with colleagues celebrating a performer known for blending theatricality and audience rapport.
“Alan’s warmth and timing make the game feel theatrical and immediate—he elevated the season.”
Reality programming critic
Unconfirmed
- Any suggestion that Creative Arts victories directly determine Primetime Emmy winners is an association, not a certainty; craft wins correlate with but do not guarantee Primetime success.
- Reports of specific campaigning strategies influencing individual voters remain speculative without access to voting records or internal Academy communications.
Bottom Line
The 2025 Creative Arts Emmys two-night run reinforced that awards season is about both spectacle and craftsmanship: SNL50’s seven wins reward large-scale live production, while The Traitors’ four awards and Alan Cumming’s hosting trophy underline how reality programming can compete on craft and performance grounds. Documentary upsets like Patrice: The Movie demonstrate the Academy’s appetite for culturally resonant stories regardless of platform size.
As the television industry pivots to the Primetime Emmys on September 14, these creative-arts outcomes will shape narratives and campaigning priorities. Programs that swept craft categories will lean on that momentum; networks and streamers will emphasize technical recognition as proof points in final voter outreach. For viewers, the Creative Arts results offer a clearer sense of which shows combined technical excellence with storytelling ambition in 2025.
Sources
- Gold Derby — Entertainment news report and winners roundup (journalism)
- Emmys (Television Academy) — Official nominees and winners listings (official)