“Modern Family” has been making headlines this week for all the wrong reasons. However, this bad press isn’t hurting its Emmy hopes as it is still predicted to prevail as Comedy Series for a third time,
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In so doing, “Modern Family” will tie the achievement of rival nominee “30 Rock,” which won this top prize for three years in a row, beginning in 2007. That NBC laffer is the most recent of the seven shows to claim Comedy Series at least three times. VIEW GALLERY
The first comedy to win three series prizes was Carl Reiner‘s “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” After being snubbed for its first low-rated season, it won the award for its second (1963), third (1964) and fifth and final (1966) season. In 1965, the Emmys had abandoned categories and the show won for outstanding achievement in entertainment.
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The second show to pull off this triple play was Norman Lear‘s groundbreaking “All in the Family” which contended for all nine seasons. It won Comedy Series for each of its first three years on the air (1971, 1972, 1973) and again for its eighth season (1978).
One of its rival nominees for the first seven years was “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which eventually won for seasons five (1975), six (1976) and seven (1977).
James L. Brooks, one of the creators of “MTM,” was part of the team behind “Taxi” which won for its first three seasons (1979 – 1981) before losing for its last two.
After “Taxi” was cancelled, Glen Charles, Les Charles and James Burrows created “Cheers” which was nominated for each of its 11 seasons, winning for seasons one (1983), two (1984), seven (1989) and nine (1991).
Interestingly, one of the shows that “Cheers” beat in its first year of competition was “M*A*S*H” which had signed off to a record audience. Despite contending for all 11 seasons, it won just once — in 1974.
“Cheers” begat “Frasier,” which holds the record with five wins. It claimed the prize for its first season in 1994 and held on to it for four more years. Like “Cheers,” it too ran for 11 years. However, “Fraiser” was snubbed for its last three seasons.
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