Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television
| Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best performance of the year by a female in a leading role in a genre television series |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films |
| First awarded | 1996 |
| Currently held by | Caitríona Balfe for Outlander (2022/2023) |
| Website | www |
The following is a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Actress on Television. The award is presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, honoring the work of actresses in science fiction, fantasy, and horror fiction on television. The winners are listed in bold (NOTE: Year refers to year of eligibility, the actual ceremonies are held the following year.)
As of the 47th Saturn Awards in 2022, the award is known as Best Actress in a Network or Cable Television Series and features a sister category: Saturn Award for Best Actress in a Streaming Television Series.
Winners and nominees
[edit]1990s
[edit]| Year | Actress | Television Program | Network | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1996
(23rd) |
Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully |
| Claudia Christian | Babylon 5 | Syndicated | Susan Ivanova | |
| Melissa Joan Hart | Sabrina, The Teenage Witch | ABC | Sabrina Spellman | |
| Lucy Lawless | Xena: Warrior Princess | Syndicated | Xena | |
| Helen Shaver | Poltergeist: The Legacy | Showtime | Dr. Rachel Corrigan | |
| Megan Ward | Dark Skies | NBC | Kimberly Sayers | |
1997
(24th) |
Kate Mulgrew | Star Trek: Voyager | UPN | Kathryn Janeway |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | The WB | Buffy Summers | |
| Jeri Ryan | Star Trek: Voyager | UPN | Seven of Nine | |
| Ally Walker | Profiler | NBC | Samantha Waters | |
| Peta Wilson | La Femme Nikita | USA Network | Nikita | |
1998
(25th) |
Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | The WB | Buffy Summers |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully | |
| Claudia Christian | Babylon 5 | TNT | Susan Ivanova | |
| Shannen Doherty | Charmed | The WB | Prue Halliwell | |
| Kate Mulgrew | Star Trek: Voyager | UPN | Kathryn Janeway | |
| Jeri Ryan | Seven of Nine | |||
1999
(26th) |
Margaret Colin | Now and Again | CBS | Lisa Wiseman |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully | |
| Claudia Black | Farscape | Sci-Fi | Aeryn Sun | |
| Shannen Doherty | Charmed | The WB | Prue Halliwell | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Buffy Summers | ||
| Kate Mulgrew | Star Trek: Voyager | UPN | Kathryn Janeway |
2000s
[edit]| Year | Actress | Television Program | Network | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2000
(27th) |
Jessica Alba | Dark Angel | Fox | Max Guevara |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully | |
| Claudia Black | Farscape | Sci-Fi | Aeryn Sun | |
| Charisma Carpenter | Angel | The WB | Cordelia Chase | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Buffy Summers | ||
| Kate Mulgrew | Star Trek: Voyager | UPN | Kathryn Janeway | |
2001
(28th) |
Yancy Butler | Witchblade | TNT | Sara Pezzini |
| Jessica Alba | Dark Angel | Fox | Max Guevara | |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Dana Scully | ||
| Claudia Black | Farscape | Sci-Fi | Aeryn Sun | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | The WB | Buffy Summers | |
| Kristin Kreuk | Smallville | Lana Lang | ||
2002
(29th) |
Jennifer Garner | Alias | ABC | Sydney Bristow |
| Emily Bergl | Taken | Sci-Fi | Lisa Clarke | |
| Claudia Black | Farscape | Aeryn Sun | ||
| Charisma Carpenter | Angel | The WB | Cordelia Chase | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | UPN | Buffy Summers | |
| Kristin Kreuk | Smallville | The WB | Lana Lang | |
2003
(30th) |
Amber Tamblyn | Joan of Arcadia | CBS | Joan Girardi |
| Eliza Dushku | Tru Calling | Fox | Tru Davies | |
| Jennifer Garner | Alias | ABC | Sydney Bristow | |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | UPN | Buffy Summers | |
| Kristin Kreuk | Smallville | The WB | Lana Lang | |
| Ellen Muth | Dead Like Me | Showtime | Georgia Lass | |
2004
(31st) |
Claudia Black | Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars | Sci-Fi | Aeryn Sun |
| Kristen Bell | Veronica Mars | UPN | Veronica Mars | |
| Jennifer Garner | Alias | ABC | Sydney Bristow | |
| Anne Heche | The Dead Will Tell | CBS | Emily Parker | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
| Amber Tamblyn | Joan of Arcadia | CBS | Joan Girardi | |
2005
(32nd) |
Kristen Bell | Veronica Mars | UPN | Veronica Mars |
| Patricia Arquette | Medium | NBC | Allison DuBois | |
| Jennifer Garner | Alias | ABC | Sydney Bristow | |
| Jennifer Love Hewitt | Ghost Whisperer | CBS | Melinda Gordon | |
| Kristin Kreuk | Smallville | The WB | Lana Lang | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
2006
(33rd) |
Jennifer Love Hewitt | Ghost Whisperer | CBS | Melinda Gordon |
| Patricia Arquette | Medium | NBC | Allison DuBois | |
| Kristen Bell | Veronica Mars | The CW | Veronica Mars | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
| Katee Sackhoff | Battlestar Galactica | Sci-Fi | Kara Thrace | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson | |
2007
(34th) |
Jennifer Love Hewitt | Ghost Whisperer | CBS | Melinda Gordon |
| Anna Friel | Pushing Daisies | ABC | Charlotte Charles | |
| Lena Headey | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Fox | Sarah Connor | |
| Holly Hunter | Saving Grace | TNT | Grace Hanadarko | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson | |
2008
(35th) |
Mary McDonnell | Battlestar Galactica | Sci-Fi | Laura Roslin |
| Lena Headey | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Fox | Sarah Connor | |
| Jennifer Love Hewitt | Ghost Whisperer | CBS | Melinda Gordon | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
| Anna Paquin | True Blood | HBO | Sookie Stackhouse | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson | |
| Anna Torv | Fringe | Fox | Olivia Dunham | |
2009
(36th) |
Anna Torv | Fringe | Fox | Olivia Dunham |
| Anna Gunn | Breaking Bad | AMC | Skyler White | |
| Jennifer Love Hewitt | Ghost Whisperer | CBS | Melinda Gordon | |
| Evangeline Lilly | Lost | ABC | Kate Austen | |
| Anna Paquin | True Blood | HBO | Sookie Stackhouse | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson |
2010s
[edit]| Year | Actress | Television Program | Network | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2010
(37th) |
Anna Torv | Fringe | Fox | Olivia Dunham |
| Sarah Wayne Callies | The Walking Dead | AMC | Lori Grimes | |
| Erica Durance | Smallville | The CW | Lois Lane | |
| Elizabeth Mitchell | V | ABC | Erica Evans | |
| Anna Paquin | True Blood | HBO | Sookie Stackhouse | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson | |
2011
(38th) |
Anna Torv | Fringe | Fox | Olivia Dunham |
| Mireille Enos | The Killing | AMC | Sarah Linden | |
| Lena Headey | Game of Thrones | HBO | Cersei Lannister | |
| Jessica Lange | American Horror Story | FX | Constance Langdon | |
| Eve Myles | Torchwood | Starz | Gwen Cooper | |
| Kyra Sedgwick | The Closer | TNT | Brenda Leigh Johnson | |
2012
(39th) |
Anna Torv | Fringe | Fox | Olivia Dunham |
| Moon Bloodgood | Falling Skies | TNT | Anne Glass | |
| Mireille Enos | The Killing | AMC | Sarah Linden | |
| Sarah Paulson | American Horror Story: Asylum | FX | Lana Winters | |
| Charlotte Riley | World Without End | Reelz | Caris Wooler | |
| Tracy Spiridakos | Revolution | NBC | Charlotte Matheson | |
2013
(40th) |
Vera Farmiga | Bates Motel | A&E | Norma Louise Bates |
| Jennifer Carpenter | Dexter | Showtime | Debra Morgan | |
| Anna Gunn | Breaking Bad | AMC | Skyler White | |
| Jessica Lange | American Horror Story: Coven | FX | Fiona Goode | |
| Rachel Nichols | Continuum | Syfy | Kiera Cameron | |
| Keri Russell | The Americans | FX | Elizabeth Jennings | |
2014
(41st) |
Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall |
| Hayley Atwell | Marvel's Agent Carter | ABC | Peggy Carter | |
| Vera Farmiga | Bates Motel | A&E | Norma Louise Bates | |
| Jessica Lange | American Horror Story: Freak Show | FX | Elsa Mars | |
| Rachel Nichols | Continuum | Syfy | Kiera Cameron | |
| Rebecca Romijn | The Librarians | TNT | Eve Baird | |
2015
(42nd) |
Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | Dana Scully | |
| Melissa Benoist | Supergirl | CBS | Kara Danvers / Supergirl | |
| Kim Dickens | Fear the Walking Dead | AMC | Madison Clark | |
| Rachel Nichols | Continuum | Syfy | Kiera Cameron | |
| Krysten Ritter | Marvel's Jessica Jones | Netflix | Jessica Jones | |
| Rebecca Romijn | The Librarians | TNT | Eve Baird | |
2016
(43rd) |
Melissa Benoist | Supergirl | The CW | Kara Danvers / Supergirl |
| Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall | |
| Kim Dickens | Fear the Walking Dead | AMC | Madison Clark | |
| Vera Farmiga | Bates Motel | A&E | Norma Louise Bates | |
| Lena Headey | Game of Thrones | HBO | Cersei Lannister | |
| Sarah Paulson | American Horror Story: Roanoke | FX | Audrey Tindall, Shelby Miller and Lana Winters | |
| Winona Ryder | Stranger Things | Netflix | Joyce Byers | |
2017
(44th) |
Sonequa Martin-Green | Star Trek: Discovery | CBS All Access | Michael Burnham |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Fox | FBI Special Agent Dana Scully | |
| Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall | |
| Melissa Benoist | Supergirl | The CW | Kara Danvers / Supergirl | |
| Lena Headey | Game of Thrones | HBO | Cersei Lannister | |
| Adrianne Palicki | The Orville | Fox | Commander Kelly Grayson | |
| Sarah Paulson | American Horror Story: Cult | FX | Ally Mayfair-Richards and Susan Atkins | |
| Mary Elizabeth Winstead | Fargo | Nikki Swango | ||
2018/2019
(45th) |
Emilia Clarke | Game of Thrones | HBO | Daenerys Targaryen |
| Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall | |
| Melissa Benoist | Supergirl | The CW | Kara Danvers / Supergirl | |
| Sandra Oh | Killing Eve | BBC America | Eve Polastri | |
| Adrianne Palicki | The Orville | Fox | Commander Kelly Grayson | |
| Candice Patton | The Flash | The CW | Iris West | |
| Jodie Whittaker | Doctor Who | BBC America | The Doctor | |
| Caitríona Balfe | Outlander | Starz | Claire Randall | |
| Melissa Benoist | Supergirl | The CW | Kara Danvers / Supergirl | |
| Regina King | Watchmen | HBO | Angela Abar / Sister Night | |
| Sonequa Martin-Green | Star Trek: Discovery | CBS All Access | Michael Burnham | |
| Thandiwe Newton | Westworld | HBO | Maeve Millay | |
| Candice Patton | The Flash | The CW | Iris West | |
| Rhea Seehorn | Better Call Saul | AMC | Kim Wexler |
2020s
[edit]Multiple nominations
[edit]- 8 nominations
- Gillian Anderson
- 7 nominations
- Caitríona Balfe
- Sarah Michelle Gellar
- 6 nominations
- Evangeline Lilly
- Kyra Sedgwick
- 5 nominations
- Melissa Benoist
- Claudia Black
- Lena Headey
- Jennifer Love Hewitt
- Anna Torv
- 4 nominations
- Jennifer Garner
- Kristin Kreuk
- Kate Mulgrew
- 3 nominations
- Kristen Bell
- Vera Farmiga
- Jessica Lange
- Rachel Nichols
- Anna Paquin
- Sarah Paulson
- 2 nominations
- Jessica Alba
- Patricia Arquette
- Charisma Carpenter
- Claudia Christian
- Kim Dickens
- Shannen Doherty
- Mireille Enos
- Anna Gunn
- Sonequa Martin-Green
- Adrianne Palicki
- Candice Patton
- Rebecca Romijn
- Jeri Ryan
- Rhea Seehorn
- Amber Tamblyn
Multiple wins
[edit]- 4 wins
- Caitríona Balfe (2 consecutive)
- Anna Torv (consecutive)
- 2 wins
- Jennifer Love Hewitt (consecutive)