Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation

The Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the best writing in an animated television program.

Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation
Awarded for	Outstanding Writing in Animation
Country	United States
Presented by	Writers Guild of America
First awarded	2003
Currently held by	Elijah Aron & Patrick Metcalf for Undone (2022)
Website	www.wga.org

History

It has been presented annually since the 55th Writers Guild of America Awards in 2003 where Futurama won the first award.^[1] Before the award's inception, animated programs were submitted under their appropriate category (either episodic comedy or episodic drama). However, no animated programs received nominations. The Simpsons is the only program to win more than three awards, winning thirteen. It also holds the record for nominations with 60.

Winners and nominees

Notes

• The years denote when the episode first aired; the awards are presented the following year. Though, due to the eligibility period, some nominees could have aired in a different year. For the first 16 years, the eligibility period was December 1 to November 30. Starting in 2018, the eligibility period shifted to correspond with the calendar year (January 1 to December 31).^[2] The winners are highlighted in gold.

2000s

Year	Show	Episode	Writer(s)	Network	Ref.
2002 (55th)	Futurama	"Godfellas"	Ken Keeler	Fox	^[3]
	King of the Hill	"My Own Private Rodeo"	Alex Gregory & Peter Huyck	Fox
	Santa Baby!		Peter Bakalian & Suzanne Collins
	The Simpsons	"The Bart Wants What It Wants"	John Frink & Don Payne
		"Jaws Wired Shut"	Matt Selman
		"Blame It on Lisa"	Bob Bendetson
2003 (56th)	The Simpsons	"The Dad Who Knew Too Little"	Matt Selman	Fox	^[4] ^[5]
	The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	"Operation: Rescue Jet Fusion"	Steven Banks	Nickelodeon
	Futurama	"The Sting"	Patric Verrone	Fox
	King of the Hill	"Reborn to be Wild"	Tony Gama-Lobo & Rebecca May
	The Simpsons	"Moe Baby Blues"	J. Stewart Burns
		"My Mother the Carjacker"	Michael Price
2004 (57th)	The Simpsons	"Catch 'Em If You Can"	Ian Maxtone-Graham	Fox	^[6] ^[7]
	Justice League	"Starcrossed"	Part I: Rich Fogel Part II: Story by : Rich Fogel Teleplay by : John Ridley Part III: Rich Fogel and Dwayne McDuffie	Cartoon Network
	The Simpsons	"Fraudcast News"	Don Payne	Fox
		"Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore"	Julie Chambers & David Chambers
		"Today I Am a Clown"	Joel H. Cohen
2005 (58th)	The Simpsons	"Mommie Beerest"	Michael Price	Fox	^[8] ^[9]
	The Simpsons	"The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star"	Matt Warburton	Fox
		"The Girl Who Slept Too Little"	John Frink
		"See Homer Run"	Stephanie Gillis
		"Thank God, It's Doomsday"	Don Payne
		"There's Something About Marrying"	J. Stewart Burns
2006 (59th)	The Simpsons	"The Italian Bob"	John Frink	Fox	^[10] ^[11]
	King of the Hill	"Church Hopping"	Jim Dauterive	Fox
	The Life and Times of Juniper Lee	"Who's Your Daddy?"	Marsha Griffin	Cartoon Network
	The Simpsons	"Girls Just Want to Have Sums"	Matt Selman	Fox
		"Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore"	Dan Castellaneta & Deb Lacusta
		"Simpsons Christmas Stories"	Don Payne
2007 (60th)	The Simpsons	"Kill Gil: Vols. 1 & 2"	Jeff Westbrook	Fox	^[12] ^[13]
	King of the Hill	"Lucky's Wedding Suit"	Jim Dauterive	Fox
		"The Passion of the Dauterive"	Tony Gama-Lobo & Rebecca May
	The Simpsons	"The Haw-Hawed Couple"	Matt Selman
		"The Homer of Seville"	Carolyn Omine
		"Stop or My Dog Will Shoot"	John Frink
2008 (61st)	The Simpsons	"Apocalypse Cow"	Jeff Westbrook	Fox	^[14] ^[15]
	King of the Hill	"Life: A Loser's Manual"	Dan McGrath	Fox
		"Strangeness on a Train"	Jim Dauterive
	The Simpsons	"The Debarted"	Joel H. Cohen
		"E Pluribus Wiggum"	Michael Price
		"Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words"	Tim Long
2009 (62nd)	The Simpsons	"Wedding for Disaster"	Joel H. Cohen	Fox	^[16] ^[17]
	The Simpsons	"The Burns and the Bees"	Stephanie Gillis	Fox
		"Eeny Teeny Maya Moe"	John Frink
		"Gone Maggie Gone"	Billy Kimball & Ian Maxtone-Graham
		"Take My Life, Please"	Don Payne

2010s

Year	Show	Episode	Writer(s)	Network	Ref.
2010 (63rd)	Futurama	"The Prisoner of Benda"	Ken Keeler	Comedy Central	^[18] ^[19]
	Back at the Barnyard	"Treasure Hunt"	Tom Sheppard	Nickelodeon
	Futurama	"Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences"	Patric Verrone	Comedy Central
	The Simpsons	"Moe Letter Blues"	Stephanie Gillis	Fox
		"O Brother, Where Bart Thou?"	Matt Selman
2011 (64th)	The Simpsons	"Homer the Father"	Joel H. Cohen	Fox	^[20]
	Ben 10: Ultimate Alien	"Moonstruck"	Len Uhley	Cartoon Network
	Futurama	"The Silence of the Clamps"	Eric Rogers	Comedy Central
	The Simpsons	"Bart Stops to Smell the Roosevelts"	Tim Long	Fox
		"The Blue and the Grey"	Rob LaZebnik
		"Donnie Fatso"	Chris Cluess
2012 (65th)	The Simpsons	"Ned 'n Edna's Blend Agenda"	Jeff Westbrook	Fox	^[21]
	Family Guy	"Forget-Me-Not"	David A. Goodman	Fox
	Futurama	"A Farewell to Arms"	Josh Weinstein	Comedy Central
	The Simpsons	"Holidays of Future Passed"	J. Stewart Burns	Fox
		"Treehouse of Horror XXIII"	David Mandel & Brian Kelley
2013 (66th)	The Simpsons	"A Test Before Trying"	Joel H. Cohen	Fox	^[22] ^[23]
	Futurama	"Game of Tones"	Michael Rowe	Comedy Central
		"Murder on the Planet Express"	Lewis Morton
		"Saturday Morning Fun Pit"	Patric Verrone
	The Simpsons	"Hardly Kirk-ing"	Tom Gammill & Max Pross	Fox
		"YOLO"	Michael Nobori
2014 (67th)	The Simpsons	"Brick Like Me"	Brian Kelley	Fox	^[24]
	Bob's Burgers	"Bob and Deliver"	Greg Thompson	Fox
		"Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl"	Nora Smith
	The Simpsons	"Covercraft"	Matt Selman
		"Pay Pal"	David H. Steinberg
		"Steal This Episode"	J. Stewart Burns
2015 (68th)	Bob's Burgers	"Housetrap"	Dan Fybel	Fox	^[25]
	Bob's Burgers	"Gayle Makin' Bob Sled"	Lizzie Molyneux & Wendy Molyneux	Fox
	BoJack Horseman	"Hank After Dark"	Kelly Galuska	Netflix
	The Simpsons	"Halloween of Horror"	Carolyn Omine	Fox
		"Sky Police"	Matt Selman
		"Walking Big & Tall"	Michael Price
2016 (69th)	BoJack Horseman	"Stop the Presses"	Joe Lawson	Netflix	^[26]
	BoJack Horseman	"Fish Out of Water"	Elijah Aron & Jordan Young	Netflix
	Elena of Avalor	"First Day of Rule"	Craig Gerber	Disney Channel
	The Simpsons	"Barthood"	Dan Greaney	Fox
	Star Wars Rebels	"A Princess on Lothal"	Steven Melching	Disney XD
2017 (70th)	BoJack Horseman	"Time's Arrow"	Kate Purdy	Netflix	^[27]
	Bob's Burgers	"Brunchsquatch"	Lizzie Molyneux & Wendy Molyneux	Fox
	BoJack Horseman	"Ruthie"	Joanna Calo	Netflix
	The Simpsons	"A Father's Watch"	Simon Rich	Fox
		"The Serfsons"	Brian Kelley
2018 (71st)	The Simpsons	"Bart's Not Dead"	Stephanie Gillis	Fox	^[28]
	Bob's Burgers	"Boywatch"	Rich Rinaldi	Fox
		"Just One of the Boyz 4 Now for Now"	Lizzie Molyneux & Wendy Molyneux
		"Mo Mommy, Mo Problems"	Steven Davis
	Family Guy	"Send in Stewie, Please"	Gary Janetti
	The Simpsons	"Krusty the Clown"	Ryan Koh
2019 (72nd)	The Simpsons	"Thanksgiving of Horror"	Dan Vebber	Fox	^[29]
	Bob's Burgers	"Bed, Bob & Beyond"	Kelvin Yu	Fox
		"The Gene Mile"	Steven Davis
	BoJack Horseman	"A Horse Walks Into A Rehab"	Elijah Aron	Netflix
	The Simpsons	"Go Big or Go Homer"	John Frink	Fox
		"Livin La Pura Vida"	Brian Kelley

2020s

Year	Show	Episode	Writer(s)	Network	Ref.
2020 (73rd)	BoJack Horseman	"Xerox of a Xerox"	Nick Adams	Netflix	^[30]
	Bob's Burgers	"Prank You for Being a Friend"	Katie Crown	Fox
	The Simpsons	"Bart the Bad Guy"	Dan Vebber
		"I, Carumbus"	Cesar Mazariegos
		"A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas"	Jessica Conrad
		"Three Dreams Denied"	Danielle Weisberg
2021 (74th)	Tuca & Bertie	"Planteau"	Lisa Hanawalt	Adult Swim	^[31]
	Bob's Burgers	"An Incon-Wheelie-ent Truth"	Dan Fybel	Fox
		"Loft in Bedslation"	Jameel Saleem
	Family Guy	"Must Love Dogs"	Daniel Peck
	The Simpsons	"Portrait of a Lackey on Fire"	Rob LaZebnik & Johnny LaZebnik
		"The Star of the Backstage"	Elisabeth Kiernen Averick
2022 (75th)	Undone	"Rectify"	Elijah Aron & Patrick Metcalf	Amazon Prime Video
	Bob's Burgers	"To Bob, or Not to Bob"	Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin & Wendy Molyneux	Fox	^[32]
	The Simpsons	"Girls Just Shauna Have Fun"	Jeff Westbrook
		"Pixelated and Afraid"	John Frink
		"The Sound of Bleeding Gums"	Loni Steele Sosthand
	Tuca & Bertie	"The Pain Garden"	Lisa Hanawalt	Adult Swim

Total awards

• Fox – 15
• Netflix – 3
• Comedy Central – 1

Programs with multiple awards

13 awards

• The Simpsons (Fox)

3 awards

• BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

2 awards

• Futurama (Fox; Comedy Central)

Programs with multiple nominations

66 nominations The Simpsons (Fox) 13 nominations Bob's Burgers (Fox) 9 nominations Futurama (Fox; Comedy Central) 7 nominations King of the Hill (Fox) BoJack Horseman (Netflix) 3 nominations Family Guy (Fox) See also List of animation awards References Baisley, Sarah (13 March 2003). "Futurama Wins First WGA Animation Award". Animation World Network. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Hipes, Patrick (16 July 2018). "WGA Awards Tweaks Rules, Opens Submissions". Deadline. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Ball, Ryan (11 March 2003). "Futurama Snags Writers Guild Award". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Hiestand, Jesse (19 January 2004). "'Simpsons,' 'Law & Order' Top WGA Noms". Backstage. Retrieved 23 February 2019. "WGA awards held in NYC and LA". UPI. 22 February 2004. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (15 December 2004). "'Wing' still has the write stuff". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Littleton, Cynthia (20 February 2005). "'Sunshine,' 'Sideways' win Writers Guild honors". Today. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (14 December 2005). "Peacock laffers have the write stuff". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. "Writers Guild Awards Winners". Writers Guild of America, West. 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-05-25. Retrieved 23 February 2019. DiOrio, Carl (14 December 2006). "HBO, NBC dominate WGA noms". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (11 February 2007). "'Departed' shines at WGA kudos". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. DiOrio, Carl (13 December 2007). "HBO tops WGA Award noms with five". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Thielman, Sam; McNary, Dave (9 February 2008). "Cody, Coens bros. top WGA Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. "2009 Writers Guild Awards Television, Radio, News, Promotional Writing, And Graphic Animation Nominees Announced". Writers Guild of America East. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave; Littleton, Cynthia (7 February 2009). "'Milk,' 'Slumdog' top WGA Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. "WGA announces TV noms". Variety. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (21 February 2010). "2010 Writers Guild Award Winners". TV Source Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Weprin, Alex (8 December 2010). "PBS Dominates News Categories in Writers Guild Award Nominations". TV Newser. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Fernandez, Jay A.; Szalai, Georg (5 February 2011). "'Inception,' 'Social Network' Win Top WGA Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Fernandez, Jay A. (19 February 2012). "Writers Guild Awards: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Kim, Wook (18 February 2013). "2013 WGA Awards: The Complete List Of Winners". Time. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (1 February 2014). "'Captain Phillips,' 'Her' Win Top Screenplay Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Milligan, Mercedes (5 December 2013). "'Simpsons' & 'Futurama' Dominate WGA Nominations". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (14 February 2015). "'Grand Budapest Hotel,' 'True Detective' Top WGA Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (13 February 2016). "WGA Honors 'Big Short,' 'Spotlight,' 'Mad Men' at 68th Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Littleton, Cynthia; McNary, Dave (19 February 2017). "WGA Awards: 'Moonlight,' 'Arrival' Win For Best Screenplay, 'Atlanta' Wins Twice". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. "WGA Awards: The Complete Winners List". Variety. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2019. McNary, Dave (17 February 2019). "WGA Awards 2019 Winners: 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?,' 'Eighth Grade' Win Screenplay Awards". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Lindhal, Chris (1 February 2020). "Writers Guild Awards 2020: 'Parasite' and 'JoJo Rabbit' Win Screenplay Awards". IndieWire. Retrieved 3 February 2020. Lewis, Hilary (February 3, 2021). "WGA Awards: TV, New Media, News Nominations Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 3, 2021. Schneider, Michael (January 13, 2022). "Writers Guild Unveils 2022 WGA TV Award Nominees: 'Yellowjackets,' 'Hacks,' 'Reservation Dogs,' 'Only Murders in the Building' and More". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2022. Pedersen, Erik (January 11, 2023). "WGA Awards TV Nominations: 'Abbott Elementary,' 'Better Call Saul,' 'The Crown,' 'Severance', 'Yellowjackets' Among Shows Vying For Top Prizes". Deadline.