33rd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 33rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 13, 1981. The ceremony was broadcast on CBS. It was hosted by Shirley MacLaine and Edward Asner.
For the third consecutive year, the Primetime [Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series|Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series] went to Taxi. The top show on the drama side was Hill Street Blues which, in its first season, tied the record for most major nominations and wins by a non-miniseries. NBC's ratings juggernaut Shōgun received eight major nominations, but only won one, for Outstanding Limited Series.
Winners and nominees
Programs
Acting
Lead performances
Supporting performances
Directing
Writing
Most major nominations
| Program | Category | Network | Number of Nominations |
| Hill Street Blues | Drama | NBC | 14 |
| Lou Grant | Drama | CBS | 10 |
| M*A*S*H | Comedy | CBS | 8 |
| Shōgun | Miniseries | NBC | 8 |
| Taxi | Comedy | ABC | 8 |
| Masada | Miniseries | ABC | 7 |
| Dallas | Drama | CBS | 5 |
| Playing for Time | Special | CBS | 5 |
| Barney Miller | Comedy | ABC | 4 |
| Soap | Comedy | ABC | 4 |
| WKRP in Cincinnati | Comedy | CBS | 4 |
| The Shadow Box | Special | ABC | 3 |
| The Women's Room | Special | ABC | 3 |
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Fred Astaire | Variety | CBS | 2 |
| American Dream | Drama | ABC | 2 |
| Archie Bunker's Place | Comedy | CBS | 2 |
| Bitter Harvest | Special | NBC | 2 |
| The Bunker | Special | CBS | 2 |
| The Jeffersons | Comedy | CBS | 2 |
| Lily: Sold Out | Variety | CBS | 2 |
| The Muppet Show | Variety | Syndicated | 2 |
| Musical Comedy Tonight II | Variety | PBS | 2 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Variety | NBC | 2 |
Most major awards
| Program | Category | Network | Number of Awards |
| Hill Street Blues | Drama | NBC | 6 |
| Taxi | Comedy | ABC | 5 |
| Playing for Time | Special | CBS | 4 |
;Notes