Overview of Ariana Grande’s screen credits
When asking which TV shows Ariana Grande has been in, the core answer centers on her starring role as Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010–2013) and its spinoff Sam & Cat (2013–2014). She has also made notable guest appearances on other Nickelodeon programming and later network shows. This profile lists her key television credits, provides verified air dates and role details, and distinguishes her primary series regular work from limited and guest appearances.
Primary Nickelodeon series
Grande’s foundational television work is tied to two related Nickelodeon series in which she played a main character and performed musical storylines integral to each show’s identity.
Victorious
Victorious launched in 2010 and established Grande as a series regular portraying Cat Valentine, a quirky, optimistic performing-arts student at Hollywood Arts High School. Over four seasons, her character’s musical numbers and comedic timing became central to the show’s blend of teen drama and performance art. The series concluded in 2013, but its influence persisted through cast reunions and music releases tied to the show.
Sam & Cat
In 2013, Grande joined the spinoff Sam & Cat, pairing her Cat Valentine with Jennette McCurdy’s Sam Puckett. The series ran for one season (2013–2014) as a dual-lead sitcom centered on the duo running a babysitting and prank-delivery business in Los Angeles. Though shorter-lived than Victorious, Sam & Cat reinforced Grande’s presence in Nickelodeon’s live-action lineup.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| First series regular role | Victorious (Cat Valentine) | Network press archives |
| Victorious air dates | March 27, 2010 – February 2, 2013 | Network timelines |
| Sam & Cat air dates | June 8, 2013 – July 17, 2014 | Network timelines |
| Other major Nickelodeon credits | Big Time Rush (cameo), iParty with Victorious (special crossover) | Network episode guides |
Guest appearances and limited roles on other networks
Beyond her Nickelodeon main roles, Grande has made curated guest appearances and limited-series contributions that expand her television portfolio without constituting ongoing series work.
Scream Queens (Fox)
In 2015, Grande appeared in a recurring capacity on Fox’s horror-comedy Scream Queens, playing Chanel #2. Her involvement was tied to a multi-episode story arc and represented her first major non-Nickelodeon scripted role at a broadcast network.
Saturday Night Live
Grande has hosted and performed musically on SNL multiple times between 2014 and later years. These appearances are episodic and do not constitute a series role, though they are significant televised milestones in her career.
Other televised performances and specials
Grande has participated in standalone concert specials and award-show performances, which are televised events rather than scripted series. Examples include her CBS Grammy Awards performances and NBC’s New Year’s Eve specials. Such appearances extend her visibility on television but are not series roles.
Distinguishing series roles from guest and event appearances
Television credits are commonly categorized into series regular, recurring, guest, and special-event appearances. For Grande, the first two categories apply primarily to Victorious and Sam & Cat. Guest and event credits, while prominent, do not meet the criteria of ongoing series involvement. Understanding this distinction helps clarify which shows she has truly been ‘in’ as a credited cast member.
How to verify television credits
Reliable sources for checking an actor’s television work include industry-standard databases maintained by unions and regulated entities. These sources are updated rigorously and differentiate between billing order, screen time, and contract status. When researching which TV shows Ariana Grande has been in, consulting verified registries reduces the risk of conflating promotional appearances with series regular roles.
Quick reference: key television credits at a glance
- Victorious — series regular (Cat Valentine), 2010–2013
- Sam & Cat — series regular (Cat Valentine), 2013–2014
- Scream Queens — recurring guest role (Chanel #2), 2015
- Saturday Night Live — host/musical performer, multiple episodes 2014 onward
- Various televised specials and awards performances — event-based, not series roles
Closing note
In answering which TV shows Ariana Grande has been in, the clearest focus is her series-regular work in Victorious and Sam & Cat. These roles defined her early television presence and remain her central contributions to scripted series. Guest and event appearances, while culturally significant, supplement rather than replace that core catalog.
FAQ
Reader questions
Did Ariana Grande appear in any dramas outside Nickelodeon?
To date, her primary scripted drama exposure has been through Victorious and Sam & Cat, which are teen-oriented comedies. She has not held a leading dramatic series role on a major drama network as of this writing.
Are her voice roles counted as TV shows?
Voice work for animated series is often cataloged separately. Grande’s most prominent voice credit is for the 2021 animated film adaptation of Wicked, not a long-running television series. This article focuses on on-screen television credits.
How do I know if a show is considered a main role versus a guest role?
Series regulars appear in opening credits, have recurring storylines, and are listed as main cast on official press kits. Guest and recurring roles may appear in multiple episodes but lack ongoing narrative integration. The table in this article reflects these distinctions for her most notable television work.