Best of Emmy’s ReCap

Streamer’s dominated the 2021 Emmy’s with a sweep of the awards.

Last night we witnessed a “changing of the guard” as the cable era gave way to streaming. The shift has unfolded over the course of the run of Netflix’s The Crown, the first season of which was Emmy-eligible in 2017 and the fourth and most recent season of which was Emmy-eligible this year. In 2017, Hulu became the first streaming service to claim one of the big three series Emmys: drama, comedy or limited/anthology. Hulu claimed the coveted Emmy as a streamer when The Handmaid’s Tale was named best drama. Amazon carried the torch with its best comedy wins for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag in 2018 and 2019, respectively. On Sunday night, both Apple TV+, which launched less than two years ago, and Netflix, (the most prominent streamer), joined the club as Apple’s Ted Lasso won best comedy and Netflix’s The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit won best drama and best limited/anthology series.

Netflix, with a jaw dropping 44 Emmy’s between the Primetime and Creative Arts ceremonies, finished alone in first place for most Emmy wins of the year for the first time ever. In 2018 Netflix tied HBO, which has otherwise dominated the 21st century Emmy Awards. Notably, in every single performance, directing or writing category in which a Netflix show did not win on Sunday, the winner hailed from a fellow streamer.

Talk about airing one’s own funeral. CBS, as part of the traditional CBS/NBC/ABC/Fox rotation, had the privilege of broadcasting an Emmys telecast during which the Big Four broadcast networks collectively won just one award. ONE, (We’re looking at you Saturday Night Live).

In a closing remark we’d like to point out that, at a time when there are some 500 scripted original series on TV, a mere six shows: The Crown, Ted Lasso, Hacks, Mare of Easttown, Last Week Tonight and The Queen’s Gambit, won virtually every major Primetime Emmy Award in a complete sweep of the night.