HBO pips Netflix in Emmy with 'White Lotus' and 'Succession' wins

Succession and White Lotus took home two of the early trophies at the Emmy Awards Monday, setting HBO up to dominate TV’s biggest night for the sixth time in eight years.

The network, a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, earned two of the first four acting prizes announced, including the best supporting actor in a drama series award for Matthew Macfadyen’s performance as the son in law of a fictional media baron in Succession.

The series, about a family that owns a media empire and bears some resemblance to the Murdochs and the Redstones, is expected to be the big winner at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Monday night.

While more people tune in for the Oscars, which award the best movies of the year, the Emmys have become a focal point of the competition between the world’s largest media and technology companies as they seek to boost their new streaming services.

Netflix has spent tens of millions of dollars chasing awards that validate its shows in the eyes of viewers and talent.