With 'The Crown', Netflix finally takes the Emmys throne

At long last, the streaming platforms were triumphant at the Emmys, with Netflix and AppleTV+ taking major awards in drama, comedy and limited series as Television Academy voters acknowledged a profound shift in entertainment, from the channel-flipping days of traditional TV to the 21st-century mode of click-and-watch binge viewing. 

For Netflix, the wins in best drama and best limited series were a long time coming. From 2013 to 2020, the streaming service earned a whopping 30 nominations in best drama, comedy and limited series, but had never pulled off a win in those categories, often losing out to HBO, the perennial Emmys heavyweight. 

Prior to the best drama win for The Crown, only one streami­ng service, Hulu, had won in that category, when The Handmaid’s Tale took the award four years ago. And before the win for The Queen’s Gam­bit, no streaming show had ever taken the best limited series statuette. 

The 73rd annual Emmy Awards were held on Sunday night in Los Angeles, where they were hosted by the comedian Cedric the Entertainer. Netflix won two of the top awards, including best drama for the British royal drama The Crown, and best limited series for the chess-prodigy odyssey The Queen’s Gambit. 

Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ won for best comedy series. Winners in the acting categories included Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Colman. Michaela Coel, the creator, writer, co-director and star of the HBO limited series I May Destroy You, won for best writing in a limited series, her first Emmy.