Netflix鈥檚 鈥淭he Crown鈥� and 鈥淭he Queen鈥檚 Gambit鈥� combined with Apple TV+鈥檚 鈥淭ed Lasso鈥� to sweep top series honors at the Sunday鈥檚 Emmy Awards, a first for streaming services that cemented their rise to prominence in the television industry.
鈥淚鈥檓 at a loss for words,鈥� said Peter Morgan, the creator and writer of the British royal saga 鈥淭he Crown,鈥� which collected acting, writing and directing awards in addition to four acting honors.
His comment may also apply to the premium cable channels that once ruled the Emmy Awards and to the broadcast networks 鈥� including Sunday鈥檚 ceremony host, CBS 鈥� that have long grown accustomed to being largely also-rans.
Netflix won a leading total of 44 awards, equaling the broadcast network record set back in 1974, by CBS. The streaming service, which fielded the first drama series nominee, 鈥淗ouse of Cards鈥� in 2007, finally won the category.
Newcomer Apple TV+鈥檚 first top series came less than two years after it launched.
鈥淭he Crown鈥� and 鈥淭he Queen鈥檚 Gambit鈥� tied as leaders with 11 awards each, with 鈥淭ed Lasso鈥� topping the comedy side with seven trophies.
鈥淭he Queen鈥檚 Gambit鈥� made Anya Taylor-Joy a star and Emmy nominee for her portrayal of a troubled chess prodigy. Executive producer William Horberg singled her out in his acceptance speech.
鈥淵ou brought the sexy back to chess, and you inspired a whole generation of girls and young women to realize that patriarchy has no defense against our queens.鈥� he said.
There was a bright spot for HBO with its limited series 鈥淢are of Easttown,鈥� the crime drama that earned four Emmys, including a lead acting award for star Kate Winslet. For broadcaster NBC, 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� again came through with variety honors.
The ceremony proved disappointing as well to those scrutinizing diversity in Hollywood. The yielded only two Black winners, including RuPaul for 鈥淩uPaul鈥檚 Drag Race鈥� and star-creator Michaela Coel鈥檚 writing award for 鈥淚 May Destroy You.鈥�
Cedric the Entertainer proved a game host, moving from a hip-hop opening number to gags and sketches, but the relatively small crowd 鈥� a result of pandemic precautions 鈥� was fairly muted in their response to him and others鈥� one-liners.
There was a .
鈥淭he Crown鈥� stars Olivia Colman and Josh O鈥機onnor won the top drama acting honors Sunday, with Jason Sudeikis, star of the warm-hearted 鈥淭ed Lasso,鈥� and Jean Smart of the generation-gap story 鈥淗acks,鈥� winners on the comedy side.
Colman and O鈥機onnor were a winning fictional mother-son duo: She plays Queen Elizabeth II, with O鈥機onnor as Prince Charles in the British royal family saga that combines gravitas and soap opera.
鈥淚鈥檇 have put money on that not happening,鈥� Colman said of the award, calling it 鈥渁 lovely end to the most extraordinary journey鈥� with the show鈥檚 cast and creators. She cut her remarks short, explaining why she was growing tearful.
鈥淚 lost my daddy during COVID, and he would have loved all of this.鈥� she said.
O鈥機onnor gave a shoutout to Emma Corrin, who played opposite him as Princess Diana and was also a nominee Sunday, as a 鈥渇orce of nature.鈥�
He also offered thanks to his grandmother, who died a few months ago, and his grandfather, Peter O鈥機onnor, for the 鈥済reatest gifts鈥� of kindness and loyalty.
Sudeikis co-created 鈥淭ed Lasso,鈥� which many viewers found a balm for tough pandemic times. He gave a speech that evoked the chipper, upbeat title character he plays in the series about a U.K. soccer team and its unlikely American coach.
鈥淭his show鈥檚 about families and mentors and teammates, and I wouldn鈥檛 be here without those things in my life,鈥� said Sudeikis. He also thanked his fellow castmates, saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 only as good as you guys make me look.鈥�
Smart, who received a standing ovation, began her acceptance speech on a somber note: Her husband actor, Richard Gilliland, died six months ago.
鈥淚 would not be here without him鈥� and his willingness to put her career first, said Smart. She also praised their two children as 鈥渃ourageous individuals in their own right.鈥�
Earlier in the evening, ebullient 鈥淭ed Lasso鈥� cast member Hannah Waddingham, winner of the best supporting actress award for a comedy, said Sudeikis 鈥渃hanged my life with this, and more importantly my baby girl鈥檚.鈥�
Brett Goldstein, who won the counterpart award for supporting actor for playing a retired soccer star, said he had promised not to swear and either mimed or was muted for a few seconds, then called the show the 鈥減rivilege and pleasure鈥� of his life.
Gillian Anderson and Tobias Menzies were honored for their supporting performances on 鈥淭he Crown.鈥�
Anderson, who played British political leader Margaret Thatcher, was one of numerous cast members to accept from a 鈥淐rown鈥� gathering in London. Menzies who plays Prince Philip, didn鈥檛 attend either ceremony.
Before announcing the winner in his category, presenter Kerry Washington paid tribute to another nominee, Michael K. Williams of 鈥淟ovecraft County.鈥� .
鈥淢ichael was a brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being who has left us far too soon,鈥� Washington said.
Another lost star was remembered by John Oliver of 鈥淟ast Week Tonight with John Oliver.鈥�
鈥淣o one was funnier in the last 20 years than Norm Macdonald on late-night comedy,鈥� Oliver said in accepting the Emmy for best variety talk show, suggesting people spend time checking out clips of Macdonald, as he did after Macdonald died Sept. 14 at age 61.
Kate Winslet, who played the title character in 鈥淢are of Easttown,鈥� and Ewan McGregor, who starred in the fashion biopic 鈥淗alston,鈥� were honored as top actors for a limited series.
Winslet saluted her sister nominees in 鈥渢his decade that has to be about women having each other鈥檚 back.鈥�
Julianne Nicholson and Evan Peters claimed best supporting acting honors for 鈥淢are of Easttown,鈥� about crime and family dysfunction. Both she and Peters praised star Winslet as an actor and colleague.
Debbie Allen received the Governors Award for a long and acclaimed career as an actor, dancer, choreographer and activist.
鈥淚 am trembling with gratitude and grace and trying not to cry 鈥� it鈥檚 been many years in the making, taken a lot of courage to be the only woman in the room most of the time. Courage and creative and fight and faith to believe I could keep going, and I have,鈥� she said.
The show opened with a musical number that featured Cedric the Entertainer rapping a modified version of the Biz Markie hip-hop hit 鈥淛ust a Friend鈥� with lyrics like 鈥淭V, you got what I need.鈥� LL Cool J bounded from the audience as stars including Rita Wilson, Mandy Moore and more dropped verses celebrating the breadth of television.
Seth Rogen presented the first award, throwing some cold water on the celebratory vibe by noting that the Emmys were being held in a giant tent. 鈥淭here鈥檚 way too many of us in this little room,鈥� he exclaimed in what seemed to be an attempt to be funny that fell flat.
In the cumulative awards handed out Sunday and at the previously-held creative arts events, the outlets that followed Netflix included HBO and HBO Max with 19 combined awards; Disney+ with 14; Apple TV+, 10; NBC, 8.
鈥� The Associated Press
