(Bloomberg) — HBO, the premium TV unit of the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., led all TV networks in nominations for Emmy Awards this year thanks to “Succession,” the most nominated show of all.
The dark satire about a billionaire family in control of a US media dynasty earned 25 nominations and will compete for best drama series against two series from Netflix Inc., “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game,” the first South Korean program up for the prize.
HBO received 140 nominations in all.
Netflix surpassed HBO in Emmy nominations a couple of years ago, a sign of its ascendance in Hollywood. But it has ceded share to HBO two years in a row, and its nomination count has slipped by 55 in that stretch as the company faced more competition from services such as Apple Inc.
and Walt Disney Co.’s Hulu.
The streaming industry leader has also stirred up its share of controversy. Social media erupted Tuesday after “The Closer,” a comedy special from Dave Chappelle that was criticized for its jokes about transgender people, scored two nominations, including best pre-recorded variety special.
The Emmys, given out every year by the Television Academy, are the TV industry’s highest honors.
This year’s awards, the 74th, will be broadcast live on Sept. 12 on NBC and streamed for the first time on Peacock. Both are owned by Comcast Corp.
The Emmys have never been as popular with viewers as the Academy Awards, which honor the best movies of the year.
But their importance in Hollywood has grown in recent years as the perception of quality on TV has risen and the competition between cable networks and streaming services has escalated.
“We are breaking records with the number of submissions received by the academy this year,” TV Academy Chairman Frank Scherma said Tuesday.
“Production is at an all-time high, and the quality of shows we’re watching is also at an all-time high.”
Awards Campaigns
Netflix in particular has increased the amount of money spent in pursuit of awards.
But the company’s subscriber loss earlier this year prompted a rout in the shares of entertainment stocks, and has forced many companies to reassess how much they spend on programming.
Streaming and premium cable outlets have long led the awards, thanks to their ability to tell edgier stories that appeal to members of the academy and everyday viewers.
“Abbott Elementary,” which debuted on Disney’s ABC, was the only show on broadcast TV to earn a nomination for best comedy series, a category once dominated by sitcoms. It will compete against seven other shows, including HBO’s “Barry,” Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” and Apple’s “Ted Lasso.”
“Ted Lasso” took home best comedy award last year, giving Apple the chance for a repeat win.
The company earned 51 nominations in all, including 20 for “Ted Lasso” and 14 for “Severance.”
Hulu also increased its share of nominations, thanks to “Only Murders in the Building,” a comedy featuring Steve Martin and Martin Short, and “The Dropout,” a limited series about disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes.
“The Dropout” faces stiff competition from HBO’s “White Lotus.”
HBO’s Lead
HBO released four of the six most-nominated shows, including “Euphoria” and “Hacks.” The stars of those programs, Zendaya and Jean Smart, are up for best actress in their respective categories.
Netflix’s nominations are spread across a large group of shows.
“Squid Game,” “Stranger Things” and “Ozark” were the only programs to earn more than 10.
Like the Oscars, the Emmys have struggled to deliver awards to people of color. While the category of lead actress in a comedy features two Black nominees, other categories, such as lead actress in a limited series, were entirely White.
(Updates with Dave Chappelle controversy in fourth paragraph.)
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