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With a handful of awards for “Succession” and “Watchmen,” HBO reigned supreme.
Prosperous
CHOOSING THE best TV shows has never been so difficult. Before 2000, fewer than 150 scripted original series aired in the United States each year. In 2019 there were nearly 550, a figure that excludes the hundreds of foreign imports that are readily available and popular with the American public.
This increase is primarily a reflection of the “streaming wars,” a battle for supremacy in online video that now includes former Hollywood stalwarts like the Walt Disney Company, upstart online video services like Netflix, and digital conglomerates like Amazon. . In November, Apple launched Apple TV +, while Disney launched Disney + and took control of Hulu (a joint venture between several Hollywood giants, Hulu was at one time the second most popular video subscription site in the United States). In April, Jeffrey Katzenberg, a former Disney executive, and Meg Whitman, a former CEO of HP and eBay, launched their short-form streamer, Quibi. Later that month, consumers were also able to sign up for Comcast’s NBCUniversal’s Peacock, and in May, AT & T’s WarnerMedia established HBO Max in an effort to reposition 47-year-old HBO for the digital video era.
With the “war” underway, many expected a September 20 shakeup at this year’s Emmy Awards, the authoritative body of awards in the American television industry. High-end scripted comedies and dramas are considered the greatest creative achievement on television and, according to Parrot Analytics, a data firm, are the most important factor for consumers looking to subscribe to a new video service. Each of the new services has invested in producing or acquiring these programs. Additionally, this year’s event marked the first time in nine years that HBO’s greatest hits “Game of Thrones” and “Veep,” were not awarded. The drama / comedy couple won a total of seven top awards (either Outstanding Drama Series or Outstanding Comedy Series) in their 15 seasons combined.
However, the story told by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences this year was a familiar one: the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the drama and comedy categories, Netflix and HBO earned eight of the 16 nominations, a dominance consistent with the average of the previous five years (see chart). Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, which have been releasing original series since 2012 and 2013 respectively, each earned a unique nomination. Apple had hoped that its flagship series, “The Morning Show,” which reportedly broke industry records for cost of production, would be recognized as an exceptional comedy series, but received accolades only in the acting and directing categories. Otherwise, Apple was excluded, as was Peacock.
HBO turned its nominations into awards. “Succession” won Best Drama Series, HBO’s fifth win in the category in the past six years, as well as honors for lead actor (Jeremy Strong, pictured), for writing and directing a drama. Pop, a cable network, “Schitt’s Creek” dominated the comedy categories, winning the first “sweep” in Emmys history by taking all four acting awards, as well as Best Comedy Series, directing. and writing. While this was Pop’s first major Emmy win, this win reinforced the dynamics of the existing market. “Schitt’s Creek” is an import from Canada; Pop serves as the show’s pay-TV distributor in the United States, while Netflix has exclusive digital subscription rights. The streaming giant is credited with popularizing the series – when he accepted one of the awards, Eugene Levy, the co-creator and star, said that “Netflix was the spark that seemed to set it all off,” and will reap many of the benefits. of winning.
However, the 72nd Emmy Awards hinted at changes in the industry to come. The Best Drama nomination for “The Mandalorian,” the launch title for Disney + and the first live-action television series “Star Wars,” confirmed the success of Disney’s recent focus on its existing intellectual property. According to Parrot Analytics, “The Mandalorian” was the third most popular series of the Emmy season. His recognition at the Emmys, while not taking home the highest accolades, surprised many industry insiders. In 2018, Disney had accomplished a similar feat with the first Best Picture nomination for a comic book movie at the Academy Awards with “Black Panther.” That was also the highest grossing movie of the year in the United States and the second highest in the world.
Disney is betting that the television spinoffs of its chart-topping movies will bring it success in the streaming wars, even if it produces fewer series overall and targets a smaller audience than Netflix or Amazon. (Reed Hastings, Netflix’s co-CEO, recently acknowledged that the company had become his biggest rival.) Next month the second season of “The Mandalorian” will premiere; Disney plans several spinoffs from its Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as more “Star Wars” series and an animated Pixar show. These will find large audiences and may also earn critical acclaim. This year, “Watchmen,” an HBO limited series, proved it could be done by winning 11 Emmy Awards in the creative and technical categories – the most of any show. It was the first time that a program adapted from a comic book emerged victorious in a major category. It may not be the last.
