HBO/HBO Max Leads the Emmy Pack With 130 Nominations, Edging Out Netflix

HBO is back on top when it comes to its annual Emmys face-off with Netflix, with sibling streaming service HBO Max helping the cable network to 130 total Emmy nominations this year, one more than its streaming rival. The combined HBO properties pulled in 130 nominations, up from 2020’s 107 tally. This marks the first year HBO Max entered Emmys contention after its May 2020 launch. HBO drama series Lovecraft Country led the way with 18 nominations, followed by limited series Mare of Easttown with 16. Another limited series, I May Destroy You, and HBO Max’s breakout hit The Flight Attendant each earned nine nominations. Netflix, meanwhile, earned 129 nominations, down significantly from 160 in 2020. Disney+ came in third among all TV outlets with 71 nominations in just its second year. All was not lost for broadcast in this year's Emmy race, however. NBC rounded out the big four broadcasters with 46 nominations—21 for Saturday Night Live alone. CBS pulled in 26 nominations, followed by ABC with 23. Fox earned just seven nods. This Year’s Emmy Nominations Prove Streaming Has Officially Taken Over TV Awards Season Overall, WarnerMedia earned 138 nominations, thanks to its combination of cable networks and HBO Max. NBCUniversal received 56 nods from its various broadcast, cable and streaming services, and ViacomCBS earned 54. But Disney was the overall big winner among media companies, earning 146 nominations through the combination of Hulu, Disney+, FX, Freeform, Nat Geo and ABC. Netflix’s The Crown and Disney+’s The Mandalorian tied in the top spot for programming, each earning 24 nominations. Disney+’s hit series WandaVision followed with 23 nominations, and Hulu pulled in 21 for The Handmaid’s Tale. Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso notched 20 nominations alone, beating the streaming service’s 18 total nods in 2020. The platform earned 34 total nominations in its second year. Amazon Prime Video earned 18 nominations, down from the 31 it received in 2020. Top nominees Outstanding drama series nominees include The Boys (Amazon Prime Video), Bridgerton (Netflix), The Crown (Netflix), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), Lovecraft Country (HBO), The Mandalorian (Disney+), Pose (FX) and This is Us (NBC). Nominations for outstanding comedy series include Black-ish (ABC), Cobra Kai (Netflix), Emily in Paris (Netflix), Hacks (HBO Max), The Flight Attendant (HBO Max), The Kominsky Method (Netflix), Pen15 (Hulu) and Ted Lasso (Apple TV+). The outstanding limited series nominees are I May Destroy You (HBO), Mare of Easttown (HBO), The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix), The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video) and WandaVision (Disney+). In the outstanding lead actor in a drama series category, Sterling K. Brown (This is Us, NBC) faces off against Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, HBO), Josh O’Connor (The Crown, Netflix), Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton, Netflix), Billy Porter (Pose, FX) and Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason, HBO). FX’s Pose earned nine nominations for its final season, including one for MJ Rodriguez, who became the first trans woman to receive a major acting Emmy nomination. Other lead actress in a drama series nominees include Uzo Aduba (In Treatment, HBO), Olivia Coleman (The Crown, Netflix), Emma Corrin (The Crown, Netflix), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Hulu) and Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country, HBO). Jason Sudeikis of Ted Lasso was nominated in the lead actor in a comedy series category, going up against Anthony Anderson (Black-ish, ABC), Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method, Netflix), William H. Macy (Shameless, Showtime) and Kenan Thompson (Kenan, NBC). Lead actress in a comedy series nominees include Aidy Bryant (Shrill, Hulu), Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant, HBO Max), Allison Janney (Mom, CBS), this week's Adweek cover star, Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish, ABC) and Jean Smart (Hacks, HBO Max). The lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie category sees Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You, HBO) facing off against Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha, National Geographic), Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision, Disney+), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit, Netflix) and Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown, HBO). Lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie nominees include Paul Bettany (WandaVision, Disney+), Hugh Grant (The Undoing, HBO), Ewan McGregor (Halston, Netflix), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Disney+) and Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton, Disney+). The full list of nominations can be viewed here. The 2021 Emmys will be broadcast on Sunday, Sept. 19 on CBS and Paramount+. The presentation will be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. The telecast is returning to a live, in-person ceremony at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater with a “limited” audience after 2020’s remotely produced event. Cedric the Entertainer Tapped to Host 73rd Emmy Awards, With ‘Limited’ Live Audience