A team of journalists talked about the Emmy Awards on our video edition of the Morning Media Menu, exploring the unexpected winners, upsets and the “bold new era in television” that is bringing great storytelling to TV.
Press play above to listen. Our guests were TVNewser senior editor Alex Weprin and Dear Television writer Phillip Maciak. KCRW’s The Business reporter Darby Maloney joined us afterward with this commentary:
I’d argue that Breaking Bad‘s big win for Outstanding Drama Series– a win that some say is well overdue– is also a win for Netflix. It proved that Netflix isn’t just a competitor to traditional TV– it is a collaborator or adjunct to the medium. When part 2 of Breaking Bad’s Season 5 premiered on AMC last month it hit a ratings high of nearly 6 million viewers. Writing in Variety, Andrew Wallenstein said “with five seasons under its belt [Breaking Bad] made the kind of ratings quantum leap you just don’t see.” So how did all these people find — and catch up with this highly serialized show? In a word, Netflix.
When Breaking Bad won the Emmy for best drama last night, creator Vince Gilligan noted:
I don’t think our show would have even lasted beyond season two if it wasn’t for streaming video on demand, and also the Internet component of it where folks get to chat. It really has held us in good stead. It’s a bold new era in television, and television has changed a lot in six years. I think Netflix kept us on the air. It’s a new era and we’ve been very fortunate to reap the benefits.