Excerpt of WSJ coverage of the Emmys:
9/20/2020
‘Succession’ Wins Best Drama at Emmys; ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Sweeps Comedy Awards
HBO dominates the drama categories: ‘Watchmen’ takes home most wins including outstanding limited series; Zendaya wins for ‘Euphoria.’
12:17 AM
HBO’s corporate dynasty story “Succession” won outstanding drama series at the 72nd Emmy Awards on Sunday, as the premium cable network fought off rivals like Netflix and Disney to keep its grip on the top honor after the exit of its reliable winner “Game of Thrones.”
The wins for “Succession” also included lead actor Jeremy Strong, writer Jesse Armstrong and director Andrij Parekh.
HBO’s “Watchmen” went into the night with more nominations than any series, and finished with the most wins, including outstanding limited series. “Watchmen” also earned wins for lead actress Regina King, supporting actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and writers Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson. The series, loosely based on the comic of the same name, made waves for the way it mixed history—the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, in particular—with science fiction and fantasy to tell a story about the Black experience and police.
HBO’s haul included a win for “Euphoria,” whose star Zendaya landed the award for lead actress in a drama, becoming the youngest person to do so at age 24.
With 30 Emmys, including awards handed out on previous nights, HBO beat out the 21 total wins of rival Netflix. The streamer had scored a record 160 nominations, but came up empty-handed in most major categories. Its crime family series “Ozark,” which had been considered a top contender for best drama, landed a win for supporting actress Julia Garner.
Apple, which launched its own streaming service less than a year ago, received its first primetime Emmy. It went to actor Billy Crudup for his supporting role in the drama series “The Morning Show.”
Jeremy Strong won outstanding lead actor in a drama series for ‘Succession,’ which won outstanding drama series.PHOTO: TELEVISION ACADEMY/ABC/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The comedy categories were completely dominated by “Schitt’s Creek,” a once-obscure sitcom that mushroomed in popularity and acclaim over six seasons. The show, about a rich family forced to start over with nothing in the eponymous backwater town, won for outstanding comedy series.
It also earned Emmys for its lead actors, the veteran sketch comedy performers Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, the first time Emmy awards for both actors. Mr. Levy co-created the Pop TV comedy with his son and co-star Daniel Levy, who won for supporting actor, and for writing and directing the show. A win for supporting actress Annie Murphy rounded out the “Schitt’s Creek” sweep.
Sunday night’s winners delivered their acceptance speeches from backyards, living rooms, and other remote settings that highlighted the unprecedented format of this year’s Emmys. |
