Emmys 2021: Streaming Services Sweep Major Primetime Emmy Awards Categories

Netflix's 'The Crown'
Netflix's 'The Crown' (Image credit: Netflix)

The Crown won Netflix’s first ever Emmy Award for best drama series, leading a streaming services sweep of the major awards categories during Sunday night’s Primetime Emmy Awards telecast. 

Along with The Crown, wins by Apple TV Plus’s Ted Lasso for best comedy series and Netflix’s The Queens Gambit for best limited, anthology series or movie certified the digital platform as this year's dominant source for quality content on the small screen, according to Television Academy voters.  

The Crown won seven Emmy statuettes -- the biggest of which was for best drama series -- to top all shows. The Crown's win marks only the second Emmy best drama series win for a streaming service, following Hulu’s 2017 win for The Handmaid’s Tale.

Along with winning best drama series, The Crown’s Josh O’Connor and Olivia Colman won Emmys for lead actor and actress, respectively. Also The Crown’s Tobias Menzies and Gillian Anderson won best supporting actor and best supporting actress Emmys, respectively.

Emmys 2021: 'Ted Lasso' Gets Top Comedy, 'The Crown' Named Best Drama, 'The Queen's Gambit' Best Limited Series

Apple TV Plus’s Ted Lasso was the big winner in the comedy category, winning four awards including best comedy series and outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for Jason Sudeikis. The soccer-themed series also won Emmys in the outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series category for Brett Goldstein, and outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for Hannah Waddingham. 

Actress Jean Smart kept Ted Lasso from sweeping the major Emmy comedy acting awards with a win in the lead actress category for her role in HBO Max's Hacks.

Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit was the top choice in the Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category. Kate Winslet won lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for her role in Mare of Easttown, while Ewan McGregor won lead actor in the category for his role in Halston.

Overall Netflix won 10 Primetime Emmy Awards during CBS’ live telecast, besting HBO/HBO Max’s nine awards. Apple TV Plus finished third with four awards during the telecast, which was hosted by Cedric The Entertainer. 

Together with the Creative Arts Emmys, Netflix finished with a total of 44 Emmy Awards, easily besting second place HBO/HBO Max's 19 awards. Disney Plus (14 award wins) and Apple TV Plus (10 wins) were the only other distributors with double figure win totals, according to the Television Academy. NBC topped all broadcast networks with eight Emmy wins.  

One of the few surprises during the primetime ceremony was Michaela Coel’s win in the Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movies for her work on HBO’s I May Destroy You.   

HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver won the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category for the sixth year in a row, while VH1’s RuPaul Drag Race was the winner in the Outstanding Competition Program for the fourth consecutive year.

Emmys 2021: Photos From the 73rd Annual Emmy Awards

The complete list of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards winners are as follows: 

Outstanding Comedy Series

"Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Jean Smart, "Hacks" (HBO Max)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso" (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso" (Apple TV Plus)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

"Hacks" (There Is No Line), Written by Lucia Aniello (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

"Hacks" (There Is No Line), Directed by Lucia Aniello (HBO Max)

Outstanding Drama Series

"The Crown" (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Olivia Colman, "The Crown" (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Josh O'Connor, "The Crown" (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Tobias Menzies, "The Crown" (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Gillian Anderson, "The Crown" (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

"The Crown" (War), written by Peter Morgan (Netflix)

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

"The Crown" (War), Directed by Jessica Hobbs  (Netflix)

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

"The Queen's Gambit" (Netflix)

"Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie

Ewan McGregor, "Halston" (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie

Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown" (HB0)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Evan Peters, "Mare of Easttown" (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Julianne Nicholson, "Mare of Easttown" (HBO)

Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

"The Queen's Gambit," Directed by Scott Frank (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

"I May Destroy You," Written by Michaela Coel (HBO)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

"Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020" (Showtime)

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

"Hamilton" (Disney Plus)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" (HBO)

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" (HBO)

Outstanding Competition Program

"RuPaul's Drag Race" (VH1)

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.