HBO Barely Fends Off Netflix In 2021 Emmy Race

The nominations for the 2021 Primetime Emmys are here, and even though no one has won anything yet, there are some exciting details to examine. First and foremost, it appears as though streaming has completely overtaken the conversation when it comes to the most exciting TV programs around. HBO always had good showings due to its collection of prestige programming, but usually, the likes of NBC and CBS weren't far behind. That's not the case this year, as the two series with the most nominations — "The Mandalorian" and "The Crown" — hail from streaming platforms (via Variety). 

Those shows received 24 nominations each, and when looking at the series that trail behind, it's pretty much all streaming shows. Emmy voters showed their love for the likes of "WandaVision," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "Mare of Easttown." In fact, the only basic cable show to even break into those ranks is NBC's "Saturday Night Live," but that show's been an Emmy mainstay for decades now. 

Of course, in the battle for network supremacy, the real question remains, "Which platform received the most nominations overall?" Before the awards show takes place in September, that's the answer everyone wants to know, and while it was a close race, HBO barely beat out Netflix for the title. 

Now that HBO has access to more content than ever before, thanks to the launch of HBO Max, the company has even greater odds of landing Emmy gold. Thanks to the success of numerous programs, including "Lovecraft Country," "The Flight Attendant," and "Hacks," HBO was able to secure 130 nominations. It sounds impressive, but Netflix gave HBO a good run for its money. Netflix had a good year in 2020, too, with the likes of "The Queen's Gambit" and "The Crown" earning widespread acclaim. Each of those shows played a significant role in letting Netflix grab 129 nods. 

It shows just how much prestige television has moved into the world of streaming. Even when forgetting about all of the Emmy nominations, many of the shows people talked about last year came from streaming. That's not to say there weren't any bright spots on cable. Shows like "This Is Us" and "Black-ish" still have a sizable presence, but as more creators move to streaming, networks really have to go the extra mile to crank out content that can compete. 

Another interesting development in the awards circle is the presence of Disney+. The platform received 71 nominations, with the lion's share coming from "The Mandalorian" and "WandaVision," but that's a massive increase compared to the previous year. For the 2020 ceremony, Disney+ only received 19 nods, most of which came from the dynamic duo of Mando and Baby Yoda. Disney+ has a bunch of content on the way in the form of numerous "Star Wars" and Marvel series in the works, so the platform could easily break triple digits next year and give both HBO and Netflix some serious competition.