It was only a few short years ago that the wider film and television industry viewed Netflix with a mixture of scorn and derision. The upstart streaming service had grand designs on world domination, with many old school figures in Hollywood scoffing at the very notion of any project that didn’t air on a network or play in a theater gaining awards season recognition.
And yet, the game has changed, and it’s changed in their favor. As well as regularly finding in-house original films up for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the platform has been increasingly dominant when it comes to small screen trophies being handed out. In fact, Netflix just tied the record for most Emmy wins in a single year after picking up a no less than 44 statues, as per Deadline.
The benchmark has been held by CBS since 1974, which should give you an inkling of how big a deal this is. The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit led the way with eleven victories apiece, handing Netflix top honors in both the Drama Series and Limited or Anthology Series categories, arguably the biggest prizes at the Emmys.
Prior to this, Netflix had garnered 30 nominations in the Drama, Comedy and Limited or Anthology Series space without a single win, but that’s now been rectified in a major way. It’s an impressive showing from the market leader, and only reinforces the notion that the future of television as a whole looks to be leaning in the direction of streaming.