Streaming Saturday: Netflix, Amazon Win Emmy Awards

Streaming services Netflix and Amazon won 15 and nine Emmy Awards, respectively. Could this be a sign of the supremacy of streaming in the entertainment world?

Whether it took home the win or was honored with a nomination, the Emmy Awards showed Netflix much love this year. Netflix was nominated for 54 Emmys this year, which is up from the 34 nominations it received last year. The station only was surpassed by HBO, which had 94 nominations, while Amazon tied Netflix at 54 nominations. Netflix left the ceremonies with 15 wins, including some from a couple of my favorite shows.

Bloodline Gets the Nod
I’ve mentioned my love for Netflix’s Bloodline in a past Streaming Saturday column. I was intrigued by this thriller-drama about a dysfunctional family and the horrible secrets it hides from the world. Apparently, so were the Emmy Awards judges. Two actors from Bloodline – Kyle Chandler and Ben Mendelsohn – were nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.  In the end, the Emmy went to Mendelsohn for his portrayal of Danny Rayburn, the troubled black sheep of the Rayburn clan. A tough choice between two talented actors, the Emmy Awards couldn’t have gone wrong with either pick.

Making a Murderer Wins Big
When it comes to Netflix’s runaway hit Making a Murderer, you either love it or you hate it. Where people stand on this issue is usually the result of whether they believe Steven Avery is guilty of the crime of murder. To me, this is less important than the indictment the documentary makes upon the current state of America’s criminal justice system. Apparently, the Emmy Award judges saw it this way, too. Making a Murderer was nominated for a total of six awards. The engrossing documentary series went home with a total of four Emmys:

  • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
  • Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
  • Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming
  • Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming

Other Notable Netflix Wins
While Bloodline and Making a Murderer are two of Netflix’s biggest series, the streaming service is loaded with exciting and engaging programming. And many of these original shows and series won Emmy Awards Here are a few more notable Netflix Emmy Awards wins:

  • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Aziz Ansari & Alan Yang – Masters of None
  • Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special – Patton Oswalt, Talking of Clapping
  • Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music – Jessica Jones
  • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special – What Happened, Miss Simone?


Notable Amazon Emmy Wins

While Netflix continues to by the streaming king at Casa del Buckler, we also enjoy many Amazon original programs. The Emmys judges seem to have enjoyed Amazon’s original programming too. Here are some of Amazon’s notable Emmy Awards this year:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Transparent 
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series – Transparent
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series – Mozart in the Jungle
Amazon also won two Emmys for The Man in the High Castle, and one more for Transparent.

What Will Next Year Bring?
Hopefully, these Emmy Awards wins will encourage Netflix and Amazon – and other streaming services – to invest in original programming. I’m sure that it will. But I can’t help but wonder which Netflix shows, if any, will take home the awards next year. With a third seasons of Bloodline and a second season of Making a Murderer in the works, either of these shows might garner a nomination at least. There’s also a second season of Stranger Things coming in 2017. It’s hard to imagine that this wildly-popular series will go overlooked once more. All I can say is that only time will tell, which is true of most things in life and streaming.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.