HBO scores another drama series Emmy with Succession

Brendan Morrow

September 20, 2020 at 11:19 p.m.·1 min read

The Roy family just dominated at the Emmys.

HBO's Succession on Sunday won the top prize of Outstanding Drama Series at the 2020 Emmys for its second season. This victory had been widely expected among pundits, although some thought Netflix's Ozark could pull off an upset. Other shows in contention included Better Call Saul, The Crown, and The Mandalorian.

During an acceptance speech delivered remotely, the show's creator, Jesse Armstrong, offered a series of "un-thank yous," including to President Trump, with Armstrong blasting his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is yet another victory for HBO in the Emmys' drama series category. In recent years, Game of Thrones had won the prize for four consecutive seasons, interrupted only by one win for The Handmaid's Tale during a year when Thrones hadn't aired new episodes. HBO also won Outstanding Drama Series for The Sopranos twice. The network on Sunday additionally took home the Outstanding Limited Series Emmy for Watchmen after having won that prize numerous times, including in 2019 with Chernobyl.

Could this just be the start of years worth of Succession wins, Game of Thrones style? We’ll find out, but after Sunday's victory, it seems Emmy voters have a message for the show’s cast and crew: we here for you.