At the 73rd Emmy Awards, favored front-runners “The Crown” and “Ted Lasso” dominated the drama and comedy categories, but the big winners Sunday night were clear: familiarity and caution.
Television Academy voters didn’t take many chances when it came to their top-of-the-ballot choices. Perennial favorite “The Crown” went in with 24 nominations, won 11 awards. Season 4 of Netflix’s series about the royal Windsors swept the major drama categories, including a lead actress win for Olivia Colman, who plays Queen Elizabeth II. Supporting actress Gillian Anderson also won for her excellent portrayal of Margaret Thatcher.
In another nonshocking twist, Apple TV+’s nice-guy comedy “Ted Lasso,” starring Jason Sudeikis as a disarming American football coach running a British soccer team, took home prizes for comedy series, lead actor (Sudeikis), supporting actor (Brett Goldstein) and supporting actress (Hannah Waddingham).
The lack of surprises and the academy’s aversion to more risky choices meant that the Emmys took a step back when it came to racial diversity. No performers of color won in any of the comedy, drama or limited series categories despite some of the strongest contenders in years. And it was nearly two hours into the show when the first person of color stepped onstage to receive an award. RuPaul made Emmy history for the most Emmys won by a person of color when “RuPaul’s Drag Race” landed the outstanding competition series honor for the fourth consecutive year.