Jeff Bezos has gotten a lot of love at awards shows over the last couple years as Amazon continues to strengthen its position as a legitimate television and film player. The CEO dominated the discussion at last year’s Emmys; he got more thanks and jokes at the Golden Globes; and he made history at the Oscars.
At the 69th Emmy Awards on Sunday, Bezos and Amazon will have their work cut out for them to be the main topic of conversation, especially as Netflix muscles ahead in the race for streaming supremacy. With 91 nominations, the service trails only HBO’s 110 in total nods.
And Hulu, riding the critical acclaim of its series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” also received 18 nominations. That series, starring Elisabeth Ross, scored 13 nominations to put it among the top 10 most-nominated series in the field this year, according to Variety.
Amazon’s first showing at the Emmys was in 2015 when “Transparent” took home two awards, including best directing for a comedy series for Jill Soloway. She name-checked Bezos in that acceptance speech and again in 2016 when she said, “I want to thank you my sweet Jeff Bezos because you changed the world.”
The show is powering the studio again this year, with seven of Amazon’s 16 total nominations. Star Jeffrey Tambor is nominated again for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his role as the head of the always intriguing Pfefferman family. Tambor has won the award the previous two years.
Anything but ordinary. #TransparentTV has been nominated for 7 #Emmys. #ConsiderAmazon pic.twitter.com/6UMM4tGOnW
— Transparent (@transparent_tv) July 13, 2017
“Mozart in the Jungle” and “The Man in the High Castle” also received multiple nominations. And it’s worth watching the outstanding guest actress in a comedy series category, as Carrie Fisher was posthumously nominated for her role in “Catastrophe.”
Music to the ears! #MozartInTheJungle has been nominated for 3 #Emmys! #ConsiderAmazon pic.twitter.com/q2SPgyTvjP
— Mozart in the Jungle (@MITJAmazon) July 13, 2017
Netflix had 54 nominations in 2016 before jumping 70 percent to this year’s total. The runaway supernatural hit “Stranger Things” scored 19 nominations, including Millie Bobby Brown’s nod for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. That show returns for its second season on Oct. 27.
The success of “Master of None” and “The Crown” also propelled Netflix.
019 #Emmys pic.twitter.com/yJixoheJV4
— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) July 13, 2017
? Getting Nominated for Comedy, Lead Actor, Writing, Guest Actress, Music, Editing, Sound, and Casting Is My Favorite Thing ? #Emmys pic.twitter.com/iCMtGTLDal
— Master of None (@MasterofNone) July 13, 2017
When it comes to the battle away from the streaming biggies, the futuristic android series “Westworld” and its 22 nominations give HBO a great shot at hearing its name a lot on Sunday. The show is up for best drama series against “Better Call Saul” (AMC), “The Crown” (Netflix), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), “House of Cards” (Netflix), “Stranger Things” (Netflix), and “This Is Us” (NBC).
NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” also received 22 nominations. It’s a safe bet that if Alec Baldwin wins for supporting actor in a comedy series and if he reprises even a slice of his role as Donald Trump from the stage, Twitter will break and cave in on itself.
Congratulations to @AlecBaldwin for being nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series! #EmmyNominations pic.twitter.com/AjY4Ci1Lt1
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) July 13, 2017
The 69th Emmy Awards from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles will air Sunday at 5 p.m. PT on CBS. Stephen Colbert will host.
Speaking of streaming, if you prefer to watch the event online, USA Today points out that you can do that via CBS All Access, the network’s streaming service. You can get a seven-day free trial before committing to the $6 a month.
