‘Succession’ would be 8th drama series to win Emmy for final season
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
With its abundance of positive reviews and heaps of industry accolades, “Succession” can unequivocally be counted as one of the most highly revered series in TV history. Judging by the impression its final batch of episodes have made on viewers so far, it seems like it will be the show to beat at the upcoming Emmys. After winning Best Drama Series in 2020 and 2022, the HBO hit could now take the prize for its farewell installment, emulating just seven other programs.
The fourth and final season of “Succession,” which premiered on March 26, follows the fractured Roy family as they close in on the inevitable reality of patriarch Logan (Brian Cox) no longer being in charge of Waystar Royco. As hard as they try to distance themselves from him, Logan’s emotionally stunted adult children continually find it impossible to escape his powerful influence.
More from GoldDerby
SEEExperts slugfest: Guessing the 2023 Emmy guest categories
The last concluded drama series to win the TV academy’s top honor was “Game of Thrones,” which triumphed over “Succession” in 2019 after having already conquered the category three times. The only other shows that have joined the club since the turn of the century are “The Sopranos” (2007) and “Breaking Bad” (2014), both of which were awarded for the latter halves of their bifurcated final seasons. “Breaking Bad” also won for the corresponding first half in 2013, while “The Sopranos” lost in 2006 to “24.”
The original four shows on this list were all added before 1980, with the first having been the CBS anthology series “Playhouse 90” in 1960. It was followed by “The Bold Ones: The Senator” (1971) and “Elizabeth R” (1972), which were both single-season programs that competed as continuing dramas. The last slot belongs to “Upstairs, Downstairs,” which prevailed for the third and final time in 1977.
SEECherry Jones may just be the next performer to double up on guest Emmy nominations in the same year
Including “Playhouse 90” (1958-1960), “Upstairs, Downstairs” (1974-1975; 1977) and “Game of Thrones” (2015-2016; 2018-2019), a total of eight shows will have preceded “Succession” in winning Best Drama Series three or more times. The others are “The Defenders” (1962-1964), “Hill Street Blues” (1981-1984), “L.A. Law” (1987; 1989-1991), “The West Wing” (2000-2003) and “Mad Men” (2008-2011).
At this point, “Succession” has won 13 Emmys from 48 nominations, including three for Jesse Armstrong’s writing. Andrij Parekh’s directing was honored in 2020, as was Jeremy Strong’s lead performance as Logan’s middle son, Kendall. The show earned its second major acting win last year when Matthew Macfadyen pulled off a supporting victory for his portrayal of Kendall’s brother-in-law, Tom Wambsgans.
Gold Derby’s 2023 Emmys odds indicate that both Macfadyen and the series itself will come out on top once again. Aside from leads Cox and Strong, other regular cast members who are expected to receive notices are featured players Nicholas Braun, Kieran Culkin, J. Smith-Cameron and Sarah Snook. Past guest nominees who will likely earn repeat bids this year include James Cromwell, Hope Davis, Cherry Jones, Arian Moayed and Harriet Walter.
PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominees through July 12
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?
SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
