HBO's 'Succession' wins top Emmy Award for drama series

HBO's family conglomerate drama "Succession" took home the top prize at Sunday's 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards — as expected.

The show won the award for drama series, besting this year's other nominees: AMC's "Better Call Saul," Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale," Disney+'s "The Mandalorian," BBC America's "Killing Eve" and Netflix's "The Crown," "Ozark" and "Stranger Things."

The HBO drama succeeds HBO's big winner from last year, "Game of Thrones," which claimed the top honor with its much-maligned finale.

"Succession" was recognized this year for its queasily appealing, viciously funny second season. The series revolves around the Roy family, an obscenely rich media dynasty, and its battle for power when its patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), falls ill. Viewers witnessed a familial "blood sacrifice" and a finale smirk as Roy's adult children scrambled for control of Waystar Royco.

The cast and crew went into Sunday's ceremony with seven nominations in the major categories, including outstanding drama series, and 18 nods overall this year. The show also won an Emmy for casting and single-camera picture editing during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards earlier this week.

The series adds the TV Academy honor to its best drama Golden Globe from January. Last year, "Succession" creator and scribe Jesse Armstrong won an Emmy for writing and Nicholas Britell won for original main title theme music. Armstrong again won a writing Emmy this year, and the series also won a directing trophy for Andrij Parekh.

A third season has been ordered but production has been delayed due to the pandemic.