Netflix is back on top. The streamer slightly increased its Emmy nomination tally in 2024, leading all outlets with 107 — up four from last year’s 103, and taking over the top slot held by HBO/Max last year (which dropped from 127 to 91). And Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria was in a celebratory mood when Variety spoke with her on Wednesday morning.
Although Netflix has had bigger Emmy nomination years (its 160 in 2020 is still an all-time record), Bajaria said she was happy to see this year’s tally spread out across 35 different titles, including “The Crown” (with 18 noms), “Ripley” (13), “Baby Reindeer” (11), “3 Body Problem” (6) and “Beckham” (5).
“I’m feeling really proud of so much of the work our creative partners have done,” she said. “Today is really an acknowledgement and celebration of them and all of these incredible talented people and creators we work with. To me, the takeaway is also looking across such a wide breadth of genres, and having 107 nominations across 35 different titles, new and returning. Being able to work with best in class creators across all of those different genres and seeing them being recognized in this way.”
In its final season, “The Crown” actually bolstered its nomination total, including nods for stars Imelda Staunton, Dominic West (his first ever Emmy nod), Elizabeth Debicki, Lesley Manville (also her first) and Jonathan Pryce.
“Don’t take ‘The Crown’ for granted,” Bajaria said. “To be nominated every year and having it in the last season is incredible. They’ve had creative excellence on that show consistently for all of those years. So I was really happy that they were nominated.”
Then there’s the case of breakout “Baby Reindeer,” nominated for limited/anthology series, as well as for stars Richard Gadd (who was also nommed as a producer for creating the show, and for writing), Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau.
“I’m so happy for Richard and Jessica and Nava,” Bajaria said. “Great showing from our UK, slate, which is fun to see. It’s always amazing and rewarding to be part of when people get nominated for the first time and or when you can make some history and break into a category. Looking at Nava, as first transgender actress nominated [in limited/anthology supporting actress].” (Gadd’s next project, BBC’s “Lions,” recently landed at competitor HBO; insiders have said Netflix ultimately felt the creative wasn’t right for them.)
Among other first-time nominees, Bajaria singled out Guy Ritchie, who landed his first Emmy nod, in outstanding comedy directing, via “The Gentlemen.”
Netflix scored a variety special (live) nod for “The Greatest of All Time: Tom Brady,” which Bajaria called “the cherry on top” of what she said was a successful example of the streamer’s growing live event strategy. And among pleasant surprises was a writing nod for “Girls5eva.” Bajaria said any plans to renew that comedy have not been decided.
Bajaria was similarly mum on how drama series nominee “3 Body Problem’s” next (and final) two seasons will be rolled out or even produced. “To have that great collaboration with Benioff and Weiss and to take such a big bold swing in storytelling is so exciting to see being recognized,” she said. “There’s not more than I can really say. It’s really about the creative, they’re working on it. They’re breaking right now what that looks like. We’ll have more to report as they get deeper in. But we are excited because they are going to be able to tell that story to its incredible epic conclusion.”
Other stars landing Netflix nods include the David Beckham doc “Beckham.” “He was such an incredible partner and to see that team also being recognized with five nominations is great in the docs category,” Bajaria said.
And she also singled out the success of “Griselda,” which earned series star and EP Sofia Vergara a nom for lead actress in the limited/anthology series.
“I was so happy and pleased for Sofia Vergara, who took on such a departure role for her and a passion project,” Bajaria said. “She has wanted to do this story. And so, it was great to see her being recognized in that way.”
Looking ahead to the 2025 Emmy race, Bajaria is bullish on “The Perfect Couple,” starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning and Eve Hewson. The streamer also has the next installment of Ryan Murphy’s “Monster” franchise, “Monsters: The Menendez Brothers.” On the comedy side, there’s the new Mike Schur series “A Classic Spy,” starring Ted Danson; Kristen Bell’s “Nobody Wants This”; and Chuck Lorre’s Leanne Morgan sitcom.
And then, of course, there’s the Season 2 of “Squid Game.” And the recently aired Season 3 of “Bridgerton.” As we wait for Season 4 of “Bridgerton” (and what couple the show will focus on — no scoop yet from Bajaria), Netflix won’t yet confirm a Season 5 or beyond.
But news, Bajaria promised, is “coming soon. Here’s the thing. Rest assured there will be more ‘Bridgerton.’ It’s so fun to see in the ‘Polin’ season people just love it. They love that couple, they love that story. There will definitely be more ‘Bridgerton,’ more balls to go to, more corsets to wear, more romance to be had. So it’s all happening.”
And that new, final season of “Stranger Things,” right? That will be eligible for 2025? (Silence on the other end of the phone.)
“We haven’t set any launch date yet,” Bajaria said.