Emmy Awards 2021 Live Updates: Red Carpet Draws Stars and Styles

“The Crown,” which stars, from left, Olivia Colman, Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin, is the favorite to win the best drama Emmy.

At long last, it should be the year that a streaming platform is triumphant at the Emmys.

The tech companies upended the entertainment industry years ago, but they’ve had mixed results breaking through with members of the Television Academy, who vote on the winners. That will likely come to an end on Sunday when the envelopes are unsealed at the 73rd Emmy Awards.

“The Crown,” the lush Netflix drama chronicling the British royal family, is the heavy favorite to win one of the night’s biggest awards — best drama — on the strength of its fourth season, which took viewers into the 1980s as it portrayed the relationship of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

“The Crown” already picked up four Emmys in the first batch of awards handed out during last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which recognizes achievements in technical categories.

Netflix built a considerable lead over its television and streaming rivals at the Creative Arts Emmys, all but guaranteeing that it will win more awards than any other studio, streaming platform or TV network.

A best drama win for “The Crown” would also be a significant first for Netflix. The streaming service has never won a top series award, despite a whopping 30 nominations in best drama, comedy and limited series from 2013 to 2020. Only one streaming service, Hulu, has won best drama, an award that went to “The Handmaid’s Tale” four years ago.

It would be a fitting win in a ceremony that is recognizing the best shows aired or streamed amid the pandemic. During the stay-at-home months last year and early this year, people increasingly turned away from cable and embraced streaming video entertainment, accelerating a trend that was already underway.

While “The Crown” is the favorite, keep an eye out for spoilers in the best drama race. “The Mandalorian,” the Star Wars action adventure show on Disney+, picked up seven technical awards last weekend, and Television Academy voters love themselves some popular, action-packed entertainment, as evinced by the success of “Game of Thrones,” which won best drama a record-tying four times.

A show with an outside shot is “Bridgerton,” the popular Netflix bodice-ripper from the super producer Shonda Rhimes. FX’s “Pose,” nominated for its final, emotional season, has the best chance at an upset of any of the cable or network series nominated.