Accepting ‘Succession’s Emmy For Outstanding Drama Series, Creator Jesse Armstrong Quips About Political Partisanship: “After Four Seasons Of Satire, That’s A Problem We’ve Now Fixed”

Succession creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong delivered an acceptance speech for the show’s Outstanding Drama win that matched the show’s arch tone, at least in part.

“When partisan news coverage gets intertwined with divisive right-wing politics,” Armstrong ventured, before adding the quip, “After four seasons of satire, as I understand it, that’s a problem we’ve now fixed.”

Armstrong appeared utterly at ease on the Emmy stage, which is unsurprising given that the show won the top Emmy three times in its four-season run, plus armloads of additional trophies. “Thank you very much indeed,” he began, before acknowledging a number of parties individually, including HBO. “This wasn’t necessarily an easy show to commission at the beginning,” he said. He also thanked a number of cast members, including Bryan Cox, “around whom the show has revolved around” and Jeremy Strong, who “is shooting a movie.”

Succession‘s Emmy haul also included wins for outstanding directing and writing of a drama series. Armstrong’s script for the episode “Connor’s Wedding” gave him four consecutive wins in the category.

That same episode netted Mark Mylod a win for directing. In accepting the trophy, Mylod said collaborating with the cast and crew of the show for four seasons provided “incredible stimulation every time I walked on set.” The experience was “an absolute life highlight, career highlight. I don’t know if it’ll ever happen again.”

Speaking with Deadline last May, after Succession‘s final episode aired, Armstrong said it felt “very perverse to end it, because it’s been incredibly meaningful,” adding that “some of my happiest times in my career” had occurred in the writers room. “But one of the few things I’m able to be really tough about I think is protecting the show and its integrity.”