The Emmy Noms Prove That Streaming Is Here To Stay

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time remembering life before Netflix started instantly streaming shows. How was it ever possible to fall in love with a show and try to track down the DVDs, or worse wait for reruns to come on? And now that online-only series are a thing, it's totally revolutionized the way we watch TV — and the Television Academy has officially taken notice. On Thursday, July 16, the 2015 Emmy nominations were announced, and streaming shows like Amazon's Transparent and Netflix's Orange is The New Black all scored some major honors.

The shows' nominations aren't too surprising if, like me, you're a fan and know how deserving they are of being honored, but when you consider the fact that they're nominated right alongside network shows instead of in a separate category, it really sends the point home of how much TV is changing. Streaming shows are officially legit, you guys, and judging from these nominations, September's Emmy Awards are going to be a testament to that fact.

Just look at the statistics; there's been a dramatic change in the nominations from last year compared to this year for streaming shows. Here's how it breaks down, as pointed out by CNN's Brian Stelter:

There's Amazon, which went from zero nominations to 12 in one year, an absolutely huge accomplishment. Then there's Netflix, which now boasts more than 35 original series, and has become a major player in the entertainment world (and not just because it has every episode of Friends all in one place). It's rare that these services don't deliver a hit, and in my opinion, their track records in creating high-quality shows are better than those of many of the "real" networks. As for Yahoo, it's new to the competition — but give it another year or two, and who knows what we'll see.

To be fair, it was basically a given that shows like House of Cards and OITNB would get nominations, especially since they were big players in last year's Emmys Awards. But I was pretty happy to see that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — which I marathoned over a 24-hour period because the show is that good — scored more than six nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series. This is a streaming show that consists of 13 episodes and was released just months ago this spring. That's a huge deal, especially since the series is the company of powerhouses like Modern Family.

TV is changing, and it's an awesome thing, especially if it means we keep getting wonderful, well-written shows that are commercial-free and aren't bound to the limitations that come with traditional TV shows. As a television fan, it makes me excited for the future... and, also, of course, for Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Image: Jojo Whilden/Netflix