It was a night for winners, in that if you’d already won an Emmy it was pretty likely you’d win another. Beyond that it was mostly bland and very safe/middle of the road (especially some of the winners).
Seth Meyers did a great job in the monologue but Kimmel killed it with his short spree, sadly highlight how gentle Meyers went in the opener. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss calling Bryan Cranston “Clark Gable” – GOLD, followed up with a pash from Cranston as she went to the stage to collect her Comedic Actress award. Second year in a row she’s made her speech one of the more memorable of the night.
Even Weird Al seemed to feel “slotted in”…
The Robin Williams tribute by Billy Crystal was heartfelt, beautiful, succinct & desperately hopeful yet eminently sad (was it going to be anything else?). “The brilliance was astounding…” Yes, yes it was.
There were a few “huh?!” moments, not least of which was the President of the Academy putting Sophia Vergara on a revolving stage as a “visual distraction” while he talked about people taking up jobs in TV. AND he patted her on the arse. Poor form.
The lack of wins by Orange is the New Black and House of Cards after so many nominations was a clear “not yet” by the Academy to Netflix. An interesting move indeed.
I know nothing about fashion so take this for what it’s worth – Sarah Silverman yes, Lena Dunham uh-uh girl.
It was always going to be Breaking Bad’s night, and taking 5 from the 6 they were nominated for was excellent but deprived Gilligan again of a best director Emmy (picked up by a largely ignored True Detective). So, now it’s run and won, here’s how my tips stacked up. (My tips in italics, the winners in bold.)
Who was robbed? Which wins do you agree with? I am intrigued to know…
Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad, AMC
Downton Abbey, PBS
Game of Thrones, HBO
House of Cards, Netflix
Mad Men, AMC
True Detective, HBO
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Louie (FX)
Modern Family (ABC)
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Veep (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom (HBO)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Woody Harrelson, True Detective (HBO)
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective (HBO)
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS)
Kerry Washington, Scandal (ABC)
Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Ricky Gervais, Derek (Netflix)
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes (Showtime)
William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly (CBS)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Outstanding Miniseries
American Horror Story: Coven, FX
Fargo, FX
Luther, BBC America
Bonnie & Clyde, A&E
Treme, HBO
The White Queen, Starz
Outstanding Movie
Killing Kennedy, National Geographic Channel
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, HBO
The Normal Heart, HBO
Sherlock: His Last Vow, PBS
Trip to Bountiful, Lifetime
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow (PBS)
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge (Starz)
Idris Elba, Luther (BBC America)
Martin Freeman, Fargo (FX)
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart (HBO)
Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo (FX)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor (BBC America)
Minnie Driver, Return to Zero (Lifetime)
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven (FX)
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Coven (FX)
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime)
Kristen Wiig, Spoils of Babylon (IFC)
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (NBC)
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night (NBC)
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway (Lifetime)
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Anthony Bourdain, The Taste (ABC)
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race, CBS
Dancing With the Stars, ABC
Project Runway, Lifetime
So You Think You Can Dance, Fox
Top Chef, Bravo
The Voice, NBC
Outstanding Variety Series
The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
The Daily Show, Comedy Central
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC
Saturday Night Live, NBC
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NBC
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland (Showtime)
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan (Showtime)
Josh Charles, The Good Wife (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Lena Headley, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Breaking Bad (Episode: “Felina”), Written by Vince Gilligan (AMC)
Breaking Bad (Episode: “Ozymandias”), Written by Moira Walley-Beckett (AMC)
Game of Thrones (Episode: “The Children”), Written by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss (HBO)
House of Cards (Episode: “Chapter 14”), Written by Beau Willimon (Netflix)
True Detective (Episode: “The Secret Fate of All Life”), Written by Nic Pizzolatto (HBO)
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire (Episode: “Farewell Daddy Blues”), Directed by Tim Van Patten (HBO)
Breaking Bad (Episode: “Felina”), Directed by Vince Gilligan (AMC)
Downton Abbey (Episode: “Episode One”), Directed by David Evans (PBS)
Game of Thrones (Episode: “The Watchers on the Wall”), Directed by Neil Marshall (HBO)
House of Cards (Episode: “Chapter 14”), Directed by Carl Franklin (Netflix)
True Detective (Episode: “Who Goes There”), Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
Adam Driver, Girls (HBO)
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)
Fred Armisen, Portlandia (IFC)
Tony Hale, Veep (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)
Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
Kate Mulgrew, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Anna Chlumsky, Veep (HBO)
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Episodes (Episode: “Episode Five”), Written by David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik (Showtime)
Louie (Episode: “So Did the Fat Lady”), Written by Louis C.K. (FX)
Orange Is the New Black (Episode: “I Wasn’t Ready”), Written by Liz Friedman & Jenji Kohan (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (Episode: “Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency”), Written by Alec Berg (HBO)
Veep (Episode: “Special Relationship”), Written by Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, & Tony Roche (HBO)
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Episodes (Episode: “Episode Nine”), Directed by Iain B. MacDonald (Showtime)
Glee (Episode: “100”), Directed by Paris Barclay (Fox)
Louie (Episode: “Elevator, Part 6”), Directed by Louis C.K. (FX)
Modern Family (Episode: “Las Vegas”), Directed by Gail Mancuso (ABC)
Orange Is the New Black (Episode: “Lesbian Request Denied”), Directed by Jodie Foster (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (Episode: “Minimum Viable Product”), Directed by Mike Judge (HBO)