The Emmys were last night, and I’m going to have several posts talking about various aspects of the show and which actresses had the best cleavage and whatnot. But first, let’s talk about who won (and didn’t win) the little wingèd statues.
I’ve got a full list of winners below (with my sparkling commentary, of course), but here’s the short version: “Modern Family” is the only sitcom Emmy voters watch; Margo Martindale and Peter Dinklage got awesome wins for “Justified” and “Game of Thrones”; “Mad Men’s” sole Emmy was its fourth straight win for Best Drama; and “Friday Night Lights” finally got some recognition with wins for writing and lead actor (Kyle Chandler).
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family (Winner)
The Office
Parks And Recreation
30 Rock
Make no mistake: “Modern Family” is an excellent show. It’s well-written and well-acted, and I understand that its appeal as a family comedy is broader than that of other series. But the only time “Modern Family” nominees lost last night were when they lost to other “Modern Family” nominees.
Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game Of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men (Winner)
Works for me. “Mad Men” was probably most deserving, but it would’ve been nice to see “Friday Night Lights” get a nod.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory (Winner)
Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc as Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Louis C.K. as Louie, Louie
Steve Carell as Michael Scott, The Office
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock
Naturally, my choice would be Louis C.K., but it was a miracle he was even nominated. The real crime here, as noted by “Parks and Rec” showrunner (and former “Office” writer) Michael Schur:
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson, Boardwalk Empire
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, Dexter
Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights (Winner)
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House, House
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, Justified
Jon Hamm as Don Draper, Mad Men
A crowded field, even with the absence of three-time winner Bryan Cranston due to “Breaking Bad’s” prolonged absence. Olyphant was terrific in “Justified’s” stellar second season, and Hamm has never been better as Don Draper, but I can’t begrudge Coach Taylor finally getting some recognition. Clear hearts and all that.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Laura Linney as Cathy Jamison, The Big C
Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn, Mike & Molly (Winner)
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, Parks And Recreation
Martha Plimpton as Virginia Chance, Raising Hope
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon, 30 Rock
The nominees assembling onstage like beauty pageant finalists was one of the highlights of the night (and Amy Poehler’s idea), but what bothers me is that there were only two comedy categories where “Modern Family” didn’t have a nominee, and the winners were Jim Parsons and Melissa McCarthy, who’s good but clearly got the award because Emmy voters liked Bridesmaids.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, Friday Night Lights
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife (Winner)
Kathy Bates as Harriet “Harry” Korn, Harry’s Law
Mireille Enos as Sarah Linden, The Killing
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Mad Men
At least it wasn’t Kathy Bates?
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Modern Family
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Modern Family (Winner)
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper, Two and a Half Men
Yup, four of the best six male supporting actors in televised comedy are on “Modern Family.” Certainly not Nick Offerman or Danny Pudi.
F*ck you, TV Academy.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones (Winner)
Josh Charles as Will Gardner, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming as Eli Gold, The Good Wife
Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder, Justified
John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Mad Men
Andre Braugher as Owen, Men of a Certain Age
I loved seeing Dinklage win, although I have to deduct a couple points for him calling Goggins “Walter” as he acknowledged the other nominees. C’mon, man! He was equally deserving of that Emmy, get his name right.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Glee
Betty White as Elka Ostrosky, Hot in Cleveland
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Modern Family (Winner)
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig as Various characters, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney, 30 Rock
At least it wasn’t Betty White?
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Schroeder, Boardwalk Empire
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett, Justified (Winner)
Michelle Forbes as Mitch Larsen, The Killing
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris, Mad Men
F YEAH MAGS BENNETT.
Next page: all the miniseries/movie awards, writing awards, reality stuff, et cetera.
Outstanding Miniseries Or Movie
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey (Winner)
The Kennedys
Mildred Pierce
The Pillars Of The Earth
Too Big To Fail
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Edgar Ramirez as Carlos, Carlos
Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy, The Kennedys
Barry Pepper as Bobby Kennedy, The Kennedys (Winner)
Idris Elba as John Luther, Luther
Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall, Thurgood
William Hurt as Henry ‘Hank’ Paulson, Too Big Too Fail
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Diane Lane as Patricia Loud, Cinema Verite
Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham, Downton Abbey
Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce, Mildred Pierce (Winner)
Taraji P. Henson as Tiffany Rubin, Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
Jean Marsh as Rose Buck, Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Tom Wilkinson as Joe Kennedy, The Kennedys
Guy Pearce as Monty Beragon, Mildred Pierce (Winner)
Brian F. O’Byrne as Bert Pierce, Mildred Pierce
Paul Giamatti as Ben Bernanke, Too Big to Fail
James Woods as Richard Fuld, Too Big to Fail
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (Winner)
Evan Rachel Wood as Veda Pierce, Mildred Pierce
Melissa Leo as Lucy Gessler, Mildred Pierce
Mare Winningham as Ida, Mildred Pierce
Eileen Atkins as Lady Maud Holland, Upstairs, Downstairs (Masterpiece)
Writing, Drama Series: Jason Katims, “Friday Night Lights,” NBC.
Directing, Drama Series: Martin Scorsese, “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO.
Writing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, “Modern Family,” ABC.
Directing, Comedy Series: Michael Spiller, “Modern Family,” ABC.
Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Brian Percival, “Downton Abbey” (“Masterpiece”), PBS.
Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Julian Fellowes, “Downton Abbey” (“Masterpiece”), PBS.
Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.
Variety, Music or Comedy Series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.
Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live,” NBC.
Writing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.
It’s the ninth straight year that “The Daily Show” has won. We get it, Emmy voters, you vote Democrat.