Who really won at last night’s Emmy Awards?
That’s always the biggest question. Because it’s not just about who won the individual awards. There are usually greater trends emerging that expose winners on a much larger scale. Perhaps a little history is made. Maybe establishment cable scores a big win through a network that is pushing the envelope of how we’ll watch cable in the future. Heck, even the host can show up and outshine some of the nominees. The Emmy Awards are capable of providing surprises and this year was no exception. Here are the big winners of last night’s awards:
1. Game of Thrones and HBO
Many have chalked the 12 Emmy wins for Game of Thrones up to a win for establishment cable, a victory for the old guard. But there’s something greater at work here. Not only did Thrones bring home HBO’s first Outstanding Drama award in almost a decade, it did so less than a year after HBO became one of the first major cable networks to bring its offering directly to people via its HBO Now app. In fact, if we wanted to get really technical about it, a win for HBO isn’t that much different than a win for originals from Amazon or Netflix.
On top of what this means for a la carte streaming, let’s just sit back and enjoy a little win for Game of Thrones, the most watched show in HBO history and a major win for sci-fi and fantasy. Even though it would be easy to argue that season 5 wasn’t Thrones‘ strongest frame, this should still be celebrated on a level equal to the time Lord of the Rings won Best Picture at the Oscars. It’s a huge win for nerds. The last time anything close to sci-fi or fantasy won the big drama award was Lost in 2005. Cleaning up at the Creative Emmys is one thing, but being recognized with major awards — which also included Peter Dinklage for Best Supporting Actor and both Writing and Directing awards for David Benioff and Dan Weiss for the finale, “Mother’s Mercy” — is something that has eluded Game of Thrones. This is a win for Westeros, its fans and proof that the show only grows stronger. You know, it continues to rise and whatnot. Like some of its characters who could very well rise from… You get the idea.
2. Viola Davis
For the first time, the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award has been handed to an African American woman. This year, there was a 1 in 3 chance that this would happen, as both Davis and Empire‘s Taraji P. Henson were nominated. But it was Davis’ work on How to Get Away with Murder that ultimately made history. To be completely honest, I was surprised at the realization that this was the first time for an African American woman. My Emmy memory is less than strong, leading to my first thought being, “Really? How is it possible it hasn’t happened until this year?” The ways in which our society is able to marginalize and ignore the work of minorities is often surprising, even when it shouldn’t be.
Following her win, Davis gave a wonderful, emotional speech. “Let me tell you something,” she said. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”
3. Jon Hamm
With one more turn as Don Draper in the books, Jon Hamm has finally won an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series. “There has been a terrible mistake, clearly,” he said upon accepting his award, which concluded an epic run that included 7 previous nominations without a win. Even though he’s no Susan Lucci, who was nominated 18 consecutive times for a Daytime Emmy before finally winning, 8 consecutive nominations is incredible. The win caps off one of the most monumentally acclaimed runs in television history for a single actor. We’re sure he’s off somewhere on the coast of California today meditating.
4. Jon Stewart and Amy Schumer
In the swan song for Jon Stewart’s turn on The Daily Show, they completed the sweep. This year, the award for Outstanding Variety Series was broken into two new categories: Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. After winning the original category 10 consecutive times between 2003 and 2012, The Daily Show rang in the new era with one final win, taking home the Outstanding Variety Talk Series. In the other new category, Inside Amy Schumer broke through in a big way. After being nominated in the old category last year, Schumer christened the first year of the new category. If there was ever the award show equivalent of the passing of the torch, this category break and its subsequent winners were it.
5. Host Andy Samberg
The former Saturday Night Live and current Brooklyn Nine Nine star had a wonderful night hosting and representing the Fox network last night, complete with a very fun opening number:
A sharp opening monologue:
And whatever the hell this is:
Needless to say, it was a good night for Samberg and the Brooklyn Nine Nine brand (which is a great show, why aren’t you watching it?) It can be off-putting at times to see the hosting network simply choose one of its own stars to host a big awards show as a promotional tool, but this is one of those times when it worked out brilliantly.
For a full list of last night’s winners, see the list below. For a full list of the Creative Emmy Awards that were handed out on September 12 (spoiler alert: lots of Game of Thrones), there’s a list on Emmys.com (PDF).
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie:
Adrien Brody, Houdini
Ricky Gervais, Derek Special
Timothy Hutton, American Crime
Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie:
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Queen Latifah, Bessie
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
Emma Thompson, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Live From Lincoln Center)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Louis C.K., Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Outstanding Reality – Competition Program:
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Variety Talk Series:
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Late Show with David Letterman
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Outstanding Limited Series:
American Crime
American Horror Story: Freak Show
Olive Kitteridge
The Honorable Woman
Wolf Hall
Outstanding Comedy Series:
Louie
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep
Outstanding Drama Series:
Better Call Saul
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men
Orange Is the New Black
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie:
Richard Cabral, American Crime
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge
Denis O’Hare, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Michael Kenneth Williams, Bessie
Finn Wittrock, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie:
Angela Bassett, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Zoe Kazan, Olive Kitteridge
Regina King, American Crime
Mo’Nique, Bessie
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Adam Driver, Girls
Tony Hale, Veep
Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent
Allison Janney, Mom
Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Niecy Nash, Getting On
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series:
Drunk History
Inside Amy Schumer
Key & Peele
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland – “From A to B and Back Again”
David Nutter, Game of Thrones – “Mother’s Mercy”
Jeremy Podeswa, Game of Thrones – “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”
Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire – “Eldorado”
Steven Soderbergh, The Knick – “Method and Madness”
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Louis C.K., Louie – “Sleepover”
Armando Iannucci, Veep – “Testimony”
Mike Judge, Silicon Valley – “Sand Hill Shuffle”
Phil Lord & Chris Miller, The Last Man on Earth – “Alive in Tucson”
Jill Soloway, Transparent – “Best New Girl”
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie
Hugo Blick, The Honorable Woman
Lisa Cholodenko, Olive Kitteridge
Uli Edel, Houdini
Peter Kosminsky, Wolf Hall
Ryan Murphy, American Horror Story: Freak Show – “Monsters Among Us”
Dee Rees, Bessie
Tom Shankland, The Missing
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
James Hoskinson, The Colbert Report – “Show 11040?
Chuck O’Neil, The Daily Show – “Show 20103?
Amy Schumer & Ryan McFaul, Inside Amy Schumer – “12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer”
Jerry Foley, Late Show with David Letterman – “Show 4214?
Dave Diomedi, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – “Show 203?
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones – “Mother’s Mercy”
Joshua Brand, The Americans – “Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Semi Chellas & Matthew Weiner, Mad Men – “Lost Horizon”
Gordon Smith, Better Call Saul – “Five-O”
Matthew Weiner, Mad Men – “Person to Person”
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Alec Berg, Silicon Valley – “Two Days of the Condor”
Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche, Veep – “Election Night”
Louis C.K., Louie – “Bobby’s House”
David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik, Episodes – “Episode 409”
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth – “Alive in Tucson”
Jill Soloway, Transparent – “Pilot”
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie
Jane Anderson, Olive Kitteridge
Hugo Blick, The Honorable Woman
Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg, Hello Ladies: The Movie
Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois & Horton Foote, Bessie
John Ridley, American Crime – “Episode One”
Peter Straughan, Wolf Hall
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Inside Amy Schumer
Key & Peele
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver