The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by the talented showman Neil Patrick Harris, was full of many surprises and upsets.
“Breaking Bad” was expected to win a few of the gold statuettes, including outstanding lead actor for Bryan Cranston and supporting actor in a drama for Aaron Paul, but instead they lost to “The Newsroom’s” Jeff Daniels and “Boardwalk Empire’s” Bobby Cannavale, respectively. At the end of the telecast however, “Breaking Bad” did win the biggest award of the night for outstanding drama. “Breaking Bad’s” Anna Gunn also won for outstanding lead actress.
“Modern Family” won the other big award of the night for outstanding comedy for the fourth year in a row. The show’s director Gail Mancuso also won an award.
It was a big night for HBO’s movie “Behind the Candelabra,” which won three awards, including outstanding miniseries/movie. Director Steven Soderbergh and star Michael Douglas were also honored.
Another surprise was “The Colbert Report” winning for outstanding variety series. “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” had won the prize for the past ten years.
The Emmys also featured special “In Memoriam” segments throughout the night, which gave tribute to certain TV icons who died in the past year. Jane Lynch spoke of her “Glee” co-star, Cory Monteith. Michael J. Fox honored producer Gary David Goldberg, who had hired Fox for “Family Ties.” Edie Falco gave tribute to her “Sopranos” co-star James Gandolfini. Rob Reiner honored Jean Stapleton, his TV mom from “All in the Family.” Jonathan Winters was also memorialized by Robin Williams.
Neil Patrick Harris kept the show moving. His opening bit featured former Emmy hosts, including Jane Lynch, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Fallon. About halfway through the show, Harris performed a musical number called “The Number in the Middle of the Show” with Nathan Fillion and Sarah Silverman.
Check out the full list of winners below:
- Drama Series: “Breaking Bad” (AMC)
- Actor, Drama Series: Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom (HBO)
- Actress, Drama Series: Claire Danes, “Homeland” (Showtime)
- Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Bobby Cannavale, “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
- Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad” (AMC)
- Directing, Drama Series: David Fincher, “House of Cards” (Netflix)
- Writing, Drama Series: Henry Bromell, “Homeland” (Showtime)
- Comedy Series: “Modern Family” (ABC)
- Lead Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
- Lead Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep,” (HBO)
- Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Tony Hale, “Veep” (HBO)
- Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Merritt Wever, “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime)
- Directing, Comedy Series: Gail Mancuso, “Modern Family” (ABC)
- Writing, Comedy Series: Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, “30 Rock” (NBC)
- Miniseries or Movie: “Behind the Candelabra” (HBO)
- Lead Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Michael Douglas, “Behind the Candelabra” (HBO)
- Lead Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Laura Linney, “The Big C: Hereafter” (Showtime)
- Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: James Cromwell, “American Horror Story: Asylum” (FX)
- Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Ellen Burstyn, “Political Animals” (USA)
- Directing, Miniseries or Movie: Steven Soderbergh, “Behind the Candelabra” (HBO)
- Writing, Miniseries or Movie: Abi Morgan, “The Hour” (BBC America)
- Reality-Competition Program: “The Voice” (NBC)
- Variety Series: “The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
- Writing, Variety Series: “The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
- Directing, Variety Series: Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
- Choreography: Derek Hough, “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
