“Breaking Bad” and “Modern Family” Dominate 65th Primetime Emmy Awards

First-time Emmy winner Breaking Bad took home the Outstanding Drama Series trophy while three-time winner Modern Family got its fourth Best Comedy Series trophy in Sunday night’s 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. The two long-running programs were the biggest winners of the night. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan was instrumental in giving television fans a gritty tale of a schoolteacher who became a drug kingpin. This year, Breaking Bad was up against equally compelling competitors including the political thriller House of Cards, an online streaming pioneer.

The Colbert Report was named as the best variety show. This year the best-reality competition award went to The Voice. This is the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards presented by The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and it was hosted by the versatile Neil Patrick Harris of the hit comedy series, How I Met Your Mother.

Acting awards

The Newsroom lead actor Jeff Daniels won the best actor for a drama series award, his second for this popular series about terrorism. Claire Danes of Homeland, another drama on terrorism won the best actress Emmy, her second trophy for the same category. The best supporting actor and best supporting actress in a drama series trophies went to Boardwalk Empire’s Bobby Cannavale and Breaking Bad’s Anna Gunn, respectively.

The Best Actor for a TV movie of miniseries award went to seasoned Hollywood actor Michael Douglas for playing role of iconic entertainer Liberace in HBO’s Behind the Candelabra biopic. His co-star Matt Damon was also nominated in the same category. The award for best actress in a miniseries went to Laura Linney for her role in The Big C: Hereafter.

Awards for the top comedy actors went to former Emmy recipients Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Best Comedy Actress for Veep) and Jim Parsons (Best Comedy Actor for The Big Bang Theory. This was Dreyfus’ second Emmy and Parsons’ third. Tony Hale of Veep brought home the best supporting actor in a comedy series Emmy.

Paying tribute

Every year it has become a tradition in the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony to offer a solemn tribute to members of the television industry who have passed away. As a gesture of respect to those who passed away in the past year, the tribute was extended. In addition to the In Memoriam section, five additional tributes were presented.

Robin Williams led the tribute to comedian Jonathan Winters. Rob Reiner talked fondly about actress Jean Stapleton while Michael J. Fox honored the memory of Gary David Goldberg, creator of Family Ties. Jane Lynch remembered Glee co-star Cory Monteith, while Edie Falco saluted the late James Gandolfini of The Sopranos.

Shortest speech ever

Merritt Wever took home the best supporting actress in a comedy series award, the first trophy given out for the evening, for her role in the hit series Nurse Jackie. She also gave the shortest speech of the evening. It is now being circulated in social media as the shortest ever speech in the history of the awards show. An emotional Wever to the stage saying, “Oh, my God, thank you. Thanks so much. Thank you so much. I’ve got to go. Bye,” and then left.

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards was held at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Photo Credit: Breaking Bad