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Reactions to the Results of the 64th Annual Emmy Awards

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On Sunday night, the 64th Annual Emmy Awards were presented in a live broadcast on ABC, featuring – for the most part – predictable winners with only a few surprises. To be honest the fact that the awards show is, sadly, predictable is not much of a change from the norm for this long-running awards show honoring the best that TV has to offer; but it sure would be nice if, for once, someone NEW could win. That’s not saying that a few newcomers did not win last night (far from it) but could we get more variety?

I won’t be focusing on ALL of the categories because that would take forever – and the awards show itself seems to go on forever as it is – so I will condense as much as possible; and as anyone who is familiar with my TV genre preferences you should know that I won’t be focusing on the variety or reality categories and will, for the sake of being nice this one time, will include the winners in the main comedy categories if for no other reason than to allow fans of that genre to applaud or boo as needed.

So, without further adieu, here are the winners of the main comedy categories:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy: Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy: Julia Louis Dreyfus in Veep
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Julie Bowen in Modern Family
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy: Jimmy Fallon, host on Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy: Kathy Bates in Two and a Half Men
Best Comedy Series: Modern Family
Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series: Girls
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Louis C.K. for Louie

COMMENTS: So, is Modern Family the only comedy on TV? I may not watch any of them, but I know for a fact there are a LOT more and the nominees (for the most part) reflected that there are more comedies on the air. Couldn’t The Big Bang Theory win something or what about the under-appreciated Community? And really!, Jon Cryer was as shocked that he won Best Actor as the entire viewing audience; doesn’t that mean that someone else should have won? These are the things that make you “hmmm?”

Next up are the winners in the main mini-series or movie categories:

Outstanding Lead Actress in Mini-Series or Movie: Julianne Moore in Game Change
Outstanding Lead Actor in Mini-Series or Movie: Kevin Costner in Hatfields & McCoys
Outstanding Supporting Actress in Mini-Series or Movie: Jessica Lange American Horror Story
Outstanding Supporting Actor in Mini-Series or Movie: Tom Berenger in Hatfields & McCoys
Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie: Game Change
Outstanding Casting for a Mini-Series or Movie: Game Change
Outstanding Writing for Mini-Series or Movie: Danny Strong for Game Change

Additional categories for Mini-Series or Movie that I felt deserved some attention:

Outstanding Costumes for a Mini-Series or Movie: Great Expectations
Outstanding Music Composition for a Mini-Series or Movie: Hemingway & Gellhorn

COMMENTS: Looks like American Horror Story didn’t run away with these categories, but Game Change certainly was a surprise, right? Right?! And I must admit that I am disappointed that Sherlock got shut out, as that was a great mini-series on PBS. Also how cool is it that a Buffy alum *cough* Danny Strong *cough* won an Emmy for writing! If you are not a Buffy-Joss Whedon fan, never watched episodes of Buffy or have no clue who Danny Strong is, do a little internet research and learn about this cool guy, okay?! (wink!)

And now for the big category – or the only one I truly care about – the main categories for dramas:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama: Damian Lewis in Homeland
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Claire Danes in Homeland
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama: Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama: Jeremy Davies in Justified
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama: Martha Plimpton in The Good Wife
Best Drama Series: Homeland
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series: Homeland
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff, for Homeland

Additional categories for a Drama Series that I felt deserved some attention:

Outstanding Costumes for a Drama Series: Game of Thrones
Outstanding Music Composition for a Drama Series: Downton Abbey

COMMENTS: First of all, kudos to Homeland for virtually crushing the competition. What a way to bring Mad Men down a notch or two and getting the better of Bryan Cranston. Did anyone see the almost death stare that Cranston was giving winner Damian Lewis during his acceptance speech. Yikes, he’d give Walter White a run for his money with that stare – I’m just saying. Also, I’d like to say isn’t it great that someone from Downton Abbey won SOMETHING! I know, I know, it’s a British show that aired on PBS; but it was a phenomenal mini-series (sans drama) that deserved a bit more attention. My only big complaint is that while I get it why Game of Thrones won for outstanding costumes; but couldn’t there have been a tie with Once Upon a Time, I mean, has anyone really looked at all those costumes on ABC’s fairytale drama – WOW!!

So, there you have it – the list of the main winners in the much-coveted Emmy categories and my thoughts. Now, it’s your turn. Did you spend Sunday night watching the Emmys or did you skip it? If you watched, what was your favorite part? Who were you rooting for? Were you disappointed/pleased by any of the winners? Please share your thoughts on this year’s Emmy Awards in our comment section below.

Using her favorite online handle, Rueben is an East Coast-bred gal who is now a permanent Californian and a lifelong tv-oholic. She watches at least 25 TV shows a week, goes to the movies as often as possible, listens to music every waking moment, reads every day and “plays” on the internet every chance she can. Some of her current favorite TV shows are Outlander, Sweet Magnolias, Wednesday, The Mandalorian, The Equalizer, Fire Country, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, The Rookie, Cobra Kai, Virgin River, The Witcher, Leverage: Redemption and School Spirits.  She is looking forward to the season premieres of Hudson & Rex on UPtv and Skymed on Paramount+ as well as the return of fall TV albeit starting in February. Follow her at @ruebenrambling or contact her at rueben@nicegirlstv.com.