On Sunday, the Emmys honored the actors, writers, and all of those responsible for making TV so good and leaving your couch so hard.
The opening skit had the host, Neil Patrick Harris, binge watching all the nominated TV series, which was pretty much a remake of my Friday nights. Then he went on stage, cracked a few jokes (including one about Paula Deen and her racial slurs), then last years host, Jimmy Kimmel, and other previous hosts such as Jane Lynch, Jimmy Fallon, and Conan O’Brien, interjected trying to ruin his opening monologue. Eventually, the camera went to Kevin Spacey, who revealed it was all going “according to his plan.”
The two funniest women probably to ever exist, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, presented the first award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The winner, Merritt Wever from Nurse Jackie, gave one of the strangest speeches, because no one really expected her to win against Modern Family powerhouses Sofia Vergara or Julie Bowen. She went on stage, hugged both Amy and Tina, got her award then shuffled to the microphone and said, “thank you, thank you so much… I got to go, bye.”
LL Cool J and Malin Ackerman then presented the much earned award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series to Tina Fey and Traci Wigfield for 30 Rock. Sisters Emily and Zooey Deschanel then gave the award to Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy series to Tony Hale from Veep.
Throughout the show there were numerous tributes to fallen stars and a fallen era. The first was Robin William’s tribute to Jonathan Winters, his idol, and the only other human capable of switching between different characters so effortlessly. Then was Rob Reiner’s tribute to Jean Stapleton, who played Edith Bunker in All in the Family. Next was Jane Lynch’s honoring of Cory Monteith, reminding everyone to be aware of the destruction addiction can cause. Don Cheadle payed tribute to the Beatles era, telling us that we should remember the past, celebrate the present, and anticipate the future. Last was the tribute to James Gandolfini from his on-screen wife and off-screen friend, Edie Falco. She honored him as a person, not as the iconic Tony Soprano, and when her voice caught, so did the knife to my heart.
Jon Hamm and Alec Baldwin, two of the older men responsible for my dislike of the guys in my generation, presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actresses in a Comedy Series. Without me even having to blink, Julia-Louie Dreyfoos won, like the year before.
The award for Outstanding Directing in a comedy series was picked up by Gail Mancisco for Modern Family. This was the second time a woman has ever won for comedy directing.
Jimmy Kimmel and Sofia Vergara presented the award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, referring to comedy as dangerous and the nominees as murderers. The winner, Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory, accepted the award with his charming awkward humbleness.
Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, both from the HBO biopic Behind the Candelabra, welcomed Elton John to perform his song “Home Again” based on Liberace. The other performance of the night was Carrie Underwood’s cover of the Beatles’ “Yesterday.”
The cast of Neil Patrick Harris’ show How I Met You Mother participated in a skit focused on Neil’s severe case of EHD (Excessive Hosting Disorder). They recounted tales of his hosting debauchery, from him announcing nominees during takes of the show to him naked in front of a mirror “hosting” himself. They then urged you call the “Ryan Seacrest Center for Excessive Hosting” if you have a friend dealing with the disorder.
Connie Britton and Blair Underwood presented the award for Outstanding Writer for a Drama Series to the late Henry Bromwell, from Homeland, whose wife accepted the award. Afterwards, Anna Gunn, who plays Skylar White on Breaking Bad, got the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Some people like oranges, other like strawberries, but Neil Patrick Harries loves dancing, so naturally he couldn’t resist adding a jazzy dance number to the three hour show. Joining him were Comedienne Sarah Silverman and Nathan Fillon from Castle.
Another dance number of the night was for the Choreography Category, which is usually presented before the show or in-between commercial breaks. The nominees were told to put on a little production, and it was fantastic. Each nominated show was represented flawlessly, from Game of Thrones to Breaking Bad and The Big Bang Theory. Best Choreography went to Derek Hough for Dancing with the Stars.
Kerry Washington and Diahann Carroll, the first African American man or woman to ever be nominated for an Emmy, presented the award for supporting actor in a Drama Series to Bobby Cannavale from Boardwalk Empire.
I had to actually restrain myself from throwing a fit when Claire Danes won Outstanding lead actress. It wasn’t a shock though, she won the year before and will most likely win until the end of time. More anger came when Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston lost to Jeff Daniels for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
HBO’s Liberace Biopic Behind the Candelabra garnered three awards that night, for best miniseries or movie, Outstanding Director for Steven Soderbergh and Outstanding Lead Actor for Michael Douglas.
The soon ending drama series, Breaking Bad, rightfully received the award for Outstanding Drama Series. Then for the fourth consecutive time, ABC’s Modern Family scooped up the award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
To some, this year’s Emmys were a bit depressing due to the many tributes, but I thought it couldn’t have been better. Honoring those who had passed and celebrating the performers of today showcased the unity among the actors, the writers, and the entire entertainment sphere as a whole.
