Networks Vs Netflix at 66th Primetime Emmy Awards

25 Aug, 2014

“Fargo,” the TV re-imagining of the Coen brothers’ cult film, won best miniseries at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, while HBO’s “The Normal Heart” earned best TV movie honors for its depiction of the early fight against AIDS.

“Fargo” gave FX Networks its first Emmy for a program, but actors from the critically acclaimed miniseries lost out on awards despite being heavy favorites, especially lead actor Billy Bob Thornton.

“The Normal Heart” was based on the play by Larry Kramer, who wrote about his own fight against the spread of AIDS as a gay activist in New York City.

Actors Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jim Parsons were repeat Emmy winners, taking the top comedy acting honors and beating newcomer nominees during television’s biggest night.

Louis-Dreyfus won her third consecutive Emmy for her role as the ambitious and foul-mouthed U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer on HBO’s political satire “Veep.” Parsons won his fourth lead acting Emmy for playing the pedantic nerd Sheldon in CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory.”

In a year in which newcomers and cable and streaming company Netflix have dominated the conversation about television’s top honors, the big broadcast networks fared well in the awards handed out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Ty Burrell won best supporting actor in a comedy for his role as the hapless father Phil Dunphy on ABC’s hit show “Modern Family,” while Allison Janney won best supporting actress in a comedy as the ditsy mother on the CBS series “Mom.”

One of the surprise winners of the night was “Sherlock: His Last Vow” from PBS, which took awards for best actor in a miniseries or movie for Benedict Cumberbatch, best supporting actor for Martin Freeman and best writing in a miniseries or movie. The evening’s host, late-night talk show comedian Seth Meyers opened the show with knocks to the industry about the threat of online-streaming service Netflix to cable networks and the submission of its jailhouse series “Orange Is the New Black” as a comedy rather than a drama.

“Orange” is one of the three television upstarts that could shake up the Emmys in a validation of the industry’s move toward sophisticated, long-form storytelling.

Led by Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson from HBO’s murder mystery “True Detective,” a new breed of TV backed by film stars and cinematic vision squared off against Emmy stalwarts “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men” for the night’s top honor, best drama series.

Nearly a year after wrapping up, the AMC drama “Breaking Bad” has another nice going-away present. It is the winner of the Emmy Award for best drama series.

List of winners at Monday’s 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

Drama Series: “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

– Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

– Actress, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife,” CBS.

– Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

– Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

– Directing, Drama Series: Cary Joji Fukunaga, “True Detective,” HBO.

– Writing, Drama Series: Moira Walley-Beckett, “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

– Comedy Series: “Modern Family,” ABC.

– Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS.

– Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep,” HBO.

– Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, “Modern Family,” ABC.

– Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Allison Janney, “Mom,” CBS.

– Directing, Comedy Series: Gail Mancuso, “Modern Family,” ABC.

– Writing, Comedy Series: Louis C.K., “Louie,” FX.

– Miniseries: “Fargo,” FX.

– Movie: “The Normal Heart,” HBO.

– Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: His Last Vow,” PBS.

– Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Coven,” FX.

– Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Coven,” FX.

– Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Martin Freeman, “Sherlock: His Last Vow,” PBS.

– Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Adam Bernstein, “Fargo,” FX.

– Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Stephen Moffat, “Sherlock: His Last Vow,” PBS.

– Variety Series: “The Colbert Report,” Comedy Central.

– Writing, Variety Special: Sarah Silverman, “Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles,” HBO.

– Directing, Variety Special: Glenn Weiss, “67th Annual Tony Awards,” CBS.

– Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.

Reuters 

Image Variety twitter

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