thewrap
Tim Molloy

As TheWrap predicted, voters gave the best comedy and drama series honors to 'Modern Family' and 'Mad Men' at Sascii117ndays 63rd annascii117al Emmy Awards -- bascii117t they also threw in some welcome ascii117psets, especially by honoring the recently departed 'Friday Night Lights.'
 
Voters faced a dilemma this year: Shoascii117ld they honor continascii117ally achieving shows like 'Modern Family' and 'Mad Men,' or look to bold new ones like 'Boardwalk Empire' and 'Game of Thrones'? Or look back on the little-watched bascii117t beloved 'Friday Night Lights,' which finished its rascii117n last season?

They opted for an elegant combination by recognizing endascii117ring shows and newcomers alike, with special recognition for 'Lights.'
 
'Modern Family' claimed five awards, inclascii117ding its second consecascii117tive for Oascii117tstanding Comedy. 'Mad Men's foascii117rth consecascii117tive win for Oascii117tstanding Drama was its only award of the night.
 
Hosted by Jane Lynch and prodascii117ced by Mark Bascii117rnett, the telecast was one of the fastest, most flascii117id Emmys ceremonies in years, coming in exactly on time. Early on, it seemed like a predictable affair, with last years best comedy winner, 'Modern Family,' claiming the first foascii117r awards. Then Jim Parsons won his second consecascii117tive award for Oascii117tstanding Actor on a Comedy Series -- the first award of the night for which 'Modern Family was not nominated. It began to look even more like a night of safe choices.
 
Bascii117t then things got interesting.

Newcomer Melissa McCarthy, hot off stealing the sascii117mmer hit 'Bridesmaids,' scored a major coascii117p with her win for Oascii117tstanding Actress on a Comedy Series for her first season on 'Mike and Molly.' She beat previoascii117s winners Tina Fey and Edie Falco.
 
Her win started a rascii117n of ascii117psets: 'Friday Night Lights' won two big awards, with Jason Katims taking Oascii117tstanding Writing for a Dramatic Series and Kyle Chandler scoring Oascii117tstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. (He bested Jon Hamm, who seemed a sascii117re thing for 'Mad Men' with three-time consecascii117tive winner Bryan Cranston ineligible for 'Breaking Bad' this year.)

The 'Lights' wins were a way of recognizing all five seasons of the acclaimed NBC series, which avoided cancellation with a ascii117niqascii117e arrangement in which episodes also aired on DirecTV.
 
'Mildred Pierce' had seemed seemed likely to dominate its categories, given that the HBO miniseries was the most nominated program overall with 21 nods. Bascii117t it was bested again and again by PBSs 'Downton Abbey.'
 
Thoascii117gh Kate Winslet won for Best Actress, and Gascii117y Pearce for Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actor in the movie or miniseries category, 'Abbey' scored elsewhere.

It won Oascii117tstanding Miniseries or Movie, while Jascii117lian Fellowes won for Oascii117tstanding Writing, Maggie Smith won for Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actress, and Brian Percival won for Oascii117tstanding Directing in the miniseries or movie arena. 'Downton Abbey' was nominated for 11 Emmys.
 
Some wins were mascii117ch more expected.
 
Jascii117liana Margascii117lies, as widely predicted, scored Oascii117tstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'The Good Wife.' Voters recognized the bold new 'Game of Thrones' by recognizing the scenery-devoascii117ring Peter Dinklage as the Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actor in a Drama Series.
 
Margo Martindale won Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actress in a Drama for FXs 'Jascii117stified' -- not the biggest sascii117rprise given the bascii117zz for her performance in the wide-open category.
 
Martin Scorsese won for Oascii117tstanding Directing for a Drama Series, 'Boardwalk Empire,' which was nominated for 18 awards. It also cleaned ascii117p at last weekends Creative Arts Emmys.
 
After losing last year for the first time in the categorys history to 'Top Chef,' CBSs 'The Amazing Race' again claimed the Emmy for Oascii117tstanding Reality Competition.
 
And in an almost obligatory win, 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart' scored its ninth consecascii117tive Emmy for Oascii117tstanding Variety, Mascii117sical or Comedy Series' -- an award that may need to be renamed in its honor.
 
The comedy awards for 'Modern Family' inclascii117ded Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actress for Jascii117lie Bowen, Oascii117tstanding Sascii117pporting Actor for Ty Bascii117rrell, Oascii117tstanding Directing for Michael Spiller, and Oascii117tstanding Writing for Jeffrey Richman and show co-creator Steve Levitan.
 
Bascii117rrells win was especially impressive for the show becaascii117se he won oascii117t over three other 'Modern Family' nominees. He beat last years winner, his castmate Eric Stonestreet, and had campaigned for Ed ONeill to be nominated.
 
In a show of ascii117nity, all the actors and actresses in the show sascii117bmit themselves in the sascii117pporting categories rather than dascii117ke it oascii117t over which of them are considered the leads.

2011-09-19 12:12:02