“No one in America is winning their Emmy office pool,” said Neil Patrick Harris, the host of the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. And he was right — this year’s Emmy Awards resulted in one of the most unpredicted batch of winners in history. Let’s take a look at some of the night’s biggest highlights, surprises and upsets.
First there was Merritt Wever — the “Nurse Jackie” actress and winner for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series may have had the shortest acceptance speech ever.
“Thank you so much. I gotta go, bye,” Wever squeaked into the microphone.
Was it the best speech or the oddest? Either way, girl got the gold. Tony Hale also surprised the audience when he won the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for “Veep.” But he won over the crowd when he, like his character Gary Walsh, helped Julia Louis-Dreyfus deliver her acceptance speech. Not so much of a shock as a disappointment was Jim Parsons. Parsons has previously won two Emmys, and is undoubtedly remarkable as the quirky genius Sheldon Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory.” However, many were hoping that Alec Baldwin would win for his role as Jack Donaghy in his final season of “30 Rock.”
Before moving on, the audience was given a break with moments of levity and others of remembrance. First, Elton John paid tribute to Liberace, singing “Home Again,” followed by Don Cheadle’s speech on the profound impact of television in correspondence with Carrie Underwood singing a rendition of The Beatles’ “Yesterday.” Additionally, In Memoriam spots were dispersed evenly throughout the ceremony, paying tribute to television greats including “Glee’s” lovable Cory Monteith and “The Sopranos’” superstar James Gandolfini.
Harris helped break the tension with a comical song in the middle of the show and a phenomenally choreographed number celebrating dance in television. Also, there was the fact that Harris’ “How I Met Your Mother” co-stars posed an “intervention” on his need to host so many damn awards shows! In any case, it’s probably a good thing that he suffers from “Excessive Hosting Disorder” because some more disappointments were headed our way.
Jessica Lange, the deliciously manipulative Sister Jude in “American Horror Story: Asylum,” even looked shocked that she lost outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie to “The Big C: Hereafter’s” Laura Linney. Plus, her co-star Sarah Paulson’s portrayal as Lana Winters, from scared victim to stoic victor, also received no praise.
The next three wins, however, were the most surprising. Two-time Emmy winner and fan favorite from “Breaking Bad,” Aaron Paul, as well as “Bad’s” Jonathan Banks and Bryan Cranston, lost to Bobby Cannavale from “Boardwalk Empire” (outstanding supporting actor in a drama series) and Jeff Daniels from “The Newsroom” (outstanding lead actor in a drama series). While Cannavale’s portrayal of Gyp Rosetti was brutally real and Daniels could easily be a real news anchor, it is disappointing that the “Bad” actors weren’t rewarded for the most raved-about season yet. Not to mention, Mandy Patinkin also lost for “Homeland” and Kevin Spacey lost for “House of Cards,” letting down the momentum gained by the entry of Netflix nominations. The third win (or two wins) went to “The Colbert Report.” After 10 consecutive wins for “The Daily Show,” this was a victory no one saw coming.
That “Behind the Candelabra” won for outstanding miniseries is not much of a surprise, nor is the fact that “Modern Family” won outstanding comedy series for the fourth time in a row. But what made us all gulp and hold our breaths was “Breaking Bad’s” much-deserved victory for outstanding drama series. After “Homeland’s” sweep at the 2012 Emmys, it’s amazing that any series was able to contend. That being said, if any show was going to do it, this one is it.