Emmy 2014 Recap: More of the Same

I'll be honest: this year's Emmys weren't very exciting. In each of the top series races, it seemed like there could be a tight competition, with old favorites giving way to newcomers such as Orange is the New Black or True Detective. Yet, in the end, voters went with those they were familiar with. Breaking Bad won almost every major award it was nominated for (losing only Best Director of a Drama), including Bryan Cranston's win in Best Actor in a Drama over presumed favorite Matthew McConaughey (True Detective). The comedy Emmys were similarly predictable, with Modern Family winning in the categories it has more or less dominated over the past five years. And in miniseries/movie, American Horror Story: Coven (which was bad) and Sherlock: His Last Vow (even worse) dominated. Nothing surprising.

Bryan Cranston

The ceremony itself was a bit of a drag, too. Seth Meyers was an amiable host, but I've never been all that partial to his snarky persona. None of the jokes really landed all that well, either, and the whole thing just lacked energy. But that's another ceremony in the bag. Better luck next year.

TRIVIA

• All of the acting winners in comedy/drama series categories had won their respective award at least once in the last five years, with the only exception being Allison Janney.
• By winning for the fifth year in a row, Modern Family matches the record for most series Emmy wins set by Fraiser.
• Breaking Bad is the first show to win the Best Drama Series Emmy for its final season since The Sopranos in 2007. Those shows are also the only ones to accomplish this feat.
• Aaron Paul is the first actor to win more than two Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Emmys, taking home his third. (Art Carney also won three - 1954, 1955, 1956 - but it was before the award for Supporting Actor was separated between genres). Paul is also the first to win three such Emmys for playing the same character on the same show.
• Moira Walley-Beckett is the first woman to win an Emmy for Drama Writing on a solo credit in 20 years.
• In the movie/miniseries category, American Horror Story: Coven and Sherlock: His Last Vow took home the most awards, but neither took their respective top prize. Coven lost to Fargo in Miniseries, while Sherlock lost to The Normal Heart for TV Movie.

A list of winners after the break.

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Modern Family

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Julianne Margulies, The Good Wife

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Allison Janney, Mom

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ty Burrell, Modern Family

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

BEST DIRECTOR OF A COMEDY SERIES
Gail Mancuso, "Las Vegas" (Modern Family)

BEST DIRECTOR OF A DRAMA SERIES
Cary Joji Fukunaga, "Who Goes There" (True Detective)

BEST WRITING OF A COMEDY SERIES
"So Did the Fat Lady," written by Louis C.K. (Louie)

BEST WRITING OF A DRAMA SERIES
"Ozymandias," written by Moira Walley-Beckett (Breaking Bad)

BEST MINISERIES
Fargo

BEST MADE-FOR-TELEVISION MOVIE
The Normal Heart

BEST ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven

BEST ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Coven

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: His Last Vow

BEST DIRECTION OF A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Colin Bucksey, "Buridan's Ass" (Fargo)

BEST WRITING OF A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Sherlock: His Last Vow; written by Stephen Moffat