Tonight in Los Angeles, the 78th edition of the Emmy Awards was held to recognize the best series of the season. And although in the comedy genre the clear favorite prevailed, in drama there was an undercover tie and in miniseries the most unexpected winner emerged. Or in other words, The Pitt, The Curse of Widow’s Bay, and DTF. St. Louis are the victorious series of a ceremony that unfolded without upheaval and with emotional tributes to the stars of the audiovisual industry who have passed away in recent months.
The night began with Mariska Hargitay, known for her role in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, performing a musical number that riffed on I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, speaking about the joy of enjoying a series thanks to streaming platforms while on screen appeared stars such as the award-winning Jean Smart (Hacks), the incomparable Jennifer Coolidge, and the New York Knicks player (whom Hargitay is a big fan of), Jalen Brunson.
After reminding those present that she was the first woman to host the gala that recognizes the best in television in fifteen years, and with high praise for the series that has brought her worldwide recognition, the party began. And as the opening was, so was the rest of the ceremony. Those days are gone when stars used their moment in the spotlight to push for a cause, or those who advocate they don’t get awards — it could be anything, Mark Ruffalo. That said, the pace of award presentations was as rapid as the jokes were lacking in wit, but you can’t have everything.
Matthew Rhys, the man of the moment
The first award of the night already foreshadowed that it would be a great evening for the surprise season comedy, The Curse of Widow’s Bay. Katie O’Flynn collected the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress, dedicating it to “all the Patricias in the world,” celebrating eccentricity and women who are not like the others. She was followed, throughout the night, by her co-star Stephen Root, collecting the same award in the male version, Katie Dipold and Hiro Murai as winners of the Emmys for Best Writing and Best Directing (respectively), and Best Actor in a Comedy for Matthew Rhys.
Matthew Rhys poses with his two Emmys, for The Curse of Widow’s Bay and The Beast in Me.
This actually was the second prize for the Welsh actor, who after Jean Smart collected her award for Best Actress in a Comedy, went up to receive Best Actor in a Miniseries for The Beast in Me. And in two hours of the gala he made more history than in the previous 78 editions. He is the first actor to win a lead acting award in all three categories (he already had one for The Americans) and to take two top prizes in a single gala. She, for achieving her fifth statuette in the fifth (and final) season of Hacks, and raising her personal tally to eight awards. The same as Allison Janney after being recognized as Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Diplomat. What a night for the Guinness.
Awards with heartfelt dedications
But not only of series do the Emmys live, and when Alan Cumming, known for his role in The Good Wife, took the stage to collect the Emmy for Best Competition Program for The Traitors there was the night’s most activist moment. And the Scottish actor, although a U.S. citizen for almost two decades, reminded those present, and the viewers, that tomorrow the deadline opens in the United States to register to vote in November “because the time to talk is over, now is the time to vote, America.”
Tom Pelphrey with the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Task.
The Welsh actor, who after Jean Smart collected her award for Best Actress in a Comedy, went up to collect Best Actor in a Miniseries for The Beast in Me. And in two hours of the gala he made more history than in the previous 78 editions. He is the first actor to win a lead acting award in all three categories (he already had one for The Americans) and to take two top prizes in a single gala. She, for achieving her fifth statue in the fifth (and final) season of Hacks, and raising her personal tally to eight awards. The same as Allison Janney after being recognized as Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Diplomat. What a night for the Guinness.
Awards with heartfelt dedications
But not only of series do the Emmys live, and when Alan Cumming, known for his role in The Good Wife, took the stage to collect the Emmy for Best Competition Program for The Traitors there was the night’s most activist moment. And the Scottish actor, although a U.S. citizen for almost two decades, reminded those present, and the viewers, that tomorrow opens the window in the United States to register to vote in November “because the time to speak is over, now is the time to vote, America.”
Rhea Seehorn, one of the night’s winners for her role in Pluribus.
Juliana Margulies presented the Bob Hope humanitarian award, which was awarded to Michael J. Fox for his foundation against the disease he suffers from, Parkinson’s. In his long fight, the actor known for his role in the Back to the Future trilogy has raised three billion dollars and was rightfully received with the audience on its feet, as he was dismissed. “I have received a lot of support from the public and I am very grateful for it,” he said before remembering his entire family, who watched him from the front row.
Vince Gilligan, recognized as Best Drama Director for Pluribus, preceded Sally Field’s tribute to Dolly Parton and the on-screen children in Catherine O’Hara’s fiction (Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy), toward this. The In Memoriam segment began, which closed with a deeply emotional Jamie Lee Curtis speaking about Rob Reiner.
And among memories came the night’s most important awards: Best Miniseries for DTF. St. Louis, Best Drama for The Pitt (although it started with 25 nominations, it took only 7 awards, the same number as Pluribus), and Best Comedy for The Curse of Widow’s Bay, which in its first year has achieved a total of 14. The Martha’s Vineyard of series.
Next, all the winners of the 78th Emmy Awards:
Best Dramatic Series
The Pitt
Best Comedy Series
The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Miniseries or Television Movie
DTF St. Louis
Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Matthew Rhys, The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
Best Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie
Sally Field, Luminous Creatures
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Tom Pelphrey, Task
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Stephen Root, The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kate O’Flynn, The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Comedy Writing
Katie Dipold, The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Directing for a Drama Series
Saul Metzestein, Slow Horses
Best Directing for a Comedy Series
Hiro Murai, The Curse of Widow’s Bay
Best Drama Writing
Vince Gilligan, Pluribus
Best Reality/Competition
The Traitors
Best Talk Show
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
