What Do You Want From The Emmys, Surprises?

First of all, let me warn you that like most Americans, I didn't watch the Emmy Awards last night. I went to a movie. But had I watched, I'd have seen a multitude of awards given to a show I also don't watch often (30 Rock) and a show I don't even receive because I don't have cable (Mad Men) and a fine turn by host Neil Patrick Harris. And the ratings are up 10% for the awardsfest from last year, but they're still abysmal, and they declined with every half hour that the show was on, finally reaching zero at hour fifteen. (I kid!)

Are the Emmy awards irrelevant? Yes. Are they any more irrelevant than they've ever been? Of course not. But the idea of watching televsion about television in which they award television is such a mobius strip or torus or oroborus or Klein Bottle (pick your obscure physics metaphor, it'll keep your mind sharp) that it's just hard to care.

If you DO care, the results.

COMEDY SERIES
"Entourage"
"Family Guy
"Flight of the Conchords"
"How I Met Your Mother"
"The Office"
WINNER: "30 Rock"
"Weeds"

DRAMA SERIES
"Big Love"
"Breaking Bad"
"Damages"
"Dexter"
"House"
"Lost"
WINNER: "Mad Men"


MINISERIES
"Generation Kill" (HBO)
WINNER: "Little Dorrit" (PBS)


ACTOR IN A COMEDY
WINNER: Alec Baldwin - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Steve Carell - "The Office" (NBC)
Jemaine Clement - "Flight Of The Conchords" (HBO)
Jim Parsons - "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
Tony Shalhoub - "Monk" (USA)
Charlie Sheen - "Two And A Half Men" (CBS)


ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Simon Baker - "The Mentalist" (CBS)
Gabriel Byrne - "In Treatment" (HBO)
WINNER: Bryan Cranston - "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
Michael C. Hall - "Dexter" (Showtime)
Jon Hamm - "Mad Men" (AMC)
Hugh Laurie - "House" (Fox)


ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Christina Applegate - "Samantha Who?" (ABC)
WINNER: Toni Collette - "United States Of Tara" (Showtime)
Tina Fey - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "The New Adventures Of Old Christine" (CBS)
Sarah Silverman - "The Sarah Silverman Program" (Comedy Central)
Mary-Louise Parker - "Weeds" (Showtime)


ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
WINNER: Glenn Close as Patty Hewes - "Damages" (FX Networks)
Sally Field - "Brothers & Sisters" (ABC)
Holly Hunter - "Saving Grace" (TNT)
Mariska Hargitay - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC)
Kyra Sedgwick - "The Closer" (TNT)
Elisabeth Moss - "Mad Men" (AMC)



MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE
"Coco Chanel" (Lifetime)
WINNER: "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
"Into The Storm" (HBO)
"Prayers For Bobby" (Lifetime)
"Taking Chance" (HBO) More than one option(Film) Grey Gardens
(Tv) Grey Gardens


REALITY HOST
Tom Bergeron - "Dancing With The Stars" (ABC)
Phil Keoghan - "The Amazing Race" (CBS)
Heidi Klum - "Project Runway" (Bravo)
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio - "Top Chef" (Bravo)
WINNER: Jeff Probst - "Survivor" (CBS)
Ryan Seacrest - "American Idol" (Fox) More than one option(Film) Survivor
(Tv) Survivor
Series Information, Seasons, Credits, Awards
(Tv) Survivor
Greg Evigan, David Straiton

REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
WINNER: "The Amazing Race" (CBS)
"American Idol" (Fox)
"Dancing With The Stars" (ABC)
"Project Runway" (Bravo)
"Top Chef" (Bravo)


ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Kevin Kline - "Cyrano de Bergerac" ("Great Performances") (PBS)
WINNER: Brendan Gleeson - "Into The Storm" (HBO)
Sir Ian McKellen - "King Lear" ("Great Performances") (PBS)
Kevin Bacon - "Taking Chance" (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland - "24: Redemption" (Fox)
Kenneth Branagh - "Wallander: One Step Behind" (PBS)


ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Drew Barrymore - "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
WINNER: Jessica Lange - "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
Shirley MacLaine - "Coco Chanel" (Lifetime)
Sigourney Weaver - "Prayers For Bobby" (Lifetime)
Chandra Wilson - "Accidental Friendship" (Hallmark Channel)


SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
WINNER: Jon Cryer - "Two And A Half Men" (CBS)
Kevin Dillon - "Entourage" (HBO)
Neil Patrick Harris - "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS)
Jack McBrayer - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Rainn Wilson - "The Office" (NBC)


SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Christian Clemenson - "Boston Legal" (ABC)
WINNER: Michael Emerson - "Lost" (ABC)
William Hurt - "Damages" (FX Networks)
Aaron Paul - "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
William Shatner - "Boston Legal" (ABC)
John Slattery - "Mad Men" (AMC) More than one option(Person) Michael Emerson
Producer
(Person) Michael Emerson
Actor
(Person) Michael Emerson


SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Len Cariou - "Into The Storm" (HBO)
Tom Courtenay - "Little Dorrit" (PBS)
WINNER: Ken Howard - "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
Bob Newhart - "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice" (TNT)
Andy Serkis - "Little Dorrit" (PBS) More than one option(Person) Ken Howard
Actor, Producer, Screenplay
(Person) Ken Howard
Photography
(Person) Ken Howard
Music, Song
(Person) Ken Howard
Plasterer

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
WINNER: Kristin Chenoweth - "Pushing Daisies" (ABC)
Jane Krakowski - "30 Rock" (NBC)
Elizabeth Perkins - "Weeds" (Showtime)
Amy Poehler - "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Kristen Wiig - "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Vanessa Williams - "Ugly Betty" (ABC)


SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Rose Byrne - "Damages" (FX Networks)
Hope Davis - "In Treatment" (HBO)
WINNER: Cherry Jones - "24" (Fox)
Sandra Oh - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Dianne Wiest - "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)


SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
WINNER: Shohreh Aghdashloo - "House Of Saddam" (HBO)
Marcia Gay Harden - "The Courageous Heart Of Irena Sendler" (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation) (CBS)
Janet McTeer - "Into The Storm" (HBO)
Jeanne Tripplehorn - "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
Cicely Tyson - "Relative Stranger" (Hallmark Channel)


WRITING FOR A COMEDY
"Flight Of The Conchords" - "Prime Minister" (HBO) - James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie,
WINNER: "30 Rock" - "Reunion" (NBC) - Matt Hubbard
"30 Rock" - "Apollo, Apollo" (NBC) - Robert Carlock
"30 Rock" - "Mamma Mia" (NBC) Ron Weiner
"30 Rock" - "Kidney Now!" (NBC) - Jack Burditt, Robert CarlockMore than one option(Film) Reunion
Carmen Duncan, Chris Langman
(Film) Yi Lou Yi
(Film) Reunion
Bree Anthony, Jay West
(Film) Reunion
(Film) Reunion
Denzel Washington, Regge Life
(Film) Reunion: Dogme #17
(Film) The Eden Myth
(Film) Reunion
Carolyn Owens, Sheila Norman
(Tv) Reunion
Kevin Dobson, Russ Mayberry
(Tv) Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files
(Tv) Reunion
Series Information, Seasons, Credits, Awards
(Tv) Class Reunion
(Tv) Reunion
Marlo Thomas, Lee Grant
(Tv) Reunion
Series Information, Seasons, Credits, Awards
(Tv) Reunion
Series Information, Seasons, Credits, Awards
(Film) Reunion
1991 - Jason Robards, Jerry Schatzberg
(Film) Reunion
2000 - Tim Devlin, Larry David Eudene

WRITING FOR A DRAMA
"Lost" - "The Incident" - (ABC) - Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof
"Mad Men - A Night To Remember" - (AMC) - Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner
"Mad Men - Six Month Leave" - (AMC) - Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Matthew Weiner
"Mad Men" - The Jet Set" - (AMC) - Matthew Weiner
WINNER: "Mad Men" - "Meditations In An Emergency" - (AMC) - Kater Gordon, Matthew Weiner


WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
"The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central) - Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Richard Dahm, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Opus Moreschi, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Tom Purcell, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Barry Julien, Meredith Scardino
WINNER: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (Comedy Central) - Steve Bodow, Jon Stewart, David Javerbaum, Josh Lieb, Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Jason Ross, Tim Carvell, John Oliver, Sam Means, Rob Kutner, J.R. Havlan, Rich Blomquist, Wyatt Cenac, Elliott Kalan, Rachel Axler
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (NBC) - Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Andres du Bouchet, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johson, Brian Kiley, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg
"Late Show With David Letterman" (CBS) - Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland, Steve Young, Tom Ruprecht, Lee Ellenberg, Matt Roberts, Jeremy Weiner, Joe Grossman, Bill Scheft, Bob Borden, Frank Sebastiano, David Letterman
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC) - Seth Meyers, Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, Bryan TuckerMore than one option(Person) King Corn
(Person) Steve Bodow
More than one option(Person) Jon Stewart
(Person) Jon Stewart
ActorMore than one option(Person) John G Oliver
(Person) John Oliver
Actor, Music, Sound
(Person) John Oliver
Actor
(Person) John Oliver
PropmanMore than one option(Person) Jason Ross
Actor, Song
(Person) Jason Ross


WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL
"Generation Kill - Bomb In The Garden" (HBO)- David Simon
"Grey Gardens" (HBO) - Michael Sucsy, Patricia Rozema
"Into The Storm" (HBO)- Hugh Whitemore
WINNER: "Little Dorrit" (PBS) - Andrew Davies
"Taking Chance" (HBO) - Ross KatzMore than one option(Person) Andrew Davies
Screenplay, Novel as Source Material
(Person) Andrew Gwyn Davies
(Person) Andrew Davies


DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Julian Farino, "Entourage" (Tree Trippers)
James Bobin, "Flight of the Conchords" (The Tough Brets)
WINNER: Jeff Blitz, "The Office" (Stress Relief)
Millicent Shelton, "30 Rock" (Apollo, Apollo)
Beth McCarthy, "30 Rock" (Reunion)
Todd Holland, "30 Rock" (Generalissimo)


DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Susanna White, "Generation Kill" (Bomb in the Garden)
Michael Sucsy, "Grey Gardens"
Thaddeus O’Sullivan, "Into the Storm"
WINNER: Dearbhla Walsh, "Little Dorrit" (Part 1)
Ross Katz, "Taking Chance"
Philip Martin, "Wallander: One Step Behind"


DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
WINNER: Bruce Gowers, "American Idol" (The Final Three)
Jim Hoskinson, "The Colbert Report" (No. 4159)
Chuck O’Neil, "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (No. 13107)
Jerry Foley, "Late Show With David Letterman" (Episode 2932)
Hal Grant, "Real Time With Bill Maher" (No. 705), HBO, Bill Maher Prods. and Brad Grey Television in association with HBO Entertainment
Don Roy King, "Saturday Night Live" (Host: Justin Timberlake)


ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS
WINNER: "81st Annual Academy Awards," Song: "Hugh Jackman Opening Number"
"A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All," Song: "Much Worse Things"
"The 2008 ESPYS," Song: "I Love Sports"
"Flight of the Conchords" (Unnatural Love), Song: "Carol Brown"
"A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa," Song: "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus"
"Saturday Night Live" (Host: Justin Timberlake), Song: "Motherlover"


VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
"The Colbert Report," Comedy Central, Hello Doggie with Busboy Prods. and Spartina Prods.
WINNER: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central, Central Prods.
"Late Show With David Letterman," CBS, Worldwide Pants
"Real Time With Bill Maher," HBO, Bill Maher Prods. and Brad Grey Television in association with HBO Entertainment
"Saturday Night Live," NBC, SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video


DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Michael Rymer, "Battlestar Galactica" (Daybreak -- Part 2), Syfy, R&D TV in association with Universal Cable Prods.
Bill D’Elia, "Boston Legal" (Made in China/Last Call)
Todd A. Kessler, "Damages" (Trust Me)
WINNER: Rod Holcomb, "ER" (And in The End)
Phil Abraham, "Mad Men" (The Jet Set)