2012 Emmy Award Winners Include Homeland, Modern Family And Game Change

Since 2008, Mad Men has won the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy Award, and a fifth straight award would have been a record for the category. However, Homeland swooped in to take the prize this year, breaking the AMC drama's streak. The Showtime drama won a number of awards at the 64th Annual Emmy Awards, and it was also a good night for the History miniseries Hatfields & McCoys, ABC's Modern Family, and the HBO TV movie Game Change.

Among the dramas and comedies, Homeland and Modern Family came out on top. The Showtime drama won for Outstanding Drama Series, and took the Lead Actor and Actress awards for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes' fantastic performances as Nicholas Brody and Carrie Matthison. Meanwhile, Modern Family won for Outstanding Comedy series and won for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress (Eric Stonestreet and Julie Bowen). While I'm happy to celebrate both series, considering Modern Family's past wins, I wouldn't have minded another show taking that prize this year. Though Veep did manage to win one award, as Julia Louis-Dreyfus won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy.

Jon Cryer seemed flabbergasted by his win tonight when he took the stage to accept Outstanding Actor in a Comedy series. He's been nominated numerous times and won once when he was up for it in the Supporting Actor category for CBS' Two and a Half Men. This was the first year he was up for Lead Actor for his role as Alan Harper. The category is apparently a better fit for him, as he beat out Jim Parsons, Larry David, Don Cheadle, Louis C.K. and Alec Baldwin. Steep competition!

Louis C.K. may not have won for lead actor, but he was recognized for his writing abilities, winning the writing award in the Comedy Series category and also for Variety Special. His writing is where he really shines, so it's great that he was recognized for his talent there, if not for his acting. Speaking of actors who are also writers, Danny Strong took the stage tonight to accept the Outstanding Writing award for Miniseries/TV movie, for Game Change. As a fan of Strong from when he played Jonathan in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I was especially glad to see him win tonight. Game Change also won for Outstanding miniseries and Outstanding Lead Actress. When Julianne Moore accepted her award, she pointed out that Sarah Palin gave her the thumbs down for her portrayal of her. Apparently, she got the thumbs up from the Academy.

Tom Berenger and Kevin Costner both won for Hatfields & McCoys, and Jessica Lange won for American Horror Story. All deserving candidates, though I would've loved to have seen Alan Cumberbatch win for Sherlock, which also lost out to Game Change in the Miniseries/TV Movie category.

Below is the full list of winners…. Winners in RED

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO

Girls • HBO

Modern Family • ABC

30 Rock • NBC

Veep • HBO

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Chris McKenna, Written by - Community • Remedial Chaos Theory

Lena Dunham, Written by - Girls • Pilot • HBO

Louis C.K., Written by - Louie • Pregnant - FX Network

Amy Poehler, Written by - Parks And Recreation • The Debate • NBC

Michael Schur, Written by - Parks And Recreation • Win, Lose, Or Draw • NBC

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

Robert B. Weide, Director - Curb Your Enthusiasm • Palestinian Chicken • HBO

Lena Dunham, Director - Girls • She Did • HBO

Louis C.K., Director - Louie • Duckling • FX Networks

Jason Winer, Director - Modern Family • Virgin Territory • ABC

Steven Levitan, Director - Modern Family • Baby On Board • ABC

Jake Kasdan, Director - New Girl • Pilot • FOX

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath - Girls • HBO

Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn - Mike & Molly • CBS

Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day - New Girl • FOX

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton - Nurse Jackie • Showtime

Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope - Parks And Recreation • NBC

Tina Fey as Liz Lemon - 30 Rock • NBC

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer - Veep • HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory • CBS

Larry David as Himself - Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO

Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan - House Of Lies • Showtime

Louis C.K. as Louie - Louie • FX Networks

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy - 30 Rock • NBC

Jon Cryer as Alan Harper - Two And A Half Men • CBS

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler - The Big Bang Theory • CBS

Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey - Desperate Housewives • ABC

Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy - Modern Family • ABC

Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - Modern Family • ABC

Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow -Nurse Jackie • Showtime

Kristen Wiig as various characters - Saturday Night Live • NBC

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett - Modern Family • ABC

Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett - Modern Family • ABC

Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy - Modern Family • ABC

Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker - Modern Family • ABC

Max Greenfield as Schmidt - New Girl • FOX

Bill Hader as various characters - Saturday Night Live • NBC

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO

Breaking Bad • AMC

Downton Abbey • PBS

Game Of Thrones • HBO

Homeland • Showtime

Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Julian Fellowes, Written by - Downton Abbey • Episode 7 • PBS

Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff - Homeland • Pilot • Showtime

Semi Chellas, Matthew Weiner, Written by - Mad Men • The Other Woman • AMC

Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Written by - Mad Men • Commissions And Fees • AMC

Erin Levy, Matthew Weiner, Written byMad Men • Far Away Places • AMC

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes - Damages • DirecTV

Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley - Downton Abbey • PBS

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick - The Good Wife • CBS

Kathy Bates as Harriet Korn - Harry's Law • NBC

Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison - Homeland • Showtime

Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson - Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson - Boardwalk Empire • HBO

Bryan Cranston as Walter White - Breaking Bad • AMC

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan - Dexter • Showtime

Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham - Downton Abbey • PBS

Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody - Homeland • Showtime

Jon Hamm as Don Draper - Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Anna Gunn as Skyler White - Breaking Bad • AMC

Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham - Downton Abbey

Joanne Froggatt as Anna - Downton Abbey • PBS

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma - The Good Wife • CBS

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart - The Good Wife • CBS

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway Harris - Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad • AMC

Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo 'Gus' Fring - Breaking Bad - AMC

Brendan Coyle as John Bates - Downton Abbey • PBS

Jim Carter as Mr. Carson - Downton Abbey • PBS

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister - Game Of Thrones • HBO

Jared Harris as Lane Pryce - Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

Tim Van Patten, Director - Boardwalk Empire • To The Lost • HBO

Vince Gilligan, Director - Breaking Bad • Face Off • AMC

Brian Percival, Director - Downton Abbey • Episode 7 • PBS

Michael Cuesta, Director - Homeland • Pilot • Showtime

Phil Abraham, Director - Mad Men • The Other Woman • AMC

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie

American Horror Story • FX Networks

Game Change • HBO

Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY

Hemingway & Gellhorn • HBO

Luther • BBC America

Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • PBS

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon - American Horror Story • FX Networks

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin - Game Change • HBO

Nicole Kidman as Martha Gellhorn - Hemingway & Gellhorn • HBO

Ashley Judd as Rebecca Winstone - Missing • ABC

Emma Thompson as She - The Song Of Lunch (Masterpiece) • PBS

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Woody Harrelson as Steve Schmidt - Game Change • HBO

Kevin Costner as 'Devil' Anse Hatfield - Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY

Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy - Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY

Clive Owen as Ernest Hemingway - Hemingway & Gellhorn • HBO

Idris Elba as John Luther - Luther • BBC America

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • PBS

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or A Movie

Frances Conroy as Moira - American Horror Story • FX Networks

Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon - American Horror Story

Sarah Paulson as Nicolle Wallace - Game Change • HBO

Mare Winningham as Sally McCoy - Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY

Judy Davis as Jill Tankard - Page Eight (Masterpiece) • PBS

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Denis O'Hare as Larry Harvey - American Horror Story • FX Networks

Ed Harris as John McCain - Game Change • HBO

Tom Berenger as Jim Vance - Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY

David Strathairn as John Dos Passos - Hemingway & Gellhorn • HBO

Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • PBS

Outstanding Variety Series

The Colbert Report • Comedy Central

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central

Jimmy Kimmel Live • ABC

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon • NBC

Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO

Saturday Night Live • NBC

Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special

84th Annual Academy Awards • ABC

Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl • NBC

The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS

Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre • FX Networks

65th Annual Tony Awards • CBS

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special

Don Mischer, Director - 84th Annual Academy Awards • ABC

Louis J. Horvitz, Director - The 54th Annual Grammy Awards • CBS

Louis C.K., Director - Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre • FX Networks Alan Skog, Director - New York City Ballet George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Live From Lincoln Center) • PBS

Glenn Weiss, Director - 65th Annual Tony Awards • CBS

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Amazing Race • CBS

Dancing With The Stars • ABC

Project Runway • Lifetime

So You Think You Can Dance • FOX

Top Chef • Bravo

The Voice • NBC

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

Phil Keoghan, Host - The Amazing Race • CBS

Ryan Seacrest, Host - American Idol • FOX

Betty White, Host - Betty White’s Off Their Rockers • NBC

Tom Bergeron, Host - Dancing With The Stars • ABC

Cat Deeley, Host - So You Think You Can Dance • FOX

Photo credit: ©ABC

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