The 2015 Emmys happened last weekend, which of course came with its fair share of controversy. The biggest news heading into the awards was the categorization of some shows, including Netflix original “Orange Is the New Black,” which was nominated for best comedy series last year, but found itself and its stars competing in the drama category this year.
This year’s Emmys was also riddled with touching and heartwarming speeches, such as the ones from winner Uzo Aduba for her supporting role in “Orange Is the New Black” and winner Jon Hamm for his leading role in the penultimate “Mad Men” season. However, every Emmys comes with its fair share of snubbed performances, shocking victories and other surprises.
One of the biggest snubs of the night that brought on much controversy was Peter Dinklage winning Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Beforehand, many thought Jonathan Banks from AMC’s “Better Call Saul” was the front-runner. What didn’t make much sense in this win was that Peter Dinklage didn’t have a ton to do on this season of “Game of Thrones.” His character has been a fan favorite for the entire series’ run, but as of late, nothing has been outstanding about his performance. Jonathan Banks, on the other hand, was an essential part of the “Better Call Saul” plot. Every scene he was in drastically improved the show’s viewing experience. Let’s face it: “Better Call Saul” definitely hasn’t gotten the love it deserves.
Another show that failed to get attention it very much deserved was “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” which lost its category to “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” One thing to be incredibly grateful for is that this show’s category, Best Talk Show, certainly won’t feel too much weaker without Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.” While people have fallen in love with “The Daily Show,” this category belonged to John Oliver. “Last Week Tonight” has found a way to alter political satire to be even more relatable. The show breaks down headlines both nationally and internationally that many citizens of this country are unaware of. “Last Week Tonight” has created a fantastic environment on HBO where learning and laughter are plausible together. The show has somehow attracted a younger audience than many talk shows and continues to flourish. Everyone pegged Jon Stewart to win this award since it was his last season on air, but quality-wise, this category was in favor of “Last Week Tonight.”
Perhaps the biggest landslide of the night was all of the glory “Veep” seized at the Emmys. The show claimed five Emmy wins this year and most importantly dethroned ABC’s “Modern Family” after its five-year claim. Five years was way too long for “Modern Family.” The show won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series more years in a row than Julia Louis-Dreyfus could even be president on “Veep,” — something’s not right there. I guess when your lead actress has won an Emmy four years in a row, eventually the academy agrees that your show is outstanding.
By far the most outstanding and surprising moment of the night, however, was unrelated to awards. Beloved comedian Tracy Morgan made a shocking appearance at the Emmys following an accident in which he suffered a severe brain injury. His speech was touching and inspirational. Apparently even his best friends in the TV world had no idea of his role in the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards. It was a beautiful way to end a night that was otherwise filled with the upbeat “Veep” walkup music and intense “Game of Thrones” theme song.
