My live feed play-by-play, annotated.
****
Lots of gorgeous stars in beautiful dresses, but Reese served up the perfect combo of pretty-meets-giddy, somehow keeping it classy while acting totally goofy and aloof on the red carpet. It was Reese being 100, and I was there for all of it.
‘Everything Is Better on TV’ was a fun number to open the show with, but Colbert’s monologue got a little too ‘COLBERT’ for me; Spicer showing up for some self-deprecation was a welcome ending and bright spot. Regardless of your review, though, it was an appropriate kick-off to a night where politics and pop culture collided, as the Emmys celebrated a year in which art was infused with and informed by what’s happening Washington.
A surprise to some, but I couldn’t see anyone else taking this one (though the ladies from Feud were hot on her tail). Dern is Hollywood royalty, and she put everything she had into making Renata as superficially self-involved as she was surprisingly layered in every scene of Big Little Lies. That, and no one on TV wields a glass of wine with more fierce fabulosity. No one.
Before I had barely heard anything about Atlanta, I had gotten wind of this episode as see-it-immediately entertainment. And when I finally watched, it blew my mind as the best episode of a stellar season. The fact that Donald Glover is the first black person ever (WHAT?!) to win Best Directing in a Comedy Series for it is just extra awesome. Also, THAT SUIT! I bow down.
I love a little bit of Hollywood irony, and this was a perfect full-circle moment for SNL. No other show made as much of an impact on culture last year, and as it gears up for its 43rd season, SNL just keeps on keepin’ on.
Leave it to Baldwin to inject some much-needed levity into the evening (and beyond). Important words of perspective that I hope many people took to heart.
All three were nominees, and were in good company going home empty handed. After all, wasn’t the biggest win of the night seeing these ladies reunited on the big stage? And peppered with a well-placed vibrator joke? Someone make that Dolly cameo on Grace and Frankie happen ASAP.
Seriously, Ann Dowd is everything. I like to believe (along with many fellow fans) that this was dual recognition, a nod to her work on The Handmaid’s Tale as much as for her unrelenting badassery on The Leftovers. Her genuine shock and appreciation was a high point of the night for me. This win, plus directing and writing awards, were the bellwethers that The Handmaid’s Tale was going all the way.
Look, I like The Voice. It’s my favorite reality show… after Drag Race. Utterly original and still done up to the 9’s in its ninth season, here’s hoping the divas break through with a win next year. RuPaul snagging the Best Reality Host award for the second year in a row is a good sign of things to come. And could he have been more perfect as Emmy herself in the skit with Colbert? Sissy that golden walk, gurl.
This was, and remains, absolutely true. Belinda Carlisle, forever and always.
Both stars double-dipped on their record-making trips to the podium: Julia Louis-Dreyfus has now won the most Emmys for the same role (surpassing Candice Bergen for Murphy Brown), and tied Cloris Leachman for the most Emmy wins by an individual performer with last night’s statuette. Meanwhile, Donald Glover is the first person of color to win Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 32 years, in addition to his record-setting Directing win. Huge talents, huge accomplishments.
Nicole was the true break-out of Big Little Lies, and a little bit of gold at the end of her inaugural TV rainbow was much deserved. Sure, Reese was awesome too, but Nicole really went there. (Besides, Ms. Witherspoon left with hardware for producing the show anyway.) Regardless, given how stacked the category was with Hollywood heavyweights, I’m glad I didn’t have to officially choose one over the others.
Brown was guest at an event I produced a few weeks ago, and he couldn’t have been more gracious and sweet. Always nice to see a solid human being rewarded for their talent, and setting a record to boot (he’s the first black actor to win the category in 19 years).
And things wrapped up just as they started: politically charged, as The Handmaid’s Tale won Best Drama Series over more safe, mainstream fare such as This Is Us and Stranger Things. The momentum was there in the lead-up awards, and I’m glad the Academy was bold enough to honor a show that’s challenging, difficult to watch, and yes, truly important. A great way to end an exciting night (and year) for TV. And with that, it’s a wrap on the 2017 Emmys! The countdown to next year starts now.