The past few years, the Primetime Emmy Awards have been somewhat baffling in their choices. I mean I’m one of the few that enjoyed The Newsroom, but Jeff Daniels winning Best Actor over Jon Hamm or Bryan Cranston? Come on. So it was with joy that many greeted the refreshing nominations for the 5th Annual Critics’ Choice TV Awards, and last night’s ceremony didn’t disappoint when it came to the winners.
The severely underrated The Americans took home Best Drama Series, Amy Schumer was recognized for her outstanding work as Best Comedy Actress, and AMC’s Better Call Saul took home both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks, respectively. It was a wonderfully different set of winners, and it’s nice to see these excellent shows and performers acknowledged.
For those curious, the eligibility window was for shows that aired between June 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015, though the lack of Mad Men makes me think voting took place before the final seven episodes of that series had aired.
Check out the full winners list below.
Best Drama Series
The Americans (FX) (WINNERS)
Empire (Fox)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Homeland (Showtime)
Justified (FX)
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Best Comedy Series
Silicon Valley (HBO) (WINNER)
Broad City (Comedy Central)
Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Mom (CBS)
Transparent (Amazon)
Veep (HBO)
You’re the Worst (FX)
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Taraji P. Henson, Empire (FOX) (WINNER)
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful (Showtime)
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS)
Keri Russell, The Americans (FX)
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel (A&E)
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC) (WINNER)
Aden Young, Rectify (Sundance)
Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel (A&E)
Matthew Rhys, The Americans (FX)
Timothy Olyphant, Justified (FX)
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon) (WINNER)
Anthony Anderson, Blackish (ABC)
Chris Messina, The Mindy Project (FOX)
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley (HBO)
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth (FOX)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central) (WINNER)
Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Ilana Glazer, Broad City (Comedy Central)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback (HBO)
Best Limited Series
Olive Kitteridge (HBO) (WINNER)
24: Live Another Day (FOX)
American Crime (ABC)
The Book of Negroes (BET)
The Honorable Woman (Sundance)
Wolf Hall (PBS)
Best Movie Made for Television
Bessie (HBO) (WINNER)
Killing Jesus (National Geographic Channel)
Nightingale (HBO)
A Poet in New York (BBC America)
Stockholm, Pennsylvania (Lifetime)
Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO) (WINNER)
Aunjanue Ellis, The Book of Negroes (BET)
Felicity Huffman, American Crime (ABC)
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman (Sundance)
Queen Latifah, Bessie (HBO)
Best Reality Series Host
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) (WINNER)
Anthony Bourdain, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (Lifetime)
James Lipton, Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo)
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race (CBS
Tom Bergeron, Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Best Reality Competition Series
Face Off (Syfy) (WINNER)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Master Chef Junior (FOX)
The Voice (NBC)
Best Reality Series
Shark Tank (ABC) (WINNER)
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Married at First Sight (A&E)
MythBusters (Discovery Channel)
Undercover Boss (CBS)
Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Sam Elliott, Justified (FX) (WINNER)
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Julianne Nicholson, Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Linda Lavin, The Good Wife (CBS)
Lois Smith, The Americans (FX)
Walton Goggins, Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Bradley Whitford, Transparent (Amazon) (WINNER)
Becky Ann Baker, Girls (HBO)
Josh Charles, Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
Laurie Metcalf, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Peter Gallagher, Togetherness (HBO)
Susie Essman, Broad City (Comedy Central)
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Allison Janney, Mom (CBS) (WINNER)
Carrie Brownstein, Portlandia (IFC)
Eden Sher, The Middle (ABC)
Judith Light, Transparent (Amazon)
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Melanie Lynskey, Togetherness (HBO)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
T.J. Miller, Silicon Valley (HBO) (WINNER)
Adam Driver, Girls (HBO)
Cameron Monaghan, Shameless (Showtime)
Jaime Camil, Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Tony Hale, Veep (HBO)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Lorraine Toussaint, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix) (WINNER)
Carrie Coon, The Leftovers (HBO)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
Joelle Carter, Justified (FX)
Katheryn Winnick, Vikings (History)
Mae Whitman, Parenthood (NBC)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC) (WINNER)
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline (Netflix)
Christopher Eccleston, The Leftovers (HBO)
Craig T. Nelson, Parenthood (NBC)
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland (Showtime)
Walton Goggins, Justified (FX)
Best Talkshow
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) (WINNER)
The Graham Norton Show (BBC America)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Best Animated Series
Archer (FX) (WINNER)
Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
Gravity Falls (Disney Channel)
The Simpsons (FOX)
South Park (Comedy Central)
Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD)
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) (WINNER)
Claire Foy, Wolf Hall (PBS)
Cynthia Nixon, Stockholm, Pennsylvania (Lifetime)
Janet McTeer, The Honorable Woman (Sundance)
Khandi Alexander, Bessie (HBO)
Mo’Nique, Bessie (HBO)
Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series
David Oyelowo, Nightingale (HBO) (WINNER)
James Nesbitt, The Missing (Starz)
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: Live Another Day (FOX)
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall (PBS)
Michael Gambon, The Casual Vacancy (HBO)
Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO) (WINNER)
Cory Michael Smith, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Elvis Nolasco, American Crime (ABC)
Finn Wittrock, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Jason Isaacs, Stockholm, Pennsylvania (Lifetime)
Jonathan Pryce, Wolf Hall (PBS)