It's no surprise that Aaron Sorkin's script for The Social Network won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards last night -- that script is the favorite for pretty much any award it's up for. The same is roughly true for David Seidler's script for The King's Speech in the original category. But the very British The King's Speech does not meet WGA eligibility, leaving a vacuum at the top. Christopher Nolan stepped up and won Best Original Screenplay for Inception, news that ought to please the masses.
In television, Mad Men was named the Best Drama Series for the third year in a row, while Modern Family managed to end 30 Rock's three-year reign as Best Comedy Series. Hit the jump to see the full list of winners.
SCREEN WINNERS
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Inception, Written by Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich; Sony Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Inside Job, Written by Charles Ferguson; Co-written by Chad Beck, Adam Bolt; Sony Pictures Classics
TELEVISION WINNERS
DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men, Written by Jonathan Abrahams, Lisa Albert, Keith Huff, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Tracy McMillan, Dahvi Waller, Matthew Weiner; AMC
COMEDY SERIES
Modern Family, Written by Jerry Collins, Paul Corrigan, Alex Herschlag, Abraham Higginbotham, Elaine Ko, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Brad Walsh, Ilana Wernick, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC
NEW SERIES
Boardwalk Empire, Written by Meg Jackson, Lawrence Konner, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Margaret Nagle, Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms, Terence Winter; HBO
EPISODIC DRAMA – any length – one airing time
“The Chrysanthemum and the Sword” (Mad Men), Written by Erin Levy; AMC
EPISODIC COMEDY – any length – one airing time
“When It Rains, It Pours” (30 Rock), Written by Robert Carlock; NBC
LONG FORM – ORIGINAL – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times
The Special Relationship, Written by Peter Morgan; HBO
LONG FORM – ADAPTATION – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times
The Pacific, “Part Eight,” Written by Robert Schenkkan and Michelle Ashford, Based in part on the books Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie and With The Old Breed by Eugene B. Sledge with additional material from Red Blood, Black Sand by Chuck Tatum and China Marine by Eugene B. Sledge; HBO
ANIMATION – any length – one airing time
“The Prisoner of Benda” (Futurama), Written by Ken Keeler; Comedy Central
COMEDY / VARIETY – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES
The Colbert Report, Writers: Barry Julien, Dan Guterman, Eric Drysdale, Frank Lesser, Glenn Eichler, Jay Katsir, Max Werner, Meredith Scardino, Michael Brumm, Opus Moreschi, Peter Gwinn, Rich Dahm, Rob Dubbin, Scott Sherman, Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Peter Grosz, Paul Dinello; Comedy Central
COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS
National Memorial Day Concert 2010, Written by Joan Meyerson; PBS
DAYTIME DRAMA
As the World Turns, Written by Susan Dansby, Lucky Gold, Janet Iacobuzio, Penelope Koechl, David Kreizman, Leah Laiman, David A. Levinson, Leslie Nipkow, Jean Passanante, Gordon Rayfield, David Smilow; CBS
CHILDREN'S EPISODIC & SPECIALS
“Happy Ha-Ha Holidays” (Imagination Movers), Written by Michael G. Stern, Randi Barnes, Rick Gitelson, Scott Gray; Disney Channel
CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL
Avalon High, Teleplay by Julie Sherman Wolfe and Amy Talkington, Based on the novel by Meg Cabot; Disney Channel
DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS
“Flying Cheap” (Frontline), Written by Rick Young; PBS
DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“Wyatt Earp” (American Experience), Written by Rob Rapley; PBS
NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN OR BREAKING REPORT
“Sunday Morning Almanac” (CBS Sunday Morning), Written by Thomas A. Harris; CBS News
NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Resurrecting Eden” (60 Minutes), Written by Jenny Dubin; CBS
RADIO WINNERS
DOCUMENTARY
2009 Year in Review, Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News
NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING
CBS World News Roundup, Written by Paul Farry; CBS Radio News
NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY
“Passages,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News
PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION WINNERS
ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
CSI Promos, Written by Anne de Vega; CBS
TELEVISION GRAPHIC ANIMATION
“Sunday Morning, By Design” (CBS Sunday Morning), Graphic Designer Bob Pook, Graphic Artist Diane Robinson; CBS News
VIDEOGAME WRITING WINNER
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Story by Patrice Desilets, Jeffrey Yohalem, Corey May; Lead Script Writer: Jeffrey Yohalem; Script Writers: Ethan Petty, Nicholas Grimwood, Matt Turner; Ubisoft
NEW MEDIA WRITING WINNERS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING – ORIGINAL NEW MEDIA
“The Real Thing,” ”Identity Crisis,” “Girl Talk,” ”Naming Things,” “Curtain Up” (Anyone But Me), Written by Susan Miller, Tina Cesa Ward; www.AnyoneButMeSeries.com
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING – DERIVATIVE NEW MEDIA
“Strip Pong,” “Tear Jerks,” “Brainstorm,” (Frank vs. Lutz), Written by Jon Haller; 30 Rock New Media, www.nbc.com