Television has never been so damn good, Bryan Cranston boasted in the opening moments of Sunday night’s Emmy telecast, and, wonder of wonders, voters actually made a great many choices this year that reflected that excellence.
Because, let’s be real: The Emmys have a well-earned reputation as the awards show that rubber-stamps its winners long after their sell-by date has passed. You know who put it best? Alex Borstein, winning the night’s second Emmy, repeating her 2018 comedy supporting actress win for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
“Ibid,” Borstein said.
Ibid. That’s the Emmys!
But this year, Emmy voters went off script, often in shocking ways. Julia Louis-Dreyfus owns 11 Emmys, eight of them for acting. She had gone six for six for her lead turn on “Veep” and was labeled a lock (yes, by me) for the comedy’s farewell season, a season that was delayed by a year so Louis-Dreyfus could treat her breast cancer.
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The cast of “Game of Thrones” comes onstage to accept the drama series award during the show at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge (speaking) and fellow cast and crew members of “Fleabag” accept the comedy series award during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater. (Getty Images)
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Jodie Comer of “Killing Eve” reacts to winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series during the show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Jodie Comer, left, and Sandra Oh from “Killing Eve” react to Comer winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Lorne Michaels and the cast and crew of “Saturday Night Live” win the Emmy for variety sketch series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Adam DeVine performs onstage during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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People perform during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Peter Dinklage of “Game of Thrones” accepts the award for supporting actor in a drama series during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Jharrel Jerome of “When They See Us” wins for lead actor in a limited series or movie at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Peter Krause and Angela Bassett prepare to present the award for lead actor in a limited series or movie during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Michelle Williams accepts her lead actress in a limited series or movie award for “Fosse/Verdon.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Bill Hader prepare to present the award for supporting actor in a limited series or movie. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge accepts the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series for “Fleabag.” (Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press)
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Don Cheadle from “Black Monday” and Kristen Bell from “The Good Place” present the supporting actress in a drama series award during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Cherry Jones presents the award for writing for a drama series during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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The cast of “Chernobyl” accepts the Emmy for limited series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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During the opening, Homer Simpson takes a brief stab at hosting. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bryan Cranston, another of the momentary “hosts” early in the ceremony. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Tony Shalhoub accepts a statuette for supporting actor in a comedy series while presenters Bob Newhart, center, and Ben Stiller watch. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bryan Cranston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Patricia Arquette, from “Escape at Dannemora,” wins for supporting actress in a limited series or movie. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben Stiller stands between figures of George Burns and Lucille Ball; Bob Newhart waits in the shadows. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Thingamajig from “The Masked Singer” accompanies accountants from Emmy tabulators Ernst & Young. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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“Game of Thrones” actors, from left, Alfie Allen, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Carice van Houten. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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RuPaul Charles accepts the statuette for competition program: “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenters Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz enter, blindfolded, to present the award for lead actor in a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bill Hader from “Barry” accepts the award for lead actor in a comedy series. Presenters Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz watch. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Nick Cannon and Ken Jeong present the award for writing for a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Amy Poehler, left, and Catherine O’Hara present the award for supporting actress in a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Alex Borstein from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” wins the Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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John Oliver, from “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” accepts the award for variety talk series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Lorne Michaels and the cast and crew of “Saturday Night Live” win for variety sketch series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Adam DeVine performs at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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“Ozark’s” Julia Garner accepts her award for supporting actress in a drama series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Billy Porter, on stage as a presenter, would later win for lead actor in a drama series for “Pose.” (AFP/Getty Images)
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Bill Hader accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for “Barry” at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Louis-Dreyfus had history and a compelling personal narrative, everything Emmy voters love. How could she lose?
Television Academy members, though, fell hard for “Fleabag” and its creator, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who, remarkably, bested Louis-Dreyfus in the comedy lead actress category.
After Waller-Bridge’s name was read, the camera cut to the other nominated women, but not Louis-Dreyfus. I can only imagine she was as stunned as Waller-Bridge, who was visibly shaking on the stage.
“Fleabag” won everything. And it should have. The series’ second season deconstructed the show’s fourth-wall-breaking conceit in ways both thrilling and crushing, delivering a perfect love story (involving a Hot Priest) that grappled with faith and forgiveness, sin and redemption.
You could view the whole season in about three hours — assuming that, when you finished, you don’t immediately watch it all over again. Many Television Academy members must have done just that, giving it wins for comedy series, writing and directing.
“This is just getting ridiculous,” Waller-Bridge said, accepting the series honor. But it wasn’t ridiculous at all. The “Fleabag” wins stand as one the great triumphs in the history of the Emmys. This year’s comedy categories were full of interesting, deserving choices. Voters went with the best.
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Indya Moore arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Kathryn Newton arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Sterling K. Brown arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Dascha Polanco greets the fans in the bleachers at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Seth Meyers arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Taraji P. Henson photographs her fans at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Bill Hader arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Laverne Cox arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Julissa Bermudez arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Mj Rodriguez arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Viola Davis arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Eris Baker, from “This Is Us,” arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Kathryn Newton arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus from “Veep” arrives with her family at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Saturday Night Live” cas tmember Kate McKinnon arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Joey King arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Kristen Bell from “The Good Place” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Veep” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Billy Porter from “Pose” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Amatus Ali and “True Detective” nominee Mahershala Ali arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Sandra Oh from “Killing Eve” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Amy Sedaris arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Maisie Williams from “Game of Thrones” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Musician Halsey arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Rachel Brosnahan from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Fleabag” actress Sian Clifford and writer-director Phoebe Waller-Bridge arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Rachel McCord arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jessica Yu from “Fosse/Verdon” and Esme Salzman arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“Game of Thrones” nominee Gwendoline Christie arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Killing Eve” actress Jodie Comer arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Euphoria” actress Zendaya arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“Empire” actress Taraji P. Henson arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Viola Davis, left, from “How to Get Away With Murder,” and Regina King arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Chernobyl” actor Jared Harris and Allegra Riggio make their way through the crowd at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Mandy Moore from “This Is Us” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Nailed It!” host Nicole Byer arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Twiggy Pucci Garcon arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“Pose” writer Steven Canals arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“The Good Place” duo Manny Jacinto and Jameela Jamil arrive. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Married actors Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown of “This Is Us” arrive at the Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )
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“Vikings” and “Pose” producer Sherry Marsh arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Christina Evangeline, left, Kenan Thompson and Robin Weigert make their way down the purple carpet for the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Kristin Cavallari arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Giancarlo Esposito from “Better Call Saul” arrives with his guests at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“PEN15” actress Stacy Osei-Kuffour arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Bob Odenkirk from “Better Call Saul” arrives at the Emmys. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“This Is Us” actress Melanie Liburd poses on the red carpet at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Andy Sale, left, Suzanne DeJong and Paul Chen from Ernst and Young arrive with the winning envelopes at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Anna Chlumsky arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Our Lady J from “Pose” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Veep” actor Sarah Sutherland (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )
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“This Is Us” actress Mackenzie Hancsicsak arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Dominique Jackson arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Indya Moore graces the purple carpet at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Pose” actress Mj Rodriguez arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Orange is the New Black” actress Laverne Cox poses on the purple carpet at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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“Saturday Night Live” actors Alex Moffat, left, Mikey Day, Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“The Masked Singer” judge Jenny McCarthy (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“The Masked Singer” contestants add some color to the purple carpet at the Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Sharp Objects” actress Eliza Scanlen arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Faithe Herman of “This is Us” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“This Is Us” cast members Faithe Herman, left, and Eris Baker (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Dascha Polanco of “Orange Is the New Black” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Ned Brown and Erica Kay arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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“Better Call Saul” actors Patrick Fabian and Rhea Seehorn (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Kelly Osbourne (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Musician Rickey Minor and Rachel Montez Minor (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Kathryn Newton of “Big Little Lies” and “The Society” shows off her dress on the purple carpet. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Angela Bassett arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Entertainment reporter Renee Bargh (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Sharon Osbourne (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“When They See Us” actress Vera Farmiga arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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“Superstore” actress Lauren Ash arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Pitch Perfect” actress Brittany Snow arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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LOS ANGELES, CA.,ÊSeptember 22, 2019:ÊTan France arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft TheaterÊin Los Angeles, CA. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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“This Is Us” actress Hannah Zeile arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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“This is Us” actress Lyric Ross arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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“GLOW” actress and nominee Betty Gilpin arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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James Van Der Beek and his jacket arrive at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Padma Lakshmi arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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“Lost Girl” and “MacGyver” actres Emmanuelle Vaugier arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Maya Erskine from “PEN15” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Michael Angarano arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Jharrel Jerome from “When They See Us” arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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Presenter Ben Stiller arriving at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“Fleabag” steamrolling through the comedy categories wasn’t the night’s only thrilling revelation. Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer were both nominated for “Killing Eve.” Oh, an Emmy regular with eight career nominations, was thought to have the edge. But voters gave Comer the trophy on her first try.
As good as Oh is on “Killing Eve” (and she really sold Eve’s all-consuming passion), Comer was even better this season, shuttling effortlessly between personas and accents. Her character, the psychopath Villanelle, may be incapable of empathy, but Comer gives her a lovely, kooky, desperate longing for connection.
Being of Asian descent, Oh winning would have made history. But voters, making another superb choice, did do something unprecedented when they gave the drama lead actor prize to “Pose’s” Billy Porter (and his hat). Porter became the first openly gay black man to win this Emmy.
More great surprises? It’s almost impossible to list them all. Julia Garner leapfrogged over the four “Game of Thrones” women to win the drama supporting actress Emmy for her firecracker turn on “Ozark.” Jason Bateman bested three “Game of Thrones” directors and was so astonished by his win that he studied the writing on the envelope before beginning his speech.
Of course, “Game of Thrones” winning the night’s final prize, drama series, wasn’t a bombshell. But the mere fact that there was actually a bit of tension in the air when Michael Douglas opened the envelope qualifies as a triumph, particularly since the show’s producers had already brought the cast on stage two hours earlier to take an awkward victory lap. (They did the same for “Veep” later, which felt a bit stilted, since it had lost all of its categories.)
That the “Game of Thrones” ensemble returned to the stage to close the show was actually OK, in light of everything that had already transpired.
Can you believe it? The Emmys have never been so damn good.
