The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards were presented in Los Angeles, with emergency room drama 'The Pitt' and comedy-horror 'Widow's Bay' taking television's highest honours. 'The Pitt' won its second consecutive Emmy for best drama series, beating fellow nominees including 'Pluribus', 'Paradise' and 'The Diplomat'.
Set in a cursed New England town, 'Widow's Bay' won the best comedy series prize, overcoming last season's winner, 'Hacks'. Matthew Rhys, starring in 'Widow's Bay', made history by becoming the first person to win two lead acting honours at the same ceremony. His co-star Stephen Root won best supporting actor in a comedy, beating favourite Harrison Ford of 'Shrinking'. 'Thank you, sir, for all your many years of great, great, great acting,' Root told Ford during his acceptance speech.
'Hacks' actress Jean Smart won her fifth Emmy for portraying stand-up comic Deborah Vance, making her the first actress to win the award for best lead comedy actress for every season of a show's run. Smart has won eight Emmys overall in her acting career. 'What a ride this has been,' Smart said after receiving a standing ovation. Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the only performer to come close to Smart's comedy lead actress sweep, having won the award for six of the seven seasons of the political satire 'Veep'.
Noah Wyle, who starred as Dr 'Robby' Robinavitch on 'The Pitt', told the Emmy audience it felt overwhelming to win his second straight Emmy for best lead drama actor. 'This is the only club I've ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me,' Wyle said while accepting the award. Rhea Seehorn won best actress in a drama for playing the lone character on 'Pluribus', after being nominated twice without receiving any honours for her breakthrough role on 'Better Call Saul'. Vince Gilligan, who created 'Breaking Bad' and its spin-off 'Better Call Saul', won best drama writing for 'Pluribus'.
'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' won for best variety series, concluding its farewell season with six total Emmys after CBS cancelled the programme, citing financial pressures. Colbert rejected that explanation, accusing network executives of succumbing to pressure from President Donald Trump over his frequent mockery of the administration.
Source: www.aljazeera.com