TV Just Keeps Getting Better
by Janet Lawler

How fun were The Emmys on Sunday night?  Jane Lynch did a great job.  I loved it when she said she was on "finger shooting terms" with Jon Hamm from Mad Men (gosh, that man gets better looking every year!) and Jane's nod to director Martin Scorsese in the audience.   Lucky Jane.

One very funny family

Modern Family won for best comedy series.  Every cast member delivers on that show.  Julie Bowen and Ty Burrel are terrific together.  Hats off to the writers for creating such amazing characters living out ordinary, yet hysterical, situations on Modern Family.

Mildred Pierce

Kate Winslet won for Mildred Pierce.  Yay!  I loved the original starring Joan Crawford and worried when HBO was producing this remake of Mildred and Veda, until learning Kate Winslet would play Mildred.  She's brilliant.

The Miniseries

I streamed the entire The Kennedys miniseries on Netflix and found it well done, even besides the bad press and Kennedy family giving it a thumbs down.  (I'm a Kennedy geek.  Anything Kennedy and I'm hooked. I can't wait to read Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy.)  Barry Pepper won an Emmy for his portrayal of Bobby Kennedy in The Kennedys.  He doesn't resemble RFK in looks at all, but he steals the miniseries with his multidimensional performance as the brash yet sensitive attorney general. 

TV comedies and dramas just keep pulling us in and keeping us home.  Television writing is sharp and as top notch, actually better, than any you'll find in a feature films.  Movies lack the character depth and dialogue found on television today -- shows like Mad Men, The Good Wife, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights don't disappoint.

Cheers to Julianna Margulies who won for The Good Wife and Kyle Chandler for Friday Night Lights. 

I'm off to set the DVR in anticipation of the new fall season.  I love this time of year.

Here is a recap of winners at Sunday's 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

— Drama Series: "Mad Men," AMC.
— Actress, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife," CBS.
— Actor, Drama Series: Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights," DirecTV/NBC.
— Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones," HBO.
— Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Margo Martindale, "Justified," FX.
— Writing, Drama Series: Jason Katims, "Friday Night Lights," NBC.
— Directing, Drama Series: Martin Scorsese, "Boardwalk Empire," HBO.
— Comedy Series: "Modern Family," ABC.
— Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory," CBS.
— Actress, Comedy Series: Melissa McCarthy, "Mike & Molly," CBS.
— Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, "Modern Family," ABC.
— Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, "Modern Family," ABC.
— Writing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, "Modern Family," ABC.
— Directing, Comedy Series: Michael Spiller, "Modern Family," ABC.
— Miniseries or Movie: "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.
— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.
— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Barry Pepper, "The Kennedys," ReelzChannel.
— Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.
— Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.
— Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Brian Percival, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.
— Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Julian Fellowes, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.
— Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," CBS.
— Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.
— Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King, "Saturday Night Live," NBC.
— Writing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

Congratulations to all!