With little upset and many wins for fan-favorites, the 2015 Emmys proved to be an audience pleaser.
The show was hosted by Andy Samberg, best known for his role on Saturday Night Live. Samberg opened with a musical number about binge-watching a huge number of television shows in order to prep him for hosting. The performace was entertaining and relatable, as most people understand having to keep up with all of television. However, Samberg’s opening monologue sank with jokes that left the viewer confused on whether to laugh or cringe. Overall, Samberg was a tolerable host.
What made up for Samberg’s average hosting skills was the overall satisfaction viewers had with the awards recipients. Shows and actors that had been seemingly snubbed in previous years were awarded Emmys this year, such as Jon Hamm of “Mad Men” and “Veep.” Hamm received Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in “Mad Men” after being nominated eight times in the past. “Veep” earned Outstanding Comedy Series, ending the five-year streak “Modern Family” had on the award.
Probably the most buzzed about event of the show was Viola Davis’s win as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work in “How to Get Away with Murder.” Kerry Washington had been previously nominated for the award, and Taraji P. Henson, from “Empire” was nominated alongside Davis. Davis’s win marks the first black woman to win that category. Davis used her acceptance speech to address the issues women of color face in the entertainment industry.
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” said Davis.
Another record-breaker was the widely popular “Game of Thrones.” The show won a total of 12 Emmys, the most won in a single year by a show. Some of these include Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, which went to Peter Dinklage, Outstanding Special Visual Effects and Outstanding Drama Series. The show’s big wins come after a season that was deemed as not as strong as some of the show’s previous. Nonetheless, the awards prove that it was successful.
The 2015 Emmys provided an award show for audiences that was entertaining without causing upset among fans.
Watch Davis’s reaction to her groundbreaking win here: