Emmys: 'Breaking Bad' Ascends, 'Modern Family' Continues Reign
22 Sep, 2013 By: John Latchem
The acclaimed AMC drama “Breaking Bad” completed its ascendancy to the pinnacle of the zeitgeist Sept. 22 by capturing Outstanding Drama Series at the 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The series, which has been gaining stature the past few years thanks to strong word of mouth and intense Internet buzz, had been nominated in the category three times previously, losing out to “Mad Men” twice and “Homeland” last year.
The timing couldn’t be better for the show, coming a week before its series finale, and a complete-series set due Nov. 26 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The batch of episodes that earned the Emmy, marketed as the first half of the fifth season, was released on Blu-ray and DVD in June.
“Breaking Bad” won a total of three Emmys, including a supporting actress nod for Anna Gunn and single-camera picture editing.
On the comedy side, “Modern Family” won its fourth consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, equaling the win totals of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (which also won four in a row), “All in the Family” and “Cheers.” “Modern Family” is only the second comedy series to win the Emmy its first four years on the air, following “Frasier,” which went on to win five straight ("Hill Street Blues," "The West Wing" and "Mad Men" won four in a row out of the gate in the drama series category). Fox is set to release the fourth season on DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 24. The show also won for directing.
HBO’s Behind the Candelabra, released on Blu-ray and DVD Sept. 17, won 11 Emmys, including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie and Best Actor for Michael Douglas.
The three Netflix series nominated for awards, the first Web-based to achieve that honor outside categories dedicated to that medium, were shut out of any major category wins, although the much-hyped Netflix series “House of Cards” ended up with three Emmys out of nine nominations. The pilot episode won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for David Fincher, adding to the two Creative Arts Emmys it won for casting and cinematography.
In addition to its availability via Netflix streaming, the first season of “House of Cards” is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Sony Pictures.
Title | Wins | Categories | Studio | Disc |
30 Rock | 2 | Writing, Casting | Universal | Season 7 available on DVD |
American Horror Story: Asylum | 2 | Miniseries/TV Movie Supporting Actor — James Cromwell, Sound Editing | Fox | Season 1on DVD and Blu-ray Oct 8 |
American Masters | 2 | Documentary/Nonfiction Series, Directing — Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | PBS | Available on DVD |
Banshee | 1 | Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role | HBO | Season 1 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Behind the Candelabra | 11 | Best Miniseries/TV Movie, Lead Actor — Michael Douglas, Directing — Steven Soderbergh, Casting, Art Direction, Editing, Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Makeup, Prosthetic Makeup, Costumes | HBO | Available on DVD and Blu-ray |
The Big Bang Theory | 3 | Comedy Lead Actor — Jim Parsons, Guest Actor — Bob Newhart, Technical Direction | Warner | Season 6 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
The Big C: Hereafter | 1 | Miniseries/TV Movie Actress — Laura Linney | Sony Pictures | Not yet announced for disc |
Boardwalk Empire | 5 | Drama Supporting Actress — Bobby Cannavale, Art Direction, Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing | HBO | Season 3 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
The Borgias | 1 | Costumes | Paramount | Season 3 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Breaking Bad | 3 | Best Drama Series, Supporting Actress — Anna Gunn, Editing | Sony Pictures | Season 5 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Children's Hospital | 1 | Short-Format Live-Action | Warner | Season 4 available on DVD |
Da Vinci's Demons | 2 | Main Title Design, Theme Music — Bear McCreary | Anchor Bay | Season 1 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Downton Abbey | 1 | Music Composition | PBS | Season 3 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Game of Thrones | 2 | Makeup, Special Visual Effects, | HBO | Season 3 on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 18 |
The Good Wife | 1 | Drama Guest Actress — Carrie Preston | Paramount/CBS | Season 4 available on DVD |
Homeland | 2 | Drama Lead Actress — Claire Danes, Writing | Fox | Season 2 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
The Hour 2 | 1 | Writing for a Miniseries/TV Movie or Dramatic Special | BBC | Available on DVD and Blu-ray |
House of Cards | 3 | Drama Series Directing — David Fincher, Casting, Cinematography | Sony Pictures | Season 1 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
How I Met Your Mother | 2 | Comedy Series Editing, Cinematography | Fox | Season 8 on DVD Oct. 1 |
Louie | 1 | Comedy Guest Actress: Melissa Leo | Fox | Season 3 not yet announced for disc |
The Men Who Built America | 2 | Nonfiction Sound Editing, Costumes | Lionsgate/A&E | Available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Modern Family | 2 | Best Comedy Series, Directing | Fox | Season 4 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
The Newsroom | 1 | Drama Lead Actor — Jeff Daniels | HBO | Season 1 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Nurse Jackie | 2 | Comedy Supporting Actress — Merritt Wever, Sound Mixing | Lionsgate | Season 4 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Political Animals | 1 | Miniseries/TV Movie Supporting Actress — Ellen Burstyn | Warner | Available on DVD |
Scandal | 1 | Drama Guest Actor — Dan Bucatinsky | Disney/ABC | Season 2 available on DVD |
South Park | 1 | Animated Program — "Raising the Bar" | Paramount | Season 16 available on DVD and Blu-ray |
Veep | 2 | Comedy Lead Actress — Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Supporting Actor — Tony Hale | HBO | Season 2 not yet announced for disc |