USA Network scored some serious prestige Sunday night, with Mr. Robot winning the Golden Globe for best drama, ahead of Game of Thrones, Narcos, Empire and Outlander, and Christian Slater taking best supporting actor in a drama. Amazon, too, won a pair, with Mozart in the Jungle winning best comedy and its star, Gael Garcia Bernal, for best actor in a comedy.
Shut out of a Globe trophy was Netflix, which had been the most nominated network. HBO won once for Oscar Isaac’s performance in Show Me a Hero, which took best actor in a limited series.
Also getting lone trophies were Showtime, Fox, AMC, FX, PBS and The CW.
Ricky Gervais, armed with a glass of beer and his acid wit, kicked off the Golden Globes on NBC with some zip. It didn’t take long—not even a minute—for the first Sean Penn joke to surface. “I’m doing the monologue and going into hiding,” quipped Gervais. “Not even Sean Penn will find me.”
Gervais also took a jab at NBC, noting how the network is an impartial host as “the only network with zero nominations.”
First up to present were Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, the latter sporting a bear mask. Hill earned the first bleep of the night, a bit about honey getting an extended censor bleep and apparently disapproving look from Jane Fonda.
First among TV winners was Maura Tierney for supporting actress in a drama.
Andy Samberg, host of the Emmys in September, presented for best actress in a comedy, which went to Rachel Bloom for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It was Bloom’s first nomination for the on-the-bubble CW show, and she gave a rundown of the show’s tortured history, including being turned down by Showtime, and then many other networks, before The CW grabbed it. “We knew it was good!” exclaimed Bloom, before giving CW president Mark Pedowitz a huge shout-out.
Mozart in the Jungle from Amazon Studios won best comedy.
PBS series Wolf Hall took best television limited series or motion picture made for TV, beating out FX’s Fargo and ABC’s American Crime, among others.
Isaac won best performance by an actor in a limited serious or motion picture for Show Me a Hero. Those in the running included Idris Elba of Luther and David Oyelowo of Nightingale.
Best supporting actor in a drama went to Slater, converting on his first nomination.
Gervais then introduced Eva Longoria and America Ferrera as two women “your future president, Donald Trump” can’t wait to deport.
They announced best actor in a drama, citing Jon Hamm for his work as Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men, his second win in six nominations. He thanked creator Matthew Weiner, “who wrote this horrible person all the way to the end of this ride.” Weiner’s vision for the series’ final scene—a Coca Cola spot in the making--was far better than Hamm’s idea of ending it on a Chumbawumba tune, he joked.
Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell took the stage in snazzy 2016 eyeglasses, and a deadpan Ferrell stopped the proceedings to point out some inconsiderate chatter in the audience. “It’s the TV people!” he chastised.
Best actor in a comedy series went to Gael Garcia Bernal for Mozart in the Jungle. Others in the running were Aziz Ansari and Rob Lowe, among others.
Best actress in a limited series honors went to Lady Gaga in American Horror Story. Those she beat out included Kirsten Dunst of Fargo—the FX series’ third unsuccessful bid for a Golden Globe on the night. A tearful Gaga called Ryan Murphy a wonderful human being.
“I wanted to be an actress before I wanted to be a singer,” she said, “but music worked out first.”
Gervais and Mel Gibson then apparently made peace from a prior beef and enjoyed some back and forth, the best parts bleeped out.
Mr. Robot then took the prestigious best drama prize, with creator Sam Esmail saluting USA, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for showing “a lot of courage” for honoring the offbeat show, and fiancé Emmy Rossum, of Shameless.
The Globe for best actress in a TV drama was given to Taraji P. Henson, who proceeded to hand out cookies, fittingly, en route to the stage. Henson plays Cookie Lyon on Fox’s hit Empire. “Cookies for everyone tonight,” she said. “My treat!”
Henson thanked Fox chiefs Dana Walden and Gary Newman “for believing in the show.” When a stage manager attempted to get her to wrap up, she exclaimed, “I waited 20 years for this! You’re gonna wait.”
