Breaking Bad continues to go out on a high note.
The late AMC drama, which took top kudos at the 2013 Emmys just a week before it ended its five-season run, earned Golden Globes wins for best dramatic series and best actor for star Bryan Cranston early during Sunday's show. It marked the first time the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ever awarded the series. Previously nominated Cranston has always fared much better at the Emmys.
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Breaking Bad fills the void left by Homeland, which was snubbed this year after sweeping the big drama categories in 2013. It's not much of a surprise given the goodwill for Vince Gilligan's celebrated series. Long a critical underdog, Breaking Bad seemed to finally have its zeitgeist moment this past summer when viewership swelled north of 10 million, and the last string of episodes dominated many a water-cooler conversation.
Not anywhere near as expected were the best comedy series and lead actor in a comedy wins for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and star Andy Samberg. The show, in its first year of eligibility, took the highly competitive categories and kept HBO darling Girls from repeating last year's win. The critically acclaimed Fox sitcom, which can't exactly be qualified as a hit, was considered a surprise when it scored the two nominations back in December.
Girls didn't fare any better in the other category it won in 2013. Star and creator Lena Dunham lost the lead actress in a comedy category to host Amy Poehler. The night's emcee, nominated twice before for her work on NBC's Parks and Recreation, finally took her first lead actress in a comedy kudos. Not just a first at the Globes, the nod marks Poehler's first big award win. She has been nominated for a whopping nine Emmys and has never won.
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Something less expected were wins for Dancing on the Edge (supporting actress in a mini Jacqueline Bisset) and Top of the Lake (lead actress in a mini Elisabeth Moss). The two series, from Starz and Sundance, respectively, brought rare wins to cable networks that have had little impact in originals compared to heavyweights HBO and Showtime.
Not that HBO didn't get its share. Jerry Weintraub accepted the best mini or movie nod for Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra -- also a 2013 Emmy favorite. Star Michael Douglas, who brought the bedazzled one to the screen, nabbed the lead actor trophy.
Other Golden Globes newcomers include Showtime's Ray Donovan, which saw supporting actor Jon Voight take home a trophy, and Netlfix's House of Cards. The buzzy drama that kicked off the streamer's push into original series got its first acting award with a victory for lead actress Robin Wright.
