“Netflix kept us on the air” – Breaking Bad wins Best Drama at 2013 Emmys
David Farnor | On 23, Sep 2013
“Netflix kept us on the air.”
That was Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan after the show won Best Drama at the 2013 Emmys.
The hotly contested top prize went to AMC’s series for the first time on Sunday night, just as the teacher-turned-meth dealer cooks up its final two episodes. Others shows hoping to win included Game of Thrones, American Horror Story: Asylum, Homeland and House of Cards, the first Internet show ever to be nominated for the prestigious gong.
Indeed, video on-demand was arguably the victor of this year’s ceremony, which saw host Neil Patrick Harris joke about VOD’s impact on the changing industry – and the binge-viewing trend that has come with it.
“Right now, I am watching an episode of American Horror Story: Asylum on my contact lens,” quipped the well-coiffed showman.
Homeland’s Best Actress Claire Danes was the only member of the CBS thriller to retain her title after it swept the major categories last year, while The Newsroom’s Jeff Daniels delivered a surprise upset, beating both Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston and House of Cards’ backstabbing politician Kevin Spacey.
But Netflix’s original show still managed to bag three awards, for Directing, Casting and Cinematography. And with another season House of Cards on the way, not to mention new show Orange Is the New Black, Netflix’s groundbreaking nominations are only beginning.
Its biggest win, though, came with Breaking Bad, as Vince Gilligan hailed the VOD service’s help in making the show a success. Breaking Bad had a total of 10 nods and won three of them.
“I don’t think our show would have even lasted beyond season two if it wasn’t for video on demand, and also the internet component of it where folks get to chat,” The Independent quotes him as saying backstage.
Indeed, AMC’s show has reportedly hit an average of 5.2 milion viewers in its final run of eight episodes, the second half of Season Five. That’s twice as many as last year. Netflix is credited with much of that boost, giving audiences the chance to catch up in advance of the finale.
“It really has held us in good stand,” added Gilligan. “It’s a bold new era.”
For more on Netflix’s award nominations, read our thoughts on Why the 2013 Emmys Are Important.
List of 2013 Emmy award winners
Best Drama
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
House Of Cards
Mad Men
Best Comedy
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory
Girls
Louie
30 Rock
Veep
Best Acress (Drama)
Claire Danes, Homeland
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Robin Wright, House Of Cards
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Connie Britton, Nashville
Kerry Washington, Scandal
Best Actor (Drama)
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Damian Lewis,Homeland
Kevin Spacey, House Of Cards
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Best Supporting Actor (Drama)
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Best Supporting Actress (Drama)
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Emilia Clarke, Game Of Thrones
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Best Writing (Drama)
Henry Bromell, Homeland
George Mastras, Breaking Bad
Thomas Schnauz, Breaking Bad
Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones
Best Directing (Drama)
David Fincher, House of Cards
Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire
Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad
Jeremy Webb, Downton Abbey
Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland
Best Actress (Comedy)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Best Actor (Comedy)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Don Cheadle, House Of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Supporting Actor (Comedy)
Tony Hale, Veep
Adam Driver, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson,
Modern Family
Ed O’Neill,
Modern Family
Ty Burrell,
Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Best Supporting Actress (Comedy)
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Lynch, Glee
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Best Writing (Comedy)
Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock
Jeffrey Klarik, Episodes
Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon, Louie
Greg Daniels, The Office
Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock, 30 Rock
Best Directing (Comedy)
Gail Mancuso, Modern Family
Lena Dunham, Girls
Paris Barclay, Glee
Louis C.K., Louie
Beth McCarthy-Miller, 30 Rock
Best Movie or Mini-series
Behind The Candelabra
American Horror Story: Asylum
The Bible
Phil Spector
Political Animals
Top Of The Lake
Best Actress (Movie or Mini-series)
Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Elisabeth Moss,
Top Of The Lake
Best Actor (Movie or Mini-series)
Michael Douglas, Behind The Candelabra
Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra
Toby Jones, The Girl
Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End
Al Pacino, Phil Spector
Best Supporting Actress (Movie or Mini-series)
Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum
Imelda Staunton, The Girl
Charlotte Rampling, Restless
Alfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias
Best Directing (Movie or Mini-series)
Steven Soderbergh, Behind The Candelabra
Julian Jarrold, The Girl
David Mamet, Phil Spector
Allison Anders, Ring Of Fire
Jane Campion and Garth Davis, Top Of The Lake
Best Supporting Actor (Movie or Mini-series)
James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum
Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum
Scott Bakula, Behind The Candelabra
John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C: Hereafter
Peter Mullan, Top Of The Lake
Best Writing (Movie or Mini-series)
Abi Morgan, The Hour
Richard LaGravenese, Behind The Candelabra
Tom Stoppard, Parade’s End
David Mamet, Phil Spector
Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, Top Of The Lake
Best Variety Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live