The 2014 Emmy Awards have come and gone with British entries more than holding their own for nominations and winners. Most of the categories from a British standpoint were dominated with twelve nominations apiece by the usual suspects involved both in front of and behind the camera with Downton Abbey and Sherlock. Especially in the drama arena, this years Emmy’s really solidified the thought that the heavyweights of good American television are primarily from the cable side of the spectrum. Both UK imports were up against formidable cable competition such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, True Detective, Homeland, House of Cards, Fargo and Game of Thrones.
 

Before we get to the ones that will, no doubt, say it’s an honor to just be nominated, the big winner of the evening was from a British perspective was Sherlock, who will try to get three Emmys through security at LAX on their way back to the UK. Tonight’s very deserved winners were:

Outstanding Writing in a TV Miniseries or Movie
– Steven Moffat (Sherlock)

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie
– Martin Freeman (Sherlock: His Last Vow)

Best Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
– Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: His Last Vow)

Others East of the Atlantic that were nominated included Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dancing on the Edge), Idris Elba (Luther), Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Maggie Smith and Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones, Helena Bonham Carter (Burton And Taylor) and Minnie Driver (Return to Zero).

In the earlier “Creative Arts Emmys”, Sherlock editor, Yan Miles won for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Mini-series or Movie while Magi Vaughan and Adam James Phillips won the Emmy for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera series for their work on Downton Abbey. In more Sherlock news, the Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Mini-series, Movie or Special went to Doug Sinclair, Stuart McCowan, John Joyce, Paul McFadden, William Everett and Sue Harding while the Emmy for Outstanding Musical Composition for a Mini-series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) went to David Arnold and Michael Price and, finally, Sherlock Director of Photography, Neville Kidd, won for Outstanding Cinematography for a Mini-series or Movie.

Congratulations to all nominees and winners. Can’t wait for December 2015 for the next installment of the Emmy award winning series, Sherlock!

P.S. In non-British television news but still Emmy-related, I’m not sure Breaking Bad deserved to win tonight. Seemed more of a lifetime achievement award for the series that concluded last year and all those involved. Both True Detective and star, Matthew McConaughey, were much more deserving, IMHO.