They say that we are living in a new “golden age” of television, and the act of sitting and watching television shows for hours on end is no longer deemed unacceptable, lazy or pointless. In the 1940s, television was described as “chewing gum for the eyes” – something which kept us occupied without offering any real mental stimulation. Nowadays, binge-watching a series on Netflix is just a regular night in for a lot of us. This year’s Emmy winners are hard evidence that it’s only onwards and upwards for television.
Game of Thrones, which has just wrapped up its fourth season, set a record at this year’s Emmys, taking home the most awards ever received in a single year. Out of 24 nominations, the series took home a whopping 12 awards, including best directing and best screenwriting. Upon being called to retrieve his Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama, Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage was in no way prepared. He even claimed afterwards that he had been chewing gum before his name was announced. He leaned in to whisper to his wife, and placed a kiss on her lips, before strolling towards the stage, and it seems as though Erica had been prepared to take his gum into her hands, but her husband had other ideas. The internet has blown up with rumours that the actor spat the aforementioned gum into his wife’s mouth before proceeding to receive his award.
But the Game of Thrones cast aren’t the only ones turning heads; How To Get Away With Murder star Viola Davis has also set the bar to a new height, becoming the first ever African-American woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. Her acceptance speech, which emphasised how difficult it is to get anywhere as a black actress, earned her a standing ovation from the audience. This spectacular news comes just in time for the release of How to Get Away with Murder’s second season, which is happening this month.
Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for the second year in a row for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the show. The Emmy for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series went to Inside Amy Schumer, and apparently the 34-year-old actress was congratulated in a peculiar way by new friend Jennifer Lawrence. It has been confirmed that Lawrence sneaked in and filled Schumer’s hotel room with oversized balloons, to which Schumer advised her Instagram followers – “Never tell Jennifer L your room number”.
Niamh Crosbie // Film & Entertainment Editor
