The Emmys continued their drift toward cable, but the two biggest awards stayed with the broadcast networks — CBS's "Everybody Loves Raymond" won as best comedy series and NBC's "The West Wing" took home the award as best drama.
The comedy voters were apparently paying attention; the drama voters were not. "Raymond" finally won its first as top comedy and five overall; "West Wing" (which also won for direction) won its fourth in a row despite a precipitous drop in quality and viewership this past season.
Cable networks took the Emmys for best movie ("Door to Door" on TNT), best miniseries ("Taken" on Sci Fi) and best variety, music or comedy series ("The Daily Show" on Comedy Central).
There were a lot of familiar faces in the winner's circle at Sunday night's 55th annual Emmy Awards, but the big news was the newcomers like "Raymond."
"Will & Grace" star Debra Messing, nominated for the fourth year in a row as best actress in a comedy, finally won. "I never thought it was going to happen!" she gushed in accepting her award.
Her best-actor counterpart, Tony Shalhoub, won his first for his starring role in the comedic whodunnit "Monk."
William H. Macy won his first and second Emmys on Sunday as both co-writer and actor in the much-deserving TV movie "Door to Door." The fact-based story of a salesman with cerebral palsy won four (including outstanding movie and direction) on Sunday and a total of six including the technical Emmys presented Sept. 13.
Another of the most deserving winners was also one of the most unexpected — "The Amazing Race" beat out "American Idol" and "Survivor," among others, to win the Emmy in the new category of best reality/competition program.
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" broke a five-year streak by beating David Letterman's "Late Show" as outstanding variety, musical or comedy series and won a second Emmy for writing.
Cher won her first Emmy after five previous nominations dating as far back as 1972 for "Cher: The Farewell Tour," which was named outstanding variety, music or comedy special. (The win gives Cher an Emmy to ad to her Oscar, Grammy and two Golden Globes.)
But as is generally the case, a lot of Emmys went to a lot of repeat winners. Doris Roberts of "Everybody Loves Raymond" won her second straight and third overall as supporting actress in a comedy. "Three times," she said. "Wow. I remember when there were only three channels."
Her co-star, Brad Garrett, won his second in a row as supporting actor in a comedy despite a well-publicized holdout (since settled) — and Garrett thanked CBS and the "Raymond" producers for "not firing" him.
Tyne Daly of "Judging Amy" won her sixth (in 14 nominations) for supporting actress in a drama. James Gandolfini and Edie Falco won as actor and actress in a drama series (a third win for each) for HBO's "The Sopranos," which failed once again to win as outstanding drama but did win for direction and supporting actor (Joe Pantoliano, his first).
Wayne Brady, who won a Daytime Emmy earlier this year as outstanding talk-show host, was named best individual performer in a variety or musical program for "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
The annual awards, originating from Los Angeles, went without a single host, choosing instead to go with a slew of comedians. Garry Shandling opened the show with a well-received bit and was joined in the comedy winner's circle by Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, George Lopez, Bonnie Hunt and Ellen DeGeneres. Others, like Wanda Sykes and Martin Short, were considerably less successful.
Bill Cosby accepted the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, and the show included tributes to Bob Hope and John Ritter.
E-MAIL: pierce@desnews.com