The 69th Emmy Awards have certainly come a long way from the Dark Ages — when Modern Family would sweep every category.
The night was huge for streaming services, Netflix’s Stranger Things boasted the most nominations, and Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale ended the night the show’s biggest winner.
But The Handmaid's Tale, based on Margaret Atwood's novel which details America becoming a theocracy and women becoming property, taking home Outstanding Drama Series was far from the only nod to America’s turbulent political atmosphere.
From host Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue it was clear that no one would be dancing around President Trump and his administration. This includes two of the historic winners of the night: Donald Glover and Lena Waithe.
Glover, who also won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, became the first black person to win Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for his show Atlanta.
He gave a special shout out to Trump, “I want to thank Trump for making black people No. 1 on the most oppressed list. He’s probably the only reason I’m up here.”
Lena Waithe became the first black woman to win an Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Emmy for penning the "Thanksgiving" episode of Master of None. With show creator Aziz Ansari by her side, Waithe said in her acceptance speech, “Last but certainly not least, my LGBQTIA family. I see each and every one of you… Everybody out there that showed us so much love for this episode, thank you for embracing a little Indian boy from South Carolina and a little queer black girl from the South Side of Chicago.”
And despite the MERRY JANE produced Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party not taking home a win for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program (that went to Rupaul Charles for RuPaul's Drag Race), we're not salty — here's a list of the winners of the 69th Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Handmaid’s Tale
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Outstanding Limited Series
Big Little Lies
Outstanding Television Movie
Black Mirror: San Junipero
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Outstanding Comedy Series
Veep
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live – “Host: Jimmy Fallon”
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series
Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror: San Junipero
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Reed Morano, The Handmaid’s Tale – “Offred”
Outstanding Reality Competition Series
The Voice
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe, Master of None – “Thanksgiving”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special
Jean-Marc Vallée, Big Little Lies
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Bruce Miller, The Handmaid’s Tale – “Offred”
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Donald Glover, Atlanta – “B.A.N.”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Lithgow, The Crown
