Time for hurrahs...and speeches about 'how great it was just to be nominated'...

Outstanding drama series

Winner: Mad Men (AMC)

Beating True Blood, Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Good Wife and Lost.

A popular choice in every sense, though as a fan of Dexter and Breaking Bad, I can't shirk the notion that the more cult-ish aspects of those two series were a factor in them losing out to the retro smokers of Madison avenue. Anyway, it's a win all the same for Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan, also the exec producer on Mad Men.

BACKGROUND: AMC, Lionsgate Television

Outstanding comedy series

Winner: Modern Family (ABC)

Beating Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Glee, 30 Rock and Nurse Jackie.

BACKGROUND: ABC, Twentieth Century Fox Television

Outstanding lead actor in a drama series

Winner: Bryan Cranston (Walter White, Breaking Bad)

Beating Jon Hamm for Mad Men, Hugh Laurie for House, Kyle Chandler for Friday Night Lights, Michael C. Hall for Dexter, Matthew Fox for Lost.

This is just the best result, and one I've been keeping my fingers crossed for, even if Cranston is an old hand at the Emmys podium. The actor's boiler-pressure performance as cancer-stricken teacher-turned-meth-cook Walter White has been one of the outstanding highlights of TV acting in the last few years, ably matched by Aaron Paul as his hapless, street-dumb sidekick Jesse. Paul is also finally a 2010 winner in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

BACKGROUND: AMC, Sony Pictures Television

Outstanding lead actress in a drama series

Winner: Kyra Sedgwick (Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, The Closer)

Beating January Jones for Mad Men, Mariska Hargitay for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife, Glenn Close for Damages and Connie Britton for Friday Night Lights.

BACKGROUND: TNT, The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television

Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

Winner: Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory)

Beating Larry David for Curb Your Enthusiasm, Steve Carrell for The Office, Tony Shalhoub for Monk, Matthew Morrison for Glee and Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock.

BACKGROUND: Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

Winner: Edie Falco (Jackie Peyton, Nurse Jackie)

Beating Amy Poehler for Parks And Recreation, Julia Louis-Dreyfus for The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Toni Collette for The United States Of Tara, Lea Michele for Glee and Tina Fey for 30 Rock.

BACKGROUND: Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production

Other winners:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries Or Movie
Al Pacino (Dr Jack Kevorkian) - You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries Or Movie
Claire Danes (Temple Grandin) - Temple Grandin (HBO)

Outstanding Made For Television Movie
Temple Grandin (HBO)

Outstanding Miniseries
The Pacific (Dreamworks/HBO)

http://www.emmys.com