That's a wrap on the 2015 Emmy Awards, and a handful of lucky (and oh yes, deserving) winners [1] have gone home with a shiny gold statue. But the Emmys show wasn't all about who won — host Andy Samberg [2] did what he could to entertain the crowd and viewers at home, and there were several poignant moments that couldn't have been planned. Here are the 10 best moments of this year's Emmys.
Andy's Intro
Maybe not all of Andy Samberg's jokes [3] worked, but the comedy veteran still had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He kicked things off with a hilarious opening number [4] to which every TV fan can relate — I will now forever think of "Too Much TV" when I sit down to a full DVR.
Jane Lynch as the Shame Bell Lady
That play-off music is always awful, and Samberg's joke about it being replaced with the Shame Bell lady from Game of Thrones (Jane Lynch [5]) could only have been better if the producers had actually used it.
Jeffrey Tambor Winning For Transparent
It was a big night for Transparent, which won multiple Emmys, but the most heartening win was for Jeffrey Tambor, who plays transgender character Maura Pfefferman on Amazon's series. The actor won for best lead actor in a comedy, and not only is the role itself groundbreaking (and so startlingly different from those of his category-mates), but Tambor also took a moment to reflect on the show's impact on the transgender community [6].
Andy Samberg's HBO Go Login Being Real
It seems like everyone has used someone else's HBO Go login to use the service, and Samberg perfectly riffed on that by announcing that he was sharing his login, Khaleesifan3@emmyhost.com. The best part? It actually works [7]!
When Richard Jenkins Geeked Out Over Gaga
One of the hands-down cutest moments was when outstanding lead actor in a limited series Richard Jenkins was so starstruck by presenter Lady Gaga [8] that he gushed about her [9] in the first words of his acceptance speech . . .
And then she had this crazy-cute reaction.
Amy Schumer's Win
This is Amy Schumer's year, and we're just living in it. When Schumer won for variety sketch series, she couldn't have been more ecstatic in her speech [10]. She was teary, genuinely grateful, and so hilarious, of course.
Jon Hamm Breaking His Losing Streak
No one can argue that Jon Hamm [11] has been doing ridiculously amazing work on Mad Men [12], but the actor has gone home empty-handed every single year he's been nominated (which is every year since Mad Men has been on the air). But for Hamm, the eighth time was the charm, and he finally won for the show's very last season. I'm not sure Don Draper would have rolled onto the stage the way Hamm did, but it was a hilarious way to accept the much-needed award.
Viola Davis's History-Making Win and Speech
Not only was Viola Davis's acceptance speech [13] in which she quoted Harriet Tubman moving and thought-provoking, but she also made history: Davis is the first black woman to ever win in the category for leading actress in a drama. Also, did you see her face when she won [14]?!
Tracy Morgan's Triumphant Return to TV
Tracy Morgan has been sidelined since his debilitating car accident over a year ago, but the star made a triumphant return [15] to Hollywood with a surprise appearance at the Emmys. It was a relief to see him back on the stage — and of course, making jokes about getting everyone pregnant. Welcome back, Tracy.
Game of Thrones Finally Won Best Drama Series
It seems like everyone in the world is obsessed with Game of Thrones, so how could it never have won best drama?! Well, the injustice was remedied on Emmys night when it won the huge category, along with awards for directing, writing, and supporting actor Peter Dinklage. That's not all: with its 12 wins at this year's ceremony, Game of Thrones now holds the record for the most wins in a single year.