'Modern Family,' 'Mad Men' Again Take Top Emmy Honors

B&C's complete Emmy coverage

Modern Family led
the wins at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday night, and along
with nods for CBS' The Big Bang Theory,
Mike & Molly, and The Good Wife, it was a strong showing
for the broadcast networks at the annual TV kudosfest.

Modern Family
repeated its win for outstanding comedy series, besting Fox's Glee, CBS' The Big Bang Theory and NBC's Park's
and Recreation
, The Office and 30 Rock.

"We appreciate every single second of this," said series
co-creator/executive producer Steve Levitan in accepting the win, before giving
a shout-out to younger cast members Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and
Rico Rodriguez. "I especially want to point out all the kids on this cast.
These guys bring it every single week, they are at the caliber of anyone else
on this stage."

AMC's Mad Men
earned its fourth consecutive win for outstanding drama series, beating out
HBO's Boardwalk Empire, CBS' The Good Wife, DirecTV's Friday Night Lights, Showtime's Dexter and HBO's Game of Thrones.

In his acceptance speech, series creator Matthew Weiner
thanked the show's fans "for supporting the show wherever it goes."

Modern Family,
whose entire adult cast was nominated, dominated the early categories with wins
for writing and directing as well as with star Julie Bowen taking home the
first award of the night, outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series,
for her role as Claire Dunphy.

Bowen thanked her husband and "TV husband" Ty Burrell "who
helps me manage my fear on a daily basis."

Burrell also won for outstanding supporting actor in a
comedy series, beating out Modern Family
castmates Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill and last year's category winner Eric
Stonestreet.

Broadcast continued to dominate the comedy category as Jim
Parsons repeated for outstanding actor in a comedy series, winning for his role
as uber-geek Sheldon Cooper on The Big
Bang Theory
.

Parsons thanked co-star Johnny Galecki (also nominated)
saying "it's been a real pleasure taking this ride with you."

Mike & Molly's
Melissa McCarthy took home her first Emmy for outstanding actress in a comedy
series. In her acceptance speech, McCarthy thanked series creator/executive
producer Chuck Lorre who "fought for me," as well as Warner Bros. President
Peter Roth and CBS brass Les Moonves and Nina Tassler.

Broadcast continued to represent well in the drama
categories, usually dominated by cable.

Julianna Margulies won for outstanding actress in a drama
series for her role as Alicia Florrick on CBS' The Good Wife. She beat out Mad
Men
's Elisabeth Moss, Friday Night
Light
's Connie Britton, Law &
Order: SVU
's Mariska Hargitay, The
Killing
's Mireille Enos and Harry's Law's
Kathy Bates.

In a surprise win, Kyle Chandler nabbed the lead actor Emmy
for his role as Coach Taylor on football drama Friday Night Lights. He beat out Boardwalk Empire's Steve Buscemi, Dexter's Michael C. Hall, Mad
Men
's Jon Hamm, House's Hugh
Laurie and Justified's Timothy
Olyphant.

"I knew for a fact that I would not be standing here,"
Chandler said on stage of his upset win for the NBC/DirecTV drama.

In another unexpected win, Justified's Margo Martindale took home the statue for outstanding
supporting actress in a drama series.

"Sometimes things just take time," said the journeywoman
actress in her speech. "I'm so honored to have acted with most kick ass cast on
television."

Peter Dinklage won for outstanding supporting actor in a
drama series for the freshman HBO drama Game
of Thrones
.

In another win for broadcast, CBS' The Amazing Race took back the crown for outstanding
reality-competition program, its eighth win in the category, after being
briefly unseated last year by Bravo's Top
Chef
.

The Daily Show with
Jon Stewart
continued its streak, notching its ninth consecutive win for
outstanding variety, music or comedy series, as well as a win for writing in
the category.

"We're acutely aware of how fortunate we are to win this
once let alone as many times," Stewart said in accepting the award. "I have
ridiculous respect for others in the category."

The miniseries and movie category, usually dominated by HBO,
was this year split with PBS, with the public broadcaster's Downton Abbey taking home the Emmy for outstanding
miniseries as well as nods for directing and supporting actress Maggie Smith.

HBO's Mildred Pierce
was well represented with acting wins for Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce while Barry
Pepper won outstanding lead actor for his portrayal of Robert F. Kennedy in
ReelzChannel's The Kennedys.