Online shows mainstream at Golden Globes

Major TV networks left empty-handed

SEVERAL of the big winners in television categories at Sunday’s Golden Globes are not on television at all. The four major US TV networks went home emptyhanded from the ceremony in Los Angeles, as streaming services Amazon and Netflix picked up three awards between them.

Amazon’s video streaming service won its first Golden Globes for Transparent, which was named best TV Series (comedy). Writerdirector Jill Soloway’s comedy drama stars Jeffrey Tambor as a Los Angeles family patriarch who is preparing for gender reassignment surgery.

Beloved by critics, Transparent is considered the first breakthrough series for Amazon Studios, the online retail firm’s production arm. It was recommissioned for a second series in October.

Accepting the award, Soloway dedicated the win to her transgender parent and to the memory of Ohio transgender teenager Leelah Alcorn, who took her own life.

Tambor was also named best actor in a comedy series, and in his speech he thanked the transgender community.

“Thank you for your courage,” he said, “thank you for your inspiration, thank you for your patience, and thank you for letting us be a part of the change.”

Kevin Spacey won his first Golden Globe for best actor in a TV drama for his performance as scheming Washington politician Frank Underwood in the Netflix hit House of Cards.

These Golden Globes were not the first to go to streamed shows. Robin Wright, who plays Claire Underwood in House of Cards, took home the best actress prize last year.

The cable channel FX took home two awards for Fargo, which won best mini-series.

Fargo’s star, Billy Bob Thornton, was named best actor in a miniseries.

The Affair, broadcast by the premium cable channel Showtime, won the award for best TV drama, and its British star, Ruth Wilson, that for best TV actress.

The Golden Globes are the only high-profile awards show to honour film and television, and provide a drum roll for the Academy Award nominations, announced on Thursday.

Boyhood was awarded the best picture (drama) prize, cementing its front-runner status for the Oscars. Director Wes Anderson’s midcentury caper The Grand Budapest Hotel was best picture in the musical or comedy category.

Birdman star Michael Keaton was named best comedy actor, while Eddie Redmayne took the title of best actor in a drama for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.

Keira Knightley – whose Chanel dress was one of the sartorial talking points of the Golden Globes, with fashion critics placing the actress among the worst-dressed of the evening – said 30 people had worked on it to get it ready.

Featuring a butterfly and feather motif and pleated collar, it was carefully stitched for the actress, who is expecting her first child later this year. “Apparently it took 30 people to make this in a week, so I have to give a huge thank you to them all,” said the 29-year-old. “It makes me really frightened – what if I spill something?”

But not everyone praised it. BuzzFeed’s Jarett Wieselman tweeted: “It took 33 people to make this dress (and no one said, “Um… hang on”).” – The Independent