
Whoever takes home a Golden Globe on February 28 will join the pantheon of primetime greats. A look back at some of our favorite award-winning shows, performances—and speeches!
By Nate Millado
Originally published in Watch Magazine, January-February 2021.
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Mission: Impossible
Photo Credit: CBS Photo Archive
Mission: Impossible lit the fuse for CBS's run of Globe-winning shows when the spy-centric program prevailed as Best Television Series in 1968.
All in the Family
Photo Credit: Bettmann
All in the Family set the gold standard for sitcoms, having won a record four Best TV Series–Musical or Comedy awards.
M*A*S*H
Photo Credit: CBS Photo Archive
As Hawkeye Pierce in the hit series M*A*S*H, Alan Alda took home six trophies for Best Actor in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy.
Murder, She Wrote
Photo Credit: CBS Photo Archive
It's no mystery that Murder, She Wrote's Angela Lansbury is a versatile actress; she's been nominated 15 times over her career and has won four Globes for her starring turn as novelist-turned-detective Jessica Fletcher.
The Carol Burnett Show
Photo Credit: Ron Galella
The iconic Carol Burnett has a Golden Globe award for excellence named after her, and for good reason: The ear-tugging comedian earned five Globes for her eponymous variety classic, The Carol Burnett Show.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Photo Credit: Silver Screen Collection
The Mary Tyler Moore Show earned 23 nominations during its run; Mary Tyler Moore herself won Best Actress in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy in 1971. Ed Asner's lovably gruff boss was so popular with TV audiences that he won four total Globes for the same role on two different shows: The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spinoff, Lou Grant. Other MTM offshoots that took home the gold: Valerie Harper and Rhoda in 1975 and Cloris Leachman for Phyllis in 1976.
Michael C. Hall
Photo Credit: CBS Photo Archive
Michael C. Hall absolutely slays as Dexter—so much so that he's returning as the serial-killing antihero in an upcoming SHOWTIME limited series. He finally took home the Golden Globe in 2010, wearing a black knit cap: He'd been fighting cancer, unbeknownst to many of his fans!
Stream Dexter on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME apps, as well as via SHOWTIME On Demand.
Gina Rodriguez
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter
"This award is so much more than myself. It represents a culture that wants to see themselves as heroes. My father used to tell me to say every morning, 'Today is gonna be a great day; I can and I will.' Dad, today is a great day; I can and I did."— Jane the Virgin' star Gina Rodriguez, 2015 Best Actress in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy
Christine Lahti
Photo credit: NBC
"I was just flushing the toilet and someone said, 'You won!' and I thought they were joking!"—Christine Lahti of Chicago Hope on her infamously ill-timed bathroom break,
Candice Bergen
Photo credit: Ron Galella
"And now, I'd like to sing ... no, no, never mind."— Candice Bergen after her acceptance speech for Murphy Brown in 1989.
Cybill Shepherd
Photo Credit: Ron Galella
"And particular thanks to the Great Goddess in all her guises; may she bring us peace, joy, and righteous anger. Blessed be."—Cybill Shepherd, 1996 Best Actress in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy for Cybill.
Don Cheadle
Photo Credit: Robyn Beck
She just said it didn't really say my name, but she said it anyway, so ... thank you, Lucy!"—Don Cheadle of House of Lies (SHOWTIME) quipping about presenter Lucy Liu.
Stream House of Lieson SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME apps, as well as via SHOWTIME On Demand.
Rachel Bloom
Photo Credit: Kevork Djanzezian/NBC
"Oh my god, oh my god. Oh, all right. Guys, guys, guys. I'm just going to talk to you like it's people and pretend that I am not on TV."—An overwhelmed Rachel Bloom upon winning Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy in 2016 for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Claire Danes
Photo Credit: AFP
When 15-year-old Claire Danes first won the Globe for My So-Called Life, she burst into tears backstage because she had forgotten to thank her parents! Seventeen years later, the Homeland heroine got a re-do: "I'm just so lucky to have another opportunity to let them know how deeply grateful I am for their love and encouragement, and any fulfillment I have as a person and actor I owe in large part to [them]." Homeland also won top honors in 2012 and 2013.
Stream Homeland on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME apps, as well as via SHOWTIME On Demand.
Toni Collette
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter
Toni Collette—and all her different personalities—won the 2010 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy for United States of Tara.
Stream The United States of Tara on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME apps, as well as via SHOWTIME On Demand.
Jim Parsons
Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS
No bazinga here! Jim Parsons won Best Actor in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy in 2011 for The Big Bang Theory.
The Affair
Photo Credit: Mark Schafer/SHOWTIME
The 2015 Golden Globes were an Affair to remember—SHOWTIME's infidelity drama The Affairbeat out House of Cards, Downton Abbey, The Good Wife, and Game of Thrones in the night's biggest upset!
Stream The Affair on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME apps, as well as via SHOWTIME On Demand.
Ron Perlman
Photo Credit: Ron Galella
Once upon a time, Ron Perlman of Beauty and the Beast won Best Actor in a TV Series–Drama for imbuing his feline-faced romantic hero with soft-spoken sensitivity.
Stream Beauty and the Beast on Paramount+.
It's a tie!
Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives
It's a tie! All in the Family matriarch Jean Stapleton and a singing, wisecracking Cher (The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour), er, shared Best Actress in a TV Series–Musical or Comedy in 1974.
Tom Selleck
Photo Credit: Silver Screen Collection
Tom Selleck (now on Blue Bloods) was nominated seven times for his role as mustached macho man Magnum, P.I. Although he won in 1985, Selleck was MIA from the ceremony—his Golden Globe–winning co-star John Hillerman accepted on his behalf.
Julianna Margulies
Photo Credit: AFP
Nominated a dozen times throughout her career, Julianna Margulies finally won in 2010 as The Good Wife.
Originally published in Watch Magazine, January-February 2021.
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