Golden Globes ratings flat even with a restrained Ricky Gervais

The critics may have felt that Ricky Gervais was defanged, but viewers apparently felt the Golden Globes still had enough bite.

Ratings for the 69th Annual Golden Globes Sunday delivered an average of 16.8 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.

That was essentially flat with last year's 17 million, when Gervais' hosting caused a sensation with the British comic's barbed jabs at celebrities.

This year, there was little outrage. Times critic Mary McNamara called Gervais "markedly respectful and restrained."

In the crucial adults aged 18 to 49 demographic, the Globes were down 4% to a 5.0 rating, from a 5.2 rating last year.

The Globes are the most-watched award show so far this season, beating out both the Emmys and American Music Awards.

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-- Scott Collins, twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT

Photo: Ricky Gervais hosts the 69th Annual Golden Globes. Credit: Getty Images.

Golden Globes: Peter Dinklage cites Martin Henderson case

Peter Dinklage won a Golden Globe on Sunday for his work on "Game of Thrones," but at the end of his acceptance speech he cited someone with no connection to the HBO fantasy epic.

"I want to mention a gentleman I'm thinking about in England," the actor told viewers just before walking offstage. "Martin Henderson. Google him."

Dinklage -- a dwarf who stands 4 feet 5 -- was referring to the case of Henderson, a British dwarf who was left partially paralyzed after allegedly being attacked outside a Somerset bar in October.

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Henderson was celebrating his birthday with friends when he was picked up and thrown by an as-yet unknown assailant outside a pub, according to news reports. A hospital scan later showed nerve damage in his spine, and Henderson says he has trouble walking now.

Henderson believes the attack was inspired by the case of Mike Tindall, a U.K. rugby star who was fined by authorities for a reportedly wild night of carousing -- including a dwarf-tossing performance -- at a nightclub last year. 

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-- Scott Collins (twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT)

Photo: Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage has taken up the case of Martin Henderson, who was allegedly attacked outside a British bar last fall. Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

 

Golden Globes: Claire Danes won't quit her day job

Claire Danes said she belongs on Showtime's critically acclaimed series "Homeland," not actually on the homeland security team.

“We should all be very grateful that I'm not in charge of homeland security,” said Danes backstage after accepting the award for best actress in a TV drama for her role as a CIA agent. “We would not be very secure.”

The Showtime series has been among the premium network's most celebrated new series and centers on Danes' brilliant but troubled government agent as she pursues a returning POW (Damian Lewis) she suspects of being a terrorist. She admitted to being deeply affected by the part.

"As an American, when I started learning about the CIA and the people within that world, I was really struck by their patriotism," said Danes. "It’s something I’ve taken for granted. I have learned through this story that it is something to take more seriously.”

Danes researched the role in a variety of ways -- reading books, interviewing psychologists and even watching YouTube videos. (In addition to her job as a government agent, her character also has bipolar disorder.)

YouTube "is a really valuable resource,” she said. “There’s a lot of material. Bipolar people who are up in the middle of the night … they talk to their camera, and they post it. I think I did more of that. I just gorged on their videos.”

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-- Yvonne Villarreal

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Photo: Claire Danes in "Homeland." Credit: Kent Smith / Showtime 

 

Golden Globes: "Modern Family" wins for TV comedy

ABC’s “Modern Family” won the Golden Globe award for best TV series — comedy or musical. It bested last year’s winner “Glee” (Fox), and rookies “New Girl” (Fox), “Episodes” (Showtime) and “Enlightened” (HBO).

Although this was the sitcom's first Golden Globe, the show has received numerous Emmys since its 2010 launch. The mockumentary series, largely credited with the comedy comeback on TV, features three households of members of the Pritchett clan. The show, created by TV veterans Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, is such a ratings force, it managed to outperform the much-hyped debut season of Fox’s “X Factor.”

The Golden Globes were held Sunday at the Beverly Hilton.

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-- Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Ed O'Neill and Sofia Vergara in "Modern Family." Credit: ABC

Golden Globes: Matt LeBlanc wins best actor in TV comedy

Matt LeBlanc won the Golden Globe on Sunday for his self-referential role on Showtime’s comedy “Episodes.”

LeBlanc plays himself on the show, which involves a British writing team who moves to Hollywood to remake their hit sitcom. He beat out Alec Baldwin of NBC’s “30 Rock,” David Duchovny of Showtime’s “Californication,” Johnny Galecki of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” and Thomas Jane of HBO’s since-canceled “Hung.”

This was LeBlanc’s fourth Globe nomination. He was nominated once previously for NBC’s short-lived “Joey” and twice for the smash hit “Friends.”

The 69th annual Golden Globes ceremony was broadcast nationwide on NBC from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. 

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--Scott Collins (twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT)

Photo: Actors Matt LeBlanc and Andrea Anders arrive at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards.  Credit: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

 

Golden Globes: Claire Danes wins for actress in a TV series drama

Claire Danes of “Homeland” won the Golden Globe award for best performance by an actress in a television series — drama. Danes beat Mireille Enos of “The Killing,” Julianna Margulies of “The Good Wife,” Madeleine Stowe of “Revenge” and Callie Thorne of “Necessary Roughness” for the award.

Danes plays Carrie Mathis, a CIA agent, in this freshman thriller from Showtime. Her character is convinced that an American Marine returning after years as a POW in Iraq is a terrorist. Danes previously won a Golden Globe in this category as a teenager for her role in “My So-Called Life” and last year won the best actress in a miniseries or made-for-TV movie category for her starring role in “Temple Grandin.”

The Golden Globes are being held at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday and are being televised on NBC. We'll carry all the breaking TV news and reaction here on Show Tracker.

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Photo: Claire Danes arrives at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Credit: Matt Sayles / AP

Golden Globes: Jessica Lange wins for supporting actress in a series

Jessica Lange of "American Horror Story" won the Golden Globe award for supporting actress in a series, mini-series or motion picture made for television. Lange beat out Kelly MacDonald of "Boardwalk Empire," Maggie Smith of "Downton Abbey," Sofia Vergara of "Modern Family" and Evan Rachel Wood of "Mildred Pierce" for the award.

Lange plays intrusive neighbor Constance who, by use of her Southern charm, worms her way into the lives of her newly moved-in neighbors in the horror series on FX. This is Lange's 12^th Golden Globe nomination and fifth win.

The Golden Globes are being held at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday and are being televised on NBC. 

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-- Nardine Saad
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 Photo: Jessica Lange in "American Horror Story." Credit: FX

Golden Globes: Peter Dinklage wins supporting actor in a TV series or miniseries

Peter Dinklage won the Golden Globe on Sunday for best supporting actor in a TV series, miniseries or movie for his portrayal of the quick-witted Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” beating out Paul Giamatti in "Too Big to Fail," Guy Pearce in "Mildred Pierce," Tim Robbins in "Cinema Verite" and Eric Stonestreet in "Modern Family."

The 42-year-old actor can place the award next to the Emmy he received late last year for playing the Machiavellian dwarf from a powerful royal family in the premium network’s fantasy series. Dinklage's breakout role as an actor came with the 2003 film “The Station Agent,” and he’s also appeared in “Elf” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”

The Golden Globe Awards are being handed out at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, and the show is being televised live on NBC.

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-- Martin Miller

Photo: Peter Dinklage, with his wife Erica Schmidt, at the 69th Golden Globes show. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

Golden Globes: Idris Elba wins for actor in a TV miniseries

This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.

Idris Elba of "Luther" won the Golden Globe award for actor in a series, miniseries or motion picture made for television. Elba beat out Hugh Bonneville of "Downton Abbey," William Hurt of "Too Big to Fail," Bill Nighy of "Page Eight" and Dominic West of "The Hour" for the award.

Elba plays antihero detective John Luther in the series on BBC America. His "Luther" character is able to identify a killer at 10 paces but has suffered a mental breakdown, which resulted from the flawed decision of chasing down a pedophile. Elba has also appeared in "The Wire, " "The Office" and the film "Thor."

The Golden Globes are being held at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday and are being televised on NBC. We'll carry all the breaking TV news and reaction here on Show Tracker.

— Nardine Saad

Twitter.com/NardineSaad

[For the record, 6:45 p.m. Jan. 15: This post originally listed Idris Elba's character as Martin Luther. His character's name is John Luther.]

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Photo: Idris Elba at the 69th Golden Globe Awards. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Golden Globes: Kate Winslet wins for best actress in a TV mini-series

Kate Winslet, who stars in HBO's "Mildred Pierce," won the Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a mini-series or motion picture made for television, beating out "Diane Lane" in "Cinema Verite," Emily Watson in "Appropriate Adult," Romola Garai in "The Hour" and Elizabeth McGovern in Downton Abbey."

Winslet plays the title role in the period melodrama about an independent woman at odds with her strong-willed, backstabbing daughter. The Oscar-winning actress will be able to place the Golden Globe beside the Emmy she won last year for the role. In 2009, she had the distinction of winning two Golden Globes in the same year -- for best actress in a motion picture drama for "The Reader" and for best supporting actress in a motion picture for "Revolutionary Road." Winslet received another Golden Globe nomination this year for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical, for "Carnage."

The 69th Golden Globes are being handed out at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The ceremony is being broadcast live on NBC.

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-- Greg Braxton

Image: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Golden Globes: 'Homeland' wins for TV drama series

“Homeland” won the Golden Globe award for best television series — drama. It beat out “Game of Thrones,” “Boss,” “American Horror Story” and “Boardwalk Empire” for the award.

The series finished its first season on Showtime in December. Based on an Israeli drama, “Homeland” features Claire Danes as a CIA agent convinced that an American Marine (played by Damian Lewis) returning after years as a POW in Iraq is a terrorist. It was produced by Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet and Fox 21. This is the series’ first Golden Globe nomination and win.

The Golden Globes are being held at the Beverly Hilton and are being televised on NBC. We'll carry all the breaking TV news and reaction here on Show Tracker.

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-- Joy Press
Twitter.com/joypress

Photo: Claire Danes arrives at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards Credit: Matt Sayles / AP

 

Golden Globes: Kelsey Grammer wins best actor in a TV drama series

“Boss” star Kelsey Grammer received a Golden Globe award for lead actor in a TV drama, beating Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), Jeremy Irons (“The Borgias”) and Damian Lewis (“Homeland”).

Grammer took home the trophy for his turn in the Starz drama as a corrupt Chicago mayor, Tom Kane, trying to mask a deteriorating mental condition. It’s hardly Grammer’s first trip to the glitzy rodeo — he received numerous nominations for his role as pompous psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the long-running NBC sitcom “Frasier” — for which he received two, in 1996 and 2001, respectively.

And the Hollywood Foreign Press aren’t the only ones infatuated with Grammer’s austere portrayal. Starz renewed the drama for a second season before the launch of its first-season debut.

The Golden Globes were held Sunday at the Beverly Hilton.

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Photo: Kayte Walsh, left, and Kelsey Grammer arrive at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Credit: Matt Sayles /AP