The 2020 Emmy Awards

By Lisa Respers France, Marianne Garvey and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 6:01 AM ET, Mon September 21, 2020
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11:31 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Laugh tracks, sweeps and plenty of pandemic jokes marked the Emmys

From CNN's Lisa Respers France

In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, host Jimmy Kimmel appears with a screen filled with nominees during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast.
In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, host Jimmy Kimmel appears with a screen filled with nominees during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast. The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP

We won't even discuss the alpaca.

The Emmys definitely tried it all as it went remote because of the global pandemic.

Having the nominees at home — or in the case of Jennifer Aniston who was in studio and then "rushed" home — was certainly different, but has anything not been different in 2020?

As far as awards shows go, this one offered few surprises, except perhaps Zendaya pulling off her first Emmy win and that alpaca we aren't discussing.

No one can say the show didn't lean into the whole quarantine culture, however, and there was plenty of attempts to make it all as light-hearted as possible.

The 72nd Emmy Awards will forever be remembered as the night it all flowed down "Schitt's Creek" and we were reminded that laugh tracks sound like exactly that.

11:43 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Was Succession's showrunner Jesse Armstrong's room a winner tonight?

From CNN's Sandra Gonzalez

In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, Jesse Armstrong, center, and the team from "Succession" accept the award for outstanding drama series during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast.
In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, Jesse Armstrong, center, and the team from "Succession" accept the award for outstanding drama series during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast. The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP

“Succession” showrunner Jesse Armstrong accepted the best drama Emmy Award with a cheering section behind him. 

But was his room a winner when rated by Claude Taylor and Jessie Bahrey, the experts behind the Room Rater Twitter account? 

“Fun drapes. Blue light. Love the rug. Couches gotta go. 8/10," Bahrey said.

Hey, even Emmy winners can’t win them all.

12:16 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

Jimmy Kimmel signs off with "please vote" and a Howard Stern show nod, "Bababooey"

From CNN's Marianne Garvey

In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, host Jimmy Kimmel speaks surrounded by cardboard cutouts of actors in the audience during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast.
In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, host Jimmy Kimmel speaks surrounded by cardboard cutouts of actors in the audience during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast. The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP

Host Jimmy Kimmel signed off tonight's Emmy Awards with a message to viewers: "Please vote."

He also gave a nod to the Howard Stern show saying, "Bababooey."

"I'll see you all at the sad Zoom afterparty," he said.

11:16 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

"Succession" is your outstanding drama series

From CNN's Lisa Respers France

"Succession" took home the Emmy tonight for outstanding drama series.

"Such a very nice moment" is how writer Jesse Armstrong said when accepting the award.

Someone's phone rang during the acceptance speech which seemed perfect given the show.

Armstrong did a few "un-thank yous" since he said they were "robbed" of the opportunity to share the win with the cast and crew.

He included the virus and President Trump in his list of "un-thank yous."

Sterling K. Brown, clad in a Black Lives Matter t-shirt, presented the award and joked that his show "This Is Us" had won, even though he was only presenting and his show wasn't even nominated.

11:20 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

"Succession" takes 3 drama awards

In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, Andrij Parekh accepts the award for outstanding directing for a drama series for "Succession" for "Hunting" during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast.
In this video grab captured on Sept. 20, 2020, courtesy of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and ABC Entertainment, Andrij Parekh accepts the award for outstanding directing for a drama series for "Succession" for "Hunting" during the 72nd Emmy Awards broadcast. The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP

The HBO drama "Succession" took home a third Emmy tonight, with a win for outstanding directing in a drama series.

Andrij Parekh thanked the cast in his acceptance speech and called the show a "professional dream."

He dedicated his Emmy to kids "whose names like mine are difficult to pronounce."

"To those who don't look like their classmates and are defined as outsiders, as hyphenated Americans and not just simply just as Americans. This is proof that you belong and this Emmy is ours," Parekh said.

10:59 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Julia Garner wins best supporting actress in a drama for "Ozark"

From CNN's Lisa Respers France

Julia Garner managed to remember to thank her husband at the end.

The “Ozark” actress won and was clearly flustered, but expressed her gratitude to her fellow nominees and her cast members.

"You are the reason I am acting in the first place," she said of the other women she was up against.

Garner also had some words of encouragement for us.

"There will be light at the end of this tunnel," she said.

11:26 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Here's how Zendaya, Stephen Colbert and Tracy Morgan's rooms rated

From CNN's Sandra Gonzalez

Zendaya, the winner for outstanding lead actress in a drama series, scores high marks from Claude Taylor and Jessie Bahrey, the people behind the Room Rater Twitter account. 

Maybe this will add to her euphoria

“Art. Big Plants. Friends and family. Comfy couch. 8/10," Bahrey said.

Over on Twitter, Room Rater also had reviews of Stephen Colbert...

And Tracy Morgan:

10:43 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Zendaya is all grown up and an Emmy winner

From CNN's Lisa Respers France

Her show features some of the darker aspects about being young, but 24-year-old Zendaya isn't counting out the youth.

"I just want to say that there is hope in the young people," she said after she won best actress in a drama for "Euphoria."

She was in a room filled with her family and team who exploded when she won the Emmy.

It was the first Emmy for the former child model and actress.

10:33 p.m. ET, September 20, 2020

Jeremy Strong wins lead actor in a drama series

From CNN's Lisa Respers France

Jeremy Strong kissed whoever handed him his Emmy.

The person was off camera so we couldn't be all up in his business, but the "Succession" actor was clearly thrilled and loved.

He paid tribute to his costar, Brian Cox, whom he beat out for the award.