Golden Globes Recap

Last night's Golden Globes Awards featured plenty of deserving wins, but no major upsets. There were, however, a few interesting surprises. TV vets Kelsey Grammer (Boss) and Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) both nabbed Best Actor in their respective categories for their turns in well-received, if largely overlooked, shows. Other wins that brought a little of the unexpected included fitting awards for Laura Dern, taking home a Best Actress statue for the divisive comedic drama series Enlightened, and Idris Elba, who triumphed in the Miniseries or Motion Picture category for his lead role in the gritty English procedural Luther. (Yes, The Wire's Stringer Bell is actually British.)

Although Martin Scorsese picking up a Best Director award should never be a surprise, his win with Hugo proved to be a minor upset, given stiff competition from Alexander Payne and Woody Allen, among others. And, in one of the most heartwarming moments of the evening, always-classy 82-year-old Christopher Plummer walked away with a Best Supporting Actor statue for his moving, yet brilliantly understated, performance in the low-key indie charmer Beginners, topping off a busy year for him that also included his role in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Of course, what may be most shocking about the amiably entertaining broadcast is that host Ricky Gervais was relatively restrained, but still amusing, proving that he can be an interesting host without insulting half of the audience.