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| Actress Teri Hatcher poses for photographers at
the TV Guide and Inside TV Emmy Awards after party at the Roosevelt
Hotel in Los Angeles, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2005.
(AP) |
Maybe it was the promise of seeing those "Desperate Housewives" tussle
over the best-acting trophy or watching "Lost" find Emmy gold — the awards
ceremony drew its biggest audience in three years.
More than 18.5 million viewers tuned in to Sunday's show, a 35 percent
increase over last year, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen
Media Research. Final figures were expected Tuesday.
The CBS broadcast reversed a ratings slide that in 2004 saw the
ceremony drop to its second-smallest audience ever, 13.8 million, on ABC.
The event rotates among the four major networks.
Conventional wisdom has it that popular movies draw big audiences to
the Academy Awards; the ABC freshman sensations "Desperate Housewives" and
"Lost" may have done the same for the Emmys.
"Lost," about plane crash survivors on a mysterious and dangerous
island, received the best drama series award and won a directing trophy.
"To get this award right now right before our second season kicks off
is incredibly exciting and puts us in a really good spot," series star
Matthew Fox said backstage Sunday. The show returns for its second season
Wednesday.
Suburban satire "Desperate Housewives" failed to grab the best-comedy
award but Felicity Huffman was named best comedy actress, prevailing over
co-stars Teri Hatcher and Marcia Cross. The series also received a
directing award.
Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted 2001's challenging
post-9/11 Emmys, again proved herself smooth and unflappable
, juggling a show stuffed with
musical numbers and awards as well as recognition of Hurricane Katrina
victims.
HBO again topped the networks in total Emmys, receiving 27 awards
including seven honors Sunday and 20 trophies given at last week's
Creative Arts Emmys recognizing technical and other achievements. ABC got
a total of 16 awards, followed by CBS with 11, NBC and PBS with 10 each
and Fox with six.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-09-20 09:49
