LOS ANGELES - Amazon won big for its dark transgender comedy "Transparent" as the Emmy Awards opened Sunday -- a breakthrough for the online retail giant in its bid to catch up with streaming pioneer Netflix.
(L-R) Gaby Hoffmann, Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Jeffrey Tambor, Jill Soloway, Amy Landecker, and Alison Sudol of the Amazon show "Transparent" attend the 67th Emmy Awards, September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles
Jeffrey Tambor took home the trophy for best actor in a comedy for his portrayal of a transgender woman on "Transparent," which also took honors for directing for series creator Jill Soloway.
The awards were some of the first handed out at the 67th Emmys, at which "Mad Men" and "Game of Thrones" are battling for top drama honors, and pundits are expecting history to be made by a black actress.
Host Andy Samberg kicked off the ceremony in Los Angeles with a musical video skit about the wealth of quality television now on offer, featuring several stars like Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" and Kerry Washington, the star of "Scandal."
Samberg -- the star of Fox's sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and a former cast member of US comedy show "Saturday Night Live" -- then hailed this year's event for recognizing diversity.
"This is the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history," he said, then quipping: "So congratulations Hollywood, you did it. Yeah, racism is over."
The start of the night went to "Transparent," which had already won three Emmys at an earlier ceremony for technical achievement, putting its total at five.
"I'd like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your courage," Tambor said.
"I have been given the opportunity to act because people's life depend on it."
Other early winners were Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale, awarded lead actress/actor in a comedy series for their roles on HBO political satire "Veep," about a female vice president (Louis-Dreyfus) who surprisingly becomes head of state.
Allison Janney took the Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy for "Mom" -- her seventh Emmy overall.
- Can Hamm finally win? -
The top two questions at television's equivalent of the Oscars are: will Hamm finally win on his eighth try for "Mad Men" and can "Game of Thrones" finally win the coveted best drama series prize?
Industry watchers predict Hamm -- whose portrayal of the dashing but troubled Don Draper has defined AMC's classic show about the advertising industry in 1960s New York -- will take home the trophy for best actor in a drama.
"I think this is the year for Jon Hamm," Debra Birnbaum, executive editor of television at Variety, told AFP.
The influential series -- which launched a 1960s fashion revival and made stars of its lead actors -- ended earlier this year after seven seasons and eight years on the air. It could take home a fifth best drama series award.
But it is facing stiff competition from "Better Call Saul," "Downton Abbey," "Homeland," "House of Cards," "Orange Is the New Black" and especially "Game of Thrones," which earned an impressive 24 nominations.
Tom O'Neil, a showbiz journalist who founded Hollywood awards prediction site Gold Derby, said although most experts are betting on "Mad Men," he was placing his money on HBO's blood-spattered, sex-filled fantasy drama.
"I think it's going to be a 'Game of Thrones' year," he told AFP. The show, on its fifth nomination for best drama, has yet to win top honors. It has already won eight Emmys in technical categories, handed out before the main ceremony.
- 'Overdue milestone'? -
Sunday's star-studded ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles could see history made if an African-American woman wins the prize for best lead actress in a drama -- which would be a first.
Two of the six nominees are black: Viola Davis for ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" and Taraji P. Henson for Fox's music melodrama "Empire." They will compete against former winner Claire Danes from "Homeland," among others.
"We will see an overdue milestone happen in that category," O'Neil said.
This could also be the first year streaming companies win an Emmy for best series. "Transparent" is nominated for best comedy series alongside Netflix's "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." In the drama category, "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black" are in contention, but neither of them is heavily fancied to win.
Some are also tipping "Veep" to ride the buzz of the 2016 White House race and dethrone ABC's "Modern Family" as best comedy.
Louis-Dreyfus cracked a joke about Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump in her acceptance speech, saying, "It's getting trickier and trickier to satirize this stuff."
"Modern Family" has won the prize for best comedy series five years in a row, and a sixth win would set a record.