But NBC had the last laugh on Sunday, taking home seven awards, including the Emmy for best comedy series for the inaugural season of “30 Rock.”
“The Sopranos” won the Emmy for best drama series in its final season, also taking awards for best writing and best directing. But what was expected to be a sweep of the major acting awards by the cast of that long-running HBO series never materialized, as it lost out to other shows in four acting categories.
Six awards
Overall, HBO won six awards, including best actor in a comedy series for Ricky Gervais in “Extras,” Jeremy Piven’s second consecutive Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy series for his performance as the bombastic Ari Gold on “Entourage,” and the award for television movie for “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.”
ABC also took home six awards, including three of the top acting awards, two of which went to series in their first year. Sally Field won best actress in a drama series for “Brothers & Sisters,” a first-year show; America Ferrera won best actress in a comedy series for “Ugly Betty,” also in its first year; and James Spader won his third Emmy for best actor in a drama for his role as Alan Shore. Two of the wins, including Sunday’s, came for the show “Boston Legal”; previously, Mr. Spader won the award for playing the same character on “The Practice.” “Ugly Betty” also won an award.
On a night  associated with humour, there was an undercurrent of tension. With the specter of a debilitating strike hanging over Hollywood, actors and other performers used the awards ceremony to support television writers and to attack network executives for taking screen time away from the people who produce the work.