Golden Globes 2012 Winners: Idris Elba, Kelly Grammer & More Snubs & Surprises For TV Awards (PHOTOS)

The winners of the 2012 Golden Globe Awards certainly weren't TV's usual suspects. In most categories, the stars and shows being represented at the winners' mic were ones audiences aren't exactly interested in. TV winners at this year's Globes proved that Nielsen ratings mean little to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who gave nearly all of its small screen awards to actors and series in their first season.

It didn't seem to matter that few people have even seen an episode of "Enlightened" or "Episodes" -- or that "American Horror Story" is one of the most divisive shows among critics.

"Boss" star Kelsey Grammer, for example, beat out fan favorites Steve Buscemi ("Boardwalk Empire"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") and Damian Lewis ("Homeland") to earn the title of Best Actor in a TV Drama.

Interestingly enough, two of the winning stars were people we were surprised to even see nominated in December.

So who should have gotten a statuette and who should be giving his/her's back? Click the slideshow below and let us know who you think was undeserving or neglected at the 2012 Golden Globes.

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Comments

[Bee Geller]

10:17 AM on 01/17/2012

Golden Globe trend report here! http://styleisland1.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/2012-golden-globes-the-good-the-better-and-the-redder-spotting-trends-on-the-red-carpet/

[mou101]

09:28 PM on 01/16/2012

I hadn't watched episodes 'til after the Globes last night; then, I watched the seven episodes 'til about 3:00 am. Great show! Matt LeBlanc deserved this award!

[DoraL]

07:40 PM on 01/16/2012

I watched & LOVED Episodes & the show just got better every episode :) LeBlanc was excellent, I was surprised by his performance, it was different & funny as hell, I think he deserved the award

[askskia]

06:01 PM on 01/16/2012

I'm not shocked by Idris Elba's win. Luther is intense and the way he plays his character is just scary!

[DodieG]

07:08 PM on 01/16/2012

agree

[Lorraine Devon Wilke]

04:26 PM on 01/16/2012

Why do we speak in terms of "snubs"? What silliness.

There are a tiny handful of people nominated amongst an enormous group of other talented people in each category. Each of these nominated people in each of these categories are generally extraordinary in the role they fulfilled (as are many who are NOT nominated!). But it's math; only one is going to win. Why on earth do we say someone has "been snubbed" if they are not that ONE who won?? They can't all win, as we tell our bouncing, hopeful children at a baseball game. And those who do not win that one spot are no less excellent, no less extraordinary; they simply were not chosen for one reason or another that has nothing to do with their excellence or what anyone thought of their excellence. Again, it's just a matter of math and where the numbers fall. Chance, random, whatever. No one who's actually been nominated can be said to have been SNUBBED, for God's sake!

So please, let's not perpetuate this competitive silliness and simply acknowledge that in a field of excellence, one of the group edged out the others when votes were totaled. That's all. To continue to characterize it as "snubbery" is not only incorrect and just plain stupid, it denigrates the valuable acknowledgement of ALL being in that rarified group of nominees.

[POpgrssve]

08:03 PM on 01/16/2012

I agree.

[MountPanic]

04:14 PM on 01/16/2012

"Joey has a new show?"

"Joey's GOOD in a new show???"

[Tom Payned]

03:58 PM on 01/16/2012

Laura Dern over Laura Linney? Really?

The talent required to make cancer humorous, terrifying, moving, life changing, and not go over the top takes an exceptional amount of talent. The Big C in my opinion is one of the best shows in years due to the writers, and Laura's ability to create such a multidimensional person.

Just another example of different strokes for different folks.

[Kindheart101]

04:09 PM on 01/16/2012

Ahhhhh I kind of agree? Being a survivor, I question the need to have affairs, seek them out, and hide diagnosis from family members. The theme is good, and yes, life changing, and terrifying to say the least. But, it certainly didn't focus on a loving relationship or honesty, much to my disappointment. It was a good TV show, fortunately, not real life.

[Tom Payned]

04:23 PM on 01/16/2012

Kudos to you for being a survivor.

My mother has survived six different cancers beginning at age 41, and she's now 76, with a new carcinoma removed Dec 29th.

She does hide her diagnosis from the majority of our family including her husband. As her son, she trusts me the most, and I think I know all of the various problems, but I can never be certain, although I am there for all of the surgeries, the chemo, and earlier on, radiation.

Different people do handle things differently, in part due to themselves, in part due to the way they perceive the people around them and their ability to deal with tragic news.

But, yes, this was TV. And written to create a story line.

I'm confused, did the husband have an affair 1st with the soccer mom or did Cathy have hers first?

My father had his then bailed. He had the audacity to tell my mother that things would have been easier for him & his girlfriend if my mother had died instead of having a successful outcome with the lymph nods.

Every family is different.

[Kindheart101]

03:50 PM on 01/16/2012

Personally, I think Morgan Freeman was the best person on stage, all night!

[jmslotnick]

03:18 PM on 01/16/2012

Idris Elba did deserve the award. He was spectacular in Luther and he carried the show. The one who to me did not deserve the award was Matt LeBlanc. He has about as much acting ability and personality of the beached whale.

[Kindheart101]

03:32 PM on 01/16/2012

LOL..........remind me never to sing for you!

[jmslotnick]

03:40 PM on 01/16/2012

I never have liked Matt LeBlanc, even on Friends. He just does not seem to be acting, but is himself which makes his acting rather blah....

[Tom Payned]

04:03 PM on 01/16/2012

Brit series, for me anyway, are almost always superior to ours because their seasons are so short usually 6-8 hours, that the writing is tight, the storyline not fraught with unneeded sexual tension of will they or won't they, and of course, they never know if there will be another season so they don't use gimmicks to keep you coming back, or end the season without wrapping up the story line.

Almost all of my DVD collection is comprised of Brit dramas. I bought a region free DVD player and order most from Amazon UK which, when they take out the VAT, is usually way cheaper than getting the few that are available here.

[jmslotnick]

04:15 PM on 01/16/2012

F & F. I too think British film and tv is by far superior to ours in the USA. Watch BBC America and PBS for any and everything the do.

[P Murphy]

08:22 AM on 01/17/2012

I agree with you too. It's the only reason I haven't gotten rid of Netflix. They don't waste time on stupid sexual relationships between the characters like they do here. People can actually work together without being intimate.

[BlackRadish]

02:58 PM on 01/16/2012

I was really disappointed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt didn't win for 50/50. Such a vulnerable, earnest performance. Really difficult to watch, but gorgeous.

[alsm9]

04:55 PM on 01/16/2012

He was fantastic. Comedy, it's an ironic nomination because his performance and the film made me cry. lol!!

[tangelan]

02:32 PM on 01/16/2012

How is Idris Elba a surprise win? For anyone that has seen Luther knows he was a shoe in.

[Crystal Bell]

03:30 PM on 01/16/2012

It was a very pleasant surprise win! Especially because he really deserved the award for his work in "The Wire."

[alsm9]

04:55 PM on 01/16/2012

Yes! I've just started watching the Wire. He's an amazing actor.

[enhancedvibes]

02:16 PM on 01/16/2012

Jessica Lange was not a surprise win. Did someone from HP write this? Some of these wins follow Emmy wins, such as for Winslet and Dinklage, but it is not uncommon for the Hollywood Foreign Press to veer off the beaten path.

[Tom Payned]

04:09 PM on 01/16/2012

Agreed. I think all of the actresses were worthy, but to go from the pretty young leading lady type with little talent, to the darkly complex character in American Psycho, shows so much growth, time studying her craft, and talent in not making the character a caricature.

[enhancedvibes]

10:56 AM on 01/17/2012

That;s interesting because I found her character quite a caricature a lot of the time. I thought she was purposely acting in a fashion that made some of her dialogue come across as campy. I always thought it was intentional and it made me like her character even more.

[monstersfromtheid]

02:03 PM on 01/16/2012

You have to give credit to Leblanc for his humility and honesty in thanking the writer for creating a more interesting version of him than the real one.

[robnelsong]

01:59 PM on 01/16/2012

Idris Elba was a fantastic choice. His portrayal of Stringer Bell in "The Wire" was remarkable and it is great that many viewers can now see it on DVD or streaming video. Hopefully American viewers will watching "Luther" which is a really fine show. However, my sympathy goes to Bryan Cranston who's equally remarkable performances in "Breaking Bad" deserve more recognition.

[enhancedvibes]

02:15 PM on 01/16/2012

Cranston has won several times. He has been recognized. Time for someone else to enjoy the limelight.

[robnelsong]

03:23 PM on 01/16/2012

You are right about his recognition and Elba deserves the kudos. However, although Cranston has won Emmys and TCA awards for the Walter White character in "Breaking Bad" but he hasn't won a Golden Globe for the role. I know, big deal :-}

[Lee Erickson]

04:57 PM on 01/16/2012

I was hoping for Damian Lewis to win over Bryan Cranston. He was really good in Homeland, keeping you guessing his true loyalties while still always remaining likable, even when he was doing horrible things. Was glad to see Homeland as a whole won, though.

[Nucky Thompson]

06:32 PM on 01/16/2012

Grammer and BOSS...were #1 in 2011......and i never miss Homeland , BB or Boardwalk ....

[niedermaierwest]

01:47 PM on 01/16/2012

I was very surprised to see the Descendents as the winner of the best film. By far..War Horse, and all the others were more deserving. Descendents, as nice as it was, was a yawner.

[melphaze]

09:38 AM on 01/17/2012

I had never heard of the Descendents until the Golden Globes. I was familiar with all of the other films that were nominated.