While it seems likely that the Academy Awards tipped its hand toward a Lincoln sweep, then used its other hand to extend a taunting middle finger at Ben Affleck, the weekend nevertheless added to a growing groundswell of support for Argo. This year’s film about Islamic extremists that the whole family can agree on took top honors at the Producers and Screen Actors Guild Awards, potentially portending an upset win at the Oscars. After all, the PGAs are often a pretty reliable omen, accurately predicting the last five Best Picture winners. But then again, Best Picture wins without at least a Best Director nomination are all but unheard of, so it basically comes down to which statistical superstition you choose to believe. Personally, we’ll stick with the traditional, foolproof method of divination by chicken bones, ritualistically hurled at our TVs until they finally just announce the winner already during the Oscars telecast.
Until then, of course, you can probably add certain non-Argo locks in the acting awards: Daniel Day-Lewis, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Lawrence repeated their Golden Globes wins at the SAG Awards, while Tommy Lee Jones also finally got one to justify all the time he’s wasted at awards shows, when he could have been home strangling calves. And at the PGAs, support for Wreck-It Ralph and Searching For Sugar Man seems to have been shored up in the animated and documentary categories. Meanwhile, over in the lower-stakes television arena, the Producers Guild picked Homeland, Modern Family, Game Change, and The Colbert Report as the best shows of the year, while SAG concurred on Modern Family and Game Change (thus bringing to a close nearly a full year of hearing Julianne Moore talk about playing Sarah Palin).
SAG also gave top honors to the ensemble of Downton Abbey—so woefully underrepresented at the ceremony, they let Ethel The Prostitute Maid get upon stage—along with Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, Homeland’s Claire Danes, Kevin Costner In Hatfields And McCoys, and some wistful, possibly final recognition for Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin on 30 Rock, provided they don’t both continue to be nominated for years to come, just out of habit.
The complete list of both Guilds’ award winners is below, followed by just one more month of this sort of thing.
PRODUCERS GUILD
Best Picture: Argo
Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph
Best Documentary: Searching For Sugar Man
Best TV Movie or Miniseries: Game Change
Best TV Drama: Homeland
Best TV Comedy: Modern Family
Best Non-Fiction TV: American Masters
Best Live Entertainment/Talk Show: The Colbert Report
Best Competition TV: The Amazing Race
Best TV Sports: Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel
Best Children’s TV: Sesame Street
Best Web Series: 30 Rock: The Webisodes
SCREEN ACTORS GUILD
Best Cast In A Motion Picture: Argo
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Best Ensemble In A Drama Series: Downton Abbey
Best Ensemble In A Comedy Series: Modern Family
Best Actor In A Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Best Actress In A Drama Series: Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Actor In A Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Actress In A Comedy Series: Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Best Actor In A TV Movie Or Miniseries: Kevin Costner, Hatfields And McCoys
Best Actress In A TV Movie Or Miniseries: Julianne Moore, Game Change
Best Stunt Ensemble In A Motion Picture: Skyfall
Best Stunt Ensemble In A TV Series: Game Of Thrones