Golden Globes 2012 Winners: 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 nominatedin 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.

SURPRISE: Matt LeBlanc, Best Actor In A TV Comedy, "Episodes"

How YOU doin', Hollywood Foreign Press voters? Guess the HFPA is comprised of big "Friends" fans. Matt LeBlanc's win for Best Comedy Actor might've been the biggest shock of the night -- he beat out Alec Baldwin, David Duchovny, Johnny Galecki and Thomas Jane, all of whom star on more critically-acclaimed shows -- for playing a more exaggerated version of "himself" on under-the-radar Showtime show "Episodes."

This was Poehler's first Golden Globe nod, and we had high hopes that she'd go home a winner. Alas, Laura Dern took home the gold for HBO's freshman not-really-a-comedy "Enlightened." We'd like to send over a clip reel of Poehler's finest moments as Leslie Knope to enlighten the HFPA. Knope she can!

A frequent Golden Globe name, Jessica Lange has been nominated 12 times and this is her fifth win. Beating out a "Downton Abbey" dame and a "Modern Family" funny lady, among others, Lange representing for FX's twisted freshman thriller was as shocking as the show can be.

This one was a very welcome surprise. Idris Elba is so insanely good in "Luther," but he had stiff competition in this category -- including William Hurt on his sixth nomination with no wins; previous winner Bill Nighy; and Elba's fellow "The Wire" alum Dominic West. So we were thrilled that the award went to Elba.

They say it's an honor just to be nominated, but we'd have to ask Bryan Cranston about that. The three-time nominee has never won, and tonight he lost out to Kelsey Grammer from "Boss." Really? We thought the race was between Cranston and "Homeland" star Damian Lewis, but guess the HFPA has a soft spot for Grammer (he's been nominated nine times, won 3). Also, we're pretty sure presenter Paula Patton called him "Bryan Crasston," but that's just salt in the wound ...

Golden Globes 2012 TV Winners: 'Modern Family,' Matt LeBlanc, Claire Danes, Peter Dinklage, Idris Elba & More

On Sun., Jan. 15, TV royalty was crowned at the Golden Globes ceremony. And although a fan favorite took home one of the big awards, it was largely a night of firsts: All the talent winners earned their awards for shows that have only been on for one season.

Find out who took home the evening's top honors for the small screen -- they're not what you'd expect -- and let us know what you think of the results!

BEST TELEVISION SERIES- COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Winner: "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara may not have won Best Actress, but she did take the mic with the show's creator Steve Levitan, offering "thank you's" in both English & Spanish, as the rest of the ensemble cast smiled and laughed along with them. 
Nominees:
"Enlightened"
"Episodes"
"Glee"
"New Girl"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES- COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Winner: Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
"Wow, I'm so nervous," LeBlanc said after a largely monotone acceptance speech. He then thanked the writers, noting with a laugh, "They write a Matt LeBlanc who, let's be honest, is way more fun and interesting than the real thing."
Nominees:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"
Thomas Jane, "Hung"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES- DRAMA
Winner: Claire Danes, "Homeland"
First and foremost, Danes thanked her parents, who she forgot to thank when she won the award in 1995 for her performance as Angela Chase in "My So-Called Life." Better late than never! She also thanked her husband, fellow actor Hugh Dancy, who, she said "keeps me sane and happy as I play someone not so sane and not so happy."
Nominees:
Mireille Enos, "The Killing"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"
Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Winner: Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
"This is lovely. Thank you very much," Lange told the crowd. "I find it more and more rare ... every year to find a piece of work that is really beautifully written ... and it certainly was this." She gave a shout out to Ryan Murphy for convincing her to take on the role.
Nominees: 
Kelly MacDonald, "Boardwalk Empire"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Winner: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Crowd favorite Dinklage joked about his mom thinking Guy Pearce would win. "I just love our moms 'cause they keep us humble," he joked. He also thanked "Game of Thrones" author George, saying, "His prolific imagination is such a fun world to be a part of."
Nominees:
Paul Giamatti, "Too Big To Fail"
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Winner: Idris Elba, "Luther"
"This is for the fans," the former star of "The Wire" said first and foremost. "I have the most loyal fans in the world." The British actor ended with a shout out to his daughter, having a Globes party at home. "We did it, Mama!" he exclaimed. 
Nominees:
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
William Hurt, "Too Big To Fail"
Bill Nighy, "Page Eight"
Dominic West, "The Hour"

BEST TELEVISION SERIES- DRAMA
Winner: "Homeland"
Nominees:
"American Horror Story"
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Boss"
"Game of Thrones"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES- DRAMA
Winner: Kelsey Grammer, "Boss" 
The leader of the Starz series thanked the producers for having the "insight, balls, and money to produce all eight episodes" as well as his wife, who, it was recently revealed, is pregnant. 
Nominees:
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Winner: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"
"I want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for putting me in a category with such incredible, heavyweight actresses who I feel honored to be alongside," Winslet gushed. "I share this with my beautiful children ... I'm so proud to be their mom," she said at the end of her speech.
Nominees:
Romola Garai, "The Hour"
Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"
Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey"
Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Winner: "Downton Abbey"
Up for four Golden Globes at the 2012 ceremony, "Downtown Abbey" nabbed one of the first big awards of the night. "How fabulous this is," EP Julian Fellows exclaimed. "I thank the audience because it's the audience that makes a success," he added.
Nominees:
"Cinema Verite"
"The Hour"
"Mildred Pierce"
"Too Big To Fail"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES- COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Winner: Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
The third-time Golden Globe winner thanked "everybody in this room" and "everyone in the category who inspires bravery and human in the most unlikely places."
Nominees:
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Laura Linney, "The Big C"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

See what TV stars had to say on the red carpet:

Dressed up in a gorgeous J. Mendel gown, the "Homeland" star and nominee told NBC, "I'm so excited to be here. I"m really really happy to be here." The actress brought her mom as her date. But after all the intensity of her Showtime political thriller, is she still nervous for the big Golden Globe moment? "Yeah, sure," she told Ryan Seacrest with a laugh. "We're having fun," Danes said about her night with mom.

"Modern Family's" middle second Dunphy daughter Ariel Winter told E! that she was "a little nervous," but "I think it's really cool" to be at the Golden Globes. Clad in a purple Dolce & Gabanna dress, the pre-teen star, who is just a couple weeks shy of her 14th birthday, said she wants a puppy or a cell phone for the occasion. Giuliana Rancic, shocked that Winter is sans cell, asked the actress, "How do you talk to your cast and crew?" She replied, simply, "I see them in person!"

The "Episodes" star said although he plays himself an "Episodes" -- a performance that earned him a Golden Globe nomination -- it's only a version of himself. "It's not a documentary. It's a crazier wilder, more damaged version of myself. Or that's what I like to tell people anyway," he told NBC. When asked if he was at all like his "Friends" character Joey Tribbiani, he said, "Maybe a little bit, not too much."

"I can outgun her," Bowen told E! of her co-star Vergara. The "Modern Family" actress, dressed in a peach Reem Acra gown, said, "I'm trying to look like a girl, Even when I got married I didn't wear a full length gown."

"I think it's a revolutionary show to begin with," the actor said of the rumors about "Glee's" next season. "I can't wait to hear that revolutionary news ... I here rumblings that the Lea's and Corey's are staying around." As for his character Will's upcoming proposal on Tuesday night's episode, he said, "It's done in a way I've never seen before."

The "True Blood" star disappointed fans by telling NBC that he won't be shirtless when he guest stars on "New Girl." "It's a Valentine's Day episode so on paper, [my character] seems like everything a girl would want for Valentine's Day, but turns out, he's not that guy." As for his bloodsucking HBO drama, Kwanten said it's the "most controversial season yet," adding, "Any doors we busted open in previous seasons, we're busting down." He warned, "Expect the unexpected." 

"Ringer" star wore a Monique Lhullier gown, Jimmy Choo shoes and a Bvlgari bag to the Golden Globes. Gellar told E! that her toddler picked her ensemble. "My two year old walked in, saw this dress, and said, 'Mama, wear this,'" she said. "My husband has an opinion too, 'Doesn't mean I listen to it,'" she joked of Freddie Prinze Jr., who was home watching football. "This is worst date night I could possibly think of. For us, date night is usually iHop!" The two have been married for 12 years, which she joked, is like 92 years in Hollywood.

"We're so happy we're all here," a Vera Wang-clad Sofia Vergara told E! "All the 'Modern Family' family is here," she added, before co-star Julie Bowen showed up to stand by her side. When she made her exit, Ryan Seacrest asked if she needed help. "No," she said. "I'm just gonna slide."

Wearing a one-of-a-kind Prada gown, first-time nominee Zooey Deschanel told E!: "It's very exciting. I brought my sister. It's very, very much fun. I'm excited." The "New Girl" star was dressed from head to toe to finger nails for the evening: Her manicure had tuxedos on them.

The "Breaking Bad" star, dressed in John Varvatos, told E! that he's not really into reading reviews of his critically-acclaimed show. "I don't ever go online to read things... I would rather work than talk about work or reflect on work," Cranston said. "I'm a worker bee."

The "30 Rock" star wore an Oscar de la Renta gown and was happy to be gussied up for the night. "My character dresses like a man-- sneakers, jeans, sweatshirts," Fey told NBC about Liz Lemon. "It's a nice change of pace." Apparently, her daughter Alice also shares her passion for dressing up. "If my daughter was here, she would work this carpet bald!" Fey joked.

"Sofia is really like her character," the "Modern Family" star told E! "She calls stewardesses on the plane, 'height-waiters.'"

First-time nominee Amy Poehler told NBC that as excited she is about the Globes, she's most thrilled about "Parks and Recreation. "It's like a dream job. To be nominated is great, but I feel like to go to work every day is a dream." Her husband, "Up All Night" star Will Arnett said he's also enjoying his show. "Every time a parent tells me they watch the show, I feel like we're doing something right," he said.

The "Enlightened" star, who was nominated for a Golden Globe, told NBC that her character is "misguided at times." To accompany her on for the big name, Dern brought her mom Diane Ladd, who also plays her mother on the show.

"It's such a great group," the "Parks and Recreation" star told NBC. And he hopes his co-star Amy Poehler takes home the award. "I'm gonna tackle her if she's too drunk," he joked. "She has a very bad drinking problem."

Clad in Gucci, the Golden Globe nominee for her performance in the "Mildred Pierce" miniseries, said she's glad the project is getting so many accolades. "I think it really deserves it," she told NBC.

When she wasn't busy belting out songs on set of "Glee," Lea Michele told Ryan Seacrest she made time to see almost all the Golden Globe-nominated films. Some of her favorites? "Loved 'My Week With Marilyn, 'The Iron Lady' and 'We Need to Talk About Kevin.'"

"Glee" star Dianna Agron couldn't help but gush about the upcoming Michael Jackson episode. "We put so much work into it and it's going to be amazing," she told E!'s Ryan Seacrest

The 2011 Emmys host was happy to leave the hosting duties to Ricky Gervais for the Golden Globes. "The live part of the opening number, my heart was in my mouth," she told E! of the experience.

Nominee Eric Stonestreet made last minute decisions about his wardrobe for the Golden Globes, but showed up looking sharp. He joked about the ensemble cast competing with one another and who's on which list. "I give Jesse some trouble every once in a while," he told E! of his on-screen partner Jesse Tyler Furgeson. "We love each other. A win for the Emmys is a win for our cast." The night before the Globes, Stonestreet's Twitter was hacked and whoever did it, was hocking weight loss pills. "I think there's some cruel irony there," he joked.

With her husband on her arm and dressed in a gold Reem Acra gown, the nominee for "Cinema Verite" talked about reenacting the lives of the "very first family that allowed cameras into their homes," when talking to E!

"The Voice" coach and judge sported a big bow tie with his Tom Ford tux and told E! that he wasn't stressed about the evening, since he'd never been before and isn't nominated. "I just want to have a good time and enjoy this amazing thing so I'm in a good place right now," he said.

Wearing a metallic Julien MacDonald metallic gown and a long ponytail, upcoming "Fashion Star" mentor told E! she's looking forward to the show. "It's very, very exciting!"

The "Glee" star will be back for Season 4, but what's coming up for Finn? "A lot of drama between him and Rachel," he told Ryan Seacrest. "Yes I am going to be in Season 4."

The nominee for his performance as Nucky Thompson told NBC he loves working on "Boardwalk Empire." "It's the best," he said.

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