The five most memorable speeches at the Emmys this year

1. Merritt Wever gives shortest - and best - speech ever

Actress Merritt Wever took the first award of the night home when she won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Nurse Jackie. The show as well as the actress were little-known to Emmy-watchers, especially compared to biggies like Breaking Bad and Modern Family. But the Nurse Jackie actress made sure to win over audiences with the shortest acceptance speech ever: “Thank you so much. Um, I gotta go. Bye.”

As host Neil Patrick Harris said after she was done: “Merritt Wever, best speech ever. Good luck to everyone else.”

2. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale act out Veep roles on stage

Once Seinfeld-actor Julia Louis Dreyfus won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Veep, she was accompanied on stage by co-star Tony Hale, who had himself just won an award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

On Veep, Hale plays the hilariously attentive and supportive aide of Dreyfus’s character (she plays the vice-president of the US) and the duo re-enacted their dynamic with Hale whispering notes and encouragement into Dreyfus’s ear while she spoke.

3. Homeland writer’s widow accepts his award with an emotional speech

Henry Bromell, the veteran writer, won the drama writing trophy for his writing of the “Q&A” episode of Homeland. Bromell passed away in March of this year of a heart condition, and his trophy was accepted by his wife. His widow, Sarah Bromell, accepted the award on his behalf, and acknowledged the role her husband, as well as the other cast and crew played in the writing of the episode. The episode is the first open confrontation between Carrie Mathison and Nicholas Brody, and sets the tone for the second season of the TV show.

4. Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons tears up on stage

Jim Parsons won for his role on The Big Bang Theory and was visibly emotional on stage while accepting his trophy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. The camera also cut to shots of his co-actors, Kaley Cuoco and Mayim Bialik, looking thrilled and emotional as well. It’s Parsons’s third Emmy win in the role. He also won back-to-back Emmys in  2010 and 2011.

5. Michael Douglas makes innuendo-laden jokes at Matt Damon

Michael Douglas, 68, won outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie for his portrayal of Liberace in the HBO biopic, Behind the Cadelabra. Douglas began his speech with a shout-out to Matt Damon, his co-star in the film. Douglas joked, “Matt, you’re only as good… as your other half…This is a two-hander and Matt, you’re only as good as your other hand,” Douglas went on to say, while pointing to the statuette, “Matt, you deserve half of this. You want the bottom or the top?”