Empire's Taraji P. Henson Wins Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty

This television awards season is going to be a real doozy, particularly in the Lead Actress in a Drama category. For the past four years, the Primetime Emmy, aka the Oscar of TV, has been going to either Julianna Marguiles or Claire Danes, so it's time to make space for some new faces --and the competition is stiff.

Taraji P. Henson, star of Fox's megahit Empire, scored an early victory. She beat out Marguiles, How to Get Away with Murder's Viola Davis, and The Americans' Keri Russell to snatch the Best Actress in a Drama trophy at last night's Critics' Choice TV Awards, presented by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. Bates Motel's Vera Farmiga was also up for the award, and somehow Penny Dreadful's Eva Green snuck in, over House of Cards' Robin Wright, The Affair's Ruth Wilson and the Critics' Choice winner for the last two years, Tatiana Maslany of Orphan Black.

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Bob Odenkirk walked away with the Best Actor in a Drama award for Better Call Saul, while over on the comedy side, Jeffrey Tambor won Best Actor for his amazing work on Transparent. Amy Schumer beat out serial-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep, and the frontrunner for every award (in my opinon), The Comeback's Lisa Kudrow, for Best Actress.

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The BTJA definitely has some interesting picks, though they're all but rendered irrelevant with the omission of RuPaul and RuPaul's Drag Racefrom the Best Reality Series Host and Best Reality Competition Series categories, respectively. Need I remind you this happened?

Anyway, here's to Taraji P. finally getting hers, and to the gowns we'll be seeing once awards season starts in full swing. If any one of the nominees pulls a Chachki spin, however, it's going to be curtains for everyone.

Below, the full list of winners from the fifth annual Critics' Choice TV Awards:

BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Americans

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Silicon Valley

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Taraji P. Henson, Empire

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer

BEST LIMITED SERIES
Olive Kitteridge

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Bessie

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

BEST REALITY SERIES HOST
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance?

BEST REALITY COMPETITION SERIES
Face Off

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sam Elliott, Justified

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bradley Whitford, Transparent

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Allison Janney, Mom

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
T.J. Miller, Silicon Valley

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Lorraine Toussaint, Orange Is the New Black

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul

BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
David Oyelowo, Nightingale

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak Show

BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Archer

BEST TALK SHOW
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Les Fabian Brathwaite -- Sophie's Choice 2015: Viola vs. Taraji

[h/t] Time