Arrested Development, The Sopranos, The West Wing, Sex and the City, Frasier — the 56th Annual Emmy Awards featured a killer list of TV favorites among its nominees. As the 2024 Emmys approach, we look back at two decades ago, when prestige TV reigned supreme — and the stars made their mark on the red carpet.
(2004) Brad Pitt Jennifer Aniston arriving at the Emmy Awards
The 2004 ceremony honored the hit new comedy series Arrested Development, which won in the Outstanding Comedy Series category and also scored pilot success in the writing and directing categories. The Sopranos finally claimed the awards show's crown for Outstanding Drama Series, beating out the four-time defending Aaron Sorkin series The West Wing, which also became the first HBO cable show to beat out NBC, CBS and ABC.
That same year, big steps were taken for cable network shows and their accreditation in the entertainment industry, with first-time wins in categories like Drama Supporting Actress (won by Drea de Matteo), Comedy Lead Actress (won by Sarah Jessica Parker), and Comedy Supporting Actress (won by Cynthia Nixon). Not to mention, it was a time when power couples like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt made the awards show must-see TV.
Scroll down to see some of the biggest names to walk the Emmys 20 years ago, from James Gandolfini to Simon Cowell and Mariska Hargitay.
