There wasn’t much to be excited about at this year’s 64th annual Emmy awards …. Well, except for Amy Poehler being awesome.

No, unfortunately Poehler didn’t win an Emmy award for Best Actress in a Comedy for her role as Leslie Knope in “Parks and Recreation,” but I would say she, again, owned the Emmys.

Yes, she pulled another stunt. Like last year’s act where all comedy actress nominees went on stage when their name was read, Poehler and winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus made the night all worth it. Once Louis-Dreyfus won her third Emmy for her role in “Veep,”she celebrated with Poehler before making her way to the stage. She then started reading her speech, which jokingly was actually Poehler’s. For me, it was the highlight of the evening.

At Sunday night’s telecast on ABC, host Jimmy Kimmel was average, unlike the Jimmy (Fallon) who hosted two years ago. Most winners were past winners (Can anyone say “Modern Family”?), and a failed prank attempt involving Twitter and Tracy Morgan “passing out on stage” was weak and awkward.

However, this being an award show, there was of course some great (and not so great) upsets and speeches. The best for me was “Homeland.”

Damian Lewis defeated predicted winner Bryan Cranston for the Best Actor in a Drama category. With the “Breaking Bad” absence from the Emmys last year, I thought Cranston would continue his streak and win his fourth Emmy this year. Luckily for us, we got to see Lewis have a brilliant British-accent speech.

Lewis’ co-star Claire Danes followed his lead and won the Best Actress in a Drama for “Homeland” and had another winning speech. After the show won both actor categories, I had an inkling “Homeland,” which was my favorite new drama last season, could do the unthinkable and defeat “Mad Men” for Best Drama.

And indeed, I was right. The Showtime drama stopped “Mad Men” from winning its fifth-straight Emmy for Best Drama, which would have been a record. I couldn’t have been more surprised or more pleased. Not to mention, it won the first best show Emmy for a Showtime show (I’m still waiting for the day “Dexter” wins). The show was the biggest highlight of an otherwise boring telecast.

Because, of course, it was no surprise that “Modern Family” accomplished the three-peat for Best Comedy. Personally, I thought the only show that could have defeated it would have been “Parks and Recreation,” and that wasn’t even nominated.

Most of the show was filled with watching people who already won, and the latter half was filled with HBO’s “Game Change” sweeping most of the Miniseries or TV movie category, including Best Actress, Best Director, Best Writing, and Best Miniseries or Movie.

But, luckily for all of us, Amy Poehler was nominated, who was smart to know even if she didn’t win, she could still make the Emmys an exciting show, even if for a little while.

Samantha is a senior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected]