18 Times The Golden Globes Got It Right (When The Emmys Didn't) — Watch The Winners' Acceptance Speeches

The Emmys may be the gold standard for television excellence, but they aren't perfect... and sometimes, the Golden Globes are there to set things right.

The Globes have certainly been prone to, shall we say, eccentric choices over the years — Mozart in the Jungle, anyone? Seriously, has anyone actually seen that show? — but they also hit upon some great winners, too. In fact, on quite a few occasions, Globe voters have handed out awards to very worthy shows and actors that Emmy voters passed over entirely. Classic shows like Twin Peaks and The Shield and beloved performers like Steve Carell and Hugh Laurie never got to give an Emmys acceptance speech... but they did at the Globes.

With this year's Golden Globes airing this Sunday (NBC, 8/7c), we're looking back at all the times the Globes got it exactly right — and also helped to soothe the sting of an Emmys snub. Plus, thanks to the magic of the internet, many of our choices include video of the winners' acceptance speeches, so we can relive their moments of glory. Read on to see our list of the Globes' surprisingly great choices in the TV categories... and here's hoping they give us some more nice surprises this weekend.

As bumbling regional manager Michael Scott on NBC's workplace comedy, Carell delivered one of the most enduring and hilarious performances in TV history — but he somehow never won an Emmy for it. The Globes gave him the honor he deserved, though, in 2006. It sure beats a Dundie, huh?

Looking back, Danes' portrayal of angst icon Angela Chase on the short-lived ABC drama is one of the most indelible teen performances of all time. So it's fitting that the Globes honored her in 1995 for the cult favorite's one and only season. (When she was just 15!)

Sheen delivered a towering performance as philosophy-spouting President Jed Bartlet in NBC's political drama, but went home empty-handed at the Emmys across six nominations. He did win the Globes' vote, though, in 2001.

David Lynch's boldly weird murder-mystery became a national obsession during its initial ABC run, and the Globes smartly rode that wave, honoring the show in 1991 with trophies for best drama series and lead actor for Kyle MacLachlan's intrepid FBI agent Dale Cooper.

Globe voters were clearly more enlightened than Emmy voters, handing Dern a much-deserved trophy in 2012 for playing high-strung corporate crusader Amy Jellicoe in the late, great HBO dramedy.

As far as the Emmys are concerned, The CW might as well not even exist, but the Globes cast a wider net, and we're thrilled they recognized Rodriguez's vibrant turn as the titular virgin-turned-mom in the telenovela-inspired comedy in 2015. (She gave an all-time great speech, too.)

Michael Chiklis did take home an Emmy for playing rogue cop Vic Mackey on the groundbreaking FX drama, but the show itself had to turn to the Globes to get the big prize it richly deserved, beating out The Sopranos and The West Wing for best drama series in 2003.

The Emmys were nearly as rude as Dr. Gregory House himself, never awarding Laurie the big prize for his role on the Fox medical drama. But the Globes gave him a pair of awards in 2006 and 2007... and he thanked us with a hilarious acceptance speech.

Despite having a pair of iconic TV performances on The WB's Felicity and FX's The Americans, Russell's Emmy shelf is conspicuously empty. But the Globes got on her bandwagon early, honoring her midway through Felicity's freshman season in 1999, when she was just 22 years old. (And her acceptance speech is so cute!)

Maybe it was too British for Emmy voters, but the original UK comedy that spawned NBC's version was a true pioneer, launching the wave of acid-tongued mockumentaries that soon followed. It won big at the 2004 Globes for best comedy series and for star/co-creator Gervais for playing inept boss David Brent. (See, sometimes the Globes' fixation on British shows actually pays off!)

The Emmys didn't want to believe in Fox's sci-fi hit, only honoring Gillian Anderson along with a couple of other minor wins. But the Globes were true believers, handing it a pair of best drama series wins in 1997 and 1998, along with a lead actor award for Duchovny as paranormal investigator Fox Mulder.

The Emmys basically ignored The CW's musical rom-com, outside of the music categories, but the Globes handed a trophy to Bloom in 2016 for her gloriously goofy turn as hopeless romantic Rebecca Bunch.

Fox's dysfunctional family comedy did win the Emmy for best comedy series along with a devoted cult following, but Bateman deserved more credit for holding the clan together as the levelheaded, often-annoyed Michael Bluth. The Globes gave him that credit in 2005, with the trophy for lead actor in a comedy.

The Emmys turned up their nose at FX's hit motorcycle drama, with just five total nominations in seven seasons, and none in major categories. But the Globes were happy to ride along with SAMCRO, honoring the show's most remarkable performance: Sagal as biker matriarch Gemma Teller.

The Pawnee gang inexplicably got the cold shoulder on Emmy night — it never won a single Emmy, in any category — but the Globes did it justice in 2014 by handing Poehler (that year's co-host, too) the Globe for playing the relentlessly optimistic Leslie Knope. "I've never won anything like this!" she declared... plus, she got to make out with Bono!

FX's impeccably crafted spy thriller never took home the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series — damn you, Game of Thrones — but it did come out on top at the Globes in 2019 for its sixth and final season. (Keri Russell wins again!)

The Emmys showered HBO's mobster drama with awards, but they missed a chance to honor maybe its most terrifying character: Tony's domineering mother Livia, played by the late Nancy Marchand in the show's first two seasons. Luckily, the Globes gave her the award for best supporting actress in a drama in 2000, just five months before she passed away.

Henson's ferocious performance as Cookie Lyon on the Fox hip-hop drama could not be denied... except by the Emmys, who gave her two nominations and no wins. The Globes were listening, though, and honored her work with the Globe for lead actress in a drama in 2016. And she handed out cookies on her way up to the podium!