Aliens walked away with two Emmy awards Sunday night, while one of television's most recognizable UFO investigators went home empty-handed.
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences bestowed its highest honor on two members of the cast of NBC's 3rd Rock From the Sun, which centers around the zany misadventures of alien spies sent to observe the Earth. John Lithgow won the "outstanding lead actor in a comic series" award and Kristen Johnston picked up the "outstanding supporting actor in a comic series" statuette.
It was Lithgow's fourth Emmy, and his third for his portrayal of imperious 3rd Rock leader "Dick Solomon." He had also won the "outstanding guest in a dramatic series" award for a 1986 appearance of the anthology program Amazing Stories.
Likewise, Johnston's portrayal of "Sally Solomon," Dick's tough-yet-vulnerable right hand woman, won an Emmy in 1997.
The show has now garnered an impressive eight Emmys -- Lithgow and Johnston's five, plus awards for choreography, sound and costuming.
Despite the honors heaped on NBC's comic aliens, Fox's more somber The X-Files struck out in the headline categories announced in Sunday's 51st annual awards ceremony. Gillian Anderson, who plays special FBI agent "Dana Scully," lost her bid to get a second "outstanding lead actress in a dramatic series" Emmy to The Sopranos' Edie Falco.
Anderson's loss left The X-Files, soon to enter its seventh season, with only one Emmy this year -- the "outstanding makeup" statuette awarded last month in the largely technical "creative arts" awards ceremony.
No other space- or alien-oriented shows were nominated for Sunday's awards.
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