The US thriller 24 has won best drama and actor awards at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, while the US version of The Office was named best comedy.
Collecting the two awards, star Kiefer Sutherland said his experience on the show had been "nothing but remarkable".
Dame Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons were named best actress and best supporting actor in a mini-series for Elizabeth I.
Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald was also recognised for her role in Richard Curtis's TV movie The Girl in the Cafe.
Curtis picked up a writing award for the BBC programme, a drama set at the G8 conference. It also won the best TV movie award.
The Emmys are the US TV industry's most prestigious awards.
'Seinfeld curse'
Sutherland's best actor triumph follows four unsuccessful nominations for 24 in consecutive years.
"Every once in a while you'll have an evening that just reminds you that you're given too much," he said. "This is that evening."
Elizabeth I star Helen Mirren took home her third Emmy Period drama's success
Tony Shalhoub was named best comedy actor for the third time for his role as a detective with obsessive compulsive disorder in Monk.
Taking his Emmy, the actor joked that it was "gratifying to be chosen from such a distinguished group of losers - actors".
Steve Carell had been tipped for best comedy actor for his role in The Office, an American remake of the popular British series of the same name.
Creator Ricky Gervais was in the audience to see the programme win the best comedy prize.
As the show's executive producers, he and writing partner Stephen Merchant were able to share in its success.
The best actress awards went to Mariska Hargitay for drama and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for comedy.
Hargitay was awarded for her acting in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, while Louis-Dreyfus won for The New Adventures of Old Christine.
Louis-Dreyfus made an apparent joke about the so-called "Seinfeld curse" which kept three of its stars from launching successful new series.
Emotional tribute
"I'm not somebody who really believes in curses - but curse this, baby," she said, hoisting her trophy.
Veteran actor Alan Alda was named best supporting actor drama for his role as a Republican senator in The West Wing, which has ended its network run.
The cast of The Office celebrate winning best comedy series 2006 Emmys - in pictures
Alda's Emmy means that The West Wing now rivals Hill Street Blues as the series to have amassed the most Emmys - 26 - during its run.
Medical drama Grey's Anatomy had been tipped as a challenger for The West Wing but failed to get any awards on the night.
The big winners from the 2005 Emmys - drama Lost and comedy Desperate Housewives - had nothing to cheer about this year either.
Talk show host Conan O'Brien hosted the event, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The ceremony featured an emotional tribute to late producer Aaron Spelling that saw Charlie's Angels stars Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith reunited on stage.
Former Dynasty actors Joan Collins and Heather Locklear also paid homage to the TV legend, who died in June at the age of 83.
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