The Screen Actors Guild Award telecast went off last night with the blessing of the striking writers, and for those of us who have an unnatural affinity for these things it was a smashing return to the durable genre’s form. Those of us who love the combination of showbiz obsequiousness, false humility, genuine joy, and heartfelt gratitude probably probably had our spirits raised very early in the night when the disembodied emcee announced, “Ladies and gentlemen…Debra Messing and Zac Efron!”

The show started with the traditional “I’m an actor” speeches by various Guild members in the audience. Jane Krakowski walked off with the segment when she said that she loved acting because she gets to be other people, and then ended with a deadpan, “I’m Johnny Depp, and I’m an actor.”

The first half-hour of the show was a victory lap for The Sopranos. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and the ensemble cast swept the dramatic TV awards.

Javier Bardem took home the night’s first film award for his cold-blooded killer in No Country for old Men, and he gave a superb speech highlighted by thanking the Coen Brothers for cutting out all his bad takes. Acceptance speeches, good or bad, can affect your odds of winning an Oscar, (if you don’t believe that go back and look at Eddie Murphy’s Globes speech last year) and his was note perfect.

Tina Fey followed that up by giving the funniest acceptance speech of the night, comparing herself to the hat rack that danced with Fred Astaire. She also earned points for being the first person to mention the Writers Guild during the show, but she certainly would not be the last.

When the cast of The Office came on stage to accept their ensemble in a TV comedy award, the pain of the writers strike hit me full force for the first time. I miss these actors and those characters.

Am I the only person who, after hearing the emcee say, “Ladies and gentlemen, Holly Hunter and James Spader,” immediately thought, “Sweet! Crash reunion!”

The show respectfully slowed during Charles Durning’s long overdue lifetime achievement award, but it nearly came to a halt during Mickey Rooney’s reading of the nominees in the best actress in a TV movie or miniseries category. This was followed by the montage of those who had passed away since the previous awards show, a certainly necessary part of the show, but one that understandably ladles a somberness over the proceedings.

Ruby Dee’s surprise win for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture certainly shook things up. She received one of the few standing ovations of the night, and her warm and gracious speech certainly helped pick up the pace of the telecast.

Daniel Day-Lewis gave the most impassioned acceptance speech, offering a beautiful eulogy for Heath Ledger. Although the two had never worked together, Lewis served up perceptive and awestruck praise for Ledger’s work in Monster’s Ball and Brokeback Mountain, and dedicated his win to the recently deceased actor. It was a moment as genuine as one will ever see during an awards show.

When Tom Cruise strolled out to hand out the best ensemble cast in a feature film award I feared the fix was in the works and he would read that Hairspray was taking home the night’s final prize, but his announcement of No Country for Old Men as the winner solidified the favorites for this year’s Oscars.

Thank you Screen Actors Guild for giving us back a genuine awards show during this strike affected kudos season.