“Homeland” won an Emmy for drama series Sunday night, scoring an upset victory over reigning four-time champion “Mad Men.”

The Showtime series stars Claire Danes as a psychologically troubled CIA agent who believes that a U.S. Marine, played by Damian Lewis, has been turned by Al Qaeda after eight years in captivity. It is based on an Israeli series called “Hatufim” and opened in 2011 to near-universal critical acclaim. Its second season premieres Sept. 30.

“Homeland” beat out some particularly stiff competition this year, the first time the drama category did not include a series from one of the major broadcast networks. It triumphed over other nominees “Mad Men” (AMC), “Downton Abbey” (PBS), “Breaking Bad (AMC), “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO) and “Game of Thrones” (HBO).

TIMELINE: Emmy winners | VIDEO: Let’s talk drama


The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards are being handed out at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, and the show is being televised live on ABC.

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