Led by a sweep for "Angels in America" and a breakthrough series win for "The Sopranos," HBO dominated the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, cementing its place as the standard-bearer for quality television.

"The Sopranos" finally won the award for outstanding drama series, breaking a four-year string by NBC's "The West Wing." It's the first cable series to win the award, and it's one that many critics of the Emmys believed was long overdue.

The miniseries "Angels in America" was the Emmys' biggest winner, winning seven Emmys Sunday (Sept. 19) -- outstanding miniseries, four acting awards (Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeffrey Wright), writing (Tony Kushner) and directing (Mike Nichols). It also won four trophies at last week's Creative Arts awards, bringing its total to 11.

In addition to its win for outstanding drama series, "The Sopranos" won for outstanding supporting actor and actress -- Michael Imperioli and Drea de Matteo took home their first Emmys -- and writing, for the Terence Winter-penned episode "Long Term Parking."

On the comedy side, the critically adored but low-rated "Arrested Development" raised its profile a great deal with wins for outstanding comedy series, writing (creator Mitch Hurwitz) and directing (Joe and Anthony Russo). Giving itself yet another reason to curse its contract with Major League Baseball, FOX must now hope that momentum carries over to the show's second season -- which doesn't begin until November, after the World Series ends. The show won two Creative Arts awards, making its total haul five awards.

Voters also honored two departed series, "Frasier" and "Sex and the City," with a pair of acting awards each. Kelsey Grammer (lead actor in a comedy series), and his TV brother, David Hyde Pierce, (supporting actor) each won their fourth Emmys.

"Sex and the City" stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon won that show's first acting awards. It's Nixon's first Emmy; Parker, a co-executive producer of the series, shared in its best comedy series Emmy in 2001.

HBO's domination, and "Arrested Development's" breakthrough, left Emmy regulars like "Everybody Loves Raymond," "The West Wing," "Will & Grace" and "Friends" in the cold. Allison Janney won her fourth Emmy as "The West Wing's" press secretary C.J. Cregg, but the three comedies were shut out in the main ceremony. James Spader of "The Practice" -- and soon of its spinoff, "Boston Legal" -- got an out-of-left-field win for lead actor in a drama.

With 32 total Emmys -- 16 Sunday and 16 at the Creative Arts awards -- HBO left all its competition in the dust. FOX won 10 awards in all, NBC eight and ABC seven. CBS, the most popular network, was nearly shut out, winning one Creative Arts award and the reality/competition trophy for "The Amazing Race" on Sunday.